People of Play Announces Winners of the 2024 TAGIE Awards
November 11, 2024 | Chicago, IL – Almost 350 attendees from 20 countries celebrated the finalists, winners, and honorees of People of Play’s (POP) Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs), held on November 8, 2024. Sponsors included Disney, Oxford Games, Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, Longshore, Spin Master, Nextoy, Super Impulse, Backdrop.com, Baby Paper, Peggy Brown Creative, and Barry and Jason Entertainment.
“The evening was celebratory and entertaining. The theme "Toys Though Time’ was amplified by an insane time machine transporting us through decades of toy crazes,” said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association.
Honorees:
- Mary Danby, British designer of many innovative toys and games
- Dan Romanelli, founder of Warner Bros. Consumer Products, who transformed the studio's licensing and merchandising division
- Alan Dorfman, co-founder/president of Super Impulse USA, known for the world’s smallest, fully functional, playable toys and games
Winners:
- Toy Innovator of the Year - Yair Shilo and Nextoy
- Game Innovator of the Year - April Mitchell
- Rising Star of the Year - Hasbro’s Ava Garfinkel
- Most Innovative PR & Marketing Team of the Year - LEGO and Disney
- Most Innovative Art and Design Visuals of the Year - Brady Lang and Brittney Hassinger
- Most Innovative Supplier of the Year - Product Counsel
- Most Innovative Retailer of the Year - Hilary Key, The Toy Chest
- Most Innovative License of the Year - BBC Studios and Moose Toys
- Young Innovator of the Year - Evelyn Halbach
Couzin continued: “Congratulations to all the finalists, winners and honorees and thank you to all the fun and thoughtful presenters!”
Presenters:
- James Zahn and Grant Lyon
- Amy Friedland and Chris Byrne
- Ray Adler
- Robert Fuhrer
- Mike Bisogno and Randy Klimpert
- Rachel Griffin and Donna Moore
- Angus Walker and Naomi Brugnatelli
- Michael Kohner
- Peggy Brown and Shannon Swindle
- Elizabeth Moody and Eleanor Black
- David Fuhrer
The evening was hosted by Karri Bean, senior licensing manager at Disney Consumer Products, Experiences, and Consumer Products. Serving as scriptwriters and co-producers were Barry McLaughlin and Jason Lautenschleger of Barry and Jason Games and Entertainment, along with Brent Roland. Entertainment was provided by Chicago's popular blues band, Skip Towne and the Greyhounds.
Special thanks to the TAGIE Awards Committee for their hard work in making the event a success: Karri Bean, Jason Lautenschleger, Barry McLaughlin, Brent Rolland, Robert Fuhrer, Peggy Brown, Danielle Reinhardt, Sari Wiaz, Kaye White, and Alex Mackey.
About People of Play™ peopleofplay.com
People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, supports the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a play platform packed with resources and connection points as well as a wide range of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference, and more.
About the TAGIEs™ chitag.com/2024-tagie-awards
Founded in 2008, the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs) celebrate the outstanding achievements of toy and game industry leaders from around the world, by honoring masters of innovation and invention. The annual event also pays homage to industry professionals who differentiate themselves with their spirit for fun, philanthropy, inventor advocacy, creativity and humanitarianism. Inventors, designers, manufacturers, retailers, media and the general public come together for this prestigious annual gala event. The TAGIEs are hosted in the fall in conjunction with POP Week.
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