Press release -
Toy Fair 2019 to host ninth annual Design Student Seminar
Speakers to include experts from iLLUMiARTi Ltd, Agile IP and Mojo Nation
(London, UK) 12 December, 2018 -The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) has today announced the lineup for the ninth annual Design Student Seminar at Toy Fair 2019. The event will take place on Thursday 24th January in the Apex Room at Olympia, London.
The Student Design Seminar is an annual event organised by the BTHA at Toy Fair. The event is aimed at current design students to encourage them to consider a career in the toy industry, and features presentations from leading industry experts. Talks cover diverse subjects from the process of designing a toy, to legal and IP protection.
This year, speakers include Marisa Morgan, designer and owner of iLLUMiARTi Ltd and consultant to Mattel, as well as David Fry from Agile IP who will discuss the importance of protecting intellectual property and Billy Langsworthy Co-founder of Mojo Nation.
More than 120 students attended the seminar at Toy Fair 2018, which included speakers from Mojo Nation, Big Ideas Product Development, and Leslie Scott, the creator of Jenga.
“The seminar gives you a different perspective into what users want and what the industry needs,” said Vinicius Schmidt, student at the University of Sussex, who attended the seminar at Toy Fair 2018.
“There’s a lot of things that go into [the industry] that I didn’t think about,” added Ethan Hayes, student at Kingston University. “It was really interesting hearing about the marketing.”
Attendees at the Design Student Seminar 2019 will include students from Kingston University, University of Sussex, London South Bank University, University of Northampton, University of Portsmouth, plus more.
“Our annual visit to the Toy Fair has become an essential calendar event, introducing our students to the amazing and varied world of toy design,” said Philip Davies, Associate Professor and Course Director of Product & Furniture Design BA at Kingston University. “The talks provide direct knowledge of toy design, marketing and intellectual property protection essential for the professional practice experience of our students. It’s a super inspiring event that triggers the imagination of our next generation of toy designers.”
“We’re delighted to host the ninth annual Student Design Seminar at Toy Fair this year,” said Rebecca Deeming, Public Relations Manager for the BTHA. “The UK is renowed for its creative and innovative toy industry, and we’re proud to do our part in supporting our pipeline of talent from top universities.”
Toy Fair takes place at Olympia, London from 22-24 January 2019. To register for a free pass to the show simply visit www.toyfair.co.uk.
Follow the latest Toy Fair news on Twitter at @toyfairuk. For operations and sponsorship enquiries, please contact Majen@btha.co.uk.
Note to editors:
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About Toy Fair
Toy Fair is the UK’s largest dedicated toy, game and hobby trade exhibition taking place at Olympia London. The event takes place over three days at the end of January each year and plays host to hundreds of exhibitors, from startups to some of the biggest toy companies, launching thousands of new toy lines.
Toy Fair 2019 takes place from Tuesday 22 – Thursday 24 January. Press day is Tuesday 22 January. To register for a press pass, visit www.toyfair.co.uk.
Please note the opening times are 09:00-18:00 Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23, and 09:00-17:30 Thursday 24 January.
About the BTHA
The British Toy & Hobby Association was established in 1944 to represent the interests of British toy manufacturers and to raise standards of practice in the industry. Today it has around 150 members ranging from international toy giants to small family-run businesses that together account for more than 80% of the UK toy market. Membership of the British Toy & Hobby Association shows the member’s commitment to adhere to the BTHA Code of Practice under the umbrella of the Lion Mark which includes assurances covering ethical and safe manufacture of toys, toy safety, a ban on counterfeit goods, an assurance to market responsibly, a commitment to improving sustainability and a desire to promote the value of all play through support of the Make Time 2 Play campaign and the design of fun toys. Our members are manufacturers committed to making good quality toys in a responsible way. The BTHA also administers the Toy Trust - the industry’s charity.
