People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association, revealed the winners of the 18th annual Toy & Game Innovation Excellence (TAGIE®) Awards during a ceremony at Joe’s Live Concert Venue in Rosemont, IL. The event honoured the inventors, designers, suppliers, retailers, marketers, and PR teams whose creativity, passion, and collaboration continue to shape and inspire the global toy and game industry.
Themed “Friendship,” this year’s ceremony celebrated the connections and camaraderie that unite the toy and game community. Attendees from around the world came together.
“The TAGIE Awards have always been about people: the brilliant minds and generous spirits who share their ideas, lift one another up, and make play possible,” said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. “Behind every hit toy or game is a community of creative souls who pour their hearts into bringing smiles to children and families.”
Winners were determined by a public vote by consumers and the industry.
Honorees:
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike Moody, CEO, Seven Towns Ltd.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Phil Orbanes, game designer, author, and founding partner of Winning Moves Games
• Industry Game Changer Award: Judy Ellis, founder of the world’s first baccalaureate program in Toy Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Award Winners:
• Adult/Family Game Innovator of the Year: Nick Hayes and Mattel Games Team
• Breakout Innovator of the Year: Ron Weizman & Shooki Grasiani
• Innovative Art and Visuals of the Year: Nate Schimelpfenig, Mindware
• Innovative PR & Marketing Team of the Year: Disney’s Amanda Luna, John “Cody” Hampton, and Tatum Yusz
• Kidult Toy Innovator of the Year: POP MART
• Most Innovative Licensed Product: Tim Walsh, The Playmakers
• Most Innovative Retailer Award: POP MART
• Most Innovative Vendor & Partner: Indy Toy Lab
• Preschool Game Innovator of the Year: Moose Games Team
• Preschool Toy Innovator of the Year: Jordan Goddard, Indy Toy Lab
• Tech Game Innovator of the Year: Valentina Pereyra
• Tech Toy Innovator of the Year: KID Group
• Young Innovator of the Year: Persy Arcement
The TAGIE Awards were hosted by Karri Bean, senior licensing manager of Disney Consumer Products. JoAnn McLaughlin, senior vice president of licensed product, design, & development at Disney Consumer Products, delivered welcome remarks and Jeremy Padawer, chief brand officer at Jazwares, presented a keynote. This year’s awards were sponsored by Disney (Presenting Sponsor), Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, Longshore, Nextoy, Super Impulse, The Playmakers, Baby Paper, Backdrop.com, Peggy Brown Creative, and Design Edge.
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