Bellevue, Wash. — Feb. 18, 2022 — The Pokémon Company International announced today that the Pokémon brand has been awarded License of the Year at The Toy Foundation’s 2022 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards.
Known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, the annual TOTY Awards recognize the top toys, games and children’s properties, with winners decided by votes cast by the public and industry, based on a pool of finalists determined by expert judges. The coveted License of the Year award is selected for the intellectual property’s success in product development and merchandising.
“At The Pokémon Company International, we aim to deliver the joy of Pokémon to fans around the world through our products, and being recognized as the License of the Year at the 2022 Toy of the Year Awards is a wonderful way to celebrate the culmination of a landmark 25th anniversary year for the brand and its partners,” said Amy Sachtleben, director of licensing at The Pokémon Company International. “We look forward to giving broad global audiences more ways to engage with the property through exciting collaborations and merchandise.”
Pokémon is one of the most popular and successful entertainment properties in the world, encompassing video games, apps, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, animation, movies, Play! Pokémon competitive events and licensed merchandise. The brand was the top-selling toy property in the US throughout its anniversary year based on data from The NPD Group, driven by its popular Pokémon Trading Card Game and licensed merchandise from Jazwares, Mattel, Funko and more.[1] The Pokémon Company International also launched highly anticipated video games including New Pokémon Snap, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl in 2021, as well as Pokémon Legends: Arceus in January of this year. Pokémon was further propelled by brand collaborations with Levi’s, Converse, McDonald’s, General Mills and OREO as part of the global campaign celebrating 25 years of Pokémon. Combined with a massive P25 Music program featuring some of the world’s most well-known artists including Katy Perry, Post Malone and J Balvin, the Pokémon franchise continued its legacy of being at the forefront of popular culture.
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About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.