Fall Toy Preview ’16 Draws Optimistic Crowd of Global Toymakers, Retailers
TIA Honored by Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau for its Continued Partnership with the City
October 4, 2016 | More than 3,300 toymakers, buyers, licensors and trade guests hailing from 36 countries were in Dallas, TX last week to attend the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) 10th annual Fall Toy Preview.
Held September 27-29 at the Dallas Market Center, the long-lead marketplace drew 758 buyers from 359 retail outlets – from mass merchants and supermarkets to discount chains and specialty shops – to preview tens of thousands of brand-new toys and games slated for release in 2017.
Notable retailers in attendance included Walmart, Target, Toys“R”Us, Amazon.com, Kmart, Michaels Arts and Crafts, and A.C. Moore. Toys“R”Us demonstrated its continued commitment to the fall marketplace by way of their participation – more than 170 buyers, field managers and executives from the retail giant were present at the show.
Dozens of licensors were also on hand to broker deals that will bring beloved characters and brands to life, including 20th Century Fox, Cartoon Network, Disney Consumer Products, NBC Universal, and Nickelodeon.
Hundreds of toymakers displayed their new and developing product lines in open, closed or combination booths and showrooms. Many exhibitors remarked on the quality of their buyer appointments and were pleased with the positive feedback they received throughout the show.
“Fall Toy Preview was a great success! The event drew a considerable, optimistic crowd and showcased thousands of compelling playthings from our industry’s most creative toymakers,” said Marian Bossard, TIA senior vice president of global market events. “Industry analysts are forecasting another successful year for the industry … and the innovative toys and games shown at Fall Toy Preview are sure to propel sales through the 2017 holiday shopping season.”
This year marked Fall Toy Preview’s 10th anniversary, an occasion that was recognized by the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), which presented TIA with a special sculpture as a ‘thank you’ for its continued partnership with the city.
The sculpture – a seven-inch, hand-cast pewter skateboarding bird mounted on a brick salvaged from historic Dallas structures – is a miniature replica of the original 22-foot-tall sculpture seen on the Dallas skyline, created by Dallas CVB Artist of the Year and world-renowned sculptor Brad Oldham. The piece celebrates “the leap of faith that artists and entrepreneurs take every day,” stated Oldham, who visited the Dallas Market Center during Fall Toy Preview’s Opening Night Party to present his creation to TIA President and CEO Steve Pasierb.
“Receiving an original Brad Oldham sculpture is an honor for all TIA members and further evidence of the high esteem the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau holds for Fall Toy Preview,” said Pasierb. “The 2016 Preview delivered robust buyer attendance, strong international representation and member booths and showrooms that were buzzing with activity. We can’t wait for October 2017 and the next Fall Toy Preview!”
TIA’s Fall Toy Preview gives toy buyers from mass, long-lead and specialty outlets the opportunity to meet one-on-one with toymakers and marketers more than a year in advance of in-store delivery. For more information, visit www.FallToyPreview.org. Save the date for Fall Toy Preview 2017, to be held October 2-5 at the Dallas Market Center.