The People of Play Toy & Game International Excellence Awards returned in person after a two-year haitus and attracted more than 300 guests from 20 countries.
Brian Chapman, Hasbro president and global head of Design, Development and Innovation with Kantaro Tomiyama, Alan Hassenfeld and Karri Bean, senior licensing manager, Disney Parks Experiences & Products
Guests from the international toy community gathered at the Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago, with a further 260 joining via livestream, to celebrate and honour the winners of People of Play’s Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (the TAGIEs).
The event, which was back in person for the first time in two years, was sponsored by Disney, Oxford Games, Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, Tomy, Longshore, Nextoy, Spin Master, Super Impulse, Backdrop.com, Peggy Brown Creative and Barry and Jason.
“The evening was absolutely magical,” said Mary Couzin, president and founder of People of Play. “After back to back years of virtual events, it was so wonderful to all be together again.”
During the evening, People of Play honoured three industry heavyweights with Lifetime Achievement Awards including Kantaro Tomiyama, chairman and CEO of Tomy, who appeared on stage with fellow Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Alan Hassenfeld, former CEO of Hasbro.
“It is my honour and privilege to accept this recognition from my peers,” said chairman Tomiyama. “I share this award with all of the Tomy colleagues who have always made a sincere and continuous effort to become friends with children around the world for nearly 100 years of Tomy’s history.”
Tim Walsh, Roo Games co-founder, and Leslie Scott
“To be honoured for trying to bring smiles to the faces of kids around the world and be a part of creating a hopeful future for them, I am overwhelmed with this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Alan Hassenfeld. “I accept it humbly on behalf of three generations of Hassenfelds and our extended Hasbro family which is our greatest asset.”
Leslie Scott, founder of Oxford Games and inventor of Jenga, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award, saying “to have been honored by my peers, colleagues and friends with a TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award was astonishing, and without a doubt, the greatest achievement of my professional life.”
The winners of the 15th Toy & Game International Excellence Awards:
Toy Innovator of the Year: Bang Zoom Design and SG Labs for DJ Bouncin’ Beats with Fisher-Price
Game Innovator of the Year (sponsored by the Michael Kohner Corporation): Daryl Andrews for the Real Truth Game with Goliath
Rising Star Innovator of the Year (sponsored by Tomy): Julian Miller and David McGranaghan for It’s Bananas, Fire In The Hole and UpRoar
Most Innovative PR and Marketing Team of the Year (sponsored by Spin Master): Hasbro PR, Nerf Team, and the Martin Agency for Murph: “Unleash the Play in You” Campaign
Most Innovative Art and Design Visuals of the Year (sponsored by Longshore): Rita Orlov & Jack Fallows for The Light in the Mist
Most Innovative Supplier of the Year: Wizards of the Coast with R.R. Donnelley
Most Innovative Retailer of the Year: Snakes and Lattes
Most Innovative License of the Year: New York Times and Hasbro for Wordle: The Party Game
Young Inventor of the Year – under 18 years old (sponsored by Disney): Cooper Dean for Chicken Poo Bingo with Goliath Games
2022 Lifetime Achievement (sponsored by Hasbro): Kantaro Tomiyama, chairman and CEO of Tomy; Alan G. Hassenfeld, former chairman of Hasbro; Leslie Scott, founder of Oxford Games and inventor of Jenga
2022 Game Changer of the Year (sponsored by Mattel): James Howard for his work with Black Inventors got Game (BIGG).
