Spin Master’s Hatchimals, the toy eggs that sparked a full-blown craze during the holiday season, was named Toy of the Year at the 2016 UK Toy Industry Awards.
Organized by the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) and the Toy Retailers Association (TRA), the awards were presented at a gala event in London yesterday, marking the first day of the 64th annual British Toy Fair.
News of Hatchimals’ win sparks little surprise—the interactive companions helped Toronto, Canada-based Spin Master’s Q3 revenue rise 22.8% to US$475 million last year. In fact, Spin Master had to quickly up its production in an effort to meet global demand.
Spin Master also took home a number of awards for its PAW Patrol brand, including License of the Year. MGA, Hasbro and Character Options also received multiple honors, while Flair’s Shopkins brand was deemed Collectible Range of the Year.
This year’s entries also saw an increase in indie UK department stores, according to the BTHA. The full list of winners includes:
Toy Retailer of the Year Awards
Independent Toy Retailer of the Year – JJ Toys, Gerrards Cross
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (up to five stores) – Starlings Toymaster
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (up to 30 stores) – SMF Toytown
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (over 30 stores) – Smyths Toys
General Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year – Argos
Department Store Toy Retailer of the Year – Arnotts of Dublin
Online Toy Retailer of the Year – Shop Direct
Overall Toy Retailer of the Year – Smyths Toys
Toy and Supplier of the Year Awards
Action Figures Range of the Year – Power Rangers (Bandai)
Pocket Money Toy of the Year – Mash’ems & Fash’ems (Character Options)
Interactive Toy of the Year – Snuggles My Dream Puppy (Character Options)
Craze of the Year – Pokémon (Esdevium)
Collectible Range of the Year – Shopkins (Flair)
Social Media Sensation of the Year – Speak Out (Hasbro)
Game of the Year – Pie Face (Hasbro)
Construction Range of the Year – Lego Star Wars (Lego)
Doll of the Year – DC Super Hero Girls 12″ Fashion Assortment (Mattel)
Imaginative Play Set of the Year – Num Noms Lip Gloss Truck (MGA)
Creative Toy of the Year – Gel-a-peel 3D Design Station (MGA)
Preschool Toy of the Year – PAW Patrol PAW Patroller (Spin Mater)
Outdoor Toy of the Year – Phlat Ball (Vivid)
Electronic Toy of the Year – Selfie Mic (World Apart)
License of the Year – PAW Patrol (Spin Master)
Supplier of the Year – Ty
Toy of the Year – Hatchimals (Spin Mater)