Category: Press Releases

New, Adorable Fuzzi Babies Craft-and-Play Sets Deliver Creative and Fun Play Value for Children

BELOIT, Wis. (March 20, 2020) — PlayMonster’s Fuzzikins™ line, new for 2019, has gained popularity quickly and will now be extended for 2020! Now, there will be babies and all new animals for children to color, design and play with on their own or with other Fuzzikins sets.

Launched in the UK in 2016, Fuzzikins has become a very popular customized toy line in the UK. Bringing it to the U.S. in 2019 was a seamless expansion, much like My Fairy Garden was for PlayMonster a few years earlier.

Fuzzikins are 3D adorable, fuzzy animals such as kittens, puppies and bunnies. They are all covered in white flocking, and come with special washable markers that children use to design, color and decorate their new animal friends. Children love creating toys that look like their own pets, or using their imagination to make colorful and unique animals! The best part is that the creativity can be endless because the color easily rinses off when the character is placed under running water. Once it’s dry, children can start all over!

Fuzzi Babies adds new play value with baby animals, and they’re new and different animals, too! Now the line has a precious Hamster, Lamb and Monkey! Build and design their beds, design and color the animals, and then tuck them away for their nap!

The Fuzzikins line also includes playsets and vehicles so children can create their very own animal world, which adds even more play value to this craft toy, and is fun for girls and boys, ages 4 and up.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

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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

Jeff Foxworthy’s Successful Relative Insanity Game Line Raids the Family Photo Album

BELOIT, Wis. (March 20, 2020) — PlayMonster LLC and comedian Jeff Foxworthy have once again teamed up to bring laugher to your game nights! Relative Insanity® See What I Mean?!™ combines the fun and humor of the original game with the popularity of memes to create a whole new game in this insane family humor game line!

In this newest addition to the hilarious brand made and played by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, you now have photos—crazy ones that you’d see in family albums or posted online by relatives—and you play cards that caption those photos! Captions are written by Jeff Foxworthy, so you know they’ll be funny! There are even a few photos of Foxworthy himself in the game!

The judge chooses a photo card, rolls the die so players know which caption category to use, and then players pick their funniest caption card for the photo! The Judge’s favorite one gets two points, and the second best gets 1 point! But watch out—if you toss in a baaa-aad caption, you may just be the black sheep of the family!

The game includes 100 funny photos and 900 hilarious captions on 300 cards, plus a die and some scoring doodads! Like the original game and its expansion pack, Relative Insanity See What I Mean?! is fun for 4 to 12 players, ages 14+.

Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country.  He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of more than 26 books. In 2014, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.   Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s.  Most recently Jeff was one of the judges on the NBC comedy competition show “Bring The Funny,”  He has his own comedy channel “Jeff and Larry’s Comedy Roundup” on SIRIUSXM, which showcases the best in great American comedy.  He has a comedy special “We’ve Been Thinking” which is currently available on Netflix and released a game called “Relative Insanity” which uses bits of his material for lots of game time fun.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

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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

It May Not Be Easy Being an Octopus in a Kid’s World, But it Sure is Fun with Stacktopus!

BELOIT, Wis. (March 20, 2020) — PlayMonster cast a wide net in search of a new, exciting kids game, and caught a winner with Stacktopus™, where kids Slip on Silly Sea Fingers and Go!™

The fun kids game Stacktopus may seem easy—kids have to simply race to stack color cups to match the configurations 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! It ends up getting really silly and really funny!

It’s even more amusing when adults play with kids because everyone is on even ground, and what’s not funny about watching your dad or grandma wear octopus arms and try to pick up cups?! Even when not playing the game, kids end up wearing the silly sea fingers and having tons of fun with them!

Stacktopus is fun for ages 5 and up, and is great for 1 to 3 players.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

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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

Photo caption: The KIDZ BOP Kids and influencer Hails_World wearing Face Paintoos™

 

December 16, 2019 – BELOIT, Wis. – Last night, PlayMonster LLC launched Face Paintoos™ in grand fashion with a kick-off at the sold-out KIDZ BOP World Tour concert at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA.  Joined by prominent fashionista and influencer Hails_World, and her hundreds of thousands of fans online, attendees got the opportunity to jam out to their favorite songs and be some of the first consumers to get a look at Face Paintoos live!

Created to change the way people think about face painting, Face Paintoos is the mess-free, inexpensive way to paint a child’s face. Face Paintoos makes the process easy and long-lasting with no professional artist required. All you have to do is apply the design like you would a temporary tattoo for a smudge and transfer-proof design!

The #FacePaintRevolution encourages children everywhere to get creative and join in on the endless designs that can be created with Face Paintoos, making each design their own in a unique way. Perfect for dressing the part at a KIDZ BOP concert, hosting a birthday party or a day out at the zoo!

“We wanted to create something that allowed kids to express their personalities and make parent’s lives easier… and we’ve done that with Face Paintoos,” said Lisa Wuennemann, Associate Vice President of Marketing at PlayMonster. “Kids can switch their Face Paintoos with ease and don’t need to worry about smudging their face or transferring it onto clothing.”

The removal process is just as easy. Simply use one of the wipes that are included in the package to wipe off the Face Paintoos. With three different theme packs (wild, magical and pet), there’s a design for every mood — and song!

We’re ready for the #FacePaintRevolution…are you?! Follow the action on the PlayMonster social channels:

• Facebook: @PlayMonsterFun
• Instagram: @PlayMonsterFun
• Twitter: @PlayMonsterFun
• YouTube: @PlayMonster

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

 

About KIDZ BOP

KIDZ BOP connects with kids and families through its best-selling albums, music videos, consumer products and live tours. In the US, KIDZ BOP is the No. 1 music brand for kids, featuring today’s biggest hits “sung by kids for kids.” KIDZ BOP has sold over 21 million albums and generated over 3.5 billion streams since the family-friendly music brand debuted in 2001. The best-selling series has had 24 Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 Chart; only three artists in history—The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Barbra Streisand—have had more Top 10 albums. For more information, visit www.kidzbop.com.

 

KIDZ BOP is a part of Concord.

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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

 

November 14, 2019 – BELOIT, Wis. – PlayMonster LLC has taken its next big step in solidifying its fast growth as a multi-category toy and game company by acquiring the assets of the kids arts and crafts company, Kahootz Toys, based in Ann Arbor, MI. Kahootz Toys is the company behind 17 award-winning brands including Y’ART®, SPIROGRAPH®, COLORFORMS®, FASHION PLATES®, LATCHKITS®, PLAY-DOH® and WATERFULS®.

Kahootz, founded in 2012, grew quickly with several programs, including the relaunch of the iconic brand Spirograph, under license with Hasbro. Today that brand stands as one of the strongest performers in the category. More recently, the company has experienced great success with other classic brands like Colorforms in partnership with 9 Story Entertainment, and the girls’ favorite Fashion Plates. This year the company was excited to be awarded the ASTRA Best Toys for Kids award, and is a TOTY finalist for Creative Toy of the Year with a new line, Y’ Art, where kids can “color with yarn”!

Over the past few years, PlayMonster has made several acquisitions to strengthen their position in the toy industry, and Kahootz Toys was a natural fit with its commitment to classic and quality play, an initiative PlayMonster strives for, to meet the needs of today’s consumers.

Bob Wann, Chief PlayMonster of PlayMonster LLC said, “This is PlayMonster’s largest acquisition to-date and we’re thrilled to continue our multi-category growth strategy building and adding classic brands while expanding our footprint in the activity and stationery aisles. Kahootz has shown a commitment to providing innovative products to kids of all ages, and this philosophy aligns with our mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives through the power of play. Their team has done an outstanding job, and with our help, will continue to grow the Kahootz brand at retail.”

“We are very excited to be joining PlayMonster and the Audax Private Equity family of companies,” said Joe Yassay, CEO and founding partner of Kahootz Toys.  “The addition of our products to PlayMonster’s already impressive portfolio of children’s toys and games is a win-win for everyone involved–our companies, licensors, suppliers and customers.  We look forward to helping PlayMonster champion the power of play by supporting continued growth and market penetration in the mass, specialty and international marketplaces.”

Bambini Partners, LLC acted as Special Advisors to Kahootz Toys in connection with this transaction.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

 

 About Kahootz Toys

Kahootz Toys has been on a mission to use our skills and passions to bring great kids’ products to the world, founding our company with an award-winning relaunch of the classic brand, Spirograph® in 2013.  Since then, we’ve successfully launched a broad portfolio of children’s toy, craft and activity products, including Fashion Plates® fashion drawing sets, Colorforms® playsets, Latchkits®, Y-Art™ yarn crafts, and many others.  Kahootz believes in “Retro Fun for Everyone”!

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Kassandra O’Brien
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x356
lisaw@playmonster.com                    kobrien@chizcomm.com

Vote today to help PlayMonster win!

 BELOIT, Wis. (November 12, 2019) – PlayMonster is proud to announce that they have been named a finalist for two Toy of the Year (TOTY) 2020 Awards, the industry’s most prestigious achievement. This year, PlayMonster garnered recognition across two different categories: Game of the Year for Orangutwang and Collectible of the Year for My Singing Monsters!

The TOTY Awards 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, inventors, academics, trade media spokespeople and bloggers. For more information about PlayMonster’s TOTY Award finalists, and to vote, visit playmonstervote.com

“We are honored and excited to have been named a finalist for TOTY 2020,” said Bob Wann, Chief PlayMonster of PlayMonster LLC, and Chairman of the US Toy Association. “It’s an indication of the hard work and determination of our entire team 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. All are encouraged to cast votes at ToyAwards.org to help determine the winners!”

The winners of the TOTY 2020 Awards will be announced on Friday, February 21, 2020, at the TOTY Awards Ceremony in New York City. The ceremony is the official kick off for the North American International Toy Fair, which takes place at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, February 22 through February 25, 2020.

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.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.

 

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned North American International Toy Fair and Fall Toy Preview; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Kassandra O’Brien
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x356
lisaw@playmonster.com                    kobrien@chizcomm.com

Come Out and Experience Hands-On Activities, Inventor Interactions and Exciting Play Events

BELOIT, Wis. – (November 6, 2019) Once again, PlayMonster has many exciting things to share at the 17th annual Chicago Toy & Game Fair beginning November 23, 2019. The weekend’s activities include the Young Inventor Challenge, toys for public meet and greets, hands-on craft and gaming demos and a photo op with the adorable and loveable Furcorn from My Singing Monsters. Additionally, the PlayMonster booth will feature the inventors of two PlayMonster games.

The Young Inventor Challenge
On Saturday, November 23, kids ages 6 – 18 will set up and display their submitted toy and game inventions to the general public, industry professionals and media hoping to win prizes in their category. As a sponsor of the Young Inventor Challenge, PlayMonster believes in inspiring the next generation to use creativity and critical thinking. This exclusive and educational experience provokes imagination, innovation and presentation skills that provide the means of taking these inventions to greater heights with professional critiques from industry experts.

PlayMonster’s Big on Fun Booth
All weekend long, PlayMonster’s booth (#707) will feature tons of fun for families! Kids can stop by and design their very own Fuzzikins, have a total #MeltdownMoment and pose with the Furcorn from My Singing Monsters.

Meet the Young Inventors
When kids aren’t busy playing at PlayMonster’s booth, they can meet and talk with actual game and toy inventors. A schedule will be posted at the booth letting consumers know when they can stop by to see Tiggy, the inventor of Draw Into Crime™, and Edie, the inventor of Goo on My Shoe™. Tiggy and Edie have learned a lot through the process of creating a game. They can’t wait to meet everyone and share their experiences with all the other young inventors out there!

If you’ll be in the Chicago area November 23 ̶ 24, stop by Navy Pier for some fun and early holiday shopping! Tickets available at the fair, or purchase early at chitagfair.com.

About PlayMonster LLC
Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

About Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) Fair
ChiTAG, founded in 2003, is the largest non-hobby toy and game fair open to the public in North America. The event is popular with families, inventors, media, educators and consumers, all of which can attend to play with and shop for the latest and greatest toys and games!

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For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Kassandra O’Brien
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x356
lisaw@playmonster.com                    kobrien@chizcomm.com