Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2018 (Issue 106)

Toy Fair returned for its 65 th year this January, with more than 250 exhibiting companies launching thousands of new products to eager buyers and visitors. High-tech coding robots, motorised skates, board games, and flying poop toys were just some of the stars of the show. The show opened with the news that UK toy sales had decreased by 2.8 per cent in 2017 to £3.4bn. The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) and the NPD Group attributed the dip to a number of factors, including under-performing licenses, the impact of Brexit, and concern over counterfeit toys. But 2017 also had successes for the toy industry, with collectables growing by 17 per cent to hold nine per cent of overall value of the UK market. Many of the show’s most exciting and innovative products were selected for Toy Fair’s Hero Toys, the inaugural awards judged by the BTHA and independent industry experts. Toy Fair TV presenters Anna Williamson and Gavin Inskip also spotlighted the show’s biggest launches and announcements, broadcasting news live for the duration of the show on screens around Olympia and on the Toy Fair website. The BTHA, organisers of Toy Fair, announced that Toy Fair 2019 will once again return to Olympia London, running from Tuesday 22nd to 24 th January. Applications for Toy Fair 2019 are now open and companies can apply online at toyfair.co.uk . Toy Fair 2019 dates announced There was plenty of praise from Danish and international visitors alike when the 68 th edition of the interior design fair Formland opened its doors at MCH Messecenter Herning 1 st - 4 th February to reveal a wealth of innovative, inspiring and exciting new products. Formland Spring 2018 was attended by 11,047 tradespeople from 31 countries. Award-winning American blogger and author Holly Becker, who is behind the blog decor8, gave both the opening address and a talk at Formland. It was also her first time at the Danish interior design fair, “I found Formland to be an absolute surprise, a very positive one! Normally, trade shows feel and fit a very specific format. At Formland, you’re surrounded by many passionate, warm and friendly exhibitors and an amazing trend zone (the best I have seen in Europe). I could go on and on.” Her enthusiasm is shared by Swedish trend expert Stefan Nilsson, better known as ‘Trendstefan’, who also visited Formland for the first time, “Formland is both a large and impressive trade fair. It is much bigger than I thought. I was very impressed by the trend areas and the individual exhibitors, and amazed by the amount of new Danish brands that I didn't know about.” The next Formland takes place from 16 th - 19 th August, 2018 in MCH Messecenter Herning. Read more at formland.com INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR FORMLAND Creativeworld continues to grow Some 3,023 exhibitors from 69 countries made a successful start to the new business season at the Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld consumer-goods fairs, and at the Floradecora floral market place, in Frankfurt am Main. At Creativeworld, 336 manufacturers presented their latest products and innovations to more than 9,000 trade visitors from all over the world. Altogether, around 87,000 visitors from 162 countries (2017: 85,448) made their way to Frankfurt to discover the latest trends and top themes, and to boost their businesses in the fields of festive and seasonal decorations, fresh flowers and plants, paper, office supplies and stationery, and hobby, art and craft supplies. This represents an increase of two per cent in the number of visitors. “Stimulated by a good economic climate, five intensive days at the consumer- goods fairs ended with full order books, new business impulses and a great atmosphere,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. “The further increase in exhibitor and visitor numbers confirmed that the relevant segments of the world’s consumer-goods markets are at home at Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld in Frankfurt am Main. Creativeworld 2018 was characterised by an unrivalled spectrum of manufacturers and products and was able to consolidate its position as the leading international trade fair for the hobby, art and craft supplies sector. A total of 336 exhibitors from 39 countries transformed Halls 4.1 and 4.2 of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre into the creative centre of the world. This was also given impressive confirmation by the interest of the 9,266 trade visitors from 104 countries. For further information, please visit the website creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com 12 giftfocus on with the show