The November 2021 issue of Toy World, which includes a dedicated licensing section and BLE preview, is out now and available to read online. 

This month’s issue of Toy World is our largest ever November edition at 160 pages, offering readers an in-depth look at topics from across the toy and licensing industries.

Character Options’ new Morphle range stars on the front cover, and John Baulch speaks to Character’s marketing manager Mark Hunt, as well as The Point.1888’s Gabbi Langdorf, about the new animated property and how Character is transforming it into toys for ’21/22.

Craft Buddy founders Dino and Gary Wadhwani chat to Toy World’s assistant editor Sam Giltrow about the meteoric rise of their hero product Crystal Art, new licences and gaining a firmer foothold in the UK toy sector, while Matt Edmondson and Laurence Emmett of Format Games tell editor Rachael Simpson-Jones what their games have to offer and how their new distribution deal with Asmodee has set them up for success.

And as COP26 kicks off in Glasgow, Sarah Ng of the ICTI Ethical Toy Program shares how companies can successfully communicate their ESG story, highlighting specific services which can help those at the start of their ESG journey, or those who want to make further progress.

The ‘regular side’ of the November issue of Toy World also offers in-depth features on upcoming Q1 ranges and how they’ll help get retailers off to a flying start in 2022, as well as the latest innovations in outdoor toys.

Then, flip the issue over to the ViacomCBS Consumer Products cover, and delve into the world of licensing. With Brand Licensing Expo returning for an in-person event in just a couple of weeks, we caught up with Anna Knight, VP Licensing at Informa Markets, to hear about how the show continues to shape up, and present information from a raft of exhibitors in the kids’ space about what they’ll be showcasing this year.

Universal’s Paul Bufton sat down with John Baulch to reflect on the events of the past 18 months and look ahead to a huge year for the studio, with two major movie launches next summer – Jurassic World and Minions – while Warner Bros’ Rachel Wakley outlines the new content, magical experiences and products that will continue to bring the fantastical Wizarding World to life for fans.

Aardman is preparing for the rollout of its new comedy series for 7- to 11-year-olds, Lloyd of the Flies. Toy World took a look at the new property, and spoke to Aardman’s commercial director, Rob Goodchild, about the licensing opportunities it offers, and Sam Giltrow also spoke to Rainbow Designs MD Anthony Temple about the company’s landmark 50th anniversary, the enduring appeal of its classic characters, and why Paddington is set for his biggest year yet. Fran Hales, head of Content & Marketing at Rubies, gives Toy World a behind the scenes look at the company’s adaptive costume development process, and explains why inclusivity is so important.

Multiple senior figures from across the licensing industry also took part in this month’s Touching Base feature, discussing what they consider to be the biggest challenges and opportunities for their business and how they feel the pandemic has changed the licensing industry.

If that weren’t enough, this issue also contains opinion pieces and articles from regular contributors Generation Media, The NPD Group, Toy Barnhaus and Learning Express, plus the latest news on marketing, appointments and much, much more.

To read the November issue of Toy World, click here.