From NASA to TikTok – Learn How to Grow Your Business at Toy Fair® this Fall

June 7, 2023 | Learn how the right licensed partnership will help bolster your brand, why TikTok will maximize your social media marketing, what skillset will help you gain brand trust, and more during a new track of Toy Fair University’s educational programming, taking place throughout Toy Fair® from September 30 to October 3 in New York City.

“Toy Fair’s business development curriculum is curated to address the most pressing needs of the industry to give attendees the knowledge they need to stay ahead of the game,” said Kimberly Carcone, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. “We’ve also made it easier than ever for attendees to build their schedule using our “Map Your Show” tool, which will all sync with the Toy Fair Mobile App, so that they can meet their unique goals to gain a competitive edge in today’s increasingly complex and crowded field.”

In addition to the entire Toy Fair University lineup, the following sessions, focused on honing contemporary tools, will further help companies strengthen and expand their business savvy:

  • How Manufacturers & Retailers Can be Their Own Social Media Influencer (September 30)
    Investing in becoming your own social media influencer will provide huge opportunities for your business, whether you're a manufacturer or a retailer, for years to come. This session will teach attendees how to combine the latest best practices for content creation to rapidly grow a loyal fanbase for any brand.
  • NASA, Toys, & the Artemis Generation (September 30)
    NASA approves hundreds of licensing contracts every week for t-shirts and other novelty items, and fields requests for partnerships in toys and STEM content. During this panel presentation, you will hear from NASA about its plans to send the first woman and first person of color to the moon through its Artemis missions and learn about NASA’s guidelines for working with toys and brands for merchandise and partner projects.
  • From Online to On Screen: How to Scale and Grow Your Brand Across Categories (October 1)
    In this session, Slumberkins Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Kelly Christensen and Callie Oriard will discuss how they grew the company from a $200 loan to a cross-category brand that is rapidly expanding. They will also explore the market opportunities for educational brands and share insights on how they are leveraging partnerships with companies like the Jim Henson Company and Apple to scale and reach new audiences, all while remaining true to their mission of building a more conscious and compassionate world.
  • Lessons from Pinocchio: Authenticity, Innovation, & Humility in Toys (October 2)
    • Join this session to discover how authenticity is a very real and trackable force from click to community and culture. Learn how the largest brands of the world "create" authenticity and how any toy brand can be authentic without spending a dime.

Click here to view the full list of announced sessions for this track.

The full lineup of Toy Fair University educational programming is curated to address the most pressing needs of the global toy industry. Toy Fair will take place September 30 to October 3 in New York City. Attendee registration will open in April. Visit ToyFairNY.com to learn more.