The Toy Association™ has announced that People of Play™ (POP) and its assets will be merging into the Association and that Mary Couzin will be joining the senior leadership team at the Association. The Toy Universe speaks to Mary (Founder of People of Play) and Greg Ahearn (President and CEO of The Toy Association) about this new partnership!
How do you envision your role within The Toy Association, and what initiatives are you most excited to guide?
Mary: One of the most attractive aspects of The Toy Association’s proposal was that all our brands, initiatives, and events stay intact. They are a separate division of The Toy Association, and I am still leading them. The Association encouraged me to “just continue being Mary,” and that is what I am doing! Legacy plays a role, and it is important to me that the attendees of our events continue to be served in the same capacity as years past.
Reflecting on your journey since founding People of Play, how do you feel your experience in the industry over the past 20 years will assist you in your new position at The Toy Association?
Mary: I started as a toy and game inventor in the industry, which evolved organically into an inventor of events and initiatives to serve the people and industry that I love. I think about events differently and bring that to the table, and that will never change. Now, with The Toy Association’s support, we can grow and expand even further.
What unique features of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair do you believe make it an essential event for toy enthusiasts?
Mary: Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) is the only and largest toy and game fair serving families. It is a tough audience to build and takes time. But once you have them, they are very loyal. Many of our attendees are second-generation now. These attendees freely give advice/opinions to the toy and game companies exhibiting. We also have trade visiting to see trends and pick products for retail or licensing. Our Toy and Game Fair is the largest focus group in the world (among our competitors) and very cost-effective for our exhibitors. Plus, we have media and influencers spreading the word about your products.
Most of our attendees have come from word of mouth… imagine what these consumers can do for a toy company if they see you at our Fair! This is where kids and adults make their wish lists for the holidays and beyond — and as a bonus, can purchase these hot toys right at the show.
How do you see the integration with The Toy Association enhancing collaboration within the inventor and design community?
Mary: We have the largest global Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference in the world. The Toy Association’s reach can help bring even more attendees with more ideas to the event. Invention and ideation are the core of the toy industry. Our industry will be even stronger and more connected. And, with our Young Inventor Challenge, help future generations of toy inventors for years to come.
Greg, what motivated The Toy Association to pursue a merger with People of Play, and how do you envision this collaboration fostering creativity and innovation?
Greg: The Toy Association has taken various steps over the years to help foster the growth of the inventor and designer community — from our educational programming (webinars and Toy Fair University) to facilitating pitch sessions with major toy manufacturers. By partnering with Mary and People of Play, we have embraced an opportunity to further drive and support the creativity and innovation that are one of the foundational parts of our industry.
There is a reason that Mary is a beloved figure in our industry (and a past inductee in the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame!). The thriving community she has built through People of Play’s unique events, meaningful consumer interactions, persuasive content and industry resources are a testament to Mary’s tenacity, and the needs/wants of the inventor community. Coupled with The Toy Association’s resources and assets, we’re excited to help take People of Play to the next level together.
In what ways do you believe that adding People of Play’s assets will strengthen The Toy Association’s mission and offerings?
Greg: The Toy Association’s mission is to be a unifying force that works in service of the industry. A large portion of that is growing and evolving many of the experiences we offer that bring many different communities within the toy industry together. This can take the form of events such as Toy Fair New York or the just recently completed Fall Toy Preview Industry Week in Los Angeles, but we want to offer even more diverse content and networking opportunities to the industry.
By merging with People of Play, we can help grow the Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference and Young Inventors Competition to better connect with the creative community, expand our experiences to include consumer directed moments like CHITAG, and keep the industry informed and connected through The Bloom Report and POP Networking Platform. There are so many new opportunities to build on which will help our industry thrive.
How do you plan to leverage The Toy Association’s resources to support the continued growth of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair?
Greg: There are many ways The Toy Association will help the Chicago Toy and Game Fair accelerate its growth as the preeminent family directed consumer event of the holiday season. First, given the deep manufacturer relationships within The Toy Association, we know many manufacturers will see the value of direct engagement with families during the most important selling season of the year.
Second, combining Mary’s creativity and ability to design some of the most compelling events in our industry with The Toy Association’s world class events production team, the sky is the limit on what we can deliver. And finally, we know the combination of both The Toy Association and POP will be able to bring significant awareness to this truly unique event that will attract a broad audience of kids, influencers, media, and families who want to be a part of something special.
This article originally appeared in Edition 12 of The Toy Universe Magazine
