Work in the business of play Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2008–09 Think work in the toy industry sounds like fun? It can be, but there’s a serious side to it, too. Find out if you’re game. att Nuccio’s work is all about fun and games. Elka Nuccio is a full-time toy designer: He brings Maria Mtoy ideas to life. Torpey The toy industry is dynamic, interesting—and, say Nuccio and others, fun. It includes the creation, distribution, and sale of everything from infant toys to action figures to games. “People in this industry are in the business of making kids happy,” says Adrienne Citrin of the Toy Industry Association. “And at the end Elka Maria Torpey of the day, that’s what it’s all about.” is an economist in the Office of Occu- Many workers are responsible for creating toys pational Statistics and bringing them to consumers. For example, some and Employment Projections, BLS. workers develop ideas for toys; others arrange for She is available at (202) 691–5719 or their manufacture and importation. Still others sell and torpey.elka@bls. market them. gov. Winter 2008-09 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly This article describes workers who says Jim Green, general counsel for a advance a toy from concept to consumer. Wisconsin-based toy and game company. The first section discusses the industry. A “Something will be popular for a short time, second section profiles three toy-related and then not, so you have to constantly come occupations—toy designer, product or up with new ideas.” brand manager, and advertising account Citrin echoes that observation. “There is executive—and includes job descriptions, a constant influx of new products, new ideas,” earnings, and required skills and education she says. This constant change can add an ele- for each. Following these profiles are brief ment of excitement to the work. descriptions of additional employment The toy industry is also competitive. options and a discussion of the fun—and According to industry insiders, there are frustrating—aspects of working in the toy frequently more jobseekers than available business. A final section suggests sources for jobs, so even experienced workers sometimes more information. have difficulty finding employment. Employment growth may be limited for toy workers in some areas, but opportunities More than child’s play should arise as workers leave the industry, According to data from the U.S. Bureau of especially those who are retiring. And as Labor Statistics (BLS), there were about Kathleen McHugh of the American Specialty 187,000 U.S. workers in toy-related indus- Toy Retailers Association points out, demand tries in 2007. These data do not include the should continue for the products that toy self-employed. Workers whose employers do workers create. “People will always buy toys not deal primarily with toys, such as those in as gifts,” she says. “Parents and grandparents advertising firms or at large retail stores, also will always buy toys for their kids and grand- are excluded. kids.” Toy employers are of three basic types: hobby, toy, and game stores; doll, toy, and game manufacturers; and merchant wholesal- Toy careers for the ers. Hobby, toy, and game stores employed nearly 80 percent of all workers in the toy young at heart industry in 2007, according to BLS. About 13 There are many jobs in the toy industry. But percent more worked for merchant wholesal- few are as integral to it as those jobs involv- ers, the establishments that distribute toys to ing toy design, development and marketing, other wholesalers and to the stores that sell and advertising. Designers, product or brand them to consumers. Fewer workers were em- managers, and advertising account workers ployed by the manufacturing companies that all play a role in putting toys into the hands of create the ideas for toys and produce them. consumers—especially the littlest ones—who The toy industry is often characterized will enjoy them most. as having a few large employers and many small ones. Workers at large toy companies Designers often perform specialized tasks; those at small Toy designers help to create toys and toy companies typically have a greater range of packaging. Their specific tasks, however, may responsibilities. “At the smaller companies,” depend on where they work. Some designers says toy salesman Jeff Cepielik of Glendora, work for toy companies, others work for California, “you’ve got to wear multiple hats.” toy design firms, and still others are self- And this industry is subject to fads.“One employed. of the things that’s unique about the toy Designers begin the creative process by industry, as opposed to some other industries, determining the general characteristics that a is that it’s sensitive to trends and fashion,” toy will have—for example, its size and shape Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2008–09 and the materials that it will be made from. manufacturer. Nuccio and his coworkers, like During this phase, they also must consider the other designers, begin by drawing dozens of cost to manufacture the toy. They might be sketches, such as those of a popular cartoon given specific requirements to work with, or character playing activities outdoors, for they might come up with their own ideas. creating a doll and its accessories. “We need Sometimes, designers research the type to be cute, funny, edgy,” he says. of toy, or user preferences for the toy, that Next, toy designers might meet as a group they hope to produce. Research, for example, for a brainstorming session and select some might help them to be sure that they’re of the sketches for refining. After settling on accurately representing a cartoon character ideas, designers make prototypes, or samples, or to verify that an idea hasn’t been used of the toys that will be produced. This before. And designers use information about involves different types of artistic, hands-on children’s stages of development to create work. “If it needs to be sewn, we sew it,” says toys that are safe and encourage emotional, Nuccio. “If it needs to be molded, we mold physical, and cognitive growth. it.” Matt Nuccio, who works for a toy Toy designers also test their models design firm, says that a typical project might to ensure that they work the way they are involve developing a summer line for a toy intended to. Designers usually send sketches Brainstorming is often an important part of a toy designer’s work. Winter 2008-09 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly idea, designers should target companies that deal with products similar to the one they hope to sell. Moffat, for example, identified potential buyers by looking for board games similar to his and then finding out the names of the companies that sold those games. But many toy companies don’t accept ideas that are sent to them from freelance design- ers. Small or medium-sized manufacturers are more likely to do so, say industry insid- ers. And although some designers hire agents or brokers to help them sell their ideas, experts stress the importance of and prototypes to others for input or approval, careful research to verify that these agents are after which they might revise their designs. legitimate. For example, they might meet with product Freelance designers also should obtain and brand managers or engineers to discuss legal protection for their ideas through a pat- the feasibility of a design’s manufacture. ent or trademark. Some toy companies, say Toy designers often specialize. Some industry insiders, look only at ideas that have concentrate on a particular type of toy or on been legally protected. toys designed for a specific group, such as Wages. In May 2007, wage-and-salaried toddlers. Others focus on designing packaging commercial and industrial designers, a small for toys, which can be important in helping a subset of whom are toy designers, earned a toy sell. But the best prepared designers are median annual wage of $56,550, according to versatile and able to work across all types BLS. A median wage means that half of all of product categories, groups, and special- designers made more than that amount and ties. Although many toys are created by staff half made less. The highest earning 10 percent designers at toy companies and design firms, made $95,620 or more. The lowest earning 10 some toys are invented by freelance designers. percent of commercial and industrial design- These designers work for themselves and then ers made $31,400 or less. sell their ideas to a company or firm that will Wage and salary data do not include produce it. earnings of the self-employed. Earnings of Freelance designers have additional tasks self-employed designers in the toy industry not required of staff designers. For example, usually vary more than those of full-time staff they usually must find a company to purchase designers. Many freelance designers are paid their idea. Some freelancers choose to manu- royalties, or a percentage of the total sales facture and distribute the toy themselves, but of their toy. A popular product that sells well doing so is expensive and risky. will earn more than one that sits on the shelf. Jon Moffat is a freelance designer of So, the more successful a designer’s idea, the card and board games. He recently sold the more money he or she makes. copyright for a game to a company that will Freelance designers’ earnings are often produce, market, and sell it. “It’s a lot like low, however, and they risk losing the money publishing a book,” he says. “I hunted around that they spent developing an idea if the toy and got lucky and found someone willing to does not sell.