Media Planning & Tips for Your Brand at Toy Fair® ’23

Toy Fair®, kicking off September 30 in the heart of New York City, will offer exhibitors unmatched opportunities to generate media buzz in the fourth quarter, with upwards of 1,000 members of the press expected under one roof at the Javits Center throughout the four-day show.

“Toy Fair 2023 will take place at the start of the holiday shopping season – that critical time of year when toys and play are top-of-mind for media and consumers in search of the hottest toys, games, and brands,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association™, producer of Toy Fair. “It’s a not-to-miss Q4 opportunity for companies to highlight their toys, gain exposure ahead of the holidays, and offer select press a sneak peek at product for 2024.”

Exhibitors will find significant opportunities to connect with global press at Toy Fair. Here are some tips for planning:

  • Get ready to display products for visibility in front of top-tier media – including local and national outlets and TV crews, business and consumer press, industry trades, online content creators, and podcast and radio hosts attending the show. Keep booths open and welcoming; highlight on-shelf toys for holiday ’23; and consider offering VIP media a sneak peek at ’24 products, lines, and partnerships.
  • Leverage the show’s unique Q4 timing to unveil brand activations and new partnerships, the hottest toys for the holiday season, and other major announcements that will generate media buzz.
  • Attend the Toy Fair PR Bootcamp Webinar on June 29, which will offer exhibitors tips on how to build a media list and conduct outreach, create holiday buzz around on-shelf products, develop a digital press kit, leverage Toy Fair’s online press room, and more.
  • Mark your calendar for the Toy Fair Product Preview, which will take place on-site at Javits in the Press Center the day before Toy Fair opens (September 29). Exhibitors will be invited to sign up for a 15-minute meeting with a member of the Toy Fair PR team to share information about their key drivers so that PR staff can educate media about products and companies at the show. Companies participating in the Product Preview will be able to provide one product image for a showcase video loop that will play in the Press Center throughout Toy Fair. Appointment bookings will open this summer.
  • Utilize the Toy Fair Online Press Room, which will be available to all exhibitors leading up to the show. Enhanced services within the press room will be available through Virtual Press Office, The Toy Association’s online press room partner. Details will be available soon.
  • Save the date for The Toy Association’s Toy Trends Briefing for media, buyers, and other trade guests at Toy Fair (taking place on Day 1). The team will discuss the hottest trends in toys & play expected to drive sales in Q4 2023, offer a sneak peek at what will be trending in 2024, and give an overview of trends to watch in parallel industries impacting toys. Session attendees will be the first to hear exclusive Toy Association research exploring the toy & play preferences and shopping behaviors of toy-purchasing adults across the U.S. This session is always well-attended and gives exhibitors additional exposure opportunities in front of press, as the presentation will include product examples from the show floor. Details about this opportunity will be available in August.

The Toy Fair PR team will be on-site at the show to guide media to exhibitors’ booths and products, and to help reporters connect the dots between the biggest trends and the toys that are on the floor. Ahead of the show, the PR team is also available to prep companies as they develop their PR strategies.

Notable press and online content creators that attended Toy Fair in previous years include:

  • ABC News
  • CBS News
  • CNBC
  • CNN
  • Forbes.com
  • Good Housekeeping
  • Good Morning America
  • Parenting.com
  • The New York Times
  • The Today Show
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • Ryan’s World
  • Shark Tank
  • FGTeev

“After a three-year hiatus from Toy Fair in New York, reporters and content creators are eager to meet with companies in-person to discover the next ‘it’ toys and games, how play is evolving, what kids and parents are looking for, and the latest innovations in toys,” added Appell. “We encourage companies to start their media planning early and to reach out to a member of our team if they need assistance – we are here to help ensure a smooth and successful show for all.”

For more information about the above resources or for any questions regarding media relations at the show, contact Kristin Morency Goldman, The Toy Association’s senior advisor of strategic communications.

Toy Fair New York will take place September 30 to October 3, 2023 at the Javits Center in New York City. Visit ToyFairNY.com to learn more.