Month: November 2023

The paw-sibilities of finding a magical gift for the tots on your list just got better with the announcement of Storypod’s newest collaboration with PAW Patrol. Just in time for holiday giving, PAW Patrol is just one of three upcoming product developments with Paramount Consumer Products. Look for a rollout of three PAW Patrol Crafties with Book, Token and a branded Storypod Sleeve now through 2024. Blue’s Clues & You! and Bubble Guppies licenses will also expand Storypod’s Crafties Collection for months to come for kids ages 3- to 5-years old. Now, kids can hear engaging stories and songs from breakfast to bedtime without ever turning on a screen.

Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) is unveiling a sweet collection of global merchandise to celebrate the highly-anticipated release of Warner Bros Pictures’ big screen holiday spectacle, Wonka, arriving in theaters and in IMAX internationally beginning 6 December 2023 and in North America on December 15, 2023. Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. WBDGCP is rolling out the candy-colored carpet to celebrate the film with a full spectrum of premium products from sought-after licensees such as Converse, Fossil, Funko and more, while exclusive retail partner Bloomingdale’s will host iconic Wonka window displays and has unveiled The Carousel @ Bloomingdale’s: Wonka, an online and in-store shop filled with fun fashions, accessories and home goods inspired by the famous chocolatier.

Funko, Inc (Nasdaq: FNKO) has announced a significant update to the Funko app: the integration of new collection valuation capabilities, based on eBay transaction data. The update enables the Funko community to price their Funko Collections with increased accuracy, by seamlessly connecting the Funko catalog with recent, verified sales data from the eBay marketplace. Since announcing a commercial agreement in 2022, under which eBay became the preferred secondary marketplace for Funko, the companies have created unique and meaningful experiences for the collecting community, including a “List it on eBay button” in the Funko app, and access to exclusive product drops via Funko’s storefront on eBay. This latest app update represents the continued collaboration by the two companies to deliver best-in-class experiences for the Funko community and collectors at large.

It’s official! The National Toy Hall of Fame has inducted baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids, Fisher Price Corn-Popper, and NERF for 2023. The Fisher-Price Corn Popper is the special, fourth inductee in honor of the hall’s 25th anniversary and was chosen by popular vote from a group of “Forgotten Five” finalists. All four toys have been enshrined and are on view at The Strong National Museum of Play, home to the National Toy Hall of Fame. “These four deserving inductees represent a great blend of types of play for people of all ages,” says Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections and chief curator. “Baseball cards encourage lifelong playing and collection. Cabbage Patch Kids continue to encourage imagination and storytelling for kids. Fisher-Price Corn Popper, which is a forgotten finalist no longer, is a great activity for toddlers. NERF toys are designed for indoor and outdoor activity, and they often find kids and grownups playing together. This is an excellent class to honor the 25th anniversary of the National Toy Hall of Fame.”

WHP Global (“WHP” or the “Company”), parent company of Toys”R”Us, announced the location of its second US flagship store at Mall of America, the largest shopping and entertainment destination in North America. Set to open just before Thanksgiving, this marks the first flagship store in partnership with Go! Retail Group with additional flagship locations opening next year. Today in the United States, Toys”R”Us has a global flagship store at American Dream, and through a landmark partnership with Macy’s over 452 Toys”R”Us shop-in-shops are open inside every Macy’s store nationwide.