How lucrative licences are shaping the toy industry
Business Daily
BBC
4.4 • 816 Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2026
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We look at the multi-billion-dollar toy industry. We ask why backing the right movie, YouTube show, or social media trend can affect your bottom line. And we hear about the challenges making products based on surprise hits, and how the humble puzzle could be the in-toy for 2026.
If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
Presenter/producer: Elizabeth Hotson
(Picture: Figures from the "KPop Demon Hunters" toy series are on display at Mattel's booth at the New York Toy Fair in New York City, U.S., February 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/ Jeenah Moon)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:09.2 | I'm Elizabeth Hotson and welcome to Business Daily from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:14.6 | On today's program, I'll be looking at how streaming platforms, social media and YouTube |
| 0:19.6 | are creating licensing opportunities for the toy industry. |
| 0:24.1 | Licenses are absolutely key. Without licenses, I don't think you'd have a business. It's what drives |
| 0:28.1 | the business forward. How smartphone apps are helping brands and concepts go global. |
| 0:35.1 | In the old days, you know, when you think of like kawaii and anime, |
| 0:38.5 | it's only like in Japan or in Hong Kong in Korea, right? |
| 0:42.4 | But nowadays, you know, because of IG, you know, TikTok, |
| 0:45.5 | the whole world get to see this anime world. |
| 0:49.4 | And why the good old-fashioned puzzle is set to be the breakout hit of 2026. |
| 0:55.4 | New IPs are coming into puzzles like Stranger Things or One Piece. |
| 1:00.5 | Puzzles are becoming really in and fashionable. |
| 1:03.3 | It's quite exciting to see, actually. |
| 1:05.7 | You'll be hearing all about that and much more in Business Daily from the BBC. |
| 1:13.8 | It's time. |
| 1:18.0 | The world will know you as pop stars. |
| 1:23.2 | But you will be much more than that. |
| 1:26.7 | That's the trailer for one of the biggest and most unexpected Netflix shows of last year. |
| 1:32.5 | In 2025, the South Korean K-pop Demon Hunter's animated movie |
| 1:36.9 | combined catchy music, high-octane action and world-class animation |
| 1:41.2 | to create a huge global phenomenon. |
... |
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