Category Archives: From The Editor

Updates from the Media Command HQ.

Breaking News: Toy Association Announces Dates and Locations for Iconic Show

toy association logo

The Press Release:
In response to a comprehensive evaluation of marketplace shifts and thoughtful consideration of the many constituents served, The Toy Association® Board of Directors announced today that the next Toy Fair® (aka the North American International Toy Fair) will take place in the first quarter of 2025, with March 1 to March 4 secured with the Javits Center in New York City. Following the 2025 event, Toy Fair will move to January at the award-winning New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The confirmed dates are: January 17-20, 2026; January 9-12, 2027; and January 15-18, 2028. The Toy Association and its board conducted an extensive national search to determine these dates and locations as the best available fit for the toy community in the upcoming years.

“Prior to the pandemic, we heard repeated calls that changing manufacturing lead times and retailer buying patterns demanded a shift of the iconic tradeshow’s timing from February into an earlier fall timeline. These factors and similar research findings were accelerated by the pandemic and as a board we were responsive,” said Aaron Muderick, chairman of The Toy Association and founder of Crazy Aaron’s. “Now, behaviors and inputs have returned to more traditional views that Toy Fair’s key audiences find the most value in a North American trade event taking place in the first quarter of the year, ideally mid-January. We have again listened and responded by crafting an optimal pattern based on the needs of those we serve.”
Continue reading Breaking News: Toy Association Announces Dates and Locations for Iconic Show

Today: Toy Fair Returns @ Jacob Javits Center

toy fair

It’s been more than three years since the banner emblazoned with the words “Toy Fair” have hung in the Javits Center and welcomed toy industry representatives along with select press and influencers and I am happy to report that it has returned and begins today. For four days this will be the place to learn what is coming out from some of the most amazing toy companies that are in business and since this is a trade show, the general public will not be able to participate. The PiercingMetal website has been attending Toy Fair since 2011 and then expanded the level of coverage over to “The Chronicles of Piercing Ken” for good measure. These days I like to use the voice of the Ken Pierce Media site when it comes to happenings that are going to be covered by each of the sides of our creative coin. To be honest I am not sure what changes will be in place for the events return but I am excited to be doing my 11th one. The pandemic prevented this from happening in 2021 and 2022 and while this used to take place in February, its been moved to September and well…here we are.

As you read this I am already on my way to the Javits. It’s a loaded few days with appointments and catching up with our long-standing toy reps and like I said…excited to return. All I can promise is lots of photos, editorial and some videos for all of the social media feeds and the websites. You’re going to want to follow a bunch of things on both PiercingMetal’s and Piercing Ken’s social media platforms to keep up. It’s go time.

Official: http://www.toyfairny.com

The Toy Foundation Reveals “Toy Of The Year” Winners For 2023

toy foundation, toy foundation logo

The Press Release:
The Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards celebration welcomed nearly 800 members of the toy community for a night of industry awards, philanthropy, and entertainment on the eve of Toy Fair® in New York City. Barbie, LEGO®, Squishmallows, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were among the top winners of the evening, along with standout wins for Blue Marble, Thames & Kosmos, WowWee, and others that were honored with a prestigious award before Grammy Award-winner Wyclef Jean took the stage.

Hosted by and in support of The Toy Foundation™ (TTF), the TOTY Awards are an opportunity for the toy industry to unite behind their Foundation’s work delivering the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need. Collectively, approximately $800,000 was raised to support TTF’s programs benefitting the mission partners that participated in the celebration — Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Metro World Child, and University of Maryland — as well as hundreds of additional national and international nonprofits. The TOTY Awards’ Presenting Sponsors — Amazon, Mattel, Inc., and Spin Master — all joined TTF on stage to highlight the importance and impact of the mission partners’ work.
Continue reading The Toy Foundation Reveals “Toy Of The Year” Winners For 2023

Today: TTPM’s “Holiday Showcase” @ Metropolitan Pavilion

toy industry logos, ttpm, ttpm logo

Hello once again my friends and welcome to another announcement about what is going on in the creative command center as I continue to use this platform to share some of the latest news about what the Ken Pierce Media family of brands is getting involved in. Yesterday I attended the Toy Insider’s awesome “Holiday Of Play” event over at Current at Chelsea Piers and today we would be shining some media light on the TTPM Holiday Showcase. For those who aren’t up to speed, “TTPM” stands for “Toys, Tots, Pets and More” and much like the Toy Insider events, a number of major and up and coming toy companies present their wares to select media and those who might be considered influencers. This year the event will be happening over at the Metropolitan Pavilion which is a welcome space for me. Last time around the Affordable Art Fair was being hosted there but this year that event will begin next week so it was open. I like this space and come to a number of different events here across the year. At the time of this writing, I only know about a small handful of exhibitors who mentioned they would be there after talking to them yesterday.
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Today: The Toy Insider’s “Holiday Of Play” 2023 @ Chelsea Piers Current

toy insider, toy insider logo

Greetings my Friends and welcome back to another announcement about our most current adventuring. So I guess I’ve been using the Ken Pierce Media site as a bit of a launch point about what the pair of creative sites are getting up to and I have to say that this has been working out fine for me on each and every occasion. Historically speaking, when PiercingMetal would be heading to New York Comic Con I would share the news there and maybe over on “The Chronicles” if I remembered but now with this as our editorial “Executive Branch” I’m trying to do them here from the onset. With that said its time to share the news that I am returning to the Chelsea Piers event space known as “Current” to participate in the annual Toy Insider “Holiday Of Play” event. I’ve been attending the special events held by this team of experts for years and with each go round it just gets better and better. I’ve pointed out that this one is even more exclusive than their “Sweet Suite” which happens in the summertime and while it isn’t exactly Fall just yet, the time to decide on ones holiday purchases is now and this is the place to learn about all that is awesome from the folks who know about play. Their hashtag is #weknowplay after all.

toy insider, toy insider holiday of play, toy insider holiday of play 2023
Continue reading Today: The Toy Insider’s “Holiday Of Play” 2023 @ Chelsea Piers Current