American International Toy Fair Grabs "Gold" Awards for Growth and Innovation

NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Industry Association (TIA) announced today that it has recently received top honors for its American International Toy Fair. The awards recognize Toy Fair's position as the largest and most important toy and youth product exhibition in the Western hemisphere and acknowledge the event's innovative uses of social media.

At the Trade Show Executive Gold 100 Summit & Awards in Washington, DC, Toy Fair was honored as a "Gold 100" trade show, jumping three spots to #41 on Trade Show Executive Magazine's Gold 100 List of "Shows that Set the Gold Standard." The ranking indicates that Toy Fair 2011 was the 41^st largest industry trade show in North America based on 2011 net square footage of exhibit space. Since the Gold 100 List's debut in 2008, the show has climbed 23 spots from its 2008 ranking of 64^th place.

Toy Fair also received the coveted "Gold Grand Award" for "Best Use of Social Media" for its original "Play Happens" game, created by the Toy Fair team to transform New York City into a virtual game board and to reward Toy Fair exhibitors and attendees with prizes for their online engagement before, during and after the show. This is the third year in a row that Toy Fair has received a prestigious award in a separate category from the Gold 100 List; last year, the show took home the "Greatest Show on Earth" Award.

Earlier this fall, "Play Happens" was also named as one of five honorees for "Best Social Media Initiative" by the Professional Convention Management Association's Convene magazine. The awards program honors the best meetings, industry venues, destinations and service providers in 10 categories.

"We are so proud to take home these honors for Toy Fair and to be recognized alongside industry giants," stated Marian Bossard, TIA vice president of meetings and events. "Not only does Toy Fair continue to grow and expand year after year, it also incorporates the latest innovations in technology and social media to deliver the networking, business opportunities, fun and excitement that our show's 30,000+ global industry professionals have come to expect!"

The 110^th American International Toy Fair will take place from February 10-13, 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. For more information about the show – and its "Play Happens" game – visit ToyFairNY.com.

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and bringing toys and youth entertainment products to kids of all ages, representing more than 550 companies who account for approximately 85% of domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30 years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit www.toyassociation.org or www.toyinfo.org.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association