Traditional Toys and Games Licensing in Turkey, Eastern Europe, and MEA

Top five licences for young children 5-year outlook

Star Wars

Star Wars will continue to play a role in the region, as the brand managed to grow in certain markets despite global declines in Star Wars toy sales. Although there is likely some franchise fatigue, some households in the region are getting access to media for the first time and are just becoming introduced to the franchise.

Transformers

Transformers has been a major brand in the region for some time, largely due to the popularity of the major motion pictures. As 2017 saw the release of a new film with Transformers: The Last Knight, the brand once again saw growth, but it remains to be seen if it will see brand fatigue, like Star Wars, which will likely be tested with the release of a Bumblebee movie in 2018.

Disney Princess/ Frozen

Disney Princess and Frozen products have been some of the strongest performing licensed dolls in the region historically, and even managed to grow in some parts of the country in 2017 despite no major film release. As such, the brands will remain relevant for the foreseeable future, especially with the release of a new Frozen film in 2019.

Masha and the Bear

Masha and the Bear, while originating in Russia, has become popular throughout Eastern Europe and has managed to grow throughout other areas of the region due to its broad media distribution network, including streaming services such as Netflix. Given its strong cultural ties it will likely remain important in Eastern Europe, although its staying power in new regions remains in question.

Cars

Cars remained popular in the region historically despite no major films released in some time. As such, although there are no plans for more films past the recent 2017 Cars 3 release it is likely it will remain a relevant area of toy sales in the medium term.