Richard and Chris continue their conversation with Joseph Farco about the tools for protecting your IP through patent, trademarks and copyrights. They discuss the importance of international protection, necessary research, and options for the inventor community seeking to protect its work prior to pitching to toy companies.

Together, these two parts provide an essential primer for anyone in the toy industry concerned about protecting ideas.

You can reach Joseph directly at [email protected] or 917.369.8865

Chris and Richard talk with Joseph Farco, patent and IP attorney with Norris-McLaughlin. Join us for a conversation on the importance of protecting IP and an in-depth understanding of how different patents can protect you, as well as copyrights and trademarks. Joseph recently visited Toy Fair in New York and became concerned that toymakers and IP owners are not sufficiently protecting their works. Here's what you need to know. 

You can reach Joseph at [email protected] or at 917.369.8865.

Richard and Chris talk with Steve Pasierb about the current impact of the Coronavirus on the toy industry. The conversation includes information on how the Association is supporting its members, news, perspective, and updates and resources for companies in the business as we all try to negotiate the situation. As Pasierb says, "hope is not a strategy," but there are reasons to be hopeful as the business makes its way carefully through the crisis. (20 minutes, 34 seconds)

Richard and Chris talk about current topics in the toy industry, including: The impacts of the Coronavirus on the industry, changing retail, sustainability, and the expansion of LEGO in China. What's happening now...and some predictions for what may be down the road. 

Chris and Richard talk with Arnie Rubin. Rubin was a co-founder of Imperial Toy Company, and later went on to found Funrise. He's a 2012 inductee into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, and one of the most loved and respected industry leaders of the latter part of the 20th Century.

In this conversation, he shares some of his stories about coming up in the toy business, and the creative and management practices that have helped build is 50-years-plus success. 

Arnie, Chris and Richard also have a candid conversation about one of the major product issues facing the industry in 2020, the challenge of private label.

Listen in as one of the icons of the industry (We'll say it because Arnie won't.) shares his experience and insights. 

Richard and Chris sit down with Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner, and Danny Simon, founder of the Licensing Group, Ltd. Listen in to an insightful conversation about "transmedia storytelling" (utilizing multiple media platforms to develop characters, properties, and narratives and compellingly engage audiences) and how Gomez and Simon are leveraging their expertise in the relaunch of Ultraman, a 50-year-old property generating $50 million annually in Japan and poised for a U.S. re-entry.

Find out what makes a viable licensing platform and a great story in this hotly contested and very crowded content arena. Get inside views and tips from two succesful industry veterans. This is a must-hear episode for anyone working with content and licensing. 

Richard and Chris share stories about past Toy Fairs, trends that will be affecting the business in the year ahead, and a look at the TOTY awards and much more. Start your Toy Fair adventure here!

Richard and Chris talk with Matt Hansen, client engagement manager for the start-up Alloy.ai. This data-driven platform helps toy companies manage inventory, track sales and forecast demand and supply down to the individual store level. Aggregating all data and putting it in a user-friendly dashboard, Alloy's cloud-based solution is a dynamic resource for everyone in the supply chain. Hear how and why it works and how businesses in our data-driven market can use this productively.

Chris provides some perspective on the emerging trends at Spielwarenmesse. Plus conversations with Ian Harkin of Lottie Dolls and Josh Loerzel of Hog Wild. They talk about the unique benefits of the Spielwarenmesse and what's ahead for their companies in 2020.

Richard and Chris discuss the trends emerging at the Spielwarenmesse. A chat with Jerry Kallman provides insight for would-be exhibitors, Lisa Hilbert discusses trends in the German and Austrian markets, and Chris sits down with Jorg Meister, trade editor and CEO of Little Big Things to talk more in depth about the German market and trends.