We had an amazing time at the Toy Fair’s this year. We exhibited for the first time with our Precise TV lounge in London and our Co-Founders Christian and Nadav travelled to Nuremberg.
The toy industry’s showcase welcomed more than 260 companies exhibiting thousands of products to visitors including retailers, buyers, media and the wider industry for its 69th outing in London and even more at Nuremberg, which is currently in the midst of its 5 day stint welcoming an expected total of 62,000 visitors!
Whilst at the London-based fair we hosted our own bright and bold lounge, equipped with everything anyone could need to sit back, relax or take a meeting with us during the 3 day event.
We have learnt a lot from our time at Europe’s two largest ToyFair’s and here are our top 5, we wanted to share.
1. YouTube is now at the top of all toy brands media plan, catapulting ahead of the once-favoured TV. We heard this again and again throughout our time at the fair’s and recent news will show that if any brand continues to rely on buys from TV advertising, they are most likely going to have issues with reaching and engaging their audiences. TV is also becoming increasingly expensive as viewership drops and heads elsewhere. TV viewership in Germany has declined at a slower rate, but advertisers are now starting to feel as if they’re being priced out which, of course, is just fuelling faster adoption of YouTube ads in what has been a more traditional market up to now.
2. New and emerging categoriesa. Traditional toys, especially Plush Toys are making a comeback and fast! In 2022 sales grew 29% YoY, contributing significantly to the UK’s £3.6 billion toy industry.
3. Digital Collaboration. This year, more than ever we witnessed a willingness for toy companies to work together, especially from a marketing standpoint. In an industry that is experiencing a shift and having to navigate a complex world of digital advertising, over traditional TV advertising, and selling offline to online the phrase “A rising tide lifts all boats” springs to mind and it appears to be working for many smaller and struggling brands.
4. Omni-channel selling approach. Need we say more. With our PARK study revealing ‘9 in 10 parents research online before buying big ticket items in store’ but ‘commercial recall for kids is highest on YouTube and TikTok is gaining ground’ it is only going to become more imperative.
5. There is a huge appetite for YouTube and TikTok. Everyone has or wants a strategy and everyone has an opinion on what is going to work best for them.
6. A higher American presence. The pushback of New York Toyfair to the end of September has meant more US companies and buyers have travelled to Germany to get a look at the latest toys so they can meet tight and very important end of year deadlines.
And lastly, our team had a great time hosting in London and are already ready to see you in New York!. To speak to one of us about advertising your toy brand on YouTube and TikTok whilst adhering to strict COPPA compliances, reducing up to 60% media wastage and achieving up to 50% improvement in VTR, get in touch here.
Topics: coppa, kids advertising, youtube, contextual targeting, tiktok, youtube kids