PEOPLE OF PLAY ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF THE TOY & GAME INTERNATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS (THE TAGIES)

 Daryl Andrews, Bang Zoom Design And SG Labs Receive Top Awards In The Toy and Game Innovators Of The Year Categories   

CHICAGO (November 23, 2022) - More than 300 people from 20 countries gathered under the lights at the Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago, and another 260 via livestream, to celebrate and honor the winners of People of Play’s Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (The TAGIEs). The event, which was back in person for the first time in two years, was sponsored by Disney, Oxford Games, Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, TOMY, Longshore, Nextoy, Spin Master, Super Impulse, Backdrop.com, Peggy Brown Creative and Barry and Jason.

“The evening was absolutely magical,” said Mary Couzin, President and Founder of People of Play. “After back to back years of virtual events, it was so wonderful to all be together again.”

During the evening, People of Play honored three industry heavyweights with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award including Kantaro Tomiyama, Chairman and CEO of TOMY, who appeared on stage with fellow Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Alan Hassenfeld, former CEO of Hasbro. 

“It is my honor and privilege to accept this recognition from my peers,” said Chairman Tomiyama. “I share this award with all of the TOMY colleagues who have always made a sincere and continuous effort to become friends with children around the world for nearly 100 years of TOMY’s history. Without their help, this honor would not have been possible. This award is certainly not our final goal. TOMY will continue to evolve and grow.”

(Pictured: Brian Chapman, Hasbro President and Global Head of Design, Development and Innovation. Kantaro Tomiyama, Alan Hassenfeld, Karri Bean, Senior Licensing Manager, Disney Parks Experiences & Products.)

“It is said that our greatest natural resource is our children. To be honored for trying to bring smiles to the faces of kids around the world and be a part of creating a hopeful future for them, I am overwhelmed with this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Mr. Hassenfeld. “I accept it humbly on behalf of three generations of Hassenfelds and our extended Hasbro family who are our greatest asset. As we enter our 100th year at Hasbro in 2023, we are indebted to The TAGIEs, our industry, and children the world over.” 

Leslie Scott, the founder of Oxford Games and inventor of Jenga also received a Lifetime Achievement Award.  She shared, “To have been honored by my peers, colleagues and friends with a TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award was astonishing, and without a doubt, the greatest achievement of my professional life.” 

(Pictured: Tim Walsh, Roo Games Co-Founder and Leslie Scott)

The official list of the 2020 Toy & Game International Excellence Awards are: 

TOY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Bang Zoom Design and SG Labs for DJ Bouncin' Beats with Fisher-Price 

GAME INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by the Michael Kohner Corporation

Daryl Andrews for the Real Truth Game with Goliath

RISING STAR INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by TOMY

 Julian Miller and David McGranaghan for It's Bananas, Fire In The Hole and UpRoar

MOST INNOVATIVE PR AND MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Spin Master

Hasbro PR, Nerf Team, and the Martin Agency for Murph: "Unleash the Play in You" Campaign

MOST INNOVATIVE ART AND DESIGN VISUALS OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Longshore

Rita Orlov & Jack Fallows for The Light in the Mist

MOST INNOVATIVE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Wizards of the Coast with R.R. Donnelley 

MOST INNOVATIVE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Snakes and Lattes

MOST INNOVATIVE LICENSE OF THE YEAR

New York Times and Hasbro for Wordle: The Party Game 

YOUNG INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR (under 18 years old) - Sponsored by Disney

 Cooper Dean for Chicken Poo Bingo with Goliath Games 

2022 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT - Sponsored by Hasbro

Kantaro Tomiyama, Chairman and CEO of TOMY

Alan G. Hassenfeld, Former chairman of Hasbro

Leslie Scott, Founder of Oxford Games and Inventor of Jenga

2022 GAME CHANGER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Mattel 

James Howard for his work with Black Inventors got Game (BIGG)

Mark your calendars for next year! 

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About People of Play

People of Play (POP) leads the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a wide range of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game International Summit, POP-pedia and the People of Play Foundation.  

About the TAGIEs

Founded in 2008, the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs) celebrate the outstanding achievements of toy and game industry leaders from around the world, by honoring masters of innovation and invention. The annual event also pays homage to industry professionals who differentiate themselves with their spirit for fun, philanthropy, inventor advocacy, creativity and humanitarianism. Inventors, designers, manufacturers, retailers, media and the general public come together for this prestigious annual gala event. The TAGIEs are hosted in the fall in conjunction with POP Week. For more information, visit https://www.chitag.com/2022-tagies

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Media Contacts: 

Emily Blosser | 404.434.2103 | emily@hudsonwestpr.com

Lori Jung | 917.399.6962| lori@hudsonwestpr.com