Heading to ToyCon

I am in the airport waiting to board my plane for Phoenix. Its spring and that means it’s ToyCon time. ToyCon for those who may not be familiar with it is a conference for toy industry leadership. It allows senior management of the many toy manufacturers to get together in one place and relax, learn as well as talk. 

I like it because it brings together a smart group of people with a common interest. The whole is far more than the sum of the parts and if you do some effective listening there is a great deal to learn.

Some of what I hopet to learn this year is:

• What is the mood of the industry? 
• Are they going to invest in new products as a way of dealing with a slumping economy or are they going to hunker down and take few chances?
• Are they planning on continuing to manufacture exclusively in China or are they broadening their production portfolio?
• Are “Green” and “Made in America” passing fads or will they have traction for the foreseeable future?
• Are they still concerned about safety issues or do they feel it is now under control?

It will be an interesting few days.