Spielwarenmesse consolidates its position as sole global industry event
The Spielwarenmesse has succeeded in asserting its unique leading role in the global market. Between 30 January and 3 February, the entire industry came together at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre for its sole global event of the year. 2,354 exhibitors from 68 countries – an increase of 10% over the previous year – took the opportunity to publicise their trends and new ideas. Alongside the product innovations, a multitude of different networking opportunities and stimulating ideas on the lead theme of Kidults awaited the 57,000 visitors from 125 nations who gathered there.
Importance of the Spielwarenmesse has increased further
“The Spielwarenmesse is the one constant to rely on in the current era of the regional and national toy shows working to find their new rhythm,” was the view of Helena Perheentupa of US company Wyncor. As a consequence, the importance of the trade event continues to rise. 97% of the exhibitors (2023: 95%) considered participation in Nuremberg to be important or very important. “As the leading trade fair, the Spielwarenmesse is the place where everyone from all over the world meets. You won't find these opportunities anywhere else,” declares Ram Ronen of PMI Trading & Enterprise. For the Vice President, the fair is the ideal opportunity to meet up with existing customers and to generate new contacts. “We were able to welcome customers, potential customers and press representatives from all over the world – from New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and the USA to South America – to our stand,” adds Paul Heinz Bruder, CEO of Bruder Spielwaren. Andrea Herre of Spin Master International rates visitor quality very highly, too: “We had all the relevant decision-makers and key accounts meeting us at our stand.” Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG, notes that China, one of the most important consumer markets, was able to re-establish its very high pre-pandemic levels. In addition, central Asian countries (such as Kazakhstan) and Ukraine have acquired a dynamism that compensates to some extent for Russia’s absence. The USA, too, which was already showing high potential last year, is among the top 10 countries for visitors.
Exhibitors draw positive conclusions
Overall, more than 90% of exhibitors were satisfied with their participation. “The Spielwarenmesse is the centre of the toy universe!” explains Jennifer McIver of the Wishbone Design Studio. “We can show our novelties to so many countries all in one place. And we discover the latest trends here, too.” With its key focal themes, the Spielwarenmesse has once again proved itself to be the initiating force for the sector. “We were particularly interested by the Kidults focus, which we seized on with enthusiasm where new ideas were concerned,” says Fischertechnik MD Thomas Bußhart. With its special area ‘Life’s a Playground – Toys for Kidsters, Kidults & Co.’, an international study and expert talks, the Spielwarenmesse highlighted adults as a target group, offering promising new suggestions for the trade. “Renowned exhibitors such as Mattel took up the Kidults theme in a big way. And the market figures from market research company Circana also demonstrate that we’ve picked up on the spirit of the age,” emphasises Christian Ulrich.
Trade event with networking character
The degree of personal contact and the networking nature of the fair provided the Spielwarenmesse with opportunities for communication and relationship-building for a wide range of target groups. Those with an interest in games were able to cultivate key contacts on the Friday at the second edition of the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse – Game Inventors Convention. Similarly successful was the second OPEN DAY on the Saturday, for which 3,200 consumers flooded into the model railways hall. “With its diversity, its wide-ranging supporting programme and its unique service, the Spielwarenmesse showed again this year that it continues to be the international meeting point for the sector. The ‘Spirit of Play’ was in evidence everywhere,” concludes Florian Sieber, CEO of the Simba Dickie Group.
84% of exhibitors (2023: 83%) plan to participate in the Spielwarenmesse again. The next edition of the fair takes place between Tuesday 28 January and Saturday 1 February 2025.
The complete summary of Spielwarenmesse 2024: To the press release
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