TOMY has announced a new licensing collaboration with Universal Brand Development to introduce a line of preschool toys for its Toomies brand based on the blockbuster Jurassic World franchise. All set to launch in time for Christmas.
Jurassic World is a $5 billion global franchise. And with Jurassic World: Dominion scheduled for release in June 2022, this brand is set to be one of TOMY’s biggest ever collaborations for the preschool category.
Launching in June 2021, the line will include Chase & Roll Raptors and a Dino Rescue Ranger, inspired by the iconic vehicles in the films; Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs, a clever twist on Toomies bestselling Hide and Squeak Eggs, using dinosaur eggs in an incubator featuring the core toddler play pattern of ‘sort & pop’; and Pic & Push T. rex, a large T. rex dinosaur with a fun take on the iconic gyrosphere from the 2015 Jurassic World film.
The line will also support TOMY’s classic action game, Pop Up Pirate, with the launch of a Pop Up T. rex from July. The bestselling game recently celebrated its 45th Anniversary.
Mary Wood, General Manager UK at TOMY, said: “Dinosaurs are an evergreen toy trend, reaching multiple age points including preschoolers, and with our Toomies success in this market dinosaurs seemed like a great fit for our next collaboration.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Universal to introduce this fantastic range – combining our expertise in preschool toys with the worldwide phenomenon of Jurassic World, this is going to be a major focus for the business for next year and into 2022. Feedback from retailers across all markets has been nothing but positive”
The Toomies brand has seen exponential growth in recent years, with its Toy range up by 33% at Retail vs 2019. The brand’s ever-popular Hide & Squeak Eggs are also up by 25%, with the full range including the Spring 2020 Hide & Squeak extension items and AW20 additions contributing to 81% of EPOS Sales Year to Date*.
For more information on TOMY and Drumond Park, please visit: https://uk.tomy.com/
Read MoreBritains to Mark 100th Anniversary with First Ever Tractor Re-release
The brand is also set to announce a brand-new license
Britains, Europe’s oldest specialist in agricultural toys and collectibles, is set to celebrate its 100th Anniversary next year with the launch of its original Fordson Major Tractor, which will be one of only 7,500 units available from July.
In 1921, Britains unveiled its first farm vehicle, the ‘4F’ Tumbrel Cart. Shortly after World War II came to an end, Britains introduced its first ever tractor in 1948, just three years after the real tractor appeared. It featured a choice of metal or rubber tyres and came with a character driver within a traditional matchbox. The 2021 limited-edition version will pay tribute to these nostalgic features, with a fully diecast tractor including rubber tyres, a lookalike toy driver and the original packaging.
To drive demand for the Fordson Major, Britains will be hiding 100 Gold finished tractors within the 7,500 range for collectors to find, as well as creating 10 Silver versions for social media and press giveaways to build further awareness.
The brand has also expanded its global licensed offering, with the introduction of CLAAS – one of the biggest licensees in the world. The new partnership is expected to be key for 2021 and will see the launch of the CLAAS Xerion 5000 model with detailed features and a rotating cab, available from January 2nd. The following month Britains is set to launch two new additions to its Heritage collection, the International Harvester Farmall 1066 and the Case International 4894, giving further kudos to the nostalgic feel of 2021.
Mary Wood, General Manager UK & Head of EU Brand Development at TOMY, said: “We are very pleased to be celebrating our 100th Anniversary next year, but we couldn’t have reached this huge milestone without our longstanding and devoted fans, from collectors to farming families, our core fans have played with and grown up with Britains for years and we want to thank them for all of their support.
“To mark this celebration, not only do we have some exciting, limited-edition products for our core fans, but we will also be supporting the anniversary campaign with an emotive brand video, bespoke POS materials, a newly designed logo and a celebration event.
“Over the years we have achieved world firsts for Britains, from launching the first ever tractor replica, to a radio-controlled tractor, being at the forefront of trends in the industry, leading the way on quality and design, and achieving number one status in the market for 1:32 farm replicas.
“We are extremely proud to have reached this landmark and we want to thank everyone, especially the retail support from independent toy stores, who have contributed to the 100-year success of Britains.”
100 Year Key Milestones:
- 1921 –Britains Model Home Farm launches – the brand’s first ever farming item
- 1948 – The iconic, first ever tractor, the Fordson Major launches
- 1970 – The 4711 Model Farmyard launches and is one of the bestselling items of the whole Britains farm collection
- 1976 – The 9570 Massey Ferguson 760 Combine receives ‘Toy of the Year’ Award at the London Toy Fair
- 1997 – Britains is bought by ERTL, one of the largest toy manufacturers in the world, giving Britains access to global licenses to produce models from John Deere and Case IH, which have since gone on to be one of the best-selling ranges
- 2008 – The 1:16 Britains ‘Big Farm’ is introduced with 3 tractors and 2 trailers. The ‘Big Farm’ range is then extended in 2009 with radio control function added to one tractor
Britains is a leading manufacturer in die-cast models and is a name synonymous with quality models since William Britain started making toy soldiers in 1893 using the hollow casting process.
Today, Britains has established itself with high quality innovation in perfectly replicated diecast miniatures, whilst remaining true to its 100- year heritage. Britains offers a full range of diecast farm models including tractors, implements, vehicles and accessories, allowing children aged 3+ to build their farm, as well as constantly refreshing and updating its collection for its enthusiasts.
For more information on Britains, please visit: https://britainsfarmtoys.co.uk/
Read MoreAn escape room in a box?! Yep, that’s what Epic Escapes are offering, we are challenging the status-quo of board gaming to give people the opportunity to participate in high-octane interactive escape rooms…from the comfort of their own home!
The concept is pretty simple, our Escape Room In A Box (3 in 1) gives you what you need to make your own fully immersive escape room without even having to escape the house!
We provide everything you need; fool-proof clear instructions with hint cards, high-quality puzzles, hardware and other necessary consumables you’ll need for the escape rooms. There is not just one, or two escape rooms in our escape room box, but three, all with their own distinct vibe, story, difficulty and strategy. They’re sure to hold the attention and interest of both beginner, novice and experienced escape-roomers – you might end up begging the gamemaster for one of those hint cards!
Crime – You’re house-sitting for a friend, all is well until shadows move past the living room window followed by a sinister knock at the door. Turns out, your friend is a marked man and you seek refuge from the criminal abductors in his panic room. In your hurried and anxious state, you end up locked in with no easy way out. You have one hour until the oxygen runs out. How can you escape?
Piracy – On a lonely merchant navy tanker, your captain goes missing to be replaced with a new one on a return voyage from Hong Kong to Bremen. Heading for the Suez canal, your captain summons you and the crew for an emergency meeting. Before you can react, you are locked in and you feel the ship change its course. Maybe the ship’s ‘important’ payload isn’t all that it seemed. You must escape and find out before your time is up.
Hijack – You’re following a trace on a potential hijack plan. Inside the hijacker’s house, you’re searching for intel but find yourself trapped in the hijacker’s secure stash room. The plans are here, but they are encoded. Your task is to decode the plans to identify the plane, save its passengers and escape the room.
Epic Escapes escape rooms provide an awesome new option for enjoying your time at home.
“A really well designed, high quality, at-home product, with a clear story and flow. Brilliant for first-time escape roomers as the puzzles were well structured and understandable.” – Kent Escape Room Reviews
They’re perfect for school holidays, dinner parties and chill time at weekends, particularly on those long and dreary rainy days (and there are usually a few…!). Dinner parties and family gatherings can be turned into interactive experiences where family members and friends work together, or competitively in small teams, to complete challenges and escape the room. You can start a leaderboard, or challenge people to break the house record. You can even go to town with props and dim the lights to create a nail-biting atmosphere adding to the tension of a truly epic escape room!
“Cleverly constructed and it really is a great way of spending time with friends. You can use time and time again with a different group of friends and I thoroughly recommend this game to all.” – Judy Stewart
Epic Escapes escape rooms are suitable for 3 – 6 players which perfectly suits families, housemates, events, parties, etc. Even with more players, spectating is super-fun and it’s easy to rotate players to give everyone a turn. Not only are Epic Escapes escape rooms fun and interactive, but they also stimulate lateral thinking and problem-solving skills as well as creativity and attention spans.
Feeling trapped by lockdown restrictions? Wanting some more at home entertainment to get you through? Get our FREE weekly brainteasers: https://www.epic-escapes.games/brainteaser/
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Why are the 2020 Rainbow Awards different?
Here at Rainbow Awards HQ, we have taken the decision to role 2020 and 2021 awards into one, due to the current CV-19 situation. After a lot of conversations with suppliers, manufacturers and PR agencies we have found that stock supply and early sample supply could potentially be an issue especially as such a high proportion comes from the far east.
From an award point of view the mechanics of running the awards is Covid safe as everything from entry to testing to placement is done at a distance. Rest assured the 2020/21 awards are already gathering momentum.
You can enter your products now, the entry for is here, or wait until you are sure your samples are available.
The categories for 2020/21 are:
- Preschool Toys
- Games & Puzzles
- S.T.E.M. Toys
- Educational Toys
- Imaginative Play
- Outdoor Toys
- Wheeled Toys
- Soft Toys
- Arts & Crafts
- Electronic Toys
The Rainbow Awards for Toy Excellence 2020/21 are now open! The awards will be announced for 2020/21, on the 29th October 2021. The closing date for entries is September 24th 2021
Read MoreThe Rainbow Awards 2019 – The Results…
OVERALL CHAMPION
Mars Space Station
By: Playmobil
Age: 6+ years
RRP: £64.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk
AWARD CATEGORY: S.T.E.M TOYS
WINNER
Kidizoom Action Cam HD
By: Vtech Electronics
Age: 5+ years
RRP: £52.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Number Tray
By: Bigjigs Toys
Age: 3+ years
RRP: £23.99
Buy now from – https://www.brightminds.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: OUTDOOR TOYS
WINNER
Fun Zone Pop ‘n Splash
By: Little Tikes
Age: 24+ months
RRP: £69.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Fantastic First 3 in 1 Switcharoo Table
By: Little Tikes
Age: 12+ months
RRP: £29.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk
AWARD CATEGORY: CONSTRUCTION TOYS
WINNER
Junior Engineer Monster Truck
By: Tobar
Age: 8+ years
RRP: £9.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: SOFT TOYS
WINNER
New Born Baby Animigos Guinea Pig
By: Tobar
Age: 18+ months
RRP: £14.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Rainbow Llama
By: H Grossman
Age: 3+ years
RRP: £9.99
Buy now from – www.amazon.co.uk
AWARD CATEGORY: ELECTRONIC TOYS
WINNER
Baby Annabell Feels Better Medical Scanner
By: Zapf Creation
Age: 3+ years
RRP: £42.99
Buy now from – https://www.smythstoys.com/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
YouDrive Rescue Chopper
By: Little Tikes
Age: 3+ years
RRP: £34.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: IMAGINATIVE TOYS
WINNER
Mars Space Station
By: Playmobil
Age: 6+ years
RRP: £84.99
Buy now from – www.amazon.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak
By: Wow! Stuff
Age: 6+ years
RRP: £59.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: PRESCHOOL TOYS
WINNER
Learn & Dance Dino
By: Vtech Electronics
Age: 2-5 years
RRP: £39.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Baby Xylophone
By: Halilit
Age: 12+ months
RRP: £18.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: WHEELED TOYS
WINNER
Playmobil: The Movie Del’s Food Truck
By: Playmobil
Age: 5+ years
RRP: £44.99
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
AWARD CATEGORY: GAMES & PUZZLES
WINNER
Cog Puzzle
By: Bigjigs Toys
Age: 18+ months
RRP: £14.49
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk/
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Dice Academy
By: Asmodee UK
Age: 8+ years
RRP: £10.99
Buy now from – www.amazon.co.uk
AWARD CATEGORY: EDUCATIONAL TOYS
WINNER
HUE Animation Studio
By: HUE
Age: 7-13 years
RRP: £49.95
Buy now from – www.amazon.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED
LeapStart Go
By: LeapFrog
Age: 4-9 years
RRP: £49.99
Buy now from – www.amazon.co.uk
This year the Overall Champion was a product our testers really loved! It’s a toy that let’s children use their imagination. Here is what the testers said about it.
“Loved by the whole family, loving playing together”
“It even provoked discussion in our house about life on other planets and how we might live if we were on another planet”
“Out of this world!”
…and our overall 2019 champion is…
OVERALL CHAMPION
Mars Space Station
By: Playmobil
Age: 6+ years
RRP: £64.99
More information at: www.playmobil.co.uk
Available from: The Entertainer
Buy now from – https://www.amazon.co.uk
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