Spielwarenmesse 2024 launches larger and to strong international interest

• Unique diversity of products from newcomers and major brands 
• ‘Life’s a Playground’ – research, special area and presentations on leading topic
• Personalised networking opportunities and cool selfie-spots

An entire industry is simmering with excitement over the event of the year – the Spielwarenmesse, which takes place from 30 January to 3 February at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre. The organiser, Spielwarenmesse eG, offers participants from all around the world the latest trends and innovations, along with valuable expertise in toys and a broad range of networking opportunities. At the heart of the live experience is the Special, ‘Life’s a Playground – Toys for Kidsters, Kidults & Co.’, which concentrates on adults as a target group and promises serious potential for the future of the retail trade. 

Everything and everyone in one place

The Spielwarenmesse stands for impetus, ideas and inspiration – of the highest quality. At their international gathering, Industry and trade have the opportunity to cultivate their business relationships neatly and efficiently and to tap new distribution channels and target groups. “The positive attitude that we have experienced, not to mention the figures themselves, are noticeably higher than last year’s levels. Interest from overseas in particular is exceptionally high,” says Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. From ambitious startups to respected key players, all the relevant decision-makers will be attending. 2354 exhibitors from 68 countries will be there, providing plenty of inspiration for the trade visitors’ and buyers’ individual product range selections. 13 product groups in 18 halls are waiting to be discovered. Hall 12.2, with its fixed stands from familiar companies, has a gleaming new design that generates a particularly inviting atmosphere. 

High points in the halls

A number of forward-looking suggestions for business are on offer from the themed Specials by Spielwarenmesse. First and foremost: Life’s a Playground – Toys for Kidsters, Kidults & Co. In true-to-life and interactive scenarios in Hall 3A, over 80 product examples aimed at adult target groups are represented, divided into four categories: Collectibles, Premium Collectibles, Tabletop Games and Creative Fantasy. On top of these there are live demonstrations from Ultra Comix, Nuremberg’s flagship store in the Kidults field. ‘Navigating the Kidults Frontier’, a study by the BrandTrends Group, underlines this major Spielwarenmesse theme. It is also worth making a stopover next door for the domestic and international newcomers in the StartupArea and the New Product Gallery, with their pioneering creations. Further Specials include the Toys go Green area in Hall 2, where sustainable toys are on display. In the integrated Speakers Corner, experts offer information on the latest materials and production technologies in this field. Meanwhile, in Hall 4 the Insights-X Area – named after the eponymous trade fair – will be displaying products relating to the stationery sector and in particular the field of back-to-school products. A Special has made its way into Hall 7A for the first time: in the Model Railways and Model Construction sector, presentations of new ideas and a miniature funfair will be arousing the visitors’ curiosity. Consumers, too, will be taking advantage of this when the Spielwarenmesse opens up the hall once again to them on the Saturday, paving the way for direct contact with the exhibitors. For the first time, it will be possible to make over-the-counter purchases – on this day and in this area only.

Grand stage for expertise

The new LicenseLounge serves as a port of call for all issues relating to the licensing business. Produced in collaboration with BRANDmate, Licensing International and Licensing Magazine, it can be found in Hall 12.0. It houses a networking area and the LicenseTalks, which from Tuesday to Thursday share licensing expertise with both old hands and newcomers. A total of 22 presentations on the latest retailing knowledge will be available at the Toy Business Forum in Hall 3A. Every day from 1 pm to 4 pm, top-level experts will speak on the topics of Kidults, Sustainability, Trends, Online Marketing, Digitalisation and AI. In conjunction with this, on the Wednesday the new Live on Stage format will offer presentations from exhibitors. The trade audience will have the opportunity, moreover, to join in live as the expert discussions on stage are recorded for the Spielwarenmesse Podcast. On the Wednesday at 10.30 am at the Toy Business Forum, the winners of the ToyAward will make their grand entrance. At a media-friendly ceremony, the awards are made in six categories: Baby & Infant (0–3 years), PreSchool (3–6 years), SchoolKids (6–10 years), Teenager & Adults (10+ years), Startup, and Sustainability. 

Networking for every taste

The stimulating experience of meeting up with others is hugely important in the toy sector. The fair fosters personal contact with opportunities for communication and networking directed at various different target groups. Thus on the Tuesday of the fair, PressDay takes place in all halls: over 60 businesses and brands will be attracting the attention of media representatives and content creators with eyecatching activities. A party atmosphere is called for on the Thursday evening at RedNight, where from 6 pm more than 100 exhibitors will be inviting interested visitors directly onto their stands, to wind down with a drink and some good music. Joining in will be the relatively new product group, Services for Trade and Industry, in whose area in Hall 7 the Spielwarenmesse has organised a networking event. Those with an interest in games can cultivate key contacts on the Friday at the second edition of the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse – Game Inventors Convention. Games authors will be presenting their innovative new concepts to editors from the games publishers on Level 1 of NCC Mitte. This will be followed by the GamingHour, for networking and more gameplaying. 

Services to enjoy

For everyday networking or simply pausing for breath, four inviting VisitorLounges can be found at the exhibition centre. Seating, charging stations and water dispensers are available in halls 3A, 3, 7 and 11.0. Visitors can recharge their own batteries over a game of table-tennis. At the Spielwarenmesse, work and pleasure are not mutually exclusive: appealing selfie-spots such as the photo walls in NCC Mitte and NCC Ost, the life-size campaign mascot Furrington the Fair Bear and numerous walking-acts ensure lasting memories. With the aid of the Spielwarenmesse App, buyers can make their way quickly to their next appointment – using its practical mobile functions, compact exhibitor information section, interactive hall plans and the supporting programme, they can navigate their way easily around the site. Similarly practical are the integrated networking tools with chat function, audio/video calls and suggested contacts. The app is an absolute must and is compatible with the year-round industry network Spielwarenmesse Digital.

“The 73^rd Spielwarenmesse once more becomes a central live platform to provide a source of inspiration to an international industry that lives off personal contact and innovation. It offers the perfect mix of new ideas and trends, together with information, networking and entertainment,” concludes Christian Ulrich.