By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The veteran licensing industry reporter and editor Robert Hutchins has joined Products of Change (PoC) in the newly created role of Editor and Community Manager.
Hutchins (above left) was the editor for both ToyNews and Licensing.biz, both of which are widely read publications in the licensing industry. Now, Hutchins is joining the team at Products of Change as part of a plan to create the “go-to media hub” or promoting and encouraging the sustainability agenda across the consumer products industries.
The former ToyNews and Licensing.biz editor will work alongside Products of Change founder, Helena Mansell-Stopher (in photo, above right), to head up editorial production across the platform, drawing upon his almost 10 years’ experience in toy and licensing industry media to develop content for POC’s growing audience and member base.
“I’ve been smiling like an idiot since I got the call from Helena that this was really happening,” said Hutchins. “Working with Helena and the Products of Change team to help take her vision for the brand and its massively important mission forward is pretty much the dream job. I’m so excited to get stuck in and chatting with all the incredible people and businesses driving the sustainability effort into the future, that I’ve lost all feeling in my cheeks!”
During his time at ToyNews and Licensing.biz, Hutchins oversaw editorial development across the businesses’ monthly ToyNews magazine as well as the online ToyNews and Licensing.biz platforms. As part of his coverage of the toy industry Hutchins also wrote extensively about issues like sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
“Products of Change and I share many of the same values and the belief that sharing and spreading positive news and the already excellent efforts that have been made across such important topics is the best way to encourage and fuel real, meaningful change,” said Hutchins. “I can’t wait to get talking to you all about it.”
Hutchins began his career in 2012 when he joined ToyNews and Licensing.biz as a staff writer before working his way up to the position of editor, which he has held for the last five years. As part of his coverage, Hutchins reported from the first-ever Products of Change meeting.
“Talk about circular economy!” said Mansell-Stopher. “From welcoming Rob to the very first Products of Change meeting way back in 2019, to seeing him join us in the newly created position of Editor, it’s a delight to see the loop completed and welcome Rob to the team.
“I’m hugely excited to see Products of Change embark on its next stage of evolution as we continue to grow the platform and set our ambitions for what we want to achieve even higher,” she added. “Rob will play a big role in fuelling our momentum and energy to take this platform sky high, and I can’t wait to see where that takes us.”
Products of Change now has more than250 members, including Mattel, Hasbro, Lego, Viacom CBS, Discovery Networks, BBC Studios, Asda, Tesco’s, and many more leading names from the licensing, toy, apparel, retail, publishing, homewares and education worlds, as well as many more sectors.
For more information or to share stories with PoC, contact rob@productsofchange.com or helena@productsofchange.com