Join Richard and and Chris as they talk with Julian Noble, senior vice president of The Noble Collection about the impact and opportunities of fandom in the licensing business. From prop replicas to "toylectibles," Noble's trademarked terms, consumers of all ages are interacting in properties in significant ways to express their love for properties and build communities. Hear how The Noble Collection has grown to be a major player in this category.

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about emerging product trends for 2021, after having reviewed numerous lines and spoken with industry leaders.

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, Precise.tv and ChizComm.

For their 94th episode, Richard and Chris take a quick look back at the podcast and the insights shared by people from all parts of the toy industry. Looking ahead, they draw on an attitudinal survey from Global Toy News to see what may be on the horizon as the industry emerges from the pandemic.

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, Precise.tv and ChizComm.

Richard and Chris catch up with Filip Franke, CEO North America and Global Head of Games for Ravensburger. It's an insightful conversation about games, puzzles, the pandemic, management styles and what's ahead for this rapidly growing company. 

In the Endcap Chris and Richard have a lighthearted conversation about a serious business...what's up with these large container ships, such as the one caught in the Suez Canaland what does that mean for the supply chain. 

Richard and Chris talk with Billy Langsworthy, one of the founders of Mojo Nation about the creation of his site, the inventor communities he serves, creativity, and what he sees as trends in the toy business. It's an engaging talk about what it means to be creative in the highly competitive and uncertain toy industry. 

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about the impact of TikTok as a communication and entertainment platform, how it's transforming marketing...and why some of the old rules still apply. 

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, Precise.tv and ChizComm.

Richard and Chris chat with Darran Garnham, founder of the new company Toikido about what it means to be "a new kind of toy company." They talk about Garnham's long experience in licensing, the current state of the business, and his highly anticipated launch of toys based on the social gaming phenomenon Among Us. Garnham's insights, passion, and experience, as well as his clear-eyed, strategic understanding of the current marketplace creates a lively and important conversation. 

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about an issue that's very much top-of-mind: sustainability. What does it mean for the toy business today...and moving forward?

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, Precise.tv and ChizComm.

Join Richard and Chris as they talk with John Tong, managing director of King Bee Toys and Jacqueline Vong, co-found and president of Playology International. The lively discussion covers the boom in online retail in China, the growth of streaming, and other trends shaping the dynamic toy industry in China currently. Both John and Jacqueline are deeply knowledgeable about what it takes to succeed in the Chinese toy market, and they share their experience and insight...including a revealing story about cultural differences.

In the Endcap, Chris and Richard look back at the year and how the toy industry has responded, changed and not only survived but thrived. 

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm.

Richard and Chris chat with Gail Banack of Indigo about the successful chain's integrated, omnichannel strategy that marries online and in-store to create a dramatic and profitable customer experience. Banack talks about her merchandising philosophies, why the company as been so successful and crafting a compelling, consistent brand presence that leads many consumers to call the retailer "their happy place." They explore how to balance specialty and mass-market toys in a dramatic, competitive and profitable offering.

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard toss around the idea of "shrinkflation" and what that might mean for the toy industry in the current economic climate.

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm.

Join Richard and Chris for an in-depth conversation with David Kleeman of Dubit Limited, a premiere, global market research and development company. Kleeman's broad experience in education and entertainment and his role as SVP Global Trends for Dubit make him uniquely qualified to discuss the state of play during Covid and beyond. The conversation covers the role of connected play, the emotional experience of play, social platforms (such as Roblox) and much more, all with a view to what can inform toy development and marketing in our dynamic world. Kleeman speaks and writes extensively on these topics, and this is your chance to hear his insights firsthand.

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about the societal and play implications of removing the Mr. and Mrs. from the Potato Head brand. It may seem at first blush like a PR stunt, but it has much broader implications for kids and culture. 

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm.

Richard and Chris chat with Zack Pentecost, senior e-commerce manager at Zuru about the company's successful track record of building global brands and their impressive growth. Zack also heads up inventor relations for Zuru and talks about the company's approach to the inventor community and what they're looking for as the company continues to expand.

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard discuss the phenomenon of "social commerce," what it means and implications for retail going forward.

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm.

Richard and Chris talk to Joel Silverman, co-founder of the research company KidsKnowBest about his unlikely path to running one of the leading global companies tacking kids in real time. They chat about the process, insights and how the company helps IP owners and toy companies get an edge in our highly competitive market.

In The Endcap, Chris and Richard toss around ideas about the potentially under-served convenience store retail channel? Are there untapped retail opportunities in the nearly 160,00 convenience stores in the U.S.?

The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm. In this episode, we welcome Zuru as a sponsor as well.