KidStuff PR is celebrating its 30th year in business in 2024. During its three decades of promoting playthings and services for families, the agency has seen the toy industry, the media world and parenting go through a lot of changes. The team at the agency couldn’t be more excited than to celebrate this major milestone and is both reflecting on things they’ve learned and survived over the years, as well as looking forward to things to come.
The Pokémon Company International announced that the next expansion in the best-selling Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces, will launch at participating retailers around the world beginning March 22, 2024. First introduced in the Black & White Series, ACE SPEC cards will return to the Pokémon TCG in Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces, as initially announced during the 2023 Pokémon World Championships. ACE SPEC cards have powerful effects, but each deck will be limited to only one ACE SPEC card. Furthermore, ACE SPEC cards in Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces will feature a new eye-catching magenta design and can appear as Trainer or Special Energy cards.
Crafthub has tapped Mix Licensing Group (Mix) to build global partnerships for their line of unique wooden puzzles. Building off the success of Crafthub’s licensed Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products IPs including Harry Potter and Batman Mix will build strategic partnerships with the biggest studios, sports leagues, and brand owners looking for a fresh approach to the puzzle category. With an emphasis on unique, giftable, and high-quality products, Crafthub has emerged as an e-commerce leader in wooden puzzles over the past two years and is expanding into brick-and-mortar retail stores globally in 2024.
Dallas Market Center announced that its Total Home & Gift Market opened with a 17% attendance increase for the first two days compared with last January. The attendance increase was notable for attracting retailers and interior designers from across the U.S. and internationally, with the strongest growth coming from the western US. “We are thrilled with the strong opening of our January show,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “You can feel the energy of new and returning buyers with strong open to buy that have come to Dallas for the newest products, grand openings of more than 30 showrooms, and the expanded Temps. We are expecting traffic to remain steady throughout the weekend and into next week.”
The week of January 22, 2024, twenty million children will unite and perform a billion acts of kindness thanks to the global non-profit organization Kids for Peace and its annual Great Kindness Challenge happily sponsored by OOLY, the whimsical and colorful arts, crafts and school supply brand. Created by Kids for Peace in 2012, the mission of The Great Kindness Challenge is to prevent bullying and foster connection, inclusion, and compassion. More than 40,000 schools worldwide will partake, in all 50 states and 115 countries. Special kick-off events and fun activities will take place in Carlsbad, CA, where The Great Kindness Challenge originated 13 years ago.
Zigazoo Kids, the proprietor of the renowned social networks Zigazoo (for 13+) and Zigazoo Kids (for anyone under 13), has announced a strategic collaboration with iHeartMedia, America’s leading audio company. Under the new agreement, the two industry leaders will explore synergistic opportunities between iHeartMedia’s extensive portfolio of music and podcasting and Zigazoo’s content from the biggest stars of the next generation. Additionally, iHeartMedia will launch an expansive national campaign across its multiplatform audio network, spanning broadcast radio, podcasts, digital, social, and live events to bring further awareness and propel Zigazoo’s social networks to the next level. This multi-million-dollar marketing investment in Zigazoo solidifies iHeartMedia’s commitment to the platform’s growth and innovation.
Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, and Toikido, an innovative London based entertainment company specializing in digital design and toys, announce the highly anticipated greenlight of Piñata Smashlings, a new 2D animated children’s series (26×11). The series is available for international sale and already has confirmed placement with YTV in Canada. This comedic adventure, tailored for kids age six to nine, complements previously unveiled Piñata Smashlings shorts currently streaming on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel, with more shorts to launch soon.
ZAG, the award-winning global independent animation studio, and Method Animation (Mediawan Kids & Family), announced today that Disney Branded Television has acquired seasons six and seven of the globally renowned series, Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, as well as three original animated specials. The new season and specials will be available on Disney Channels worldwide, then on Disney+ globally thereafter. The announcement was made by Jeremy Zag, Founder and CEO, ZAG, and Julien Borde, President, Mediawan Kids & Family.
The 50th HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, 15th HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and 22nd Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair concluded successfully at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. The four-day physical fairs attracted some 83,000 buyers from 135 countries and regions and saw international buyers return, a promising start for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) trade shows this year.