Richard Gottlieb

Link This | Email This | Comments (2)

Slow Time, Fast Time and Children

I have always been fascinated by time. It's so malleable that its passage can seem to speed up or slow down simply by circumstance. For me, there is no slower passage of time than sitting in a doctor's office or waiting for my luggage at the airport. Nothing, though, equaled the fifth grade in terms of slow time (my teacher was not just mean; she was crazy). I think that school year lasted a d... More

Link This | Email This | Comments (0)

Game Rooms and the Importance of Play Environments

When you were a teenager you may have had a friend whose family had a place in their house which was dedicated to playing competitive, action games. Some of these were like pieces of furniture: There could have been a pool table; a Pinball Machine, Foosball, ping pong or Air Hockey. That place was called "the play room" and having one (or even knowing someone who had one) was really,... More

Link This | Email This | Comments (1)

Colors; Why Are They So Important To Children?

Pink, blue, red, green, you name it...every child seems to have a favorite color. In fact, some children are so passionate about their color choice that they insist that their clothes, room décor and school supplies all match.This is not news to us in the toy industry. After all, the wrong color choice can in a product or package can kill a product. What we may not think about, however, is why.... More

Link This | Email This | Comments (0)

Wal-Mart's Bribery Scandal; Why It Matters

In my last posting, "Wal-Mart's ethics; it's a long way from Bentonville to Mexico City" I reported on an investigation conducted by The New York Times on alleged bribery among Wal-Mart's leadership in Mexico City and a subsequent coverup by the leadership in Bentonville.Some may feel that bribes paid in a foreign country are just a matter of doing business according to the local culture... More

Link This | Email This | Comments (0)

Brazil; They Do Things Differently There

I am back from Brazil and after spending a week there and attending the ABRIN toy show. I can see why Brazil should be of interest to any toy company thinking of expanding its foreign markets. As I wrote in an earlier posting: "The Carlyle Group, one of the world's biggest private equity investment firms, has taken an 85% stake Ri Happy, the largest toy chain in Brazil. Their reason: Bec... More