Playtime is tasked with handling consumer-facing comms for key hero lines.

Independent jigsaw puzzle and board game company, Gibsons, has hired specialist toys and games communications agency, Playtime PR, on a retained basis.

Playtime is tasked with handling consumer-facing comms for key hero lines, including the new collection of Rebel Girls jigsaw puzzles, the Piecing Together range of jigsaws for those living with dementia, limited fine motor skills or impaired vision, and games such as Quirk!, Rockpool and Pass the Bomb: The Big One. Working alongside Gibsons’ Samantha Goodburn and Rebecca Hersee, the agency will bolster existing marketing efforts with new creative ideas designed to help the business continue to thrive in a post-Covid world.

Samantha Goodburn, marketing & PR manager, Gibsons said: “While we’ve seen increased demand for our jigsaw ranges during lockdown and a welcome surge in the popularity of puzzling during this time, it’s clear that we’re going to be living in very different world for quite some time and need to adapt our strategies to fit. With this in mind, we felt it was important to grow our team through this partnership with Playtime PR, bringing on board a collective whose skills can complement the work we already do and who can help us navigate the evolving consumer and media landscape. Christmas 2020 will of course be a key focus, but this relationship is also about establishing longevity for our brands, in particular innovative ranges like Piecing Together. As we celebrate our 101st birthday this month, we’re delighted to be teaming up with Playtime and look forward to working hand in hand with them to ensure Gibsons has a bright future beyond this globally-challenging period.”

Lesley Singleton, founder of Playtime PR, added, “We’ve enjoyed a long friendship with the team at Gibsons over the past few years, thanks in part to their involvement with Board Game Club, so it’s great to finally be working with them on some fantastic properties. Our businesses are similarly values-driven, and I’ve been impressed with Gibsons’ enthusiasm to explore new and interesting ways of bringing their brands to life for evolving consumer audiences.”