TTPM Announces Winners of the 2014 People’s Play Awards
TTPM (that’s us!) has announced the winners in the annual People’s Play Awards across the 21 categories, which include action figures, dolls, tech toys, pet toys, video games, and more.
The People’s Play Awards program gives the public a forum to select the toys, games, and children’s products they are hoping to receive this holiday season. From October through November, consumers logged on to PeoplesPlayAwards.com and voted for their favorite products to create “America’s Wish List.” Nominees were carefully reviewed and selected by the TTPM editorial team.
Following is the list of the winners for the 2014 holiday season, presented alphabetically by category:
- Action Figures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Combat Warrior Figures – Playmates Toys
- Activity Toys: Wacky-tivities Kinetic Sand – Spin Master
- Arts & Crafts: Crayola Creativity Play Station – Grow’n Up Limited
- Baby: Sound & Play Busy Table – Alex Toys
- Collectibles: Disney Frozen Figurine Playset – The Disney Store
- Construction: LEGO Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer – LEGO
- Dolls – Fashion: Disney Frozen Musical Magic Dolls – Mattel
- Dolls – Large Dolls: American Girl BeForever Samantha Doll – American Girl
- Games: My Monopoly – Hasbro
- Games – Party Games: Heads Up! – Spin Master
- Pet Toys: Purrfect Go Fur It Cat Toy – Vee Enterprises
- Preschool: Go! Go! Smart Animals Zoo Explorers Playset – VTech
- Pretend Play: Disney Frozen Elsa Musical Light-Up Dress – Jakks Pacific
- Radio Control: Hot Wheels Street Hawk Remote Control Flying Car – Mattel
- Rideables: Razor E100 Glow Electric Scooter – Razor
- Sports Toys: Nerf N-Strike Elite Mega Thunderbow – Hasbro
- Stuffed Animals: Disney Frozen Sing & Swing Olaf – Just Play
- Kids Tablets: LeapPad3 – LeapFrog
- Tech Toys: Kidizoom Smartwatch – VTech
- Vehicles: My Little Pony Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks DJ Pon-3’s Rockin’ Convertible with Doll – Hasbro
- Video Games: Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) Video Game Starter Pack PS4 – Disney Interactive
Care Bears Heads to Netflix in New Series
Netflix and American Greetings Properties (AGP) announced a new original Care Bears kids series. The show titled Care Bears and Cousins will premiere worldwide on Netflix in early 2016.
“There is a massive shift in the way kids consume content, and we have strategically positioned the Care Bears to be at the forefront of new media,” said Sean Gorman, President of AGP. “Creating a new home for Care Bears on Netflix will allow a new generation of fans to discover the beloved series around the world.”
Chicago Toy & Game Group Reveals 2014 TAGIE Award Winners
On Friday, November 21, the Chicago Toy & Game Group crowned this year’s recipients of the 2014 Toy and Game Inventor of the Year (TAGIE) Awards. The seventh annual fete commemorated innovation in the toy and game industry with a comedy-themed evening including cocktails, dinner, and special performances. More than 400 guests from 23 countries gathered at Chicago’s historic Navy Pier Grand Ballroom to toast the creative minds behind today’s top playthings.
The Chicago Toy & Game Group acknowledged the following winners from nominated categories of the 2014 Toy & Game Inventor of the Year Awards.
• Excellence in Game Design: Oliver Morris, designer of Gravity Maze
• Excellence in Toy Design: Ian Bernstein, Adam Wilson and Sphero team, inventors of Ollie
• Rising Star Designer: Alice Taylor, designer of Makies
• Young Inventor of the Year: Lyla Black, inventor of Lyla Tov Monsters
Honorees of the following closed categories were also awarded.
• Excellence in Character Creation: Hasbro for Transformers
• In Memoriam: Bill Goodman
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael Kohner, on behalf of The Kohner Bros.
• Hassenfeld Family Humanitarian Award: Diane and Quintin Primo
The event also featured a touching tribute to Operation inventor John Spinello, who turned over possession of the iconic board game’s original prototype to Hasbro.
The event was sponsored by the presenting sponsor Hasbro, Global Toy News, Oxford Games, Mayfair Games, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives, Reyn Guyer Creative, Toy Industry Association (TIA), and the Chicago Toy and Game Group.