Category: Press Releases

Beloit, WI (Nov 5, 2020) – As it continues to expand its global business with a focus on categories and brands that deliver a fresh approach to great classic play, PlayMonster LLC has announced a deal with Hasbro to bring an exciting new KOOSH™ line to retail for Fall 2021.

Thirty-five years after its first introduction in 1986, KOOSH continues to deliver fans a fun and entertaining play experience that consumers love.  Kick it, toss it, bounce it, roll it, hold it in your hand, KOOSH remains undeniably cool and satisfying to play with.   PlayMonster plans to amplify the fun and reach all new audiences with exciting new line extensions and a dynamic marketing rollout celebrating all things KOOSH.

In addition to the original KOOSH ball, the new PlayMonster line will feature additional SKU’s great for active indoor and outdoor fun, including KOOSH Woosh, KOOSH Paddle, and Mondo KOOSH.

“KOOSH is set to be the Play All Day brand that lives in the hands and homes of kids everywhere,” says Tim Kilpin, president of PlayMonster. “As we continue to expand our relationship with Hasbro, we are excited to be going into a new category and extending a powerful, nostalgic brand that is widely known and loved by consumers of all ages.”

“We’re thrilled to work with PlayMonster to introduce the KOOSH brand to a new generation,” said Casey Collins, General Manager & SVP of Global Consumer Products at Hasbro.  “The talented team at PlayMonster has a proven track record of tapping into nostalgia while innovating classic brands in response to how kids play today.  We’re excited for people of all ages to experience all that KOOSH has to offer next year.”

Part of PlayMonster’s mission to build brands and franchises that uniquely interpret and innovate classic play, the new Hasbro deal and KOOSH launch further demonstrate the company’s growth and expansion into new categories and partnerships.  Nominated for three 2021  TOTY Awards, the past year has marked significant momentum for the company, including the acquisition of Kahootz Toys, the appointment of industry veteran Tim Kilpin to President, leading the growth of classic play through pandemic challenges and the tremendous  success of this year’s new product introductions including Snap Ships, Break In and Drone Home.

With endless possibilities of play, PlayMonster’s exciting new KOOSH line will jiggle, bounce and roll into retail in Fall 2021.

About PlayMonster

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®,  Spirograpgh , Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, Break In™, Drone Home™ and Snap Ships™.

 

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play and Entertainment Experiences. From toys, games and consumer products to television, movies, digital gaming, live action, music, and virtual reality experiences, Hasbro connects to global audiences by bringing to life great innovations, stories and brands across established and inventive platforms.  Hasbro’s iconic brands include NERF, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS, as well as premier partner brands. Through its global entertainment studio, eOne, Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for all children and all families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked among the 2020 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past nine years, and one of America’s Most JUST Companies by Forbes and JUST Capital for the past four years. We routinely share important business and brand updates on our Investor Relations website, Newsroom and social channels (@Hasbro on Twitter and Instagram, and @HasbroOfficial on Facebook.)

© 2020 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                              

Lisa Wuennemann
PlayMonster
lisa.wuennemann@playmonster.com

 

Jonathan Siemens,
ChizComm (on behalf of PlayMonster)
jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 

To learn more about PlayMonster, visit playmonster.com

Snap Ships, Drone Home and Face Paintoos Continue Momentous Year for BIG ON FUN Company

Beloit, WI (October 29, 2020) − PlayMonster LLC is excited to announce that they have been named a finalist for three 2021 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, the industry’s most prestigious honor. This year, PlayMonster garnered recognition across three different categories: Construction Toy of the Year for Snap Ships Sabre XF-23 Interceptor, Game of the Year for Drone Home and Creative Toy of the Year for Face Paintoos Party Pack!

The TOTY Awards, administered by The Toy Association, are frequently referred to as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, and finalists are announced from a field of hundreds of nominations. Finalists are determined by elite members of the toy industry, including retail buyers, industry influencers, academics, media, and more. For more information about PlayMonster’s TOTY Award finalists, and to vote, visit playmonstervote.com.

The TOTY announcements continue what has been a momentous year for PlayMonster. Snap Ships Gladius was named on The Toy Insider’s Holiday Gift Guide Hot 20 list and Best New Toy Award for 2020 from Fatherly, plus Drone Home was listed on Amazon’s Toys We Love Top 25 List, named a top holiday toy by TTPM, won a 2020 National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA) and is featured on The Toy Insiders Holiday Gift Guide. Additionally, PlayMonster products and their inventors were named finalists for three Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs) for: Game Innovator of the Year for Drone Home, Rising Star Innovator of the Year for Snap Ships and Innovative Art And Visuals of the Year  for Break In.

“We are honored and excited to have been selected as finalists in three 2021 TOTY categories,” said Bob Wann, Chief PlayMonster of PlayMonster LLC. “2020 has been a very important year for PlayMonster and being named a finalist is an indication of the hard work and determination of our entire team. We are thrilled to be recognized as the gold standard in toys by the industry and consumers alike.”

“Thanks to the expertise of our expert panel of judges, this year’s TOTY finalists embody all the best aspects of play – fun, discovery, and product innovation,” said Ken Seiter, Executive Vice President of Marketing Communications at The Toy Association. “From games that put a new spin on classic play to toys offering new play patterns that speak to today’s generation of kids, we are excited to reveal these finalists. Don’t forget to cast your votes to help determine the winners!”

Winners will be announced at an exciting TOTY Awards virtual event on February 12, 2021, which will also include the induction of toy industry trailblazers into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame and serves a vital fundraiser for The Toy Foundation. One winner in each category, as well as the coveted “Toy of the Year” award winner and the “People’s Choice” winner (based solely on consumer votes), will  have their names called in what promises to be the most exciting TOTY Awards yet.

 

About PlayMonster

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®,  Spirograph®, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

 

About The Toy Association

www.toyassociation.org / www.thegeniusofplay.org / www.playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $107.5 billion, and its 950+ members drive the annual $26.5 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play, and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

 

About the Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY)

www.toyawards.org
The Toy of the Year Awards, known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, annually recognize the top toys and games on the market. Finalists are nominated from within the industry and selected by a panel of expert judges. Winners are decided by votes cast by the public (at ToyAwards.org) and members of the industry. The TOTY Awards are administered by The Toy Association, with 100% of the program’s proceeds benefiting The Toy Foundation and its goal of delivering millions of brand-new toys to children in vulnerable situations.

 

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Contact:

Lisa Wuennemann
PlayMonster
lisa.wuennemann@playmonster.com

 

Jonathan Siemens,
ChizComm (on behalf of PlayMonster)
jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 

To learn more about PlayMonster, visit playmonster.com

 

BELOIT (Wis.) October 28, 2020 – The renowned party game, 5 Second Rule, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020. The popular game, which has been played by celebrities on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for six years, has sold millions of copies in more than 50 countries. To celebrate, PlayMonster is releasing an exclusive 10th Anniversary Edition featuring 50 new cards related to topics and happenings in the last decade such as “Name 3 streaming services” and “Name 3 social challenges.”

You think it would be easy to name 3 things but imagine doing it under the pressure of a 5 second countdown! That’s exactly what Michael Sistrunk discovered over a decade ago when he first created 5 Second Rule. In this game, time is not on your side, so just say what comes to mind and risk ridiculous answers slipping out as time twirls down on the unique twisted timer! The game offers a wide variety of topics from “Name 3 breeds of dogs” to “Name 3 spices” to “Name 3 things in your nightstand” which makes it appeal to everyone.

“The beauty of this game is that most people know the answers—there’s no studying required, no doctorate-level education needed,” says Sistrunk. “The timing is what will get you tongue-tied, and everyone’s on level playing ground…to start.”

5 Second Rule is perfect for game night because kids, teens, parents and grandparents can all play together. Best of all, there are three versions of the game to choose from: Junior, Family and Adult.

“It’s hard to believe 5 Second Rule has been delivering hilarious laughter to game nights for 10 years,” says Lisa Wuennemann, Master Marketing Monster. “Time really does fly when you’re having fun!”

To celebrate 5 Second Rule’s anniversary, PlayMonster and Ellen Digital Ventures have joined forces to celebrate the 10th anniversary with a contest. In an OMKalen episode, viewers are challenged to submit their best 5 Second Holiday Glow Up on EllenTube for a chance to win a virtual seat to one of “Ellen’s 12 Days of Giveaways”! The 5 Second Holiday Glow Up contest launched on October 23rd and will run through November 6.

For more information about 5 Second Rule and the 5 Second Holiday Glow Up contest, please visit PlayMonster.com

To watch the best of celebrities playing 5 Second Rule on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwgk8S2XBWo

About PlayMonster

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®, Spirograph®, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

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For More Information, Please Contact:

Jonathan Siemens
ChizComm (on behalf of PlayMonster)
jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 

Lisa Wuennemann
PlayMonster
Lisa.Wuennemann@playmonster.com

 Take the Classic Art of Spirograph to a Whole New Level!

BELOIT, Wis. (October 16, 2020) —PlayMonster LLC is scratching out a unique position in the arts and crafts activity category with its latest addition to the evergreen Spirograph® line in 2020.

The new Spirograph Scratch and Shimmer Set allows artists to explore a whole new type of Spirograph® drawing with this creative scratch design set. Using a custom stylus tool and familiar Spirograph pieces, young artists can scratch beautiful designs on special coated paper to reveal sparkly or rainbow designs underneath.

Winner of the 2020 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids Arts & Crafts Award, this sparkling set features six glitter Spirograph pieces and a deluxe non-slip ring, 8 sheets each of rainbow and sparkly scratch paper, plus special scratch sticker sheets to add a decorative touch to just about anything! As an added bonus, you can draw regular Spirograph® designs with the pieces using your own pens on regular paper. The 10-page design guide is packed with helpful how-to’s and creative tips galore; pack it all up when you’re done in the snap-in storage tray. Experience a whole new way to create the Spirograph® art…from scratch! For ages 8 and up.

About PlayMonster LLC

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®, Spirograph, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                              

Lisa Wuennemann                                          Jonathan Siemens

PlayMonster LLC                                               Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                                     (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                              jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 

BELOIT, WIS (October 8, 2020) – In celebration of #WorldOctopusDay, PlayMonster is challenging kids and families to spend the day in the life of an octopus, by showing all the cool and funny things they can do with their Stacktopus Silly Sea Fingers. PlayMonster is calling it the #SillySeaFingerChallenge and is encouraging followers to share their funny photos on social media with the hashtag.  There is only one day a year dedicated to these amazing creatures and PlayMonster has found a cheeky way to celebrate!

Stacktopus may seem easy…but when you’re wearing the Silly Sea Fingers, it becomes silly, competitive fun! To play, players have to race to stack colored cups to match the designs on the colorful cards—but there’s a twist! Each player must wear three silly sea fingers and use only those fingers to grasp, hold and maneuver the cups! CAUTION: It gets really silly and really funny!

“Joining in and celebrating World Octopus Day is a no-brainer for us,” said Lisa Wuennemann, Master Marketing Monster at PlayMonster. “Stacktopus is a great way for families to play together and to become interested and curious about Octopuses. We’re glad that we have the perfect way to celebrate every year.”

Octopus come in all shapes, colors and sizes and there is so much to know about these underwater cephalopods. Some live in very shallow waters while the Giant Pacific Octopus is known to live in depths down to 6,600 ft (2000 m). Octopus fossils date back to over 300 million years, making them even older than dinosaurs. Experts say that they’ve survived for so long because of the 500 million neurons located in their arms and brains, making them extremely intelligent.

For more information about Stacktopus please visit https://www.playmonster.com/product/stacktopus.

About PlayMonster

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®,  Spirograph®, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

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For More Information, Please Contact:

Jonathan Siemens

ChizComm on behalf of PlayMonster

jsiemens@chizcomm.com

Players “Break In” to Discover Exciting and Mysterious Places as they Solve Puzzles and Peel Back Layers of the Expanding 3D Game

BELOIT, Wis. (September 10, 2020) — PlayMonster is launching Break In™, a game line which some have touted as a “movie in a box” due to its thrilling, immersive and entertaining experience in cooperative play.

To escape, you must first… Break In™! It’s a collaborative experience unlike any other—and it begins the moment you lift the lid off the game box. Inside, you will see a 3D shape with graphics representing the area you are trying to break into. Your paperwork tells you to STOP and make sure you are all ready before you begin—gets your cards laid out and settle in with all the players. Read your instructions and then begin looking for clues to solve puzzles! Soon, you will be told to open the game board and unfold the first of three layers, expanding your board and revealing the next layer you have to explore to uncover clues that will lead you further inside! It’s a one-of-a-kind unboxing experience! Along the way, you see wonderful things, meet interesting characters, and complete amazing challenges using clever hints and a unique solution system. The final puzzle leads you to your goal, and then you must escape!

The Break In line of experiential games debuts with three titles of different difficulty levels: Alcatraz, Area 51 and Chichén Itzá. All are real places, with fictional stories built around them.

• With Alcatraz, you are attempting to break in to the prison in 1962 to help your friends, current prisoners, escape.
• In Area 51, you are an alien trying to rescue your ship that was stolen by humans and is being dismantled deep inside the facility. This game is for ages 12+ and takes about 1 to 2 hours to complete.
• The third title, Chichén Itzá, takes place in 1833, and in your studies of the ancient Mayans you have come across clues that allude to secret pyramids and a legendary throne. And now you go in search of them, entering Chichén Itzá!
• Alcatraz and Chichén Itzá are for ages 10+ and take about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete.

Each game is different, and will be a thrill for game nights for up to 6 players. In the end, you’ll be left with a 3D plastic “trophy”!

 

About PlayMonster LLC

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®, Spirograph, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

 

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                              

Lisa Wuennemann                                          Jonathan Siemens

PlayMonster LLC                                               Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                                     (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                              jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 

The First Game of its Kind, Drone Home, is Becoming a New Favorite with Its Real Flying Drone!

BELOIT, Wis. (September 10, 2020) — PlayMonster looked high and low in search of a new, exciting kids game, and discovered a winner with Drone Home™, which offers unique and exciting game play to engage and entertain kids and families!

Drone Home is the first-ever game with a real drone, which adds a flying payoff to game play! In the exciting head-to-head competitive play, kids race to launch their aliens down ramps to get them into the drone. When an alien lands inside, it triggers the drone to start up and fly. Because there is a delay, other players can sabotage the flight by knocking the alien out with their own aliens! When the drone eventually takes off, any aliens inside it “make it safely home”! The goal is to get rid of all your aliens! The suspense and action is intensely fun for 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®, Spirograph, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                              

Lisa Wuennemann                                          Jonathan Siemens

PlayMonster LLC                                               Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                                     (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                              jsiemens@chizcomm.com

BELOIT, WI. (August 24, 2020) —Leading toy company PlayMonster has joined forces with award-winning entertainment company Wind Sun Sky to bring its exciting new Snap Ships brand to life, with the launch of an action-packed animated series now available for streaming on YouTube.

Season 1 of the series, Snap Ships: Dawn of Battle (8 x 4.5 min), takes viewers to the future where the world is under constant attack from a brutal alien threat and the fate of humanity rests with the heroes of the Snap Ships fleet, called The Forge. Klik, Dex, Dee La, 2Bells and Atam use mysterious UJU tech to battle the evil Komplex forces and their villainous leader, The Truth.  The series expands the appeal of the newly launched Snap Ships toy line, bringing its BUILD TO BATTLE action play to life with epic animation, battle scenes, and development of the characters and storyline. The pilots and villains of Snap Ships have faces, personalities and back stories that will thrill fans as they watch it all unfold onscreen…

This animated series is PlayMonster’s first venture into franchise-driven content production, and Wind Sun Sky, with their vast experience, is the perfect partner to successfully launch and evolve the Snap Ships IP.

“We were excited about the Snap Ships brand when it was a building system with a few items and some big ideas. Now, after working with Wind Sun Sky and seeing those ideas come to life and grow into thrilling content and story, we’re more excited than we ever have been about a new product line,” said Scott Flynn, VP Sales and Marketing of PlayMonster. “Wind Sun Sky is a valuable partner with impressive abilities, and who is easy and fun to work with—it’s a big win for PlayMonster.”

Wind Sun Sky’s creative work on comics, interactive gaming, online programming, and film and TV such as The Walking Dead, Camp Bonkers, Super Dinosaurs, My Singing Monsters and Summoners War is what impressed PlayMonster and led them to reach out and inquire about a potential partnership.

Catherine Winder, CEO and Executive Producer of Wind Sun Sky, said, “We knew right away that we wanted to be a part of Snap Ships because of its all-around potential. We’re excited to partner with PlayMonster, one of the fastest growing toy companies in the industry, to bring the Snap Ships story to life through multi-platform storytelling.”

Snap Ships invites kids to build, battle and display an exciting array of cool spacecrafts, merging two of the biggest play patterns for boys—action-play and construction. Already generating great buzz as the product has started hitting store shelves, Snap Ships is one of this fall’s most exciting toys geared towards boys ages 8 and up! Available now, Snap Ships can be purchased at great retail partners like Target and Amazon, from $9.99 to $39.99.

For more information about Snap Ships, please visit www.snapships.com.

About PlayMonster

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®,  Spirograph, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

About Wind Sun Sky:

Wind Sun Sky Entertainment is a Canadian multimedia entertainment company led by former LucasFilm executive, Catherine Winder (Invincible, The Angry Birds Movie 1 & 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics). Based in Vancouver Canada, Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (WSS) builds franchises with a focus on creator-driven content for the global marketplace producing in all mediums including interactive, film, television (live action and animation) and games. Under the WSS umbrella is Skybound North, who use expertise in building global brands to expand IP from Skybound’s vast library as well as new IP into the right forms of content, merchandise and beyond. WSS is currently in production on an animated TV adaptation of Invincible for Amazon, and in development on the successful Canadian mobile game My Singing Monsters, which is being adapted into television, interactive, merchandise and more.

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Contact:

Lisa Wuennemann, PlayMonster, lisa.wuennemann@playmonster.com

Jonathan Siemens, ChizComm (on behalf of PlayMonster), jsiemens@chizcomm.com

To learn more about PlayMonster, visit playmonster.com

Beloit, WI (August 3, 2020) – Announced today by the Toy Industry Association, PlayMonster CEO and Chief PlayMonster Bob Wann has been named a nominee for induction into the prestigious Toy Industry Hall of Fame as part of its 2021 awards program.

Since 1984, the Toy Industry Hall of Fame has recognized esteemed leaders who have made a mark on the toy industry through outstanding contributions and service to the industry, and by fostering a love of play in the hearts of children of all ages. Bob Wann is such a leader, making an indelible mark on the toy industry with over 40 years in service to innovation and the power of play. His passion and support have inspired others to champion play, and reach for greatness in their careers, for their companies, and for the industry.

A brilliant salesman, marketer and product innovator, Wann has led and overseen the growth and global expansion of some of the best-known brands in the industry, including Nerf, Care Bears, Mr. Potato Head, Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Clue and Spirograph. Wann has a tenured career with companies including Hasbro, Playskool, Milton Bradley/Parker Brothers, American Greetings and Fisher-Price. More recently, Wann has led the expansion of Patch Products from a small games company to the award-winning, multi-category PlayMonster business, which he continues to grow exponentially in the US and internationally.

In addition to his leadership and service to the industry through all of his company achievements, Wann has worked tirelessly for the advancement of the toy industry and the power of play with more than 10 years of service on the Toy Association Board of Directors, serving eight years on the Executive committee as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and seven years as Chairman and host of Playcon. Additionally, Wann has made an incredible contribution elevating charitable work within the toy industry, through work both on the Toy Industry Foundation and in community support initiatives led by his companies.

“To me, there is no more important calling than to champion the power of play for children everywhere, and to challenge myself and our industry as a whole to continue to innovate and bring smiles to young faces,” says Wann. “I am humbled and truly honored by this nomination, and above all thankful to do what I love, and share that with others.”

 

About PlayMonster

 

PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, plus The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Farkle, SET®, Five Crowns®,  Spirograph®, Colorforms, My Fairy Garden®, Face Paintoos™, Fashion Plates®, Y’Art®, Latchkits®, and Snap Ships™.

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann
PlayMonster LLC
Lisaw@playmonster.com

Melissa Mariani, ChizComm
(on behalf of PlayMonster), mmariani@chizcomm.com

 

To learn more about PlayMonster, visit playmonster.com

To learn more about the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, visit toyassociation.org.