Toy Industry Pays Tribute to the Best in Toys and Games at TOTY Awards Celebration

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of toy industry executives gathered to honor their peers tonight at the 11th Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards program and Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

A Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA)-administered event in support of the Toy Industry Foundation, the gala served as the kick-off to the 108th American International Toy Fair.  Held in The Allen Room at New York City's Jazz at Lincoln Center, the evening paid tribute to the best in toys and children's entertainment and the outstanding achievements made by individuals and companies.

Interspersed with presentations of the TOTY Awards were two inductions to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame.  Established in 1984, the Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant mark on the toy industry.  Joining the more than 55 people already on the distinguished roster are Al Verrecchia, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hasbro, Inc. and the late Donald Duncan, Founder of Duncan Toys Company. Their biographies can be viewed on the Toy Industry Hall of Fame website.

"Tonight's event was a wonderful way to launch Toy Fair 2011," said Carter Keithley, TIA president. "The TOTY Awards is a great place for colleagues to gather in celebration of the creativity and playful spirit upon which the toy industry is based."

For the first time in TOTY history, consumers were invited to vote for their favorite toys; nearly 12,500 unique votes were cast by families at ToyAwards.org from mid-November 2010 through mid-January, 2011. Along with the consumer ballot, four other ballots determined the winners: retailers (mass and specialty), media and members of the toy industry.

The Sing-a-ma-jigs!™ by Mattel Inc. received the coveted "Toy of the Year" title and was awarded Preschool Toy of the Year and Innovative Toy of the Year.  The awards program included 11 categories with 70 finalists.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy that inspires creative play through various forms of activity, the Activity Toy of the Year was presented to Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio™ by Crayola, LLC.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for boys of any age, the Boy Toy of the Year was presented to NERF N-Strike Stampede ECS Blaster by Hasbro, Inc.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy that helps children develop special skills and knowledge through play, the Educational Toy of the Year was presented to Leapster Explorer™ Learning Experience by LeapFrog.

• Recognizing an outstanding children's board, card, CD-ROM or electronic game, the Game of the Year was presented to Scrabble Flash by Hasbro, Inc.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for girls of any age, the Girl Toy of the Year was presented to Squinkies™ Cupcake Surprize! Bake Shop by Blip® Toys.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for infants and toddlers up to 36 months, the Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year was presented to My Own Leaptop by LeapFrog.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy that combines innovation and play value, the Innovative Toy of the Year was presented to The Sing-a-ma-jigs!™ by Mattel, Inc.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy that is designed for outdoor play, the Outdoor Toy of the Year was presented to NERF Super Soaker Shot Blast  by Hasbro, Inc.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for preschool-aged children (ages 3-5) the Preschool Toy of the Year was presented to The Sing-a-ma-jigs!™ by Mattel, Inc.

• Recognizing a property that has had the greatest success spreading its brand throughout the industry, Property of the Year was presented to Toy Story 3 by Disney Consumer Products.

• Recognizing an outstanding toy that is distributed primarily through specialty toy retailers, the Specialty Toy of the Year was presented to HEXBUG® Nano Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.

A record 500+ toys, games and properties were submitted for consideration.  The finalists were selected by Nomination Committees – one for each category – comprised of high-stature experts such as journalists, toy trend experts, play therapists, toy inventors and designers and toy retailers. Descriptions of each TOTY-nominated toy and links to each manufacturer's website can be found online at ToyAwards.org.  

The TOTY Awards is a TIA-administered event in support of the Toy Industry Foundation. Event sponsors for the evening were Spin Master (gold level), Colorforms and Dallas Market Center (silver level), and Locker, Greenberg & Brainin P.C. (friends level).

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)

TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America, representing more than 500 companies who account for approximately 85% of domestic toy sales.  Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30 years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit ToyAssociation.org, ToyAwards.org or the Toy Industry Hall of Fame website.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association