Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards 2023

[mllNY]

As a 501 (c)3 children's charity, The Toy Foundation’s (TTF) mission is to provide philanthropic support and the vital commodity of play to children and families under stress and in dire situations, across the country and globe. TTF's donations represent the charitable work of TTF and the toy industry.

Since its inception in 2003, its Toy Bank has provided $225 million in toys to more than 26 million underserved children coping with serious illness, enduring temporary home placements in the foster care system, living with domestic violence, and/or dealing with natural disasters. In 2021, TTF provided $675,000 in cash grants to nearly 3 million children impacted by the pandemic.

TTF is also broadening its mission to provide grant funding to children's hospitals to encourage healing through play and to foster a diverse and inclusive culture and pipeline of talent for the toy industry.

The Toy Foundation

The Toy Foundation’s (TTF) mission is to provide philanthropic support and the vital commodity of play to children and families under stress and in dire situations, across the country and globe.

toyfoundation.org

 

[mllNY]

The Toy Foundation™ Reveals the 2023 Toy of the Year® Awards Finalists

The Toy Foundation

The Toy Foundation’s (TTF) mission is to provide philanthropic support and the vital commodity of play to children and families under stress and in dire situations, across the country and globe.

toyfoundation.org

An animated game to create movie magic, an activity table to drop musical "beets," and an 8-foot inflatable obstacle course to spark endless outdoor fun are among the inventive finalists for the prestigious Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards. Today, The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) announced the top 122 toys, games, and properties across 17 product categories (listed below) that are advancing the world of play.

Consumers are invited to visit ToyAwards.org to see the complete list of product category finalists and vote for their favorites to help determine the category winners through September 8.

The product finalists were selected by an independent panel of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts, who narrowed down the pool from the hundreds of nominations submitted by toy companies of all sizes. The category winners, determined by votes from consumers, Toy Association members, retailers, and media, will be announced at the TOTY Awards on September 29 in New York City. As the kickoff to Toy Fair®, the TOTY Awards are the biggest night of the year for toys, where the industry gathers to recognize innovation across every category of play. The night is also the ultimate fundraiser to support TTF’s work delivering the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need around the world.

The Toy of the Year and People’s Choice winners will be announced on November 20, in time to create peak holiday shopping buzz. Voting for the People’s Choice Award, uniquely decided by online consumer votes will remain open through November 10. The Toy of the Year will be determined by a panel of expert judges.

New for the TOTY Awards, the achievements of industry trailblazers and outstanding initiatives will be celebrated across four people-focused and two campaign-focused categories. Twenty-seven professionals are recognized as finalists for uniquely advancing the toy industry across sustainability; diversity, equity, and inclusion; packaging design; and PR/marketing. The people-focused category winners will be determined by Toy Association member votes. An independent panel of marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals, assembled in partnership with Advertising Week, have evaluated the campaign-focused nominations and will determine the winners.

“This year’s TOTY Awards finalists are an unmatched lineup of toys, games, and professionals that represent the best of the best in the toy industry,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “We look forward to celebrating all of the finalists at the industry’s biggest night of the year, plus advance the industry’s collective philanthropy for the benefit of children in need.”

TTF aims to be the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need. In 2022, the industry’s support helped TTF reach more than 925,000 children and all proceeds generated from the TOTY Awards will help TTF impact even more children through the distribution of toys through The Toy Bank℠, support of play therapy programs in children’s hospitals, and development of the next generation of diverse talent for the industry.

 

[mllNY]

Hips – and toys – don’t lie, the excitement is growing for the Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, hosted by The Toy FoundationTM (TTF). Taking place Friday, September 29 at Cipriani’s 42nd Street to kickoff Toy Fair®, the TOTY Awards will roll out the best of the best as it’s a night to celebrate the very
best in the toy industry. Featuring an exclusive performance by three-time Grammy Award winner and “Hips Don’t Lie” songwriter, Wyclef Jean, the celebration will also name the top toys, people, and campaigns in the toy industry, pay tribute to industry icons, and feature a one-of-a-kind auction. The
best part, the night is the ultimate fundraiser that supports TTF’s work to deliver the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need.

“Playing – in my case music – was incredibly important for me to build respect as a child,” Wyclef said. “So, I’m delighted to help The Toy Foundation deliver that same power of play to tens of thousands of children who need our help to find their voice.”

At this year’s TOTY Awards, produced by cutting-edge event company BCL Entertainment, guests will experience the excitement from the moment they step onto the purple carpet. Taking place at one of NYC’s most iconic event locations, Cipriani’s 42nd Street, the event will begin with a high-powered networking and cocktail reception full of Instagram-worthy activities. The reception will flow into the awards show with mission moments woven throughout that spotlight the nonprofits, children’s hospitals, and young leaders supported by the industry’s collective philanthropy.

 

[mllNY]

McFarlane Toys earns THREE TOY of the YEAR Nominations

The Toy Foundation announced its finalists for their Toy of the Year awards.

McFarlane Toys was honored with THREE nominations in THREE separate categories:

Action Figure of the Year - Gunslinger Spawn with Horse

Based off Todd McFarlane's Spawn Comic Series, Gunslinger Spawn with Horse is an incredibly detailed 7" figure designed with ultra-articulation and up to 22 moving parts for posing and play. Gunslinger Spawn includes a fully articulated horse, a gatling gun, two pistols, a rifle, and base.

Grown-Up Toy of the Year - The Riddler Puzzle Box by Edward Nygma - Detective Mode

The Riddler Puzzle Box: Detective Mode includes 4 awesome and challenging puzzles that can only be solved with the use of black light. Every puzzle will put your Batman knowledge to the test to earn the ultimate payoff prize, a 1:1 scale metal batarang.

Vehicle of the Year - Radio Controlled Akula (Avatar: The Way of Water)

The Akula swims through the water with the highly realistic agile movement and control of a real shark! The Akula includes a 2.4 GHZ full function remote control allowing for forward, backward, left, and right movement, two auto teaching modes, variable speed controllers for subtle life-like movements, battery run time of up to 40 minutes per use, and glow-in-the-dark feature.

The category winners will be determined by votes from Toy Association winners, media, retailers, and consumers. The voting window closes midnight on September 8, and winners will be announced at the TOTY Awards on September 29, 2023 in New York City.

 

[mllNY]

Funko Games Earns Toy of The Year (TOTY) Nominations For Fifth Year In a Row

The Toy Foundation (TTF) officially announced the finalists for the coveted Toy of The Year (TOTY) Awards and leading tabletop game developer Funko Games is among the finalists with two nominations:

• • Disney Animated Game - Game of the Year Nominee
• Work together like the team at the famous Walt Disney Animation Studios to create movie magic! Produce five classic Disney films using detailed background art, vibrant paint colors, and lively sound to bring cherished stories to life on the screen. But watch out! The infamous Villains of your feature films will rush your deadlines and create all the calamity they can. As a team, you’ll use the strengths of the Animation Studio—Heart, Focus, Inspiration, Grit, and Teamwork—to vanquish the Villains and finish your films in time!
  Ages 10+ for 2-4 players
  MSRP: $34.99
  
  
  • Cranium Big Brain: Detective Game - STEAM Toy of the Year Nominee
• Your brain is a REALLY big place – and if you can imagine it, it fits! But in big places, things go missing all the time. Explore inside the Cranium brain and help each other figure out what happened in all the mysteries, puzzles, and 'find it' sets of “Imagination Land!”
  Play solo or cooperatively with others, with brain teasing, storytelling, and discovery exercises to educate and engage. Graduated play modes provide solo and team challenges for kids of all ages. Gameplay is focused around the massive 880 square-inch game board, richly illustrated with hundreds of mysteries to solve!
  Ages 5+ for 1 – 4 players
  MSRP: $22.99 USD