A powerhouse roster of keynote speakers and industry panelists kicked off the annual Toy & Game International Innovation Summit on Monday, November 16. View the full Summit agenda.
The first keynote, Mattel 75 Years and Fisher-Price 90 Years – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow gathered Mattel Inc. executives past and present for dynamic conversation. Mattel’s current President and COO, Richard Dickson, led the panel, which included former Mattel executives Jill Barad, Tom Kalinske, and Neil Friedman. They covered topics ranging from the value of play to encouraging innovation and the importance of understanding the strategic underpinnings of a brand when creating new toys.
Six other panel discussions continued throughout the day, including:
- Who, What, Where, Terms, Acronyms and More
- Licensing Your Ideas: Perspectives for Individuals and Companies
- Pitch like a Pro to Manufacturers and Retailers
- Inventing for an Invention House vs as an Independent
- Being an Inventor within a Corporate Design Department
- Innovation for Profit
About the Event
Now in its 15th year, the 2020 Summit continues through Friday, November 20. It is the world’s largest toy and game innovation conference, and is virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s schedule includes 35 panel discussions with 200 speakers from 20 countries over five days.
Organized by People of Play (formerly Chicago Toy & Game Group), the Toy & Game International Innovation Summit is attended by leaders in the toy and game industry, independent toy and game inventors and designers, product acquisition executives, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
The event culminates with the Toy & Game Innovation Awards (TAGIEs) on Friday evening.
About People of Play
People of Play (POP) celebrates and empowers toy and game innovation worldwide by providing educational opportunities, recognition and community for industry professionals, amateur inventors and people of all ages who love to play. People of Play oversees a number of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the New Inventor Conference, the Professional Inventors Conference, Play in Education Conference, the Bloom Report and the People of Play Foundation.
