Spielwarenmesse 2023

19.01.2023

Top national and international speakers to share their knowledge at the toy business forum, where industry players look for inspiration for retail knowledge and the latest topical issues.

At the beginning of February, the Spielwarenmesse will at last be bringing the entire sector back together again and presenting the latest trends, products and topics. Trade visitors are able to secure their access to the industry’s world-beating event, for which exhibitors from 66 different countries have already registered. From February 1 to 5, the Spirit of Play will be brought to life at the Nuremberg exhibition centre. ToyTrends and new ideas for the forthcoming season, innovative startups and well-known brands, the sharing of expertise in the field of toys – these will be the source of opportunities for inspiration all across the market. 

The familiar presentation area in Hall 3A offers further added value: in the Toy Business Forum, the audience can look forward to 18 international speakers with 21 exciting presentations on trends in toys and in retailing, digitalization and the metaverse, not to mention sustainability and diversity. The presentations are given every day between 1 pm and 3 pm. The final event each day will be the presentations on the Spielwarenmesse ToyTrends. And in addition, in the mornings from Wednesday to Saturday, representatives of the licensing industry will introduce the latest topics from the field at the LicenseTalks. A new feature is the Live-on-Stage presentation format. 

Trends in the toy industry 

The toy industry is affected by many trends. The latest developments in licensing, valuable examples of best practice and tips for newcomers will be available to the audience in the LicenseTalks each morning from Wednesday to Saturday, from Licensing International, Licensing Magazine and BRANDmate founder Eva Stemmer. On broader trends in the market, international toy and trend expert Reyne Rice, among others, will be presenting ‘Emerging trends and future innovations in toys, games and play technology’ on the Wednesday of the fair. In addition, Steve Reece, renowned consultant to the toy sector, will be speaking on ‘The Future of Toys’ on the Thursday. At the end of each day from Wednesday to Saturday, Reyne Rice and metaverse expert Dominik Griese-Kentschke will take it in turns to present the 2023 ToyTrends. Afterwards, in the Live-on-Stage program, the exhibitors will take to the stage for the Toy Business Forum. In 20-minute slots, companies will be presenting their businesses, product portfolios and new products. 

Digitalization and the metaverse 

The trend themes of digitalization and the approaching metaverse are further focal points, with new opportunities for retail. On the Friday, for example, Julia Frings, Project Manager at the Institute for Retail Studies IFH KÖLN, will speak about the smartphone as a shopping tool. Achim Himmelreich of Capgemini Deutschland is a long-standing expert in digital transformation and in his presentation he will discuss how retail can prepare for the metaverse. Niklas Wittkowski of TikTok reveals what lies behind the concept of Millennial Marketing and how to communicate with Generation Z with the aid of TikTok. 

Sustainability and diversity 

Equally interesting topics for the future will be covered by the discussions on sustainability in the retail trade and in toys, and on diversity. Sustainable shopfitting, for example, will be tackled in the Wednesday slot by Frank Bittel of ppm planning + project management pro. On Saturday, an example of best practice awaits the audience when Sharon Keilthy from Ireland shares her experiences as founder of the world’s first toy shop with a fully ecological orientation. Themes of diversity and gender in the toy range are explored by Olaolu Fajembola and Tebogo Nimindé-Dundadengar of Tebalou on the Thursday, and by Sascha Verlan of Wort & Klang Küche on the Sunday. 

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