Toy industry will still have two semesters of difficulties

Sao Paulo-The toy makers are also investing in products for teens and adults, as well as the nationalisation of the chain, with the goal of minimizing the impact of the exchange rate and the reduction in the purchasing power of households.
Still, the second half is usually better than the first step of every year due to dates as children''s day and Christmas-which account for up to 70% of industry revenues-will still be difficult for the industry, says the Director of the consultancy Gradatim, Marcelo Sinelli. "We need to be cautious with the common sense that the worst is over. I believe that we will need up to two semesters to achieve recovery. A scenario really positive and relevant growth must take even more, "calculates.
Coordination Manager of industry from the Brazilian Institute of geography and statistics (IBGE), André Macedo, points out that the low levels of production in the sector are consistent with the economic moment in the country. "Moreover, it is a sector marked by volatility in commemorative dates functions."
According to the consulting firm Euromonitor, the expectation is that the Brazilian market for toys and games, excluding video games, register a growth of 4.8% until 2020, while the overall sales should increase around 15% over the same period.
In the opinion of Sinelli, this prediction is related to the economic downturn in the country. "We will not return to the levels of consumption seen in four or five years so quickly and this will affect the sector. I also believe that this number has influence of demographic data, such as birth index lower and the ageing of the population, in addition to the competition with the digital environment, "says the consultant.
Strategies
The changes in the style and habits of the population took the giant Star to invest also in options for teenagers and adults, with themes such as the backdoor and the reality show MasterChef. The company also will re-launch games like Detective and Monopoly on versions that are supported for mobile applications. According to the Director of marketing for Star, Aires Fernandes, the goal this year is to increase by 10% the volume of sales by about 2015.
"We are betting on new releases, at the convergence of platforms and on strengthening the marketing strategy to achieve this growth," says Fernandes.
The Commission notes that the imported were 40% more expensive compared to last year, which should ensure a greater space for items manufactured in Brazil.
In the opinion of the President of the Brazilian Association of toy manufacturers (Abrinq) Synésio Batista da Costa, this increase in national participation in relation to the imported shelves should grow in the coming years. "The industry has been working to bring news and our goal is to reach 2021 with 70% market share," said the leader.
For him, in addition to the rising price of imported due to the exchange rate, this change also relates to the quality of Brazilian products, which often overcomes the main competitors of the Chinese nationals.
The Exchange has also led to Sunny toys to nationalize its production of plushes at the beginning of this year, as the Chief Executive Officer of manufacturer, Gabriel Candi.
"Products made in China and the value of freight were expensive, then we evaluate it would be more advantageous to produce locally. There''s plenty of demand for stuffed in Brazil, then we gain in quality and price in this time, "says the Director.
Candi explained that the company is studying also the national production of games and toys, imported today. "We''re analyzing the market, but we can''t rule out that possibility. As had never done national production, has been a learning experience ", I add to the DCI.
According to the Director of the Sunny, even with the cost-cutting strategy, the company has had a difficult start to the year. He estimates that sales rose below 10% in the first half.
"Our estimate is a similar performance in the second half. Nothing indicates that there will be a boom of sales because retailers are ordering fewer "reveals.
Licensing
Already thinking about Christmas, Sunny will launch in November a line of plushes of the Powerpuff Girls. The company already works with Disney items Candi believes that graduates can yield better sales in the last important date of the year for the sector.
"It won''t be a year of retail stores are stocked, so buying only what there is sure to sell, as happens with characters and movies. Are lines of success. That''s our bet for the period. "
The consultant Marcelo Sinelli says graduates are a guaranteed recipe for the toy makers in slowdowns in demand. "It''s a recipe for success that can help leverage the numbers at a time of economic crisis".
In this sense, the Elka toys, one of the leading domestic manufacturers of products for early childhood, is strengthening its production of Peppa Pig and Chicken Pintadinha. The toys based on the drawings of the little pink and blue chicken are almost unanimity among the children aged between zero and four years.
For the company''s commercial Director, Eduardo Jr., in addition Kapaz child characters, the economic picture will collaborate this year to ensure greater competitiveness of toys of Elka front to those brought from abroad.
"Some importers have decreased the volume and frequency of purchases and this favors the Elka, guaranteeing greater market space. We are stronger in the lines aimed at preschoolers and this thread still has a lot of presence of imported into Brazil, "says.
"The devaluation of the real against the dollar [of more than 40% last year] ended up generating more opportunities at this time. There is more room for the national toy ", bet Kapaz Jr.