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TOTYs grow via category tweak

By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 9/16/2009 9:05:00 AM

NEW YORK—Modest changes are afoot for the 2010 edition of the Toy Industry Association’s Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards.

For the first time, this year’s awards program will treat Infant Toy of the Year and Preschool Toy of the Year as separate categories. The move brings the total number of specific product category awards to 12.

TIA will also debut this fall a new website to highlight the TOTY 2010-nominated products. In time for the 2009 holiday shopping season, each nominee that is selected for the TOTY ballot will be featured on a website custom-designed by TIA to highlight the products in each of the twelve categories.

“The TOTY awards showcase the most creative and innovative products across the toy industry,” said Carter Keithley, president, TIA. “On the occasion of this award program’s tenth anniversary, TIA is proud to let consumers know which products the industry itself considers to be the “best of the best” … and to make this information available just as kids are preparing their holiday wish lists.”

A new process for submitting nominations will make it easier for sponsors to highlight the outstanding features of their products while also assuring the consistency of brand messaging for consumers, according to TIA.

The fee is $50 per nomination for TIA members and $100 per nomination for TIA non-members. Companies are able to nominate up to two products in each of the 12 categories. The “Toy of the Year” winner is selected from among the products appearing on the TOTY ballot or via a write-in vote by TIA members. There is no separate nomination form for consideration specifically as a Toy of the Year candidate.

Nominations officially began this week and will be accepted through October 23.

The final ballot, determined by a committee of toy journalists, inventors and retailers, will be announced in early December. TIA member voting will begin at that time and close in mid-January 2010.

Winners will be announced at the TOTY 2010 banquet and ceremony on Feb. 13, 2010, at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.

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