Category: Press Releases

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.

 

The Innovative Line is the First of its Kind to Incorporate a Building System with Action Play, and is Supported by an Epic Storyline, Multi-Million Dollar Marketing Campaign and Complementary AR App

BELOIT, Wis. (July 6, 2020) — Welcome to the future, where the world is under constant attack from a brutal alien threat. Are YOU ready to BUILD TO BATTLE?!  The fate of the universe lies in your hands!

PlayMonster, the Big on Fun company, is pleased to announce the highly anticipated launch of its new line of building toys, Snap Ships™—a collectible, durable and versatile modular building system that stands up to action play. Snap Ships invite 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.

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the exciting new Snap Ships fleet launches with eleven ships at a suggested retail price of $9.99–$39.99, each coming with a mysterious UJU tech piece that holds special value hidden inside the box. Snap Ships come with multiple build options and are available today in early release on Amazon and will hit shelves at Target and other retailers later this month.

More than just a toy line, Snap Ships creates a 360-degree play experience inviting kids into the Snap Ships universe through an immersive animated series from acclaimed content studio Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, and a free interactive AR app from highly successful video game developers.

“Snap Ships is so much more than a great toy line; it is a content-driven franchise that allows kids to not only build, but also play, battle, rebuild, customize, watch content, engage with the app and then do it all over again,” said Tim Kilpin, PlayMonster’s newly appointed President. “We set out to change the building play experience, and it is the biggest launch in Play Monster’s history.”

To tell the epic story of the Snap Ships universe, PlayMonster needed a partner as powerful as the best in its fleet, and has joined forces with award-winning content studio Wind Sun Sky to produce a fast-paced and edgy animated series. Season one of the series, Snap Ships Dawn of Battle will launch this August on YouTube, with new episodes releasing each week.

Wind Sun Sky, led by Catherine Winder, whose credits include Star Wars: The Clone Wars, TheAngry Birds Movie, and Super Dinosaur, has brought the Snap Ship’s universe dynamically to life in CGI animation with non-stop action.

“We knew right away that we wanted to be a part of Snap Ships because of its all-around potential,” said Winder, “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 creative content.”

The vast storyline introduces viewers to The Forge, an elite team assembled to pilot a fleet of versatile and specialized Snap Ships defense attack craft, and The Komplex, an alien species determined to annihilate all life, that has invaded with no warning. Along the way, The Forge discovers mysterious UJU tech, left behind by an ancient civilization, that can be added to their Snap Ships to give them unheard-of abilities.

Rounding out the Snap Ships launch is the release of the free interactive Snap Ships app, designed to complement the toy line and animated series, allowing users to explore the vibrant world of Snap Ships. Highly detailed digital versions of the constructible toys come to life in the app and can be summoned into your room via Augmented Reality. Kids are invited to “Build to Battle” with digital building instructions for the core Snap Ships kits, as well as a huge assortment of custom ships unique to the app. Track your collection, prep ships for flight in AR, and test fire your ship’s weapons as you battle against the ever advancing Komplex.

Developed by Scott Pease and Jeff Swenty, AAA video game veterans (Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Call of Duty) and the inventors of Snap Ships, the app, rated E for everyone, is available now for free for iOS on the Apple App Store and for Android via the Google Play Store.

“To us, Snap Ships are more than toys—we imagine them as real, working spaceships,” said Pease. “The Snap Ships app brings that fantasy to life: summon life sized ships in Augmented Reality, walk around them, test their weapons, and fly them into Battle. You also get access to an endless supply of unique ships with detailed, 3D building instructions, so you can build them all with your real-life toy kits!”

The Snap Ships Fleet includes:

• Snap Ships™ Lance SV-51 Scout – SRP: $9.99
• Snap Ships™ Locust K.L.A.W. Stealth Craft – SRP: $9.99
• Snap Ships™ Sawfly K.L.A.W. Minelayer – SRP: $9.99
• Snap Ships™ Scythe AV-19 Tank – SRP: $9.99
• Snap Ships™ Sabre X-23 Interceptor – SRP: $14.99
• Snap Ships™ Scarab K.L.A.W. Interceptor – SRP: $14.99
• Snap Ships™ Scorpion K.L.A.W. Troop Dropper – SRP: $19.99
• Snap Ships™ Battle Set: Wasp K.L.A.W. Heavy Fighter and Falx SC-41 Escort – SRP: $29.99
• Snap Ships™ Gladius AC-75 Drop Ship – SRP: $39.99
• Snap Ships™ Trident ST-33 Gunship (Target Exclusive) – SRP: $19.99

Following the recent announcement of former Mattel President and Chief Commercial Officer Tim Kilpin’s appointment as President at Play Monster, the launch of Snap Ships marks the company’s move into more content-driven franchise development and continued innovation in play.

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

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™.

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.

About Snap Ships LLC

Scott Pease and Jeff Swenty are the inventors and founders of Snap Ships LLC. They are also AAA video game veterans, having guided some of the biggest video game franchises in history: Scott led the development of the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise first as a producer, and later as a Studio Head of Neversoft, an Activision studio. Jeff joined Neversoft in 2005 and helped Scott and the team ship the action game Gun, seven Guitar Hero games, and one entry into the Call of Duty franchise. In all, Neversoft worked on three distinct billion dollar franchises and shipped over 100 million video game units worldwide. Snap Ships LLC is dedicated to developing original, creative, and long-lasting toy and game IP that can expand across all mediums. The Snap Ships app can be found at app.snapships.com.

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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

 

Strategic brand-building and franchise development among the many strengths industry veteran Kilpin brings to PlayMonster’s leadership team

 

Beloit, WI (June 22, 2020) – PlayMonster LLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Kilpin as President of PlayMonster, effective immediately.

Kilpin, a leader and executive in the toy and children’s entertainment industry for over 35 years, has set brand strategies and creative direction for many of the world’s most iconic and successful children’s brands, including Monster High, Hot Wheels, Disney Princess, Winnie the Pooh, Barbie, and Mickey Mouse, having served in senior roles at Mattel, Disney and Activision Blizzard.

Reporting to CEO Bob Wann and based in the company’s corporate headquarters in Beloit, WI, Kilpin will focus on expanding and accelerating PlayMonster’s business with an emphasis on sales, marketing, design, and business development.  Wann, in addition to continuing strategic and operational oversight, will increase focus on international growth and acquisition.

“Tim is one of the most experienced, highly accomplished and respected executives in the whole of the industry,” says Wann. “His tremendous stature and knowledge in the industry, along with his complementary skill sets make Tim the perfect fit, at the perfect time, to further PlayMonster’s growth and evolution towards becoming one of the industry’s top toy companies.”

“The PlayMonster team is an outstanding, experienced, talented group of people with a strong vision, who love what they do and love working together,” says Kilpin. “I really fundamentally believe that finding ways to build brands that offer quality play experiences for families and kids today is more important than ever and I am excited to be part of that.”

Prior to joining PlayMonster, Kilpin most recently served as President and CEO of Activision Blizzard’s Consumer Products business, overseeing the category strategy and creative development of multiple product ranges in support of key franchises.  Before that, as President and Chief Commercial Officer for Mattel, Inc., Kilpin directed all aspects of the company’s global $5.5 billion Sales and Marketing operations, overseeing a staff of 1,500, working closely with both key internal stakeholders in Operations and Supply Chain Management, as well as with critical external partners in Retail, Studio Entertainment, and Consumer Products. In addition to other senior roles at both Mattel and Disney, Kilpin has also served on the Boards of Build-A-Bear Workshop, the Make-A-Wish International Foundation, and the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation; he is also currently a Board and Executive Committee member of the Toy Association.

Having built its success in a deeply rooted commitment to the power of play, PlayMonster has demonstrated a unique ability to interpret and innovate classic play patterns, keeping them fresh for new audiences, and will be aggressively continuing to build its portfolio of brands and content-driven IP across categories, both organically and through acquisition.

Kilpin’s appointment also signals a continuing emphasis on recruitment of key talent aimed at supporting this growth, bringing added resources and experience to the PlayMonster team in key functions.

“Following the successes of our acquisition of Interplay in 2017 and our most recent acquisition of Kahootz this past year, our future growth will continue to focus on adding internal resources and external partnerships that bring even more industry-best practices and experience to everything we do across PlayMonster worldwide,” says Wann.  “It’s a very exciting time.”

 

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®,  Spirograpgh , 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