Awards season is upon us, and toy manufacturers, game developers, licensors, retailers, and others in the gaming business are looking forward to a time of recognition, competition, and validation of certain creative visions.
For those in the industry, awards season is more than just trophies on the shelves or bragging rights (although that may be!); it’s an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the innovation, craftsmanship and creative risk that drives the market.
In many cases, qualifying as a finalist is a victory—an honor, a marketable honor that proves the journey has been worth it. Meanwhile, some insist on an oft-quoted line from one of my favorite movies that serves as a daily inspiration for this office, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby…
“If you’re not first, you’re last.”
Of course, this is not accurate in a literal sense. When we put it in the context of racing, it’s the top three taking their spots on the podium to enjoy the moment, knowing full well that every team has been back in the garage, tinkering, plotting and Build something new.
Day of Thunder (Applause from the audience)
In the toy industry, awards season now reflects one of our greatest partners: the entertainment industry. Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes, Grammy Awards, DGA Awards, PGA Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTA Awards, Independent Spirit Awards…I could go on and on. In the entertainment world, there are dozens of award shows between November and March, the biggest of which is the Academy Awards.
In the United States, the Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY) has always been known as the “Oscars of the toy industry.” They celebrate creativity not just for corporate America, but for companies around the world, while providing critical fundraisers for the Toy Foundation’s year-round mission to bring the joy of play to children in need.
While TOTY and its annual event are known as our Oscars, they compete with ASTRA’s Play Awards, the Toy and Game Innovation Awards for Excellence (TAGIE), Spielwarenmesse’s ToyAwards, The Toy Book’s upcoming Pulse of Play Awards and a number of other criteria It is a unique benchmark that recognizes superstars who strive for excellence every day and deserve applause.
Produced in partnership with the Toy Guild and the Toy Foundation, this unique commemorative Toy Book is a time capsule commemorating this year’s TOTY finalists. It encourages industry and the public to vote for their favorites while highlighting the foundation’s efforts. When the worlds war, we all win!
Click here to read the new issue!
Editor’s post: Heading towards awards season appeared first on The Toy Book.
