Report of the International Toy Fair 2011

• Fair finishes with 79.000 visitors (2010: 76.637)
• Increasing internationalization
• Successful launching of Toys go green

The Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair Nürnberg 2011 signals that the toy industry is still on the up. After a strong year of business, the industry was full of optimism and ready for innovations and ideas. With its knowledge, innovation and network programme, the leading fair from 3-8 February 2011 generated many ideas and was rated exceptionally favourably. A total of 79,000 visitors came to Nuremberg (2010: 76,637).

The share of international visitors rose to 54 per cent (2010: 53 per cent). Most of the visitors from abroad came from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Great Britain, followed by Russia, which made it to the top ten visiting countries for the first time. The large international share of exhibitors (69 per cent) also proves that the International Toy Fair is the dominant marketplace for the industry. This is also emphasized by Nico Blauw, Managing Director of Upper Deck International B.V.: “The international share of visitors in Nuremberg is very large. In contrast to fairs such as New York, where the visitors are mainly from the USA and Canada, at the International Toy Fair we meet our customers from all over the world.” Mark Hoijtink, General Manager Northern Europe Hasbro, agrees: “Hasbro appears in Nuremberg with a team of more than 200 sales and marketing directors and sales managers. As we are expanding in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the importance of the International Toy Fair for us grows with increasing internationalization.” 

Companies that focus on Nuremberg invested heavily in their stand concept. Likewise Lego GmbH: “The great importance of the International Toy Fair has increased again and worldwide,” stresses Managing Director Dirk Engehausen. The exhibitors’ presentations and the new Mitte (central) entrance of the Nuremberg exhibition centre created a completely fresh new look for the International Toy Fair.

The Toys go green special also brought fresh colour into the discussions. Both exhibitors and traders received many ideas on how to implement the value creation chain in a more sustainable way. Over half the visitors rated the presentation of the theme islands as good or very good. Ernst Kick, Chief Executive Officer of Spielwarenmesse eG, made it clear that Toys go green is only the first step of a process that the fair organizers will continue over the coming years.

Besides Toys go green, the extensive range of ToyKnowHow included the Toy Business Forum and the 2nd Global Toy Conference. The visitors at the Toy Business Forum were particularly interested in the presentations on trends and the market. The conference, which took place on 8.2.2011, covered sustainability, toy safety, social networks and online marketing and attracted some 200 participants (2010: 110).

One striking aspect during the International Toy Fair was that buyers and traders increasingly looked for new products in 2011. This was shown by both the visitor survey and the heavily frequented InnovationCenter, where many visitors obtained an overview of the latest products in the presentation area. Here they also voted for the main winner of the ToyAward from the winners of the five categories: Yookidoo’s Stack `N` Spray Fountain in the category Baby&Infant (0-2 years) won the most votes and the prize of 20,000 euros for its fountain for small children. The colourful trays can be combined in various ways to change the fountains. The visitors rated the range of products in the newly integrated product group Baby and Infant Articles as exceptionally good.

Overall, both the exhibitors and visitors confirmed the development of the International Toy Fair as thoroughly positive. Peter Broegger, Managing Director of Mattel GmbH, summed up his impressions of the toy fair: “With its continuing success and the ability to renew itself, the Nuremberg toy fair is once again the most important toy fair for Mattel.” 

The International Toy Fair is already well equipped for 2012, as 87 per cent of the visitors and 92 per cent of the exhibitors confirmed their intention to take part again. Next year’s Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair Nürnberg takes place from Wednesday to Monday, 1-6.2.2012. By starting the fair a day earlier, the organizer intentionally offers international visitors more consecutive workdays.