4 Eyes

In my youth, anyone wearing eye glasses was taunted by the ridicule of having "4 eyes". As hurtful as that might have been then, that is pretty tame by standards of today's bullying. Eyewear has since evolved to where frames and tints make glasses fashion statements. At a Toy Fair Creative Factor presentation with my co-author, Richard Levy, I unveiled my latest inventions to assembled inventors, marketers, and curious guests. The initial line has three SKUs shown here:

The first SKU is The Spotter, to be worn by inventors. These glasses have rose colored lenses that allow wearers/inventors to scan exhibitors' booths and view holes in product lines. No more wasteful speculative time for inventors guessing on how to "fill the holes" to get marketers' attention.






















The second SKU is "The Judge" to be worn by potential licensees of inventor prototypes. The viewer (or as inventors lovingly reference this person, the "product picker") slips on these glasses and can immediately judge the first years product sales. Telepathic waves allow the wearer to determine up to a seven digit output of likely sales volume. The Judge will make for on the spot decisions by the licensee and new found euphoria for licensors.






















The third SKU is "The Banker" that allows successful inventors to see projected royalty streams over a one, two or three year period.

















Last minute production details are being wrapped up. We are on track for a $9.95-$14.95 retail. This eyewear should be a blowout, home run. For those vain users who remember too vividly being called "4 eyes", we are working on contact lens that can give the same results.

OK, if you have read this and are ready to order, it is time for a DISCLAIMER. This product vision is untrue. Maybe the Toy & Game world needs these products, but they aren't in the works yet, at least with me. But I do thank Elope Inc in booth 383 at Toy Fair for loaning these fun specs from their wonderfully whimsical line of playful products.

Where Have You Gone Millens W. Taft?

Each February thousands of people flock to NYC for the annual Toy Fair, an industry extravaganza. The throng consists of buyers, exhibitors, inventors and various other trade guests. Nary a mere consumer among those attendees. TIA insists badge holders perform some function that makes the industry tick. And it's a mature crowd. To get that entry badge, one must be over 18 years old.

One attendee, who has been missing the past few years after so many Toy Fairs where he was a magnet to inventors, is Millens (Mel) W. Taft. Beloved industry schtickmeister, Fred Kroll, each year would add to his record of 50++ Toy Fairs. But Mel Taft was at that same lofty total. He started attending the industry event in 1949 and likely exceeded Fred's self proclaimed attendance record. For most of Mel's Toy Fair appearances, he was the welcoming figure to inventors in Milton Bradley's suite at 200 5th Ave. After his MB days, he was a familiar figure at Fairs worldwide as an international toy and game licensing agent.

Mel was always easy to spot. Not many toy people reached his 6' 5" stature, wore a "crew cut" when coiffed styles were well passed the collar, or showed a preference to camel hair jackets over shiny pin-stripped suits. If not within reach of one of his loving back slaps, one knew he was nearby by the sound his friendly high decibel belly laugh that resonated throughout the aisles. Mel Taft had the inviting qualities that attracted inventors to MB. He was enthusiastic, inquisitive, energetic, supportive and playful. Here was a Harvard MBA always ready to roll up his sleeves and play. (And isn't play what the industry is all about?)

Mel hoped that inventors would mirror many of his qualities when they pitched ideas. That mantra was captured in his belief that to sell a new idea, "if you aren't enthusiastic and passionate about it, how can you expect others to be?" He was all enthusiasm for the projects he "sold" to his management associates that contributed to the phenomenal sales increase of over 100 times from his start date at MB. He was a driving force in making MB the world's largest game company. He was a firm believer that in the toy and game business, "product is king" and his vision of the importance of good product over the years brought many firsts to the MB line.

During his years as head of R&D, and a good many of those heading Marketing, too, MB introduced games featuring early TV characters. Hopalong Cassidy and Howdy Doody were soon followed by a long list of cartoon based games. Seeing that TV game shows appealed to the older crowd, Mel pushed for home versions of Concentration, Jeopardy, Price is Right, and many others. In fact, Concentration was the first MB million seller. He put the word "mass" in the category, "mass market games".

Sensing consumer attractions to celebrities, Mel lined up spokes persons including Art Linkletter, Lucy Ball, and the Odd Couple. Acting on advice that electronics were coming into toys and games big time, Mel signed on enhanced products like Simon, StarBird, preschool Alphie Robot, the Microvision system and a host of games with electronic features. To keep the MB line current with technology trends and consumer demands, he structured an advanced R&D group to design the latest micro-magic into products across the Company's varied lines.

But it is not merely in the success of countless products Mel championed to market that is testimonial to his contributions to the industry. He tirelessly badgered the professional inventing community to spawn new ideas and to bring those innovations to his company first. During his active days at MB, inventors had many licensee choices. But it was Mel's personal style--and yes, prospects of big royalty payoffs from successful MB sales--that got licensing deals done. With his belief that product was king, Mel Taft always treated inventors as kingmakers. Those types of inventor-marketer relationships so central in Mel's days need to be sustained today to continue the infusion of inventors' creativity and innovation into the current industry.

I might be a tad biased toward Mel Taft since he hired me at Milton Bradley in 1969; just another mark of his true R&D management genius! But in my view, after observing the new product side for many years, I can confidently say that few in the T&G industry have had careers filled with as many accomplishments as Millens W. Taft.

Pitching at Javits

Another NYC Toy Fair is upon us and thousands will soon assemble at Javits to do what they are expected to do: exhibitors-sell, buyers- buy, PR people-hype, reporters-report and inventors-PITCH. It is this latter group that scours Javits' aisles hoping a latest idea, through an oddity called "parallel development", isn't already licensed to a marketer and on display. Inventors live on originality and there is nothing more deflating than to hear a marketer judge an idea as "done before".

In our Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook, Richard Levy and I identified a glossary of over 475 bizwords that are a major part of industry jargon. For the inventor, these are the most common words they will hear in pitching product at Toy Fair.

Nondisclosure form/NDA/submission agreement: This is the agreement between company and inventor that makes it possible for both parties to share and review new concepts in confidence. It is usually weighted in favor of the company (it was drafted by their lawyers).

Product description: This is the verbiage where the inventor details the original idea and is often less read than assembly instructions.

Water or Coffee?: If time is short and there are several concepts to present, refreshments will not be dispensed by the host company. Inventors should come to the meeting refreshed.

Meeting bizwords that have positive messages:

Who has seen this? Companies love to feel that they are seeing a concept ahead of competition.

Send this to the home office so I can show it to my people? Inventors should make certain the sense of urgency to submit is maintained through the internal decision to license.

Meeting bizwords that have negative messages:

Can't get my arms around it/I don't get it: Uttered by an executive struggling to understand a submission.

Cute! (as in, That's a cute item!) Carefully, that could be the kiss of death...The saying is "cute doesn't butter the bagel".

You're kidding, right? It's downhill from there. Start pitching the next product.

We've already done that? A definite no interest. An offer to take lower royalty won't help.

And the worst bizword for the Inventor.....

Reject: Used by some companies when they do not want to pay a royalty. Used by all companies for any one of a myriad of real or imagined reasons.

So use kind jargon when around a member of the inventing community. It is likely that they dealt with considerable rejection at their last Toy Fair meeting and are now in search of a bottle of water or a cup of coffee

Ode to the Season of Giving

The Big Day is near and throughout the mall,
Stores are ever hopeful shoppers will buy all.

Flat screen TVs, toasters, and an occasional toy,
Whatever it takes to bring loved ones some joy.

Marketers try every trick they think to muster,
A 4 hour sale, a "black" day(?), even a "door buster"(?).

Hurry, to get "Best prices ever" those FSI's shout,
And there's "Buy one, Get one" hype to get shoppers out.

Buy now, buy often, buy even what you don't need,
It stimulates the economy. It's your patriotic deed!

Just be thankful this mayhem comes but once every year,
So get to the malls, smile as you shop, and be of good cheer!

Happy Holidays to All!

When you "herd" at the mall, remember where you parked.....

Co-Author Richard Levy Goes to War

Richard and Sheryl Levy and I felt the buzz for Warstones in the Duncan booth at Toy Fair 2009.

Richard C. Levy, co-author of Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook, launched his unique new game product with Duncan Toys at Toy Fair 2009. Intricately sculpted power figures entrapped in glistening marbles give a captivating effect comparable to priceless gemstones. But these stones are actually battle pieces used in a new form of war game play. In collaboration with Samurai Comics, Richard will co-host a Warstone tournament Saturday at 2pm in Phoenix, AZ. It promises to be a "don't miss" event for players who wish to see the debut of a game play that combines marbles and trading cards. Warstones will be the spotlight at a local comic book store and feature cash prizes. Get all the info: http://www.westvalleyview.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=35993

Those Jolly Holiday Elves

The glow from these Florida inventors suggests banner sales years past, present, and future for their toy and game ideas. Those hit$ keep these $un$hine Santa$ $miling. Blog privacy rules shield identities but the telltale iconic glasses can only mean third from the left, front row is friend and co-author, Richard C. Levy!

These happy faces are not rejects from Macy's Santa brigade. And they are in no way genetically related to the rotund, jolly, old North Pole original. These are the Sunshine Santas; toy and game inventors doing their creative work not in some inhospitable polar outpost but rather in tropical south Florida. Their St.nick-name and costumery are merely to show respect to the seasonal icon who has helped hype many of their creations and allowed them to enjoy a very comfortable tropical subsistence.

As a group, they are not only highly creative, but they are wise enough to have escaped northern climatic distractions like snow and ice storms so creative juices can be focussed on new toys and games. Why spend the day shoveling when time can be better spent making the next big toy idea into reality? When a toy marketer is searching for a break through product, one phone call to the Social Santa, and a whole itinerary is mapped out for meetings with the talented band of neighborhood elves. Chicago, NYC, LA and the Twin Cities maybe other inventor hubs, but they certainly lack the palm lined patios where the Sunshine Santas make their pitches. Talk about "blue sky meetings"! They live it everyday!

But despite spending most of their business days in idyllic settings, they do reluctantly leave south Florida sans costumes to join the rest of us in much less temperate NYC for February Toy Fair. Most likely the mission North is to view their fledgling creations on the big stage and gain assurance that the marketers will do whatever it takes to keep them in sunshine!

Congratulations Baby Q!

New game Quad•doku will be four months old at the end of the year. But it already has received a significant industry commendation. Dr. Toy chose it as one of the 10 Best Games of 2009! Nothing like a view of baby Q on sites like Target.com and areyougame.com to get the proud parents hearts palpitating. Of course you can always order it from Cadaco Games. May you gain more attention during holidays 2009, Quad•doku!