Uncategorized

For some time, I have been expressing concerns about population declines in the developed and developing worlds. I have cautioned that fewer babies mean fewer children wanting toys. However, there is a bigger problem emerging. Fewer people being born means fewer people available to work. Its a particular problem at this moment in time as Baby Boomers are leaving the … [Read more...] about “There Just Aren’t As Many People Entering the Workforce” – A warning from Microsoft’s President

In less than one month, Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China are set to welcome over 1,000 exhibitors to the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from 5 – 7 August 2022. The fairs will continue be held in a hybrid format to allow participants a more flexible participation in these leading industry events. Global industry players can … [Read more...] about Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China will offer a seamless hybrid experience to buyers [Ad]

The Euro and Dollar Reach Parity Many Americans who have visited Europe know the pain of exchanging dollars for euros. At one point, the Euro was worth $1.60 compared to the dollar. The Euro began the year valued at $1.15 to the dollar. Since then, it has plummeted to a point where the two currencies are at parity for the first time in twenty years. That’s good news if … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #60: Blame Baby Boomers for Shipping Delays, Euro and Dollar Reach Parity, Possible Railroad Strike On the Horizon

Released in the late 1950s by Rainbow Crafts, the Magnajector was a kid-friendly opaque projector. Such devices used a combination of lighting and mirrors to reflect on a wall or screen a magnified image. Typically, these toys came were used to project a variety of illustrated materials, including photos, magazines, and comic panels. Opaque projectors are often referred to as a … [Read more...] about Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear! The Magnajector from Rainbow Crafts

Click here to learn more click here to learn more … [Read more...] about The Nuremberg Toy Show W.I.T. Webinar – July 26, 2022. All of your questions answered.

Bradley’s Kindergarten Material Cutting Papers, Gift No. 13, The Strong, Rochester, New York. A less than enthusiastic student during my grade school career, there were very few days I actually looked forward to. The most anticipated being—of course—the last day of school.  But somewhere in between, there was parachute day in gym class, StarLab day (a giant inflatable … [Read more...] about A Pinch of Creativity

The price of sending a 40-foot container from Shanghai to Los Angeles was $7,566 last week, about 39% lower than the peak of more than $12,000 last September“China’s Record Trade Surplus Shows Exports Staying Resilient,” Bloomberg News, july 13, 2022 Close to 20% of supply-chain executives surveyed by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. said they had brought some … [Read more...] about Quotes With Your Coffee #6 – Lego Pulls Out of Russia, India to Surpass China in Population in 2023 and more

Click here to listen to this episode (July 11) Richard and Chris have an engaging Q&A with Didier Pietri, CEO of Strottman International and their new toy division Luki Lab. The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy and Beacon Media Group. ​​Click here to listen to this episode (July 11) … [Read more...] about Strategies for Growth in a Dynamic Market: A Conversation with Didier Pietri

In 1971, Mattel released Instant Replay Record Player, offering sports fans a new way to re-live the “agony and ecstasy” of famous play-by-play moments in sports. Powered by a single D-battery, the Instant Replay player resembled an over-sized transistor radio. Mattel shipped four single-sided records with each player. At about 2.5-inches in diameter, the discs mirrored the … [Read more...] about It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again!: Mattel’s Instant Replay Record Player

Cataloged Super Famicom in an archival box . The Strong, Rochester, New York. Some standouts include: multiple games from the Bomberman series, Soul Blader (known as Soul Blazer in the U.S.), and Space Bazooka (Battle Clash in the U.S.). The Strong is home to thousands of video game related objects. Among them is a large collection of Japanese games, sourced from France in a … [Read more...] about Japanese Games at The Strong, Part I