“A perfect launch pad”, “positive vibe”, “sense of excitement”, “wonderful to be back” and “a fantastic opportunity” are just some of the ways in which exhibitors at Toy Fair 2023 have been describing this week’s event.
Taking place at London’s Olympia from 24-26 January, the 69th annual Toy Fair welcomed back more than 250 exhibiting companies and thousands of visitors from around the world.
It was a sold out show which welcomed just under 60 new exhibitors and had increased its footprint since 2022 by maximising the full space in the National Gallery to accommodate extra stands.
One of the top trends announced on press day (Tuesday 24 January), during the first morning of the show, was nostalgia with Care Bears, Paddington Bear, Sylvanian Families, Wallace & Gromit and Sesame Street’s Elmo all making an appearance in Toy Fair’s Hero Toys winning line-up.
The NPD Group also shared 2022 data from the toy industry which showed plush toys was the fastest growing category up by 29%, driven by Squishmallows, TY and Bluey.
After a packed press briefing and busy first day at the show, Toy Fair was broadcast live on Sky News and BBC regional radio stations, as well as print coverage in the Daily Mail, the i, plus online coverage including BBC News, Mail Online, Evening Standard, ITV This Morning, the Metro plus more media coverage pending.
“Toy Fair 2023 has been a fantastic start to the toy calendar year,” commented Majen Immink, director of Toy Fair. “It has been lovely to see a packed show of exhibitors and top quality industry visitors fill the halls. There has been a real buzz around the show, and we are grateful to all exhibitors for all their efforts in helping to make the show look vibrant and colourful, and making it a great environment for business to take place.
“We wish everyone the best for 2023 and look forward to seeing you all back in 2024 for our 70th show.”
Just some of the exhibitor comments included:
“We’re back for the first year after Covid and what a great opportunity to showcase our full product range. The show is a key tool for us to meet face to face with key retail and marketing representatives. Highlights of the show were the character parade and winning a Hero Toy. We 100%, absolutely will be back next year.” Adam Moore, Playmobil
“We’re leaving Toy Fair very optimistic. We feel that the customers we kept in touch with in 2022, and our new prospects are enthusiastic about things to come.” Dennis Blackmore, Learning Resources
“We were excited to be back at London Toy Fair and have had a really positive show meeting existing and new business opportunities. We were proud to showcase our new product releases for the spring/summer and autumn/winter seasons from Sylvanian Families, Aquabeads and Epoch Games and we look forward to a strong 2023.” Matt Shaw, Epoch Making Toys
“Toy Fair has been fantastic for us this year, it has been a perfect launch pad for our 2023 product. As we grow our presence across new categories for Golden Bear, forming new connections and catching up with old faces has been invaluable. We have had a busy stand for the whole three days with a really positive vibe and a sense of excitement. There is nothing like the magic of London Toy Fair.” Becky Matthews, Golden Bear
Applications for Toy Fair 2024 will open in March 2023 on the Toy Fair website www.toyfair.co.uk.
