Association Elevates its Focus on
Creativity, Innovation & Consumer Engagement for
the Toy Industry
NEW
YORK, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy
Association™ announced today that People of Play™ (POP) and
its assets will be merging into the Association and that
Mary Couzin, founder of People of
Play, will be joining the senior leadership team at the
Association. Couzin will be responsible for guiding the future and
growth of this new addition to the Association, effective
immediately.
People of Play's wide range of assets and events, including
Chicago Toy and Game (CHITAG®) Fair®, The Toy
& Game Innovation Excellence Awards (The TAGIEs™), the Bloom
Report, Young Inventor Challenge®, Toy & Game
Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Play in Education and
POP Platforms, and the People of Play Holiday Guide will join The
Toy Association's portfolio of world class events including Toy
Fair™ New York, LA Fall Preview and The Toy Foundation's Toy
of the Year® Awards.
Mary Couzin, founder of People of
Play, stated: "Who knew that over 20 years ago, when I started
Chicago Toy & Game Group, now People of Play, and hosted our
first big event, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, to promote play,
we would add so many events and initiatives as well as have such an
amazing, long-lasting effect on the industry. By joining The Toy
Association with their additional resources and new vision, we can
strengthen our brands for generations to come. I'm thrilled that
People of Play will continue to grow and flourish and want to thank
everyone who has been a part of our initiatives. As we have shown,
everything is possible when people of play collaborate."
Adding People of Play allows the Association to build on its
ongoing strategy of creating meaningful experiences that connect
the industry and consumers. Aligning with People of Play creates a
deeper relationship with the inventor and design community, putting
greater focus on creativity and innovation, one of the cornerstones
of the toy industry. Additionally, with the Chicago Toy and Game
Fair, People of Play will leverage The Toy Association resources to
continue to grow one of the preeminent consumer experiences during
the all-important holiday season.
"We saw the opportunity to be a catalyst for creativity and
innovation by aligning with Mary
Couzin and People of Play and utilizing our assets and
experiences to help People of Play and its events grow," said
Greg Ahearn, president and chief
executive of The Toy Association. "Mary, a toy industry Hall of
Famer, has built an amazing community with some of the most unique
events, consumer engagement moments, compelling content, and
industry resources and we are excited to have her and People of
Play as part of The Toy Association. With People of Play and The
Toy Association working together, the possibilities are
endless."
The 22nd annual holiday Chicago Toy and
Game Fair, North America's largest
consumer toy & game fair, will take place on November
9 and 10 in Rosemont,
IL. The event is open to the public with experiential and
immersive events and interactive exhibits and activities for all
ages. The 17th annual Toy & Game Innovation
Excellence Awards (the TAGIEs), celebrating toy and game
excellence worldwide, will take place on the evening of
November 8th at Joe's
Live in Rosemont, IL. If you are
an inventor or student designer with ideas to pitch, sign up at the
premier and largest Inventor Pitch & Innovation
Conference. For more information
visit www.peopleofplay.com and www.toyassociation.org.
About The Toy Association™ toyassociation.org /
toyfoundation.org / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the business
trade association representing all businesses involved in creating
and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of
all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the
U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of
$102.8 billion, and its roughly 900
members drive the annual $41 billion
U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the
industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes
play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization
has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped
develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40
years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts,
government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure
safe and fun play.
As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the
world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York
City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and
international advocacy on behalf of its members; sustains the
Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International
Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO
Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises
America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The
Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation™, a 501
(c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the
collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy
Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 32 million children in
need worldwide.
About People of Play peopleofplay.com
People of Play (POP) leads the global toy and game industry in
promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop
source of community for toy industry veterans, newbies,
inventors, buyers, educators, influencers, media,
consumers and people of all ages who love to play, POP
hosts a wide range of events. This includes the Chicago Toy &
Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy and Game Innovation Excellence Awards
(the TAGIE's), Young Inventor Challenge (YIC), PlayCHIC, Play
in Education (PIE) Conference, Toy & Game Inventor Pitch
& Innovation Conference, People of Play platform and
newsletters, and People of Play Holiday Guide.
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SOURCE The Toy Association