Toy and game inventors will be able to pitch concepts to licensing agency Anjar & Becker Associates at this year’s virtual Mojo Pitch event.

Forming part of the Play Creators Festival, the three-day Mojo Pitch will take place virtually this year, hosted at a dedicated Mojo Pitch platform from Tuesday September 7th to Thursday September 9th.

The event will welcome inventors, invention studios and design agencies from across the world as they pitch exciting toy and game concepts to a range of companies, each on the lookout for new products.

“We can’t wait to participate in the Mojo Pitch again this year,” said Patti and Jonathan Becker.

“We’ve licensed several concepts that we discovered at Mojo and look forward to meeting with inventors and manufacturers. Thank you Billy, Adam and Deej, for all you do for the industry.”

If you’re a designer, inventor or design agency that would like book in a meeting with Anjar & Becker Associates and the other companies attending this year’s virtual Mojo Pitch, email Mojo’s Billy Langsworthy on billy@mojo-nation.com.

Or, if you’re a company that would like to meet with inventors at this year’s virtual event, email Adam Butler at adam@mojo-nation.com

For more details on the wider virtual Play Creators Festival, head to: www.playcreatorsfestival.com.

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Wham-O has appointed Anjar and Becker Associates as the exclusive global licensing agency for Wham-O and its portfolio of brands, including Frisbee, Slip ’N Slide, Hula Hoop, Hacky Sack, Super Ball, Trac-Ball and Boogie Board.

Under the Agreement, Anjar and Becker Associates will develop, license, and commercialise Wham-O brand merchandise and brand extensions across all product categories.

“I’m very excited to be working with such a well-known agency as Anjar and Becker Associates,” said Todd Richards, President, Wham-O.

“All of us at Wham-O are looking forward to prosperous opportunities.”

Jonathan Becker, President of Anjar, added: “It’s hard to overstate the iconic stature of Wham-O’s brands. Slip ‘n Slide, the Super Ball, Hacky Sack, Hula Hoop, and, of course, the Frisbee, are ubiquitous; a part of our culture and the happy memories of millions of people around the world.

“The opportunity to leverage these well-known brands, in toys and other categories, is an honour and privilege, and we’re excited to pursue every opportunity to showcase them to potential licensees.”

Patti Becker, CEO of Becker Associates, said: “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to create a licensing program to extend Wham-O and their iconic brands, which have a special place in people’s hearts throughout the world.

“Wham-O’s immense and lasting popularity started with the Frisbee, which will turn 65 in 2022. This timeless toy contributes to good physical and emotional health. We think the timing couldn’t be better to capitalize on the extraordinary brand awareness and appeal of Wham-O’s amazing toys!”

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Eolo Toys’ design studio, ToyZone Trade SL, has entered into an exclusive agency agreement with Anjar & Becker Associates LLC, an international licensor of toys and entertainment properties.

Becker Associates will be the exclusive licensor of ToyZone’s new products and brands, some of which are already in the market.

“Anjar’s 50 plus years of success in licensing toys will be an important contributor of our continued growth as a company, extending the reach of our products and brands into new markets,” said Alex Prieto, Director of Fun at Eolo Toys and General Manager at ToyZoneSpain.

Patti Becker, CEO of Becker Associates added: “With our market insight and global reach, we’re confident that ToyZone’s portfolio of exciting proprietary products will generate strong demand from licensees.

“ToyZone has invested extensively in tooling and quality presentations so these new products can be launched quickly, which is exactly what our customers are looking for. We couldn’t be more excited about the alliance between our companies.”

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Having licensed over 1000 products, and generated more than $2 billion in sales, Jonathan and Patti Becker run Anjar Co. and Becker Associates.

These award-winning agencies are leading licensors, distributors and designers of toys and games. They specialise in global licensing, brand management and product development.

We caught up with Patti to hear what she hopes to discover at the 2020 Mojo Nation pitch – and what she accomplished at the 2019 event…

Patti, thanks for making time… I’ve wanted to tie in ever since we had that lovely pitch meeting last year! My first question is this: what do you think is the biggest misconception about agents and what they do?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that agents reduce the amount of income that inventors can earn from their ideas. In fact, the right agent adds value and can substantially enhance income earned on an invention.

Can you give a “for instance” of that?
An agent might obtain a license deal that never would have happened without that agent’s know-how and connections… So, for example, we have global relationships with hundreds of toy companies that we’ve developed over the past 50-plus years. In addition to our product-development expertise, these relationships let us quickly identify and reach hundreds of potential licensees… And the increased exposure creates more opportunities.

And am I right in saying you licensed a couple of items from last year’s Mojo event this way?
Yes, and quite quickly; just a few months after starting our representation and presentation of the items. Our clients, which include amateur and professional inventors, and toy companies, have told us they feel we add considerable value through our expertise and experience, beginning with showing them great products that are a good fit for them.

You had a couple of other successes at last year’s Mojo event. What can you tell us about them?
Yes, in all we represented four new concepts from the Mojo 2019 event. One, from Brett Gilbert is called JigStars. It’s a simple but very original and really fun concept, that cleverly crosses two basic categories at a popular price point. It can be used by any age from six to 106, so it was of immediate interest to us as a party game that could be an ice breaker.

So just walk us through that… Brett showed you on the day – then what?
Within a few months, we licensed JigStars to Funskool, a manufacturer and distributor in India. We’ve worked with Funskool for more than a dozen years! JigStars will be a Q4 2020 release in India… It’s under consideration for the rest of the world for a 2021 release.

Another product – well, really a brand line – that we represented and licensed from last year’s Mojo event, was from Duncan Fitzsimmons… As soon as we saw Duncan’s concept, we all had an immediate WOW moment.

And why was was that? What caused the WOW moment?
We immediately knew that this one single item had the potential to be much more…we saw it as a brand that we could develop it across multiple categories. Within just a few months, we signed a license for the concept to a major global toy company for 2021 release.

Great! So let’s back up a little… When you see something like that, what happens next? How do we go from sitting with the Beckers – good name for a book! How do we go from sitting with the Beckers to making progress?
Well, once we see something we like, that we believe is licensable, we communicate our interest in representing the ideas to the inventors.

Right then? In the room?
Yes, often we have a gut feeling about what we believe is a great AND licensable concept. That’s what we did with the inventor concepts from Mojo 2019. We then quite quickly consummated an agreement of representation with the inventors. We also prepared presentations of the inventions, and hosted those on our private inventor portal…

And that’s an online portal?
Right. But it’s private; it’s not open to the public… We then arranged demonstrations for our customers, brainstormed with the inventor and licensee to create brand extensions, made additional prototypes, got costing, developed packaging concepts, sent prototypes to our customers, drafted, negotiated and executed license agreements. We also got costing, developed marketing strategies, tweaked  instructions, and created packaging concepts.

Actually, when you put it like that, that sounds like a heck of a lot of work!
Yes! Those are some of the services we provide! Most importantly, the result is a strong license agreement with good, solid growth companies – and with a strong commitment to the brands, to maximise the brand’s exposure. It also provides those products with the best chance of success. Some of the manufacturers we license to, we’ve worked with for 50 years. We’ve worked with Funskool for almost 15.

Well, this is something Bill’s covered in an interview, which we’ll link to, but you and your husband Jonathan – who’s also your business partner – have been in the industry a long time…
Yes! Jonathan is a third-generation toy person, and a leading IP Attorney, focusing on the toy industry for the past 35 years and he’s frequently asked to act as an expert in licensing matters.

My background and expertise is in early child development, education, and marketing. Between us, we have more than 80 years in the toy business, developing and licensing toys, games and children’s products.

My word! 80 years’ experience! What’s the secret of your longevity?
Really, I’d say our passion for people and play… And having a positive influence on kids and their development.

At the other end of the spectrum, what specific pitching tips would you give new inventors?
First, know your customers, including their current product lines, their wish list, and which new categories – if any – they’re interested in. Second, be prepared to distinguish your invention…

Distinguish it?
Yes – make clear what’s novel or new about the item, against other competitive items. Finally, it’s often critically important to know, and be able to explain to toy companies, the legal protection available to protect the concept from being knocked-off… In other words, patents, trademarks, trade secrets and so on.

It helps to know – but you don’t have to have all that sorted before pitching to you, do you?
Oh no; not at all; you don’t need to patent, trademark or copyright ideas before submitting them to Becker Associates. In fact, we can and do advise on options for legal protection and market positioning.

Okay. Good answer, thank you. So! It’s 2020: you’re seeing inventors pitch at the Mojo Nation online event… Obviously, you’re looking to find ideas and develop them into licensable concepts. What advice would you give inventors who want to use an agent?
Call us, email us, reach out to us any way you can, today or whenever you have new ideas. You can reach us at PBecker@BeckerAssoc.com! We’re always looking for innovative ideas and technologies. We’ll help develop and pitch your concepts and brands to manufacturers around the world for licensing and distribution.

Super! Thank you Patti. Always lovely to see you; I was sorry we couldn’t chat in New York… You were so busy! One last question: if you were to write your autobiography, what would you call it?
A Passion for Play

Simple as that! Course, that leaves me clear to do my unauthorised book, Sitting with the Beckers! Thanks again, Patti.

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Patti and Jonathan Becker are the team behind Anjar Co and Becker Associates, award-winning, global licensing, brand management and consulting agencies that have been a staple of the toy industry for decades.

Founded by Jonathan’s father – Jim Becker – world-renowned licensing agency Anjar Co. is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and since launching back in 1969, has licensed about 900 products, resulting in a mammoth $2 billion in sales across more than 100 countries.

Becker Associates entered the picture in 2000, with a focus on representing brand owners, manufacturers, inventors and entrepreneurs in the development, licensing, marketing and distribution of their products on a global scale.

We caught up with Patti to learn more about the origins of Anjar and Becker Associates, get the low-down on some of their recent success stories and find out exactly when they know they’ve discovered something special.

Who are Anjar Co. and Becker Associates?
Anjar and Becker Associates are global licensing, brand management and consulting agencies. We’ve licensed about 900 products, which have resulted in $2 billion in sales in more than 100 countries. This year at the New York Toy Fair, we introduced over 100 new products, including a distribution deal for 13 SKUs of one of Europe’s premiere pre-school brands, Klorofil (The Magic Tree House).

We represent brands, products and concepts for licensing and distribution around the world. Whether a customer is looking for brand extension ideas, licensing or distribution deals, new products, technology to license in, help creating or developing proprietary products, or new territories to export to, we have IP, products and brands to offer our customers, as well as marketing and legal expertise that can help.

What makes you unique as licensing agents?
We offer a unique combination of expertise, plus 80 years of toy industry experience, which enables us to obtain the best possible license and distribution deals for our customers.

Jonathan is a recognized leading IP attorney and licensing expert in the toy industry, tenured professor at FIT’s Toy Design Program, and President of Anjar. My expertise is in developmental child psychology, early childhood education and strategic marketing.

Anjar is one of the world’s longest running product licensing agencies for the toy and game space. Can you tell us about the origins of the company?
Anjar is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. Last year, Anjar’s founder, Jim Becker, was recognized as a pioneer in international licensing and was the 72nd person inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, joining Walt Disney, George Lucas and the founders of Hasbro, Mattel and LEGO.

From our inception, many of the largest global toy manufacturers have looked to us for new product ideas. Anjar is well known for having been involved in successfully licensing, marketing, distributing and popularizing Othello(R) brand products in the US and around the world outside of Japan in the past. Over 50 million classic Othello games have been sold worldwide, making it the most successful licensed abstract strategy game in history.

Where does Becker Associates fit into the story?
Becker Associates was created in 2000 to focus on representing brand owners, manufacturers, inventors and entrepreneurs in the development, licensing, marketing and distribution of their products on a global scale. Becker Associates is the proud recipient of the prestigious ‘Outstanding Licensing Agent’ award.

Since founding Becker Associates, hundreds of women-owned-businesses have pitched their products to Walmart buyers through The WIT-Walmart Women’s Empowerment Initiative I conceived.

What are some of your biggest success stories?
One that I’m proudest of in terms of the opportunities it provides other women is The Walmart Empowerment Program which has resulted in dozens of Walmart.com or in-store Walmart listings for W.I.T. members. Other “give back” accomplishments include WIT’s explosive growth into more than 24 countries on five continents, 35x increased membership, and 500% growth in funding, under my leadership as President of Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment (WIT).

Jonathan and I are grateful to have dozens of products that have grown into brands and become evergreens, some of which have lasted for decades.

Together, Anjar and Becker Associates have developed or licensed these familiar products: Gumby & Pokey, Barrel of Monkeys, Fireball Island, Battle Dome, Disappearing Magic Baby Bottle, Go for Broke, Got a Minute, Breaking Point (Tumball), Shirt Pocket Game Brand including Scrabble Pocket Game, Grabbin Dragons, Champagne Game, Nerf Ping Pong, Timber Tots by Klorofil, Playtape, TinyTown, Anne Geddes Plush, Anne Geddes Puzzles, Anne Geddes Mats and hundreds more, many of which have sold millions of pieces! You can see more at www.BeckerAssoc.com.

What are some of your most recent projects?
We’re thrilled that some of our classic products and brand extensions are making a buzz. For example, Fireball Island which was first licensed by Anjar to Milton Bradley in 1986, was reintroduced last year by Restoration Games as Fireball Island – The Curse of Vul-Kar, (and the product extension, The Wreck of the Crimson Cutlass). Fireball Island – The Curse of Vul-Kar raised over $2.8 million on Kickstarter, to become the 3rd most successful game launch in Kickstarter history, and a huge 2018 hit, selling out at $60 to $80 retail.

Customers are always looking for products which have a proven success record. Tumball (aka Badaboule, Balla Balla) originally called Breaking Point by Ideal Toy Company in the 1980s, was reintroduced as Tumball by MegaBleu in 2017. Tumball is now distributed in over 30 countries and was voted ‘Game of the Year’. In 2018, a 10’ version of Tumball was featured in a popular German TV Game Show, which was really cool!

We’re also very excited about some of our recent international distribution deals, including one for Vulli’s (France) Klorofil brand line, introduced this year in the U.S. by Fat Brain Toys as Timber Tots. Vulli is the maker of Sophie la Girafe. The line has received a fantastic response.

We also recently licensed Inroad Toys’ PlayTape and TinyTown, both proprietary product lines, to Irwin Toys. PlayTape is being distributed by Simba-Dickie in their Majorette line in over 50 countries.

We represent Verdes’ V-Cubes line for U.S. Distribution and Direct-to-Retail sales. V-Cubes patented technology makes the construction of a cube with an unlimited number of layers possible. For example, each cube can be 2 x 2, or the traditional 3 x 3, up to 9 x 9, and allows the V-Cube to turn more smoothly and quickly than any other puzzle cube.

Anne Geddes Plush by Commonwealth Toys and Anne Geddes Puzzles and Anne Geddes Mats by TCG are examples of some of our newest brand licensing efforts.

We have several other new toys and games being re-released for 2019. Since Anjar is the oldest product licensing firm, it’s probably not surprising that we have arguably the largest collection of multi-million piece selling products available for licensing in the toy industry.

Having been in the business for such an impressive amount of time, how do you know a great product when you see one? Is it just a ‘sixth sense’ or are there clear signs?
That’s the million-dollar question! Sometimes you think you recognize a ‘winner’ as soon as you see it, which is what happened with PlayTape, a TOTY Award Finalist. We cherish our customer relationships, many of whom  are personal friends. They let us know what they’re looking for and we always keep them in mind when reviewing new product ideas.

We look for products that fit, fill a need, are unique, and have the potential to sell millions! We work internationally, and travel quite a bit to most of the major trade shows, which gives us an opportunity to meet with our international customers on a regular basis, and also helps us spot trends.

How have you remained on top of your game for such a long period of time?
Thank you. That’s very nice of you to say. We love what we do and the people we work with. We love working with entrepreneurs, inventors, brand owners and manufacturers to develop, launch, sell and distribute their products. This year alone, we introduced over 100 new products at NY Toy Fair and 2020 is looking even better!

What’s the biggest change to hit the industry since you launched, and how did you react to that change?
We’ve become more involved in brands – we represent Anne Geddes, Howard Robinson, and Steve Kaufman.  We’re also involved in more distribution deals, which offer the ability to get existing products into new markets more quickly, and puts us more directly in touch with retailers. We’re very active on social media, with over 30K followers on Linkedin.

What advice would you give a beginner who has a great toy or game idea but doesn’t know what to do next?
We’d love to see your new ideas, and can help develop those ideas into licensable concepts.  Please skype, call or email us at Patti@BeckerAssoc.com.

What’s next for you guys?
We’re gearing up for DISTOY (London), the Licensing Show (Las Vegas) and ASTRA (Pittsburgh) in the next few weeks. Our latest license, Battle Dome, launched last week with SoftBank, featured in an online Japanese video tribute to the Heisie Imperial Era. The video features Hikaru Kaihotsu, better known by his YouTuber name “Hikakin”, reminiscing about important events during the Heisei Imperial Era, including playing Battle Dome! The video has already garnered 350,000 views in the first couple of weeks!

The post From Othello to Nerf Ping Pong, Fireball Island to Timber Tots, Patti and Jonathan Becker on the million-dollar question: How do you know a great product when you see one? appeared first on Mojo Nation.