New York Toy Fair to Launch New Licensing Program

Playthings Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 11/30/2012 11:15:22 AM

NEW YORK - The 110th American International Toy Fair will host Content Connection, an educational program to serve licensors, brand owners and entertainment executives, reported the The Toy Industry Association (TIA).

The program will take place during the first two days of Toy Fair, Feb. 10-11, 2013 at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and expand on licensing-focused programming presented in conjunction with Toy Fair 2012. Sessions led by experts in the field of licensing will cover topics such as: opportunities for traditional and e-enhanced toy manufacturers and designers; preschool market research; demographic trends, media use and retail infrastructure in youth markets around the world; basic concepts and best practices for licensing brands and properties; and more.

The learning sessions will be produced in association with EPM Communications (publishers of The Licensing Letter and Youth Markets Alert) and JC Inc.

"We saw an unprecedented surge in licensors and entertainment executives over the past two years at Toy Fair," said Marian Bossard, vice president of meetings and events, TIA. "With that in mind, we've worked with experts in the field to create Content Connection to deliver an informative, interactive, and research-driven program geared specifically to Toy Fair's ever-growing licensing community."

The Toy Fair education program is an important component of TIA's year-round Knowledge Network; in addition to Content Connection, the show is home to a range of educational programming to meet the business and networking needs of a diverse audience that includes retailers (both independent and mass), creative types (such as inventors and designers) and manufacturers and distributors.