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Home / Tie-ins, teaching tools in for 2016 at annual toy fair

Tie-ins, teaching tools in for 2016 at annual toy fair

Some of the characters featured at this year's Toy Fair were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers.

Hoping to build on 2015 sales momentum, toy companies used the 2016 Toy Fair in New York City to showcase a roster of recognizable brands that have been tweaked with digital upgrades.

The event also revealed a number other trends to look for this year, however, including: the continued presence of popular movie and TV characters, flying objects soaring overhead (and, in some cases, crashing to the ground), toys that teach science and math, and more toys that target girls.

The Toy Fair spanned across Manhattan's Jacob Javits Center over three days ending Tuesday, covering old-school toys, well-known names and the whirring, flashing, talking and moving toys shoppers will see on shelves this year.

U.S. toy sales grew 6.7% in 2015 to $19.4 billion, one of the strongest showings for the category in years, according to January data from The NPD Group. Top categories that grew included games and puzzles (up 10.8%), vehicles (up 9.7%), building sets (up 9.4%), outdoor and sports toys (up 8.8%), action figures and accessories (up 8.7%) and dolls (up 8.4%).

The Toy Fair floor was filled with familiar brands and digital items.

Stifel analysts said they got an "encouraging update on Barbie" at a Mattel Inc. MAT, +5.14%[1] investor event on Friday, with new products in its toy gallery including the Barbie Hello Dreamhouse, a "smart" dollhouse that takes voice commands, and the Fisher-Price Think and Learn line of toys that teaches coding basics to preschoolers.

See also: Mattel's turnaround still called into question despite earnings gains[2]

Analysts also attended a Hasbro Inc. HAS, +1.42%[3]  investor event where the company highlighted its "franchise brands," which include familiar names like Transformers, Nerf, Monopoly and My Little Pony. In 2015, these brands saw sales decline by 2% to $2.3 billion—they were up 7% excluding currency exchange—but made up 52% of total revenue, according to a note published by Stifel on Tuesday.

See also: Monopoly trades colorful currency for bank cards in its ultimate banking game[4]

"We believe Hasbro's franchise brands command premium shelf space, offer unlimited creative flexibility, while yielding superior operating profit margins (19%+ according to management)," said Stifel in a note published Wednesday.

Many companies are taking the brands and toys we've come to know and integrating apps and other technology upgrades for a modern twist.

"Technology is giving us the opportunity to move away from screens," said Tiffany Kayar, community manager and social media specialist at Spin Master Corp. TOY, +10.89%[5]  

One section of Spin Master's massive booth focused on the Meccano line of building toys. New for fall will be the Meccasaur, an intricate-looking dinosaur that children and their parents can build together. The toy walks, burps, lights up, and responds to touch.

At the Lego booth, sets like Lego Friends aren't just about colorful bricks, but also bring digital and television content into the play experience.

Besides tech integration there were four other trends worth noting:

Entertainment tie-ins (especially "Star Wars"): "Star Wars" took the top spot for absolute dollar growth in the action figures, vehicles and "all other toys" categories, according to NPD Group, which easily explained why the brand was everywhere on the Toy Fair floor.

"Whether it be a movie (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Minions, and Avengers), television show (Paw Patrol), app (Minecraft), or a strong YouTube following (Shopkins), all of these properties with ties to content were top contributors to the growth," the NPD report said.

Things that fly: Spin Master had a number of drone-like items on display, including Air Hogs Connect that fly in real life while players participate in an augmented reality gaming experience. Improved technology means remote-controlled toys that take flight are becoming more common.

See also: Drone-flying, hoverboard Barbie is here[6]

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and other teaching toys: Many toy companies are venturing into educational waters beyond ABCs and 123s, with the aforementioned Fisher-Price Think and Learn line an example.

Other examples include EQtainment, a company whose main character, a monkey named Q, is featured in books and games focused on emotional intelligence and social skills, impulse control, and human interaction.

And Fourple sells blocks and cylinders that encourage both children and adults to play using creativity, logical thinking, and spatial reasoning. Even for grandparents, it will help "keep the mind sharp," said Ken Scheel, president of the company.

Girl power: At Lego, the Friends playset centers on the adventures of five girls. At Bandai, where the Power Rangers are a star attraction, a new female Purple Ranger, has been added to the lineup.

Other female superheroes include Miraculous Ladybug, which launched on Nickelodeon in fall 2015 and will have a line of toys from Bandai this year, and the DC Super Hero Girls at Mattel, which includes a line of action figures, and more.

"We're seeing more cultural conversation about girls and women," said Elizabeth Grampp, senior director of brand management at Bandai. "Girls are getting a lot of well-deserved attention."

Read: A $500 Tesla? Radio Flyer launches Model S for kids[7]