New research from family marketing experts Kids Industries reveals that 75% of families actively share fandom moments.

In a major UK and US study of 2,000 respondents, the agency also found that:

• Only 1% of parents say they’re always the one introducing new fandoms – in 89% of families, discovery is either shared or driven by kids
• Families who share fandoms are significantly more likely to buy merchandise, engage online and recommend brands to others

These “fandom families” are more engaged at every touchpoint. Compared to solo child fans, families who ‘co-fan’ are:

• 33% more likely to watch official shows and films
• 18% more likely to play with toys or physical games
• 16% more likely to wear branded apparel
• 5% more likely to attend live brand experiences

“When we think of fans, we often think of the superfan or ‘geek’,” said Gary Pope, CEO and co-founder of Kids Industries.
“But fandom is increasingly something that lives in the home, that’s shared between generations, and that families actively celebrate together. That makes them brand amplifiers – and brands need to take that seriously.”

To coincide with the new research, KI is repositioning itself as ‘The Family Fandom Agency’ – a move that ‘reflects both its heritage and the future of brand engagement’.

Pope added: “We’ve been the creators of fans for over 20 years – today we’re formalising it. By formally putting Fandom at the very heart of everything we do, we’re reframing the full-stack offer we’ve always delivered – Insight, Strategy and Creative – for the new commercial landscape. Our simple mission is to deliver life-fulfilling experiences for fans of all ages everywhere.”

Jelena Stosic, Strategy Director at KI, said: “Fandom is often seen as deeply emotional – and it is. But it’s also something you can shape and nurture. With the right insight, brands can design for it in ways that are meaningful, not mechanical. That’s what our work enables.”

To support this evolution, KI is launching new fandom-focused services including:

• Bespoke family fandom workshops and training
• Tailored research studies to help brands measure and grow their fan base
• Client-specific presentations of this year’s Fandom Study
• A free download of its proprietary KI Fandom Model

“Fandom isn’t just emotional anymore – it’s expressive, social and powerful,” said Pope. “When families become real, life-long fans, they tell your story for you – what could be better than that?”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries study reveals 75% of families share fandoms appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Insights, strategy and creative agency Kids Industries has launched a suite of services aimed at helping brands “unravel the mysteries of fandom”.

At the heart of the ‘KI Fandom Model’ lies an understanding of what constitutes a ‘real fan’ and how brands can effectively leverage fandom to drive growth.

The new offerings will enable KI to provide a range of tailor-made solutions to meet the diverse needs of brand teams. These services includes training to provide marketing and brand teams with a comprehensive understanding of the KI Fandom Model.

Another offering is a full-day workshop that immerses participants in the intricacies of the KI Fandom Model. Marketing, brand, product development and social media teams will learn how to apply the model to their specific contexts.

Finally, KI’s root and branch projects sees teams collaborate with KI to create fandom strategies grounded in business realities.

“Fans are no longer just consumers; they are the lifeblood of a brand,” said Gary Pope, CEO at KI.

“They embody complexity and value like no other audience. That’s why we’ve developed the KI Fandom Model, a sophisticated framework that enables brands to get closer to the fans, creating true connection with a franchise and building lasting relationships, loyalty and new revenue streams. And, perhaps most importantly, applying the principles of The Fandom Model can also improve discoverability.

“We’re committed to driving innovation and empowering brands across a range of sectors including FMCG, entertainment, gaming, preschool, lifestyle and sports, to forge meaningful connections with their audience. For brands seeking to unravel the mysteries of fandom and unlock unprecedented growth opportunities, this promises to be a game-changer.”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries launches suite of services aimed at helping brands “unravel the mysteries of fandom” appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Family-focused strategy agency Kids Industries has detailed new global research into sentiments around fandom.

The study reveals that 41% of children want to be more creative, play and have fun with their favourite brands. 22% were looking to create fan art about their brand, 19% want to more actively engage with fandom communities and 19% are hoping to shape the trajectory of the brands they love.

“Our latest study paints a clear picture – the number of children considering themselves a fan of something is increasing,” said Jelena Stosic, Strategy Director at KI.

“76% of children worldwide – rising to 90% in India – now consider themselves fans of something, highlighting the immense potential for brands to harness this passion. Compare that to our Global Study figures a year ago – though aged 6 to 13 rather than 6 to 14 in this study – and we can see there’s been a 13% increase. The issue, however, is the overflowing landscape of content. Young people are bombarded with choices, making it harder than ever for brands to capture their attention and hearts.

“While children have access to more content than ever before (with the study finding 61% of parents even praising its quality), 70% also struggle with information overload, making it crucial for brands to stand out. Furthermore, 43% of parents say that their child finds it hard to focus and 34% went on to say that their child almost never watches a full episode from start to finish. So, what can brands do to cut through the noise? The answer lies in creating genuine human connections, being more open to co-creations and fan influence and generating immersive and social experiences. After all, our study found that 98% of children’s fandoms involve people, often seen as cool, happy, friendly, inspiring and brave.”

Looking ahead, the study found that 31% of children hope to experience their fandoms in new ways. 29% would like opportunities to deepen their knowledge and connect with others and sharing with family and friends will be a significant driver of engagement.

Stosic concluded: “The attention scarcity we experience today is changing the way fandoms are built. To build and harness the strongest fandoms, brands need to focus on key opportunities that give higher emotions, attention and, therefore, build memories, too: being more personal, more open, more immersive and social.

“Fandom unites across generations, and by understanding the core emotional drivers, brands can unlock powerful opportunities to connect with young audiences in meaningful ways. Developing fans doesn’t come without its challenges – it’s a complex topic – but together with our service – The Fandom Model – and accompanying insights, we can help brands to activate a number of levers and better engage their audiences.”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post 76% of children consider themselves ‘fans’ of something, reveals KI study appeared first on Mojo Nation.

We asked figures in the industry for their favourite toy and game launches of the year. The only caveat… They couldn’t choose a product they were involved in!

Here’s what they said…

Naomi Brugnatelli, Inventor Relations Manager, Games, Hasbro
I’m a big fan of FRIENDS and thought my friends at Mattel did an amazing job capturing so many details from the show in a tiny compact Central Perk mug. I especially loved Monica’s turkey head, Phoebe playing the guitar and Joey and Chandler’s pet chickens. Could this collectible Polly Pocket play-set BE ANY CUTER? Now if only I could get my hands on one!

Rob Ames, Creative Director, Triclops Studio
The top slot for me is Zuru’s Mega Gross Minis; part of their popular 5 Surprise line. 36 minis, brilliantly executed and parodying all your favourite brands – but with a rad gross-out filter. I’m a huge Garbage Pail Kids fan – as well as Madballs, Mad Scientist and anything else with a gross twist from the Eighties and Nineties… The minute I clocked these, I was in! The little shopping bag is a nice touch, as is the mouldy, stinky-scented rarities – especially as most collectibles rely on glow-in-the-dark or metallic variants to drive collectability. My personal faves include Poo-Kemon, Sick Tacs, the ‘Just Spew It’ Puke sneakers and the Santa Ooze skate deck. Great job!

Dianne Lauble, Director of Inventor Relations, PlayMonster
For me this year, it’s Barbie. This amazing toy/icon/empire reinvents itself over and over again with themes, forms and – as is the case this year – an oh-so-relevant blockbuster movie. The good news for the inventing community is that Mattel has historically relied on new features to keep her going. It has to be said… She’s got legs.

Sam Unsicker, Partner, Big Monster Toys
One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen is the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Transforming Rhinomite RC. Not only is it two amazing toys in one, it was created by two amazing people: Peter Williams and Robert Schwartzman of Pace Development. When I first saw this at Toy Fair last year, I thought: ‘Here it is, innovation is finally making a comeback in the toy industry!’ I was excited for Mattel, I was excited for Robert and Peter, and I was excited for the tons of young kids who will now have a favourite toy in their lives! Congratulations to all!

Tony Serebriany, Senior Director, Inventor Relations & International Sales, The Op
Another year with so many great games being released, but two amazing small box games are the ones I’d like to highlight. The first is Sides from Captain Games. I had the good fortune of being introduced to this co-op word mystery game earlier in the year at a small convention. This simple and clever game was one that regularly was finding its way to the table with groups of all sizes – and well into the night with bigger groups too. It seemed to by flying off the shelves at Essen this year!

The next one is a clever bluffing memory game from Ravensburger called That’s Not A Hat. This game is so simple and elegant in its execution… And fast becomes hilarious as you try and track which gifts are in which location around the table as players are passing cards left and right.

David Snow, Owner, The Fantastic Factory
The game I loved this year for its simplicity and multi-generational play is Smash Down by Ideal/John Adams. It’s a simple concept with great repeatable gameplay that will be a hit – or smash – this Christmas.

Dougal Grimes, VP Innovation & Inventor Relations, Spin Master
For me, it’s Elmer’s Squishies by Elmer’s – part of Newell Brands. Elmer’s Glue, for those who didn’t grow up in the USA, is a brand of PVA glue that’s used in schools… It’s kind of the ‘Kleenex’ in terms of a brand for kid’s glue and school supplies. With the social media boom in slime around 2015 – then amplified over the pandemic ­– Elmer’s glue became hugely popular as an ingredient in making homemade slime. Having released a line of slime-focused Elmer’s products, it’s cool to see the brand extend out into other types of compound play, such as their Squishies that launched this year. It’s one of those great situations where consumers really dictate the usage of products and then innovation can grow from there. Kudos to the Elmer’s team for listening to the trends and building on it with fun new play patterns.

Fi Murray, Founder, Making Things
I’ve loved seeing all the activations surrounding Biggies. It’s always great to see a new brand make it through in this retail climate. From the origin creation through to the 360 brand launch, you can see how much effort has gone into it from Eolo and Fun-Damental.

My second pick is Pretentables from Fat Brain. It’s an awesome twist on an evergreen category. Intuitive, considered and creative – with a stylistic design-led twist on pretend play.

Gavin Ucko, Founder, The Happy Puzzle Company
Screwball Scramble: Level Up. I mean seriously… Screwball Scramble gone vertical! What’s not to love?

Boaz Coster, Partner, Theora Concept
My first pick is Foosbots by Fat Brain. An all-round addictive product and perfect game. Toyetic, collectible, compact, playful – fun!

I’d also choose Reel Big Catch by Educational Insights. The cute surprise – a very ‘stretchful’ feature – that makes all the difference and adds so much fun to that game.

Finally, I’d say Clixo by Toyish Labs. Flexible creative construction, unique designs, easy and very colorful – truly imaginative play.

Alex Prieto, Head of Fun, Eolo Toys
Choosing one is not an easy task… But I must say I’m impressed with execution of Beast Lab from Moose! The boys space is tough – and taking the magic of a girls toy and passing it into a boys toy is even more complicated… But Beast Lab nails it. It takes the best parts of Magic Mixies and transforms it into a strong boys property and toy.

But I can’t just say one! So my second pick is Real FX T-Rex – another super execution by the Wow! Stuff team.

Jim Harrison, Director, Butcher & Harrison
My first pick is Trio – designed by Kaya Miyano and published in Europe by Cocktail Games. It’s a great little pick up and play card game that’s perfect as an icebreaker! I picked this up in Essen and my three grand-daughters are obsessed with it, endlessly wanting another game. A deck of 36 cards – numbering from two to 12 – is dealt out between the players with a number of cards face down on the table. On their turn, a player can ask any player ­– including themselves – to reveal either their highest or their lowest card, or flip over one of the face down cards. They do this a second time, and if the two cards match, they can do it a third time. If all three cards match – a Trio – the player takes them and places them face down in front of them. Win three Trios to win the game.

My second pick is Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West – designed by Alan Moon, Rob Daviau and Matt Leacock and published by Days of Wonder. This one is Ticket to Ride meets legacy games at the gates of the Wild West. An enormous box contains twelve separate Ticket to Ride adventures that are played in sequence, with each game adding new board sections, components and rules which will make permanent changes to the way the game is played. Although the basic gameplay will be essentially familiar to anyone who has played a Ticket to Ride game, this is definitely a re-invention and re-imagining which breathes new life into an old favourite!

Andrew Hajithemistou, Head of Innovation & Inventor Relations, tms
My top pick this year has to be the ingenious Build Your Own Wallace and Gromit Rocket Kit from the creative powerhouse team at Paper Engine. Their collaboration with Aardman to bring to life the iconic characters, machines and widgets from the Wallace and Gromit animations is just magic! The kits re-introduce a late Eighties classic animated short to kids of today, giving children – and ahem, kidults too – the freedom to build these fully interactive cardboard kits, with no glue and just a little time and patience. I love how simple sliders, tabs and flaps are pulled and opened to move and reveal hidden features… And with zero plastic in sight, Paper Engine have truly set the bar high with a focus on delivering a great play experience with sustainable materials. Wallace would totally agree… “Cracking good job!”

Gary Pope, Co-Founder, Kids Industries
Without the slightest shadow of a doubt it has to be Piñata Smashlings as my favourite launch of the year. Digital first, brave, start-up-scrappy with super high quality. It’s their eggs that have done it for me… On the face of it simple – but actually, anything but. The play value is built in versus other eggs and Toikido has taken the time to really understand what they are making and who they are making it for. Two Smashings, a game code and playable egg? Yes please… Joined up thinking and dedication to the development of the IP that rivals any of the big boys – and this a teeny team of 10.

Sen-Foong Lim, Game Designer, Developer & Writer
My family loved Robot Quest Arena from Wise Wizard Games in conjunction with Perfect Day Games. Not only are the miniatures super cute, but the gameplay features quick and snappy deckbuilding in a PvP Arena setting. We really enjoyed the combinations that the robots and cards provided, but my personal favourite bit of design magic was how robot destruction is handled is such a way that there’s no player elimination – and no runaway leader. While getting your robot wrecked obviously doesn’t feel great, it’s not the soul-crushing experience it often is in similar games. Robot Quest Arena has a wonderful, family-friendly vibe and that’s reflected in its mechanisms – just reboot and respawn!

Robert Yusim, President, Product Counsel
My choice would be Clixo! Clixo is brilliant because of the 3D end results you can create from the innovative 2D shapes. And pieces click together with a pleasing ‘click’ sound! Clixo is fun and educational at the same time… The possibilities are endless.

Christian Castro, Director of Product Development, Relatable
I’d like to recognize the team at Tragos Games for their newest game, Get Loud: the Bilingual Guessing Word Game. As a Colombian-American who grew up in a Spanish speaking home, it was always hard to find a card game that would resonate with both my Spanish-speaking family and my English-speaking mentality. The team at Tragos Games have mastered solving that issue with Get Loud. While many continue to say that toys and games targeting the Latino community – or any under-represented group – are too niche to have mass market appeal, Tragos Games founder Carolina Acosta has proven them all wrong. How? By getting the bilingual Get Loud – as well as her OG game Tragos – placed in Target stores across the United States in 2023!

Leila Nosrati, Licensing & Inventor Relations Advisor
My favourite product this year – “hands down” – is the Make It Real Party Nails Glitter Nail Studio. Who doesn’t love a glitter vortex? Seriously though, this thing is not just for tweens! If you like sparkly nails, this kit makes it incredibly easy to give yourself or a friend a lovely and long-lasting manicure. I love that the glitter is biodegradable and the pods really do cut down on the mess. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go pick a colour…

Danielle Reynolds, Project Director, Wacky Wizard Games
I’d pick Runaway Parade Game’s Smug Owls. It’s a riddle generating party game that’s small, cute and clever. My friends really enjoyed playing it when I brought it back from Origins this year.

Scott Rogers, Game Designer & Author
2023 was such a great year for toys and games, it’s hard to choose just one! At the top of my list is Mars Toys’ Prank Villain 12″ figure. Based on the villain from the classic Batman TV show, this figure is amazing! The likeness is eerily perfect – it’s like having a miniature Cesar Romero on my shelf. He comes with lots of great accessories straight from the show and is the perfect companion piece to Hot Toys figures that came out a few years ago.

Next is Mezco’s One:12 Collective Golden Age Batman and Two Face figures. They are exactly what I’ve wanted since childhood! They come with so many additional hands and heads and accessories, it’s crazy. They are gorgeously made, have great articulation and look fantastic!

Hasbro has done a great job with these playsets in the past – especially the Jabba’s Throne Room and Tantive IV adventure sets – but the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Boba Fett’s Throne Room kicks it up a notch! It’s chock-full of super-detailed accessories and furniture – and even comes with a fat Bib Fortuna to sit on the throne… At least until Boba Fett shows up! It’s so fun to display figures in and even photograph. I hope Hasbro makes the Tatooine Cantina next!

And because I love board games, I would remiss not to mention Septima from Mindclash games. This game is a gorgeous production with beautiful art by Villo Farkas. It’s a strategy worker placement game about witches helping out a village while competing to be the next Septima. It even includes an amazingly helpful guide to put all the pieces back into the box! Highly recommended!

Alex Murty, International Growth Manager, Joking Hazard
I’m obsessed with Japanese games publisher Oink. When I go to a convention, the first thing I do is go to the Oink booth and grab myself a bargain before things start to sell out. This year at Essen was no exception and one of my many purchases from their stand was their new game Tiger & Dragon. I’m all about small box games and Oink have perfected this corner of the market with their cute box sizes and cool art style. Tiger and Dragon is based on the traditional Japanese game Goita and is described as being ‘the ultimate kung fu showdown between martial arts masters’. Essentially you are attacking and defending using numbered tiles and the first person to get rid of all their tiles is the winner. It’s a very simple game to play, but has a real strategic depth to it… And like all of Oink’s games, it’s absolutely gorgeous. The tiles especially are weighty and look and feel beautiful. It’s soooo good – go get yourself a copy!

Tyler Turk, Owner, Crated with Love
This last year I met the founders and inventors at Womple Studios and fell in love with their DinoGlows collections. These prehistoric and pulchritudinous plushies are not only reversible – showing both their cute outward appearance and their skeleton within – but also glow in the dark! I brought one home for my daughter, which quickly became her go-to plushie for nap time. This product is a perfect example of inventors looking at trends and adding their own beautiful design and innovation to bring something to life!

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Stuff We Loved: What are the industry’s favourite toy and game launches of 2023? appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Gary Pope – CEO and Co-Founder of insights, strategy and creative agency Kids Industries – will be discussing ‘Why Insight Matters in Toy Design’ at this year’s Play Creators Conference.

The session will look at how a better understanding of insights – including where to find them and how to apply them – can lead designers and inventors to stronger, more saleable concepts.

“We’ll look at children and need states and we’ll share some thinking tools, tips, tricks and techniques you can use right away,” said Gary.

This year’s Play Creators Conference takes place at London’s Stamford Bridge stadium on Wednesday, June 28th.

For more information, head to: https://playcreatorsconference.co.uk or to buy your ticket, click here: https://playcreatorsconference.co.uk/product/play-creators-conference-ticket/.

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries’ Gary Pope to discuss ‘Why Insight Matters in Toy Design’ at Play Creators Conference 2023 appeared first on Mojo Nation.

24% of UK kids discover new brands and products through influencers they follow, according to a new study published by Kids Industries at their Global Family Conference.

The Global Family Study – carried out across 5,000 families across 10 countries, spanning six continents – found that toy influencers are viewed as more important than friends and relatives in decision-making for this category (18% versus 15%).

Over a third (34%) of UK children aged four to 13 use social media and 46% of this group play Roblox.

Elsewhere, the study found that UK children today are goal driven, with 8% aspiring to fame and 21% wanting to change the world for the better. This rises to 36% amongst kids from Nigeria.

Being happy is a goal for 50% of UK children, with a well-paid job coming in second place at 47% and having a good education ranking third with 32%.

“Children’s love for a brand is dictated by their age and developmental stages and whilst the influence of parents on children’s decision making is clear, increased access to digital products and services means that children today have increased control over their decision making. Kids have a new found independence,” said Raj Pathmanathan, Creative Director at KI.

The study also found that UK parents are the most stressed in the world, spending 2% of time more stressed consistently versus the rest of world. Confidence in their ability to parent is highest in Brazil where 81% feel they’re good at it, compared with 47% in the UK and 28% in South Korea.

Jelena Stosic, Strategy Director at KI, added: “The multiple challenges parents face are giving rise to stress and exhaustion.

“This is a concern because the increased demands create a pressurised environment for all family members, making balance more difficult. From the children’s perspective, this compounds school pressures, and goes to show why all of us – including children and parents – are craving relaxation/ease, support and community, which are currently inspiring policy makers, lobby groups and product development teams.”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries’ Global Family Study finds 24% of UK kids discover new brands and products through influencers appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Kids Industries’ new global study of 5,000 families across 10 countries has identified significant trends in the way that families are connecting with media content.

The Global Family study reveals that parents want content that they can trust, with 32% saying ‘negative media the child is exposed to’ is the biggest challenge they face.

Parents’ top five priorities from media content are:

• Positive role models for children – 52%
• The opportunity to watch/play together and have fun – 47%
• Soft education e.g problem solving – 42%
• Story-lines explaining real-world issues – 38%
• Focus on imagination and fantasy – 38%

The wider study hones in on what it means to be a family in 2023 and presents a timestamp of family life today around the world, in terms of attitudes, media habits, mental health and hopes for the future.

The full report will launch at KI’s Global Family conference on March 21st. For more information, head to: https://www.kidsindustries.com/theglobalfamily.

“Our first share of the research findings focuses on trends in the streaming space and reveals how today, forming a connection to content is fundamental for a programme’s success,” said Gary Pope, CEO and Co-Founder at KI.

“In the fragmented world of children’s media, this is becoming both more important and yet more scarce than ever. It’s clear that for children, content consumption has become the main free time activity, ahead of any type of active play. We’re not going to be able to change this, so we need to – and we have a responsibility to – make sure that the content we create for these audiences is as nutritious as it is possible to be.

“There are a range of tactics and strategies that children’s media producers can do to ensure they connect meaningfully with families right around the world. We’ll cover these in depth at our conference in March, but they include developing content that can be shared between generations through storytelling and humour, building a lifestyle brand universe –not just entertainment – and making emotional connections as the virtual and real-world crosser over via shared experiences.”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Parents’ top priorities from content includes positive role models, soft education and a focus on fantasy, reveals Kids Industries study appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Family focused marketing agency Kids Industries is hosting a free conference next month designed to share fresh insights from its recent Global Family Study.

Taking place at London’s Conway Hall on March 21st, the Global Family Conference will share top findings from the report, which was carried out across 5,000 families spanning 10 countries and six continents.

“After listening to 5,000 families across the world and understanding what it means to be them in 2023, we’re gearing up to share our top findings and key learnings with event attendees,” said Gary Pope, CEO and Co-Founder of KI.

“It’s going to be an unforgettable afternoon. Not only will we be sharing brand new insights, we’ll also be hosting a series of unique sessions exploring how to create brands, products, services and IPs that connect with global families. There might even be a few surprises, too.”

Jelena Stosic, Strategy Director at KI will deliver the opening keynote, where she will share the key insights the conference will explore. This will be followed by three key stories:

What exactly is fandom, why is it important to us and how do we create devoted fans? KI will discuss emerging trends that shape what we think about fandom, as well as the KI Fandom tool; an evolving model that helps to understand how fandom manifests itself and can be encouraged in an ever changing world.

Where is the Love? A key motivation for working in the kids and family space is the love that the brands KI work with engender in children. But how do you build this affinity? In this session KI will put forward some principles for brands to consider in order to build and sustain brand love amongst their audiences.

What will the future look like? KI will explore parents’ and children’s evolving hopes, ambitions and priorities for the future. It will also consider the challenges they are concerned about facing – and their enduring optimism for what is to come.

The Global Family conference is limited to 200 spaces. To register interest in attending, head to The Global Family (kidsindustries.com).

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries to share study insights at next month’s Global Family conference appeared first on Mojo Nation.

Family-focused marketing agency Kids Industries has launched a new report exploring the concept of diversity and inclusion amongst children and their parents – and what this looks like in the toys they play with.

The survey was carried out across 2,001 parents of children aged 5-15 in the UK and USA.

The research found that parents would like to see no differentiation between “girl” and “boy” toys (22%) and an increase in positive role models (37%). More ethnically diverse toys were a desire for 22%, while 17% wanted to see better disability representation. Better LGBTQ+ representation sat at 9%.

The study also found that parents would like more opportunities to play as a family (38%) and 35% would like to see toys that focus on imagination. 33% of parents surveyed said they are looking for toys made from materials that are better for the planet.

40% of parents want more toys that help with traditional education, like maths, while the same number would like more toys that help with ‘soft’ education, like problem solving.

“Play underpins everything that our children will become – it is as Maria Montessori said: ‘The work of the child,’” said Gary Pope, CEO and Co-Founder at Kids Industries and Children’s Commissioner for Products of Change.

“Our research indicates that 67% of parents feel their children’s schools are good or excellent when it comes to their diversity and inclusion policies and approaches which shows there is much more work to be done. We must listen to children and parent voices and ensure their needs and wants are reflected in the toys and games that they consume.

“Nothing is more important than protecting and promoting a child’s right to play and making those play experiences the very best that they can be is essential and something that the industry needs to give serious consideration.”

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Parents want to see no differentiation between ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ toys, says Kids Industries report appeared first on Mojo Nation.

As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, family-focused marketing agency Kids Industries has had a brand refresh to KI.

The name update reflects KI’s continual evolution as a business and is a step that supports one of its key paired values – to always be brave and bold.

“Our mission is to deliver fulfilling life experiences for children and families right around the world and over the past 20 years we’ve resolved all kinds of challenges that others can’t quite get under the skin of – through our 4ft Thinking, Parent Sight, Fandom and Brand DNA tools – which we bind with deep and bespoke consumer insight to deliver solutions that get results,” said Gary Pope, CEO and Co-Founder at Kids Industries.

“Today we have client projects underway in every continent and many significant projects in the early stages or about to start; our market has grown and so have we. Internally, the evolution to KI has come naturally, but we felt it was time to recognise that more formally – through our brand.”

KI also revealed it plans to host a conference in London on October 13th. The event will see the firm share insights from its Global Family Study, revealing what today’s global families look like and outlining societal differences and macro trends.

–

To stay in the loop with the latest news, interviews and features from the world of toy and game design, sign up to our weekly newsletter here

The post Kids Industries marks 20 years with fresh brand identity and October conference appeared first on Mojo Nation.