More and more basic plush is becoming a gift purchase, with consumers looking for premium products, and perhaps wrongly-not expecting them to find them in toy shops. Licensing though remains a strong area, although it offers somewhat tighter margins. It’s an important category, particularly with the correct licence. Disney’s VP GM Toys Europe, Edward Catchpole comments: “For me plush is one of the key touch points for a character, for Winnie the Pooh it’s perfect, the story centres on a plush character, and to a four to six year old their toy isn’t a toy, it actually is Winnie the Pooh. It is the physical embodiment of the brand.”

Mark Swallow, managing director of Ty, believes that toy retailers are still an important part of the plush market. “However, there has been a misconception about plush sales with toy retailers,” he adds, “licensed properties have grown as retailers are more aware of increased margins to be made in licensed plush compared with other licensed toys.”

“Toy retailers are very important to the plush market,” says Kellee Foulkes, marketing manager at Golden Bear. “Consumers want to se a variety of plush both generic and licensed in their toy shop. This is still an important sector of the market, particularly for the licensed lines.”

So which sort of licences work best as plush with toy retailers?

“Some characters just lend themselves to plush because of the look of the original character or the age of the consumer,” says Kellee. “This doesn’t mean that all adults don’t buy plush, but a plush version of Noddy is more likely to attract a market than a plush Transformer-however popular the licence. We don’t just create plush to fit in with a successful licence, we look carefully at the property and then see which product categories will keep the integrity of the character whilst meeting a genuine market demand.”

Emma Sherski, marketing director at Vivid Imaginations says: “Toy retailers continue to deliver strong sales for licensed plush. Own label is still growing year on year so the challenge is to ensure that character plush fulfills all the key price points. This is especially important for the likes of the grocers where impulse purchasing continues to be an important dynamic. Vivid’s double digit growth for Disney’s plush portfolio last year can be attributed to investing in compelling display opportunities along side specific retail programmes across the core range and the new characters from ‘My Friends Tigger and Pooh’ TV series.”

But is it possible for the same products to wok in both toy and gift retailers?

“It’s definitely possible for the same product to cross both plush and gift market,” says Ty’s Mark, “a good example of this is SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Kellee from Golden Bear also believes so: ”Of course, in fact most of our plush items do. This has always been a market sector that has ‘gift’ appeal’ and we specialize in making items suitable for the ‘me’ purchase as well as something that will make a great gift purchase. Shaun The Sheep is a great example of this and also of a product that appeals to all ages. Golden Bear took the decision some time ago to exhibit at Toy Fair as well as the Spring and Autumn Fairs, which are aimed more specifically at the gift market.”

Vivid’s Emma however, feels that gift retailers do need a bit more: ”It’s important to recognize that the dedicated gift retailers do need unique product as gifters demand more premium packaged products.”

Either way it seems that by carrying the correct licensed plush ranges, complemented by a focused generic range, toy retailers can still take advantage of the soft toy sector.

♦ Mattel

There are some great additions ahead for both the Fisher-Price character and Mattel Boys portfolios last autumn in the plush category. Watch out for a great range from entertainment property, Ratatouille, plus new additions from Winnie the Pooh and Backyardigans.

Ratatouille Little Chef Remy, a 10-inch plush, comes with electronic facial features, character phrases and movement. Remy can stir, tell jokes and give recipe advice. Also in the range is an extensive assortment of four, eight, 10, 17 and 20-inch Remy, Emile and Django character plush.

In Fisher-Price, favourite Tumble Time Tigger cartwheels his way back onto shelves in time for Christmas 2007, and TMX Elmo will continue to be a major focus. There’s more big news ahead for Elmo, so watch this space for more details.

Evergreen nursery favourite Winnie the Pooh has two soft and cuddly newcomers for 2007 including the Busy Buddy Pooh, featuring play activities for babies from six months plus, and Honey Bunch Pooh for day and night comfort.

♦ Golden Bear

Golden Bear is launching some great new plush products in 2007 adding a wealth of new lines to its portfolio. Continuing as the master toy licensee for the ever popular Noddy, Listen With Noddy is one of numerous new products, Noddy holds a storybook and has four button icons on his big red shoes featuring his friends including Big Ears and Gessie Bear. Press each button to hear Noddy tell a story about his four friends. As Noddy tells each story he rocks from side to side.

The company is also the master toy licensee for Shaun the Sheep, created by renowned animators Ardman, who’s starring in a brand new CBBC animation. The Shaun the Sheep range includes a number of key plush lines-Shivering Shaun bleats when you press his tummy and when his tail is pulled he shivers uncontrollably. Dancing Shaun signs and dances to the famous theme tune while Nodding Shaun will make kids smile.

Plush items in the new Charlie and Lola collection comprise the Charlie and Lola Poseable Talking Dolls which have bendable arms and legs and unique phrases. Giggling Charlie and Giggling Lola bean toys include their famous giggle when squeezed as well as Daytime and Nightime Lola which features a large Lola with removable and reversible clothing.

♦ MintyHen

Pockets of Learning soft fabric toys and books are beautifully embroidered, brightly coloured and made of durable fabrics. The toys are ideal for all occasions; soft and noiseless if you need to keep children quietly absorbed, and safe for travel. The toys have no hard edges, and most pack away in their own bag. The toys encourage children to build skills such as trying, matching, buttoning and counting.

The award winning toys are available in the UK for the first time through the new children’s company, MintyHen. The range includes: Interactive Fabric Books, Soft Toys, Read and Play sets and Press’n Dress Dolls.

♦ Ty

Ty UK’s continued success sees the launch of many new products including new Beanie Babies such as Bounds Chaser and Diggidy and Ty Classics such as Dinger, Duff and Roscoe. All Ty products are made to the highest quality using exclusive fabrics and all offer golden price points to retailers. Ty Dogs are lifelike, poseable and are excellent copies of actual breeds.

Ty products are great collectables to all ages and come in many popular ranges. In addition to Beanie Babies, the company’s product line includes: Ty Classic, Beanie Buddies, Baby Ty, Pluffies, Ty Girlz, Pinkys and many licensed ranges.

♦ John Crane

The range of soft activity toys from TOLO by John Crane Ltd encapsulates everything a child wants in a toy, a pal to cuddle, with crinkles, rattles and much more to keep little fingers amused.

A popular choice is Daisy the Activity Turtle, sporting her red, wide brimmed hat that keeps her cool in the garden, with her rattling watering can, realistic feel seed packet and crinkly, jingly hat. She comes complete with additional friends such as a crinkly butterfly, squeaking snail and even a vibrating gnome.

Daisy joins the rest of the range, which includes Bounder the Activity Bear, Welly the Fishing Puppy and Waddle the Activity Penguin.

♦ Tomy

Hot on the heels of its coveted Girls Toy of the Year award for its Nintendogs range, Tomy launched the mini Bean Toys and last autumn sees the brand new, TV advertised, kitsch Nintendogs Dressables and new breeds of Playful Pups hit the shelves.

Four of Nintendog’s adorable dog breeds, Dalmatian, Golden Retriever, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Yorkshire Terrier now have their very own outfits and accessories to play with. In addition to heir signature outfits, each cute pooch comes with sunglasses, t-shirt, cap, ball and a surprise gift in its own clear carry case, which features a special pocket to store a Nintendo DS. Playful Pups will interact with sound and movement when played with. The growl, whine and bark and show affection by wagging their tail and moving their head and ears depending on the breed.

Ultra soft Nintendogs Bean Toys appeal to all ages. Each makes a cute whining and barking sounds when their left ear is pressed and comes complete with a plastic collar and signature Nintendogs button.

To commemorate the Teletubbies’ 10th anniversary, Tomy has brought out Teletubby Big Hug-available in either Po or Laa Laa characters, it rewards little one with an adorable contented “aahh” sigh when hugged and also giggles when kissed.

♦ Re:creation

Kids can make their own furry friends with the magnetic SwaPets from Re:creation. With SwaPets kids don’t just get one cute and cuddly pal to take to bed, they get two. Both have interchangeable body parts so kids can get creative and make their own totally original pet. There are sic twin-sets to collect Horse/Pig, Cow/Lamb, Rooster/Donkey, Giraffe/Zabra, Elephant/Tiger and Rhino/Leopard.

Cute and cuddly Mushabellys all feature soft grumbling bellies to choose from with over 100 different personalities that come with their own personality cards! Available in three different sizes-15-inch, 10-inch and six-inch.

Iflops are adorable cuddly characters that let kids take their music wherever they go. They just plug in an iPod, MP3 or CD player to one of the huggable animals or crazy sport characters there are pigs, cows or horses, or monkeys, elephants or penguins!

♦ Vivid Imaginations

Fifi and the Flowertots continues to blossom as the leading girls pre-school and plush licence in 2007. Plush additions to the award winning product line include a new feature plush Lullaby Fifi with soft toy Cotton Socks. Fifi sings a soothing lullaby and her cheeks and pyjamas glow in the dark. The new Bedtime Bean Toy collection, features each of the Flowertots in their pyjamas.

As master toy licensee Vivid Imaginations launched the Roary the Racing Car product range in July 2007 across key pre-school categories, although mostly vehicle based, Talking Big Chris does feature in the line as a 12-inch feature plush, with roto cast heard and hands.

Vivid Imaginations and Disney have developed further extensions to the beautiful range of Winnie the Pooh and Friends soft toys. New for 2007 are the soft character keyrings. The extremely cute eight-inch Pooh Zoo range features Winnie the Pooh in fun animal outfits, eight to collect, ten-inch Winnie and Friends soft toys each with soothing comforter in pastel colours and 14-inch cuddle toys in soft huggable fabric.

Doodle Bear is an activity plush which develops imagination combing huggable plush with creative play. Girls can doodle on plush, place in the machine, wash, and doodle and decorate all over again. Launching July 2007 and TV supported is Design and Decorate, three bears to choose from each with colour markers, glitter gel pens and denim changeable fabrics.

♦ Fiesta Crafts

Captain Jolly’s Pirate Ship from Fiesta Crafts is a delightful plush pirate ship, complete with motley crew.

The Ship is perfect for stimulating youthful imaginations with its crew of four bean-filled pirates, with their eye-patches and smart pirate hats. A skull and crossbones sail and crow’s nest for helping to spot land ensure this brightly coloured, fleecy pirate playset more than looks the part and is a pleasure for small hands to hold and feel.

With soft and friendly plush characters, bright colours and an innovative design, Fiesta Crafts’ My Cool School is definitely a cool and different way to make school more appealing and fun. Made entirely from soft fabric, My Cool School comes with four soft toy pupils and a teacher. The school itself consists of a classroom, dining room and playground-which is even equipped with a slide for the “pupils ” to play on.

♦ Character Options

After unprecedented success in the US Character Options is taking on a fantastic plush rage that’s both innovative and interactive. Shining Stars, launch in December 2007, is a high quality line of plush animals that combine the naming of a real star through the International Star Registry and interactive web play.

Boys and girls of all ages will fall in love with the one of the 24 Shining Stars friends, especially as each one comes with the great opportunity to register and name a real star with the International Star Registry. Each Shining Stars friend combines high quality materials and is identifiable by the star icon and embroidered Shining Stars logo on its paw pad.

There are 24 characters to choose from, including Honey Bear, Beagle, Penguin and Dragon, among others. By logging in to the Shining Stars website and using a secret code kids can name their own star. The website allows kids to name their star, as well as interact with each other, and unlock hidden features by earning Glow Points

Also new for Character is pre-school favourite Barney & Friends which is being brought to life through a wonderful new range of plush toys. Sing and Dance with Me Barney has three fun songs children can sing along to using their very own Barney microphone. Children can press the top musical not on their microphone to make Barney come to life and start singing and dancing.