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BIG NEWS! The Power Kid Podcast is now a part of the Adventure Media and Events Podcast Network Family! For 2 years it has been my great pleasure to interview my friends in the industry and to meet many amazing new friends along the way - and it just keeps getting better! Tune in for James Zahn's Toy Report the Pop Insider Podcast and much more coming soon. Subscribe to the new feed now!
https://lnkd.in/eaJzxta
I have a favor to ask - If you left a good review for the Power Kid Podcast would you do the same over at the Adventure Media & Events network page? Thank you for helping us grow and keeping you up to date with toy news, reviews and interviews!
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It is my honor this week to interview Daniel Delapa the CMO at Creative Kids. Creative Kids was founded in 1997 and quickly took the arts and craft category by storm. Since then their line has expanded into 12 categories with distribution in 70 countries! Daniel and I discuss his experience growing up in the industry. He shares with us what sets Creative Kids apart by being a "brand incubator”. We discuss how they stay closely connect to their customers by listening and acting based on their feedback. I ask him what retailers expect from him to ensure a mutually beneficial and growing relationship. www.creativekids.com
As always thank you for listening -
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My guest today Mike Gagnon is a best selling author and graphic novelist who works as a freelance writer, illustrator and colorist for publishers like Marvel, Dark Horse Comics, Jack Lake Productions and many more. He began working professionally in comics at the age of 17. He has taught art, design and writing at several animation schools and develops his own comics and media. Currently he is a writer on the creative development and promotion team for the Marvel Create Your Own Comics app! Join our conversation today as we discuss his origin in the comics business (it involves Silly Putty!). I ask his how he keeps his stories fresh when writing for characters that have decades of backstory. We discuss his experience writing for the Marvel Handbook which tells the story of individual Marvel characters. We end with a conversation about the shift of putting the content into the hands of the consumer and Mike shares his experience of working on Marvels Create Your Own Comic app.
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My guest this week Kenn Morton has won the Industrial Design Excellence Gold Award, Business Week Product of the Year Award, and participated in many others during his 31 years with Fisher-Price. He has a tremendous passion for children and parents in need and has worked with a collaboration between Save the Children, Mattel and the Ministry of Education in Indonesia to create teaching play kits. In this episode we dive into the unique design challenges that the children’s market presents - from yo-yos to car seats! I ask him how design practices have changed throughout his years in the industry. We discuss how to balance education and fun in a learning toy which leads into a very powerful discussion about Kenn’s work with children in Indonesia. Enjoy this insightful episode and thank you for listening!
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It is such a joy to have Stefanie Eskander on the show today! She has been drawing, illustrating and designing toys for over 35 years! Her resume includes Hasbro, Mattel, Fisher-Price, Spin Master and she was the Design Manager at Toys R Us. She has a passion for girls and preschool product and has been instrumental in developing brands like Cabbage Patch, Sky Dancers, Polly Pocket and Jem and the Holograms. She is here today to share her experience and talk about her new book Toy Stories: The Secret Life of a Toy Designer. Her book is a fantastic overview of her career and the history of the wonderful brands she has been a part of! Buy it here: https://stefanieeskanderdesign.com/toy-stories
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What does it take to connect with kids today? Listen in as Tanya Visano and I discuss this question and more! Tanya is the VP of International Strategy and Partnership Development and the Head of Canada and Mexico Consumer Products for Viacom. She has been been at the forefront of many new kids properties including Paw Patrol, Dora, JoJo Siwa and Ryan’s Mystery Playdate. We discuss the shift we are seeing from content creation to a content discovery model. She shares 3 key insights in developing great kids content. I ask her specifically about the Canadian and Mexican market and how kids respond to content uniquely in those countries. Along the way we touch on the fresh changes to both Dora and Blue’s Clues! Thank you for tuning in and enjoy!
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So great this week to catch back up with my friend Billy Langsworthy and have a chat. Billy is a vigorous supporter of the toy design and invention community. He co-founded Mojo Nation to accelerate talent, opportunity and ideas for all levels of inventors. Tune in today--- to learn all about what Mojo Nation offers including Play Innovation Summit, Licensed Design Challenges, Mojo Nations Summer Party, Play Creators Festival, Mojo Student Conference, and Brands Untapped. Billy unpacks each fantastic opportunity for us. “The best idea is to have lots of ideas.”
Find out more here: mojo-nation.com Thank you for the recent 5-star reviews! -
Thank you for the great feedback on part one of my conversation with founder and CEO of 360KID Scott Traylor! In part two of our discussion Scott shares his development process called the 7 D’s. I ask him about the particulars regarding the development of children’s app and how this has changed in their short history. We discuss the rise and fall of virtual worlds like NeoPets, Webkins, and Club Penguin. Finally I ask him to peer into the future and tell us what he sees in the future for toys and tech.
Follow along and download a copy of Scott’s excellent breakdown of the 2019 Toy Fair tech toys that caught his eye: http://www.360kid.com/blog/2019/03/tech-toys-2019/ Thank you always for subscribing and listening! -
My guest today is Scott Traylor the founder and CEO of 360KID. His company combines detailed child research with the latest technology trends to create successful interactive products for kids. In his career he has earned almost 60 awards and he and his team were nominated for 3 Emmy’s ands winning a collective Emmy with Sesame Workshop.
In part one of this two part episode we dive deep into tech in toys and discuss early and classic "battery and button" toys. He shares with us his experience with Sesame Workshop and how their child research continues to keep them relevant. I ask him about the challenges of creating educational content based around a mega-brand like Pokemon. He also tells us about his Emmy nominations and win and what made those projects stand out. http://360kid.com/ Join us next week for a future-looking discussion about tech and toys! Thank you for tuning in! -
Bill Paxton has spent his life in toy invention. From Bates to Lund and Co. to Big Monster he has been a staple in the toy inventor community. Bill has just completed a biography about the enigmatic and secretive King of Toys Marvin Glass! His Book, “A World Without Reality: Inside Marvin Glass’s Toy Vault”, is truly fantastic! When this 600 page book arrived on my desk it blew my mind! It took Bill almost 10 years to research and write this amazing book and I am so glad to have him on the show to talk about it today!
We discuss Bill’s origin and history in the toy biz. We discuss why Marvin Glass was worthy of a biography and his indelible mark on the industry. Bill lays out the historical factors that went into creating the first toy invention studio. Marvin Glass was notoriously secretive and we discuss the challenges Bill had to overcome to unearth the stories and fact for the book. Finally Bill discusses how Marvin leveraged early television to market home run products.
If you are a fan of toy history and great biographies you will not want to miss this book! Pre-Order now at: https://marvinglassbook.com/ Thank you for subscribing and sharing the show! -
Can a pizza shaped TV remote become a smash toy sensation? We answer that question and more in this week's episode with Dan Klitsner! Dan is the founder and creative director of the toy inventing and licensing firm KID Group. He and his team have invented some of today’s most successful electronic games and interactive toys! In our discussion we cover his early career and the formation of KID Group. I ask him to take us back to the early days of his invention Bop It™ and walk us through that experience. We discuss his focus on creating items that get the player up and moving and why that is important. I ask him to unpack his invention philosophy “R.I.T.E" ( Relationship, Idea, Timing, Execution) which helps him know when his concepts are ready for prime time! Dan thank you for the thoughtful discussion and providing immense value to all the Power Kids! Everyone enjoy the show and as always thank you for the good reviews!
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My guest today Shane Hartley is an extremely talented art director, designer and artist wrangler. Previously he was the Art Director at Wiz Kids and a Media Designer for Microsoft. Today he serves as the Art Director for Ravenburger North America which also puts him over the Brio, ThinkFun and Wonder Forge brands. His love of fandom and pop culture shines through his work!
I ask him about his time with WizKids and HeroClix and what made those products unique. We discuss the challenges of managing an $800K sculpting budget! How did his publishing efforts compare to pure toy and game development? We discuss the tremendous success of the TOTY Award winning game Villainous! Finally we discuss the power of fandom and how toy and game developers can tap into IP deep details to create unique products. Thank you for sharing the show and leaving good reviews! -
My guest today has over 25 years experience as an intellectual property attorney and has worked with virtually every major licensor in the entertainment and merchandise industries. Howard Fine spent 10 years as the Senior VP/ General Counsel for Tiger Electronics and then Hasbro. Today he serves clients worldwide as one of the top IP and licensing attorneys in the industry.
Today we discuss his early experience with electronic toys including Tiger's classic handheld games and Furby. In the wake of the Furby phenomenon I ask him what steps were taken to protect that quick growth powerful IP. We discuss several high profile legal battles in the toy industry. When should you show an invention and how can you help to keep the idea protected? What are the basic elements needed in any inventors licensing agreement?
You will want to take notes! Enjoy the show! -
Shopkins, Mighty Beans, Beados, AquaSand, Treasure X, Trash Pack, Lil’ Live Pets - you won’t want to miss this one! Today I talk to Glenn Abell, President & General Manager of Moose Toys. He brings tremendous experience into the role having spent over 16 years with LEGO group.
We discuss the changes and growth he saw in his years at LEGO. Glenn is very focused on employee engagement and development and he gives us some insight on how he manages his teams. We talk about his decision to be a part of Moose and his personal “why” in his new role. He tells us his perspective on the Shopkins phenomenon and how he plans to keep momentum rolling! Finally I ask him what he thinks are the greatest challenges facing the toy industry today. Join us for this great conversation! www.moosetoys.com We also discuss and I am happy to promote this amazing charity Glenn is involved in. Check it out here: www.k9youthalliance.org Thank you for the recent 5-star reviews! -
From Mattel, MGA, Jakks Pacific, Funrise and Spin Master Christine Trageser has run the gamut of great product launches! Now a Senior Brand Manager at Spin Master, she is instrumental in developing and promoting that funny ugly monster line you know as Fuggler! Her roots in sculpting give her a very unique perspective on product development and brand management. I ask her about her education in sculpting and how it supports her work in the toy industry. We talk about her brand management efforts and how we keep brands fresh. I ask her how she approaches new brands that have no market precedent. She tells the fantastic story behind Fugglers and her work on those adorable little weirdos : ) Finally we discuss the importance of storytelling and how Monster Jam is finding new customers by telling great stories. Join us for this super fun conversation!
http://www.fuggler.com
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Today we have a very timely tariff conversation with industry expert Lutz Muller. Lutz is a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program and has an MA and MBA in Business Administrations. He has been active in the toy industry since 1984 and has followed and reported on the toys from that time. He now operates Klosters Trading where he provides business intelligence to the toy industry worldwide. His network of retailers, buyers, third-party manufacturers and distributors keeps him on the cutting edge.
I ask him about his early days in the industry and the changes he has seen along the way. We quickly dive into the topic of tariffs and I ask him how toy manufactures can lessen the impact of a 25% tariff on our China goods. We discuss what companies and brands may not be affected by the tariffs and why. Could the toy industry be “devastated” and what does that look like in reality? Are there categories that will be more or less affected? Finally I ask him what steps toy manufactures can take now to navigate the tariffs. I would encourage you to also educate yourself and sign the petition here: https://donttaxtoys.com/ Thank you Lutz for the conversation and thanks to all the listeners! -
Tri-Bond, Piggy Pile Up, Balancing Bees, Mad Gab, Blurrt - My honored guest this week has been involved in the development of hundreds of games selling over 7 million copies in over 15 countries! A game guy to his core, Tim Walsh is also the co-producer of the documentary Operation: Operation which uncovers the story of Operation inventor John Spinello. He partnered with Reyn Guyer to write Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success and authored Timeless Toys which chronicles the experiences of over 70 toy inventors and their inventions. Join us today as I ask him about his early experiences launching Tri-Bond. We discuss his passion and efforts in promoting the toy inventor community. Tim contrasts his experiences in toys and publishing. We talk about how great toys typically break a rule and we share stories of how successful toy and game ideas can come from anywhere. www.getta1games.com Join us for this fun and insightful conversation!
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What do you get when you mix a media/technology attorney with decades of marketing experience? - my guest today, the brilliant Michele Martell! She provides business, legal, marketing and brand strategy services to clients across the media and technology spectrum. She is also involved in content creation, production, financing, distribution and licensing for all platforms (live action and animation). She has served in VP role for both The Jim Henson Company and WWE. Currently she is the Board of Directors/Programming Chair for Women In Toys.
Today we discuss her experience at the Jim Henson Company and WWE and the different lessons she learned in these environments. She takes us inside the animation studio as we discuss how popular brand strive to keep their characters and content relevant. Michele has deep knowledge and experience with YouTube marketing and influencers so I ask her about the future of this outlet and what regulations may be coming down the pipe. What can we learn from the Children’s Television Act that we might apply to the future of YouTube ads? Finally we discuss the growing market of connected toys and how toy companies need to navigate the concerns that have arisen in this category.
martellmediahouse.com Tune in to this valuable episode and subscribe! -
You will not want to miss Alan Dorfman talking about the industry he loves. For 21 years Alan founded and developed Basic Fun into a well respected impulse toy company. Under his leadership Basic Fun gained worldwide distribution and became a category leader in licensed and novelty products. Now serving as the President of Super Impulse - a division of Topcat World Wide - he has launched well know brands like World’s Smallest, World’s Coolest, Tiny Arcade, the Original Wizzzer and many more. His experience and insight in the toy industry is tremendous and it is an honor to have him on the show.
In our conversation he recounts the story of his early career and we discuss the birth and fantastic success of the Super Soaker keychain. We breakdown the marketing shift in toys and games and how social media is giving new life to the the Rubik's brand. As toy company marketing budgets are now split between TV, digital and social spend we discuss this reality and speculate on the future of toy marketing. I ask him about his experience with mergers and acquisitions in the industry. Finally we discuss his non-traditional experience in licensing toys from toy companies to create great new items.
https://superimpulse.com If this is your first time checking out the Power Kid Podcast this is an excellent place to start! Thanks for joining us! -
My honored guest this week is Rusty Tracy the VP of Wind Dancer Films. They have generated over 4 billion dollars in revenue from film and television properties that the company has created and produced. Rusty spent 10 years at Nickelodeon Animation Studios and his animation work includes the 2012 Ninja Turtles series, Ready Jet Go on PBS, Not a Box for Universal Kids and many more. In this episode we dive into Rusty’s experience with Nickelodeon Studios and TMNT - from unpaid intern to Creative Director! He gives us an inside look at the conversations between animators and toy makers to ensure brand integrity. What are the important considerations when developing animation for children of all ages? What are the challenges of creating animation that is both fun and educational. Enjoy this fun and insightful episode. Thank you for listening!
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