The International Toy Fair offered the 2,747 exhibitors from 60 countries national distribution channels and international sales potential. The 73,500 traders and buyers (2012: 76,055) at the fair came from 113 countries and reflected market development. The number of visitors is a result of the growing concentration of the specialist trade in all markets. The exceptionally high quality of the almost 80 per cent share of decision-makers among the visitors impressed the exhibitors. Altogether 91.3 per cent of them said they will exhibit in Nuremberg again next year.
“The mood at the International Toy Fair was excellent and all the major customers were there”, confirms Hermann Otten, Managing Director Sales Germany at Ravensburger Spieleverlag. Deborah Vital, Director Marketing at Doudou et compagnie from France, adds: “The International Toy Fair is a quality fair. No other toy fair is so varied and of such high quality.” Mattel also recognizes this with its long-term commitment in Nuremberg. The US toy concern opened its new permanent stand of 2,500 m² in the redesigned hall 12.2 at the start of the fair. ) Stephan P. Tahy, Vice President & Country Manager – Germany/Austria/Switzerland: “The investment in our new fair stand with its new design shows that the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg is one of Mattel’s most important fairs for national as well as international visitors. Extending the stand to around 2,500 m² has created space for extra meeting rooms and more visitors. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our business partners regarding the complete stand redesign and our extensive product portfolio. We are already looking forward to building on this year’s success in 2014.”
The high quality of service covered all areas of the fair. For the premier of the Traders’ Day on Sunday, Spielwarenmesse eG mobilized a variety of exhibitors to take part with campaigns. The day was rated as a complete success by participants, including Hans Jörg Iden, General Manager of duo schreib & spiel: “On the Traders’ Day we had 30 per cent more traders on our stand than in the year before.” The fair visitors also appreciated the quality of the fair programme. They rated the International Toy Fair better than ever before and 89.2 per cent of them intend to visit again (2012: 86.5 per cent).
Toys 3.0 – The Next Generation: a much discussed special show
The International Toy Fair 2013 triggered enormous interest and many discussions with its top theme Toys 3.0, because the combination of traditional toys with digital play functions not only polarizes the toy industry. With the advancing digitization of society and the increasing spread of suitable applications among toys, this trend will be far more than a fad. Ernst Kick, Chief Executive Officer of Spielwarenmesse eG, sums up: “It is foreseeable that there will be a peaceful coexistence of the forms of play instead of competition. After all, the further development of toys with the aid of applications and mobile terminals is not the first technical encounter to open up new opportunities for the industry.”
With this result, the organizer has confirmed the International Toy Fair as the industry’s most important platform for 2014. For the 65th anniversary next year, Spielwarenmesse eG starts with the new hall 3A. Then all toy professionals meet again in the Nuremberg exhibition centre from Wednesday to Monday, 29 January to 3 February 2014.
SIKU Racing / Sieper GmbH wins ToyAward Traders’Favourite 2013
The SIKU Racing Set from Sieper GmbH won the ToyAward Traders’Favourite 2013 – the International Toy Fair’s Grand Prix. The racing set with its versatile and challenging racing fun convinced the fair visitors. So this time a product from the Teenager&Family category (over 10 years) received the main prize worth 20,000 euros. The competition included the categories of Baby&Infant (0-2 years), PreSchool (3-5 years), SchoolKids (6-10 years) and the Toys 3.0 category as SpecialAward.
