Content Company Highlights (part I) Family

The start of the BR Toys chain Family Tree



An introduction 04 – 05

08 – 09 10

Interview with the Gjoerup family 11 – 15 Family Matters

16 – 17

TOYS & FUN

The magic of toys: about toy hits and play

20 – 23

Toy Safety & Quality

24 – 25

The story of the BR Mascot

26 – 27

Toy Hits

28 – 29

Stores Inside & Out

30 – 31

PEOPLE

How to make a child smile: interview with store employees 34 – 37 Employees about TOP-TOY and their work

38 – 43

TOP-TOY’s view on children

44 – 45

Customers about BR Toys

46 – 47

Company Highlights (part II)

48 – 49

A Thank you

50

In 50 years; what began as a small family business running a single newsagent from a provincial town in Denmark has grown into the largest retail and wholesale toy business in Northern Europe spread over 7 countries. On this amazing journey, strong family ties and values are interwoven into all areas of the business. The mission statement ‘Putting a smile on children’s faces’ has always remained the same and lies at the heart of the company. We hope to not only provide historic insights and milestones, but personal insights and experiences working for a world class company. With a heartfelt thank you to all employees, customers and business partners, we would like to commemorate this 50 year milestone by showing how we have arrived at this point and to invite you to our ‘home’ so we can share some of our thoughts and family stories and lastly to reinforce the message of, “Keep chasing your dreams … ” The Gjoerup Family

Any questions or comments? Please call Corporate Communications at (+ 45) 4616 3656 or mail us at [email protected]. This magazine is especially made for TOP-TOY’s 50th anniversary in Denmark. It is available in Danish, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and German and is targeted towards all employees and interested external business contacts.

Published by: TOP-TOY A/S, Corporate Communications, Roskildevej 16, DK-4030 Tune, +45 4616 3645, [email protected], August 2013 Internet: www.top-toy.com. Copywriting: TOP-TOY Corporate Communications and Winther Kommunikation. Translation: TOP-TOY Language services. Photography: Birgitte Skyum. Editor-in-Chief: Sonja Beijneveld. Design and layout: duadesign.dk. Printed by: Cool Gray. © 2013, TOP-TOY Holding A/S. TOP-TOY is a registered trademark of TOP-TOY (Hong Kong) Ltd. BR, the BR GUARDSMAN, CLUB BR, KIDS-WOOD, FLEXI-TRAX, COLOR KIDS, BELLINO, PLAY2LEARN, FOOD ‘N FUN and HAPPY HOUSE are registered trademarks of TOP-TOY A/S. NORSTAR is a registered trademark of NORSTAR A/S. TOYS”R”US, the TOYS”R”US & Star design and the Giraffe design are registered trademarks of Geoffrey, LLC. TOP-TOY A/S is a licensee of Geoffrey, LLC. All other trademarks referred to in this publication are the property of their respective owners.

Company Highlights 1953 – 1990 (Part I)

1950 – 53

1973

1963

1978

Humble beginnings Boerge Rasmussen and his wife Edith start a newsstand called ‘Kiosk-Centralen’ in Roskilde, Denmark which also sells toys around Christmas time.

BR Toys is born Bjarne and Henrik Gjoerup, together with their father Boerge Rasmussen, open up their first specialist toys store on Skomagergade in Roskilde, as part of what has to become a bigger chain called BR Toys based on Boerge Rasmussen’s initials ‘BR’. Part of the chain’s concept is to handle toys as everyday commodity.

1964

The first 600 m2 warehouse and distribution centre is created next to the ‘head office’ in Tune, near Roskilde, (Denmark) to accommodate increasing business demands. Bjarne Gjoerup and the fleet of delivery vehicles proudly displaying the ‘BR’ logo.

1970

The first Christmas catalogue This catalogue branded with the slogan “We exchange with a smile”. This concept meant that if someone was not satisfied with the product and had a reason to return it, the toy would be replaced immediately without fuss. A unique value which the company still has today.

First milestone completed; 10 years with 11 stores. Boerge Rasmussen (centre) with sons Henrik and Bjarne Gjoerup: The first 11 stores are open (in hindsight) only 240 to go.

BR Toys opens first stores on Danish mainland (Jutland) To further expand its business, BR Toys has decided to also open on prime locations outside of shopping centres. The first two stores on a high street open on the Danish mainland in Jutland: - No. 17 in Vejle - No. 18 in Esbjerg Henrik Gjoerup standing outside one of the new BR Toys stores located in the high street in Vejle, Denmark with its store manager.

1980

Own brand concept Introduction of private label A, B, C and D batteries. By introducing its own batteries, BR Toys wants to make it easier for their customers to find out which batteries to use for which toys. They therefore label their toys to match the right batteries.

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1982

First electronic toys The hottest items of the year are definitely the ATARI video computer system, the PAC-MAN gaming console and the first NINTENDO game & watch with DONKEY KONG and PAC-MAN. Classic electronic toys have found their way into the BR Toys stores. Riding the Hype Hand held electronic games were the ’hype’ at the time, so an own-brand line under the POWER Electronic banner was created.

1987

TOP-TOY introduces first mega toys store in Denmark Between 1987 -1995, a total of 9 mega toy stores called SUPERLEG get in operation throughout Denmark. Having spent time in the U.S. Henrik and Bjarne Gjoerup like the TOYS”R”US concept and decide to introduce it to their own market. SUPERLEG offers (10,000) more products and lower prices than BR Toys. The new store concept gives a different experience than people are used to which turns out to be very popular. SUPERLEG is TOP-TOY’s answer to local supermarkets already selling toys cheaper than BR Toys. Now TOPTOY is competing in this market segment as well.

1988

BR Toys celebrates 25 year anniversary TOP-TOY’s headquarters in Tune, Denmark gets a new warehouse and a modern office facility replaces what remains of the original farm. A milestone: BR Toys BR Toys stores cover 25% of the Danish market. This period is also known as ‘The Growth Years’.

1989

TOP-TOY opens first and only franchise store on Faroe Islands.

1990

To Sweden Moving abroad for the first time is a huge step for the company. A 750m2 BR Toys store (BR-Leksaker) opens in Malmö in Sweden. One umbrella On the 1st of November TOP-TOY A/S becomes the company’s official name. Before, the import wholesale company was called ‘BR-Legetøj Import A/S’. TOP-TOY will also use its new name for its own brand products for both BR Toys and SUPERLEG.

B This picture was taken in 1969 in TOP-TOY’s first BR Toys store on Købmagergade in Copenhagen, Denmark, showing three kindred spirits in love with America and in love with toys (From the left BR Toys founders Børge Rasmussen and his two sons Henrik and Bjarne Gjoerup).

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Family

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TOP-TOY is a true family business; it has always been run by family and families form the company’s core customer base. Many employees feel like they’re part of ‘the family’ too. Strong family values are at the core of the company. It’s time to meet the Gjoerups.

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8 Family

He fell in love with

- and the idea of BR Toys was born It’s 1962, 20-year-old Henrik Gjoerup is getting ready to fly to the United States to explore and widen his interest in retail. He is very excited about his traineeship at the Trenton Trust Company, New Jersey’s largest bank, which will later be the inspiration for a major retail chain in Denmark. Follow him on his exciting journey to ‘the land of opportunity’. On a beautiful spring morning, Henrik enters the bank to meet his new colleagues. Minutes later he is summoned by the CEO, the very charismatic Mary G. Roebling - at the time, the 9th wealthiest woman in the country and the first woman to head a major American bank. Immediately, Henrik senses a woman of great influence and power. “So, young Mr. Gjoerup, I hear you are from the wonderful fairytale country of Denmark”, Mrs. Roebling says in a caring voice. “I love Denmark, do you know Queen Ingrid?” she asks. “Yes, I know the queen,” Henrik answers in a don’t we all kind of a voice (he later wonders how to reveal that he has never actually met the queen). The following weeks are full of exciting charity events, dinner parties, business meetings, and Henrik takes it all in with great enthusiasm. He is introduced to Mrs. Roebling’s grandson, John Roebling, who is one of the bank’s key account managers for large retail chains in the city. The two young gentlemen quickly discover their shared passion for retailing and modern shopping malls. Over the weeks to come, Henrik is invited to join John Roebling in his retail meetings.

A dream is born

Standing in the middle of one of the most modern shopping malls in New Jersey at the time admiring the

retail chains, Henrik begins to dream about creating something similar in Denmark. He is very fascinated by the concept of a shopping mall, which didn’t exist in Denmark at that time. He loves the idea of retail chain stores. And he is very inspired by their modern self-serving concept, which reminds him of shopping in a supermarket. The fact that the customers can actually go pick out – and most importantly touch – the products is a great inspiration to him. Right there he falls in love with America and the idea of a Danish retail chain is born.

Retail chain turns into reality

Henrik returns home to Denmark inspired and full of ideas. He quickly calls his brother Bjarne and his father Børge for a business meeting. Immediately Bjarne and Børge follow his vision and decide to go all in – showing a trust that Henrik still remembers with gratitude. Børge has the financial backing, and Bjarne the knowledge of running a business from his years of accounting school. “So dad, what products do you think we should sell?” Henrik excitedly asks his father. A big smile comes across Børge’s face and his eyes light up in joy. “Children’s toys. Every Christmas, when we sell toys at our shop in Roskilde, your mother and I experience true magic. At the end of every toy you find a child smiling, and what is more inspiring?” he answers.

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Making children smile

These words were the initial starting point of the BR Toys chain. At this stage the three of them knew that they would sell toys at targeted locations in the coming shopping malls in Denmark, in colourful stores where children were allowed to see, touch and play with the toys – all with the warm mission of making children smile.

In 1963 TOP-TOY opened its first BR Toys branch in Slagelse and Børge Rasmussen’s shop in Roskilde was turned into BR Legetøj, followed by another BR Toys store in Rødovre. A toy chain was born, and a dream had come true.

Henrik Gjoerup in the office in Tune he shares with his brother. Denmark (March 2013). Although they have handed over the daily administration of the company to Bjarne’s two sons Peter and Lars since July 2009, Henrik and Bjarne are Co-Chairmen of the Board of Directors and actively participate in the business on a daily basis.

Henrik and Mrs. Roebling stayed in touch until her death in 1994. They often joked about his little “royal secret”. To add to the story Queen Ingrid would later visit BR Toys stores on several occasions to shop for toys for her grandchildren. For the rest of her life, Mrs. Roebling would advise Henrik and Bjarne to think big and follow their dreams. “Mary G. Roebling didn’t wait for women’s liberation, she was ahead of it, way ahead”. (picture: unknown source)

This picture was taken in 1971 during the opening of TOP-TOY’s headquarters in Tune, Denmark, showing three kindred spirits still in love with America and still in love with toys (From the left Henrik Gjoerup, Børge Rasmussen (sitting) and Bjarne Gjoerup.

While Henrik was in the US, he also visited a school to give a presentation about the Danish welfare model and hand over the American flag as a gift from the bank to the school.

10 Family

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1990

2000 Boerge and Edith Rasmussen

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Bjarne Gjoerup

2011 Elsebeth Gjoerup Pedersen

Steen Gjoerup Pedersen married to Elsebeth

Birgit Gjoerup, married to Bjarne

Henrik Gjoerup

Bitter Gjoerup, married to Henrik

Anneli Gjoerup

Peter Gjoerup

Lars Gjoerup

Christian Gjoerup

Caroline Gjoerup

Thomas Gjoerup

Susanne Gjoerup married to Peter Children: Sarah Marcus Frederik

Eldy Gjoerup married to Lars Children: Christine Carina

Lauren Gjoerup married to Christian Children: Dillon William

Ravi Asirvatham married to Caroline

Annizette Gjoerup married to Thomas

Child: Conrad

Children: Martin Casper

Children: Rasmus August

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Meet the

Gjoerups - a hardworking family determined to have fun As they gather at Peter Work hard – have fun – and improve of the family work in various parts of the Gjoerup’s office for an interview Members company, on all levels, from the fourth generation on the selling floor to category managers, board members, and for the big BR Toys 50-year managing directors in Denmark and Hong Kong. When anniversary, the Gjoerups asked to describe the company in a few words, the family portrays TOP-TOY as a family-driven enterprise dedicated chatter and laugh like any to hard work and having fun. normal family. Lars: To maintain our quality while growing rather rapidly, The tone is light, and the room it is crucial that our employees take responsibility and full of mutual respect. always remain eager to improve. Together we can make a What are your thoughts on the celebration of this big 50-year anniversary? Henrik: When Bjarne and I first started to plan this anniversary, we wanted to throw a BIG party and invite all our employees to celebrate with us. But gathering over 3,000 people in one room seemed impersonal to us, and it didn’t really match our informal family spirit. We ended up deciding to celebrate the 25th and 50th anniversary country by country. That way, we can give our full attention to every group of employees and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. So we’ll have the Danish party this year, and then a party in Sweden in three years, and so on. Peter: We look very much forward to celebrating the big day with our employees and hope they will experience a day to remember.

difference, if every employee improves just a small part of the operation every day.

Peter: We do our best to employ happy people who care about their work and like to get involved, and we believe we have put together a great team at every level. No matter how hard we all work at TOP-TOY, we need to remember to have fun, smile, and take care of each other. That goes for all our stakeholders: our colleagues, suppliers, customers, and especially the children who love our toys.

Work – work balance

Sitting in the room listening to the Gjoerups’ stories, ambitions, and dreams, you sense the strong family connection. You also get the feeling that the company is the centre of their lives.

How much of your time and energy would you say you invest in the company? Bjarne: Well, a few years ago I would have said 120 per cent. Today, I am happy to say 50. I sleep a lot better at night now with Peter and Lars running the company. I have great confidence in them. To me it is pure luxury to come here and still be part of the company.

Already from a very young age Peter and Lars Gjoerup have been involved in the company, for example by building a complete ERP system for retail at age 21 and 18. (picture taken by Torben Nielsen for Computerworld in March 1989)

Henrik: At one stage an outside company was interested in buying TOP-TOY. Of course we considered selling, but only briefly because we simply would miss our daily involvement in the company too much. The company is not just a company to us – it is our life and we love it. Anneli: TOP-TOY is always on my mind. Of course we discuss the company at work and at board meetings, but we talk about it just as much over family dinners. It has always been like that.

TOP-TOY’s Board of Directors. From left: Thomas Gjoerup, Anneli Gjoerup, Lars Gjoerup, Peter Gjoerup, Bjarne Gjoerup and Henrik Gjoerup.

Peter: It is no secret that we work many hours a day. My philosophy is that as long as my work is fun, it doesn’t matter how many hours I work. I have three young children, and I spend time with them every evening. After they’re in bed, I often pull out my computer and continue to work – most often together with my wife who is also working in the company. I never really understood the term work-life balance. It sounds as if work isn’t life. To me working and family is life. Lars: Peter can keep up with only sleeping a few hours a night, which is quite impressive. I travel a lot all around the world and am often jet-lagged. To stay healthy, I need my eight hours a night and have learned to sleep well while travelling. In 2012 I spent 18 nights on a plane. A few years ago I decided to have a complete day off with my family every Sunday. I‘m quite happy to say I’m still doing this. Thomas: We grew up with hard working parents and grandparents. I guess to us it’s natural to spend many hours working.

The hardworking warm legacy

And so we begin to talk about Edith and Boerge Rasmussen, who founded the first BR Toys together with their sons Henrik and Bjarne. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the family talking about Edith and Boerge is their true entrepreneurial spirit. They were involved in many corporate adventures before selling toys, from cheese to weaving, tyres and stationery. Henrik: Our father was a true believer. He worked hard, had a vision and navigated rocky waters with great calmness. Bjarne: He was such a great salesman. He always told us to buy large stocks of merchandise so we would be forced to sell large quantities accordingly. There was no hesitation – “just get on with selling it” – he would say, like it was the easiest thing on earth. From early childhood we were brought up with sound business sense.

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Anneli: Grandfather was always fast. He walked fast, spoke fast, worked fast – but always with a little smile on his face.

3000 employees, offices in Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, Germany and Hong Kong, and an annual turnover of 550 million euro generated through retail and wholesale.

Peter: Vacuuming the shop carpet was the only thing he wanted done slowly. “You have to do it slowly to get it clean”, he would tell again and again.

What makes you proud about the company today?

Thomas: As a young man, I worked next to him at our customer service centre. He was so thorough and told me to always do it right from the beginning. I loved having him as a teacher. Lars: Grandfather would tell me: “Remember we want happy customers. We want them to return - not the toys!”

Our warm oasis

When then talk turns to Edith, their mother and grandmother, the family members smile.

Who was Edith, and what did she mean to you?

Thomas: My grandmother meant the world to me. My parents were always working at the company, but she would spoil me with her time, feed me well, and play cards with me. I loved her dearly. Peter: Grandmother was always warm, and a very positive person.

Henrik: Our mother would throw great parties. Our home was always open to friends and family. She was full of empathy and love, and created a safe and warm oasis for our sister Elsebeth, Bjarne and I, and especially for our children.

From the heart

Today, 50 years later, the family has turned one shop in Roskilde into 300 shops, including webshops, over

Henrik: I am very proud to be a founder and watch the company grow.

Bjarne: I don’t really believe in being proud – what is more important to me is waking up happy in the morning and going to bed happy. This company has always made me happy. Thomas: I am proud about the joy we provide to children every day.

Anneli: The informal tone of voice at the company and our family values are important to me. It means a lot to me to be able go to work happy every day.

Lars: I am very proud of all the people working at the company. I sometimes pinch my arm when I look at how many people we have involved in our family company. Our worldwide reputation also makes me proud. We might not be one of the largest players in our industry, but everybody knows us and appreciates the quality and integrity we stand for. That is very important to me.

Two ears and one mouth

With a presence in seven different countries and global customers and suppliers, new challenges arise for the family to solve.

Lars: I love the aspect of the international challenges. And I love my work in Hong Kong. I look forward to taking the company to the next level with Peter by my side. Having a presence in Hong Kong enables us to become more global in our mind-set. If we keep too close to the ground in Tune and only see the Nordic perspective, we won’t be able to keep our position in the market. The world is too dynamic today for a Nordic perspective alone. We need a global mind-set. In Hong Kong the speed is incredible and the pulse on the toy scene is intense. You need to get up early to keep up with – for example - the Chinese. Many of us in the family haven’t worked outside TOP-TOY and we therefore value the new ideas and input we get from hiring the right people, and from our global relationships. In Hong Kong we have employed talented new people with skills that will force us to develop and improve. We need to understand the world we live in if we want to compete in it. Henrik: We have brought in new toy designers based in France and Spain who have a strong sense of toy

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R development and a fascination for Scandinavian design. As we speak, they are designing new toys for our stores that will combine the newest trends in toy research with technology and Scandinavian design. We have great expectations for this new investment.

Peter: Being an international company and also acquiring companies like NORSTAR, we need to take good care of our company spirit. Many of the things we take for granted in Tune are not obvious in other parts of our company. Lars and I have the responsibility to create the right teams and educate newcomers in to the TOP-TOY spirit. It is crucial that we keep children who love our products as the centre of our attention, and maintain our strong emphasis on their safety and joy. You can’t change a company culture over night. But we are certain we can spread the TOP-TOY spirit and values across the entire company. An anniversary magazine like this is a small but good example.

are looking very much forward to seeing our new children’s tablet in the market this year. Lars: As we begin the journey into the next 50 years, we must remember that no matter how much we grow, we can never forget the big picture and whom we are here to serve. The children are of great importance to us – and we will always strive to make them smile with everything we do. Many challenges lie ahead of us, and luckily both Peter and I love challenges. We are determined to take this company to the next level together, with all the employees who are already on board as well as those who will join us in the future.

Lars: We need to keep listening to what’s around us, and especially to the children and the families we serve. I believe there is a reason why we all have two ears and only one mouth: we need to listen more than we speak. In our management team, we look for people who are passionate about learning, developing and improving. Henrik: In retail, we also make a big point in spreading the company spirit to employees at the stores. They are the face of BR Toys and TOYS”R”US to our customers, and they provide the smiles and service that the customers remember. Every year we look forward to our annual Christmas sales meeting where we get to meet all the store managers. We rely heavily on the store managers to spread our values. Some take this very seriously, getting together with sister shops in the area and putting on small events for the employees. They and their teams are our most important ambassadors, and we depend on their commitment.

The future

Throughout the interview, both the young and the older generation in the Gjoerup family show impressive respect for each other, pride in the family legacy and excitement about the future ahead.

What is the future of TOP-TOY?

Peter: Being a toy business, the children are our future. We need to keep up with them and the world they are growing up in. We need to understand the change in consumer behaviour and purchase patterns. Because of these changes, we will see new online projects being rolled out, and a new way of connecting our communication channels. We also need to keep up with the way kids play today. We

TOP-TOY’s future lies in the hands of new Joint Group Managing Directors Lars and Peter Gjoerup. The brothers have set their minds and hearts on taking the company up to the next level, and keeping up with what makes today’s market and children ‘tick’.

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16 Family

Family TOP-TOY’s story starts with this news stand called ’KioskCentralen’ on Skomagergade 27 in the heart of the provincial town Roskilde in Denmark in 1950. Boerge and Edith Rasmussen and their three children Bjarne, Henrik and Elsebeth were all active in and around the shop, which only sold toys during Christmas. From the beginning of the 60s, the family started the shop’s transformation into a specialist toy store.

In 2009, TOP-TOY acquired K.E.Mathiasen (NORSTAR), adding a wholesale division to the company. “Every time we buy up another company we have great respect for the new employees. K.E. Mathiasen was a family company just like ours with strong values. It is very exciting to merge two strong cultures and find common ground. Lars and I have the responsibility to show the direction, set the right teams, and spread a shared TOP-TOY spirit”, says Joint Group Managing Director Peter Gjoerup. From the left: Erik Nielsen, Poul Mathiasen, Karlo Emil (K.E.) Mathiasen, Kaj Mathiasen and Per Mathiasen.

From the left: Henrik, Birgit, Bjarne, Boerge, Edith, Elsebeth and Bitter having their daily family lunch meeting in their private quarters at the Tune office (picture taken in 1980).

For nearly 50 years TOP-TOY has been a truly family-minded company. From day one, families outside the company have formed the company’s core customer base and extraordinary family ties have lead the company to where it is today.

Bjarne and Henrik’s beloved sister Elsebeth (1948 – 2011) has also been active in the company. After a correspondence study and a commercial education at Niels Brock in Copenhagen, she chose to work as Executive Secretary for Bruun Rasmussen, Managing Director of the wellknown auction house. After several years abroad, she returned to Denmark in 1987, where she worked for TOP-TOY as editor of the company’s popular staff magazine ‘TOP News’ and remained as Communications Assistant for the next 24 years. Sadly after a courageous battle with cancer, Elsebeth died in 2011. She is missed by many.

matters Boerge Rasmussen (1914 - 1990), founder of BR Toys, has been active for the company almost all his live. According to Bjarne Gjoerup, his father was a hardworking man and a visionary. Bjarne adds. “He was also well-prepared for the next generation to take over the company, so his death had no practical influence on the daily business and growth of our company.”

It was Edith Rasmussen (1912 - 2000), co-founder of BR Toys, who has kept the family close together throughout the years. Being an industrious and high spirited woman, she has always been a great support for her husband and the rest of the family.

Many employees feel they are a part of the TOP-TOY family. For the Gjoerup family, employees are one of the company’s most important assets. Lars Gjoerup says, “Our employees are committed, and we are a non-political company with strong integrity, thus providing a comfortable environment for each ‘family member’.”

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B This picture comes from a BR Toys summer catalogue from 1980.

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Toys & Fun

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Although toys have evolved from being pure luxury goods for the lucky few into products for the masses in many parts of the world, they have always provided joy and happiness and learning to children. It is where they come from, how they are made and what they are made with that has undergone major changes. Let’s take a little toy trip.

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20 Toys & Fun

magic of toys Understanding the What makes a toy hit?

Store shelves are filled with wonderful brands from toy producers all over the world. But why do global toy hits captivate millions of children across cultures? Follow us behind the scenes at Mattel the company that produces massive toy icons like BARBIE as well as the many toddler favourite hits from FISHER-PRICE. What does it take to make a global toy hit? “Creating a global toy hit involves both art and science. We need to understand what mums and children are looking for, capturing current trends while predicting the fashions of the future,” explains Jean Gabriel Zalzman, Mattel’s Senior Vice President and General Manager responsible for Core Europe. How does Mattel adapt the toys to the local markets? “We always strive to make the toys as relevant for the local markets as possible. This means for instance that feature dolls within the BARBIE portfolio are localized, to speak the child’s local language. We also differentiate in

this matter with toddler toys, such as the ‘Learning Puppy’ that communicates with babies in the local language,” says Zalzman. Why is BARBIE so popular? BARBIE has a very special place in many hearts around the world. She is very popular because she enables children to play out so many different roles and dreams. Through BARBIE, the child can be a princess one morning and a president or an astronaut the next. She lets girls create their dream live, what they vision their future to be. They can ride a horse, drive a convertible,

Barbie Quiz Barbie Quiz Barbie Quiz Barbie Quiz Barbie Quiz Barbie Quiz Did you know that a Barbie doll is sold every three seconds somewhere in the world? More than 100 designers, seamstresses, pattern makers and stylists work around the clock to create her outfits and looks. And the audience loves her. Barbie is by far the leading doll on Facebook, with more than 7,8 million likes.

 What is Barbie’s real name?  What is the highest price a Barbie doll has brought in at a charity auction?  How many different types of pets has Barbie owned?  What are the names of Barbie’s three sisters?  What was Barbie’s very first outfit? What colour was it?

How much do you know about Barbie? Test your knowledge in this Barbie Quiz.

See the answers on page 23.

Toys & Fun 21

have their own private zoo or throw a fancy pool party. To date, BARBIE has had more than 130 different careers and inspires children to believe that they can be anything they want to be.” How an octopus became a zebra In 1993 Mattel bought FISHER-PRICE. To better understand children and how they play, Fisher-Price until today has a one of its kind research center – the so called Play Lab - and invites children and parents to come try out toys from the early stage of an idea, a prototype or a preproduction before going on shelf for kids around the world. Every year more than 2,000 children and 1,000 moms are invited to come and play along. The results can be surprising.

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Zalzman continues: “A few years ago we tested a toy kids could sit on, a bouncing octopus with long arms. We had great expectations for this toy, but neither the mums nor the toddlers liked the arms. On the other hand, the bouncing part was so popular that the children sat and bounced and bounced away. We listened to both the children and the mums and ended up keeping the bouncing part while turning the animal into a zebra instead. Kids adore the Bouncing Zebra.” The Joy of learning The designers at FISHER-PRICE are very productive, generating around 2,000 different toys a year and reviewing more than 4,500 product ideas from outside inventors. About 150 of these 6,500 toy ideas are chosen for a closer review and might end up in the product line. The core element in our toy development is understanding the kids’ needs, the developmental stage they are in, and implementing different elements of learning. We always strive to motivate the child to develop skills by adding features like shaking rhythms, movements, lights, buttons, switches, music, and colourful fabric,” says Zalzman. How is it possible to make a toy a hit across so many different cultures? In comparison with many other target groups, children are very much alike all around the globe. They tend to crawl, walk or talk at the same time and when it comes to curiosity, we are born equal, with a natural interest in understanding the world. Later we are raised to view the world through different cultural lenses, but generally speaking children’s interest in toys is universal. This is why deep research in children empowers us to make global toy hits again and again. It is all about listening to the customers.”

The article continues on next page.

The octopus that became a zebra.

22 Toys & Fun

Understanding the magic of toys (continued from page 21)

Understanding a child’s universe

To get some more insights into a child’s universe and to understand the function of toys, we also met up with leading Toy Expert in Denmark, Jørn Martin Steenhold, who has also been providing valuable insights to TOP-TOY for many years.

How would you describe the universe of a child? “Generally speaking the children play in two universes: A realistic world and a fantasy world,” explains Jørn Martin Steenhold. What are the characteristics of the realistic universe? “When the children reach their second year, they begin to tell stories when they play. They become storytellers. If you listen, you will hear the most wonderful little stories about their lives. The first stories evolve around their family and their home. They play realistic roles in realistic settings to test all the things they see around them. To play out their stories, children use tools - toys closely selected for the right purpose. They use a lot of different toys in an attempt to copy and learn from their surroundings, for example a baby doll to nurse, an oven to cook in or a rag to wash a car. As they begin to experience the world outside their home, like the playground and the supermarket, they also begin to dream about their future. Will they become a doctor, a fire fighter, a hair stylist or maybe a vet? Jørn Martin Steenhold is Cand. Phil and associated partner at Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies (www.cifs.dk). He is the author of many books on children and toys, and is known as the leading toy expert in Denmark.

What happens in the fantasy universe? Alongside the realistic universe, the children also have access to a magical fantasy universe with amazing stories of heroes, beautiful princesses, helpful magic animals, dangerous trolls and other beings. The fantasy universe allows the children to dream of utopia – of romantic marriages with a prince, of becoming the first child on the moon or the next SUPERMAN. In the realistic universe gender is not really expressed, whereas boys and girls play very differently in the fantasy universe. While the boys in general battle monsters and aliens in horrific

death games, the girls are likely to indulge in glamour with fabulous careers, stardom, or extreme wealth.

The meaning of the universes What happens if children don’t play within these two universes? It is very important to state that children need to have access to both the realistic and the fantasy universes. They need to play with both universes at the same time to learn to separate real life from fiction and right from wrong. For instance when a young boy is playing the role of a knight on his horse and slams his wooden sword into the head of his younger brother, he immediately gets a reaction, and learns that the sword can hurt, and that he needs to adjust his behaviour for the game to be fun for both brothers.

Toys & Fun 23

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, June

2013

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The importance of toys How can toys support the development of children? Toys are very important in children’s lives. When children mix toys from different brands we get insights into their amazing fantasy and creativity. Anything and everything is possible when playing and different stories are mixed between the realistic and fantasy universes. Adults can learn so much from how children are able to mix these universes and how toys inspire children to use their imagination. They use their instincts, curiosity and fantasy to tell their stories. I would love to see many more toys implemented in the schools, as we know how much children learn through toys and how motivated they are in school when they get to play. In my opinion play time and education go hand in hand if cleverly carried out by the responsible adults. How can toy producers support children’s development? “Toy producers need to keep a close eye on children and provide the tools (toys) they need. Of course as the children grow older they need new toys to play new games. Modern toy producers need to be sensitive, careful and hyper-alert to the changes in a child’s life and provide the tools - toys - a child craves to tell his or her changing stories. This can be anything from the arrival of a baby sister to a visit at the hospital, the first day at kindergarten, a natural disaster, weddings and all the other beautiful experiences in a child’s life.

The dream is the clue How can staff at toy stores support the development of children? TOP-TOY has played a very important role for the Nordic children’s access to tools (toys) for their stories. By providing so many different brands and designing wonderful toys, TOP-TOY encourages children to tell their wonderful stories. The store managers and assistants play a very important role in inspiring children to play new games or expand the games they are already playing. The wise store manager listens to a child and asks the child about his or her dreams. If you ask a girl what she dreams of or who she wants to be when she grows up, she might answer: ‘Like my mum,’ or like BARBIE, like the LEGO friends dolls or like Crown Princess Mary (of Denmark). If you ask a boy the same question he might answer ‘Like my dad,’ or like SPIDER-MAN or like the heroes in STAR WARS. The stories the children tell about their dreams will guide the store manager to help the child pick the exact tool he or she needs to be able to play out what’s in the child’s imagination. By supporting a child’s dream you allow the child to understand a tiny bit more about the wonderful yet complicated world we live in. I must say the store managers at TOP-TOY are excellent in this task.”

Answers to the BARBIE Quiz on page 20 BARBIE’s real name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. She was born in 1959 in  (the fictional town of) Willows, Wisconsin, USA.

 US $302,500 was the price of a BARBIE doll at a Breast Cancer Research Foundation auction.

 BARBIE has more than fifty pets including a zebra and a giraffe.  BARBIE’s sisters are called Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea.  BARBIE’s first outfit was a black-and-white striped swimsuit.

Check it out on page 28 in this magazine.

To see more fun facts about BARBIE visit: www.barbiemedia.com.

24 Toys & Fun

Toy Safety & Quality

The year is 1991. After travelling to Asia for many years, Henrik and Bjarne Gjoerup know it is time for TOP-TOY to open an office in Hong Kong. This will bring them closer to the heart of the international toy business and enable them to better monitor the quality and safety of the products from their main suppliers (and factories). Moving closer to suppliers A year later, TOP-TOY opens the new office and Henrik, Bjarne and his son Lars Gjoerup take off to Hong Kong for yet another ‘new’ adventure. Protégé, Lars Gjoerup only 25 years old, plays a major role in starting up the office; recruiting the right staff, linking the IT systems and training the new employees. Excited by the big city ‘buzz’ and being part of an international company, Lars sees more possibilities for the company and decides to stay in Hong Kong as Manager of the Buying Office. During that time, there is an increased concern for toy safety. In Europe; toy safety updates its levels for safety and TOP-TOY’s Buying office is ready and has, in fact, already expanded its activities in keeping a heavy focus on both product quality and safety. Toy Safety – A first TOP-TOY fully supports the EU in their mission for toy safety, which is why all products are subject to complex tests performed by certified suppliers and independent testing laboratories. TOP-TOY’s toys undergo physical tests to make sure they are durable and strong. In addition, the chemical ingredients are also tested to make sure they are safe for children.

Young Lars Gjoerup (left) and Clarence Wong, currently Quality Assurance Manager, checking claims after Christmas.

Toys & Fun 25

In Hong Kong, TOP-TOY is playing alongside the largest toy companies in the world, such as Disney, Mattel and Hasbro. 80-85% of all the toys made in the world are in China. The toys industry has a global worth of about 45 billion US dollars, over 2,400 certified factories alone with over 1,7 million workers in peak season, making Hong Kong a core hub of the international toy business and the place to be for all the major toys companies. TOP-TOY’s office is on the 11th floor of this building.

Shining a light of transparency in China From the start, Lars Gjoerup is very aware of the challenges he faces when working with China suppliers and factories. In the Nordic, ‘Made in China’ has many negative stigmas attached; poor quality, cheap materials, unreliable products, let alone forced and child labour, the list goes on … and of course this could harm business. In 1999, therefore, TOP-TOY publishes its first written ‘Code of Conduct’ in English and Chinese, focusing on social standards for factories manufacturing our products. It was rolled out to all suppliers together with the extensive ‘Supplier’s Manual’ listing the company’s quality and safety requirement for products. At that time, there was no standard for factory compliance and CE standards for toys were at an early stage. So, often TOP-TOY’s requirements were above the legal requirements.

demonstrate transparency to firstly the company itself, but also its stakeholders and partners, and ultimately, TOP-TOY’s customers. TOP-TOY has come a long way with regards to safety and quality in the past 20 years. All efforts invested in these areas over the last 20 years have led to customers who have grown fully aware of what TOP-TOY does and trust the company to provide safe toys and other products for their children. In realising the vision of 1991, TOP-TOY has not only shaken up the toys industry today, but has also set a paramount for what to expect in years to come.

Being a responsible company As many companies jump on the sustainability bandwagon, TOP-TOY decides to take being ‘responsible’ onto the global stage. In Hong Kong this is called Factory Compliance. The first step is to conduct factory audits to ensure TOP-TOY only works with factories that pay their workers a fair wage, have safe and hygienic working and living conditions and that there is no corruption and no forced labour. This means TOP-TOY turns away potential toy manufacturers if they do not meet to these strict rules. In 2009, TOP-TOY joins the United Nations Global Compact on a voluntarily basis to work specifically on areas of responsibility for workers in China and other countries that make the company’s products. Findings from factory audits are compiled and recorded to

Henrik (left) and Bjarne Gjoerup (right) with young protégé and Bjarne’s son Lars Gjoerup in their new Hong Kong office. Lars about that time: “The Internet did not exist back then - even Telefax was new. I remember establishing our first online connection with the Danish head office which enabled us to communicate directly via a screen. That was a hugely exciting moment.”

26 Toys & Fun

In 1981 when the first TV commercials ran in Denmark, Bjarne and Henrik contacted an advertising agency to create a mascot to represent BR TOYS on the screen.

The story of the wonderful BR mascot From the moment the Gjoerup family first saw the mascot, they loved him. Henrik and Bjarne quickly took him by the hand and showed him the world.

More than 32,000 Danish kids entered the competition. The name they liked best was the one selected.

What’s my name?

Fætter BR (Cousin BR)

Overwhelmed by the warmhearted welcome the mascot received from Danish families, Bjarne and Henrik decided to let children name their new buddy.

And so on a hot summer day in 1981, the BR Mascot made his first tv-appearance, showing the Danish children a red racing car.

When BR began to expand abroad, the mascot needed a name local children could understand. Today he has many names in many countries. Do you know all my names? Try to match the right name with the right flag.

Let’s play!

BR-hahmo

Denmark

Fætter BR

Germany

Das BR- n Männche

Sweden

BR-maskoten

BR-maskoten

Norway Finland

Answer to the test. 1B Fætter BR, 2C Das BR-Männchen, 3D BR-maskoten, 4E BR-maskoten, 5A BR-hahmo.

Toys & Fun

Our little buddy loves to have fun.

…is the king of play.

Everybody is invited to play along. The more the merrier. In 2000 our little buddy got a bunch of special friends.

He can make a game out of anything!

27

…and is the ultimate game creator.

One Christmas Santa got sick and called for assistance. The BR Mascot was proud to offer his assistance. The Santa commercial has been running on TV for more than two decades and is loved by millions of children.

I promise I’ll keep on practicing my ‘ho, ho, ho’ so I can sound just like you, Santa.

Bjarne and Henrik cherish the mascot like a family member. In 2009, when they passed on the responsibility for their young buddy to Lars and Peter Gjoerup, they had one last message for the mascot. A message they would like to share with all the readers of this magazine.

Lars and Peter are already taking very good care of our little buddy. For the 21st century, they have digitalised him and created him in 3D. Many amazing adventures are planned for him for the future. And you are all invited to come along.

Keep on playing. Never grow up. Buckle up, friends! Let’s go for a fun ride.

Toy

Hits

28 Family

in Denmark

Over the years, lots of toys have been drawing the attention of children. Here is an overview of some of the toys most popular on the Danish market from the 60s until today.

60s

BARBIE is a true classic. This popular fashion doll was first manufactured by the American toy company Mattel and launched in March 1959. BARBIE has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over 50 years.

The figure and accessories were originally based on the Hasbro (US) 1964 G.I. Joe figure. The first Action Man figures were Action Soldier, Action Sailor and Action Pilot.

70s

In 1978, the LEGO Group introduced its first LEGO® Mini figure with movable arms and legs. They have become an important part of the LEGO play experience and in 2012 alone the company produced 400 million of these figures! Rubik’s cube was invented by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. The world record for solving this mechanical puzzle is 5,55 seconds.

Family 29

MY LITTLE PONY – These popular ponies have been produced since 1983 and feature colourful bodies and manes and a unique symbol on one or both sides of the flanks. They have also starred in several movies and games. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were introduced in comic books, but during the late 1980’s the popularity of the green heroes was significant with films and toys also being marketed.

The orginal Teletubbies is a British television series for pre-school children from the late 90’s which almost immediately proofed to be a huge hit, and whose characters Dipsy, Laa-Laa, Po, and Tinky Winky have captured the hearts of many children - and adults!

80s The first Polly Pocket toys appeared in stores in 1989. The name of the little doll came from the pocket-size cases they were bought in. Polly Pocket dolls today are two to three inches tall.

90s

The Ultimate Talking Buzz Lightyear Action Figure (Thinkway) derived from DISNEY Pixar’s popular Toy Story movie from 1995, is a very well-designed toy. With signature quotes like “To Infinity And Beyond!”, his pop-out wings and retracting helmet dome, it’s no surprise this toy found its way into many childrens’ hearts, and not just in Denmark.

Bratz were created in 2001 by MGA Entertainment as an American line of fashion dolls and merchandise. The original dolls were Cloe, Jade, Sasha and Yasmin.

00-10s

The magic began in August of 2009 when a company called Cepia released a new toy. The name: Zhu Zhu Pets. It didn’t take long for these fun and furry hamsters to capture the hearts and imaginations of children all over the world.

30 Stores

Stores - inside out & 1963 - 2013

Visiting one of TOP-TOY’s own stores should always be fun. To make children’s stay even more exciting, TOPTOY stores have always offered special in-store events and physical attractions.

Store facade

BR Toys in Denmark’s first shopping centre in Rødovre (1960’s)

BR Toys at shopping centre Fisketorvet in Copenhagen, Denmark (2013).

60s

80s 90s

90s

2013

Stores 31

Customers get discounts and children are always in for a special treat when TOP-TOY opens a new store. Reason enough to queue up for the big day … In April 1966, BR Toys opened its biggest store at that time in a new shopping centre called ’Rødovre Centrum’ in Denmark. The opening was a huge hit.

TOP-TOY’s TOYS”R”US in Oslo in Norway attracted hundreds of visitors on the day of its Grand Opening on September 23rd, 1999.

Store uniforms throughout the years

Store interior

60s

Today

70s

Future?

B The girl in the picture is Jytte Jørgensen, an administrative employee who has been with TOP-TOY almost from the start. Today, Jytte is still an active part of the work force at the head office in Tune, Denmark, and she still likes toys.

R

anniversar� 1963-2013

People

B

All of TOP-TOY ‘s employees strive to make their customers happy and put a smile on children’s faces by going the extra mile, every day. Though the needs and wants of employees, children and customers have changed over the years, they have always formed the heart of the company. Meet the people behind TOP-TOY’s success.

R

34 Stores

HOW TO MAKE A CHILD SMILE

Store Manager Madelen from BR Toys in Malmö, Sweden, made an extra effort to find little Alice a new bunny and some clothes to match it.

Alice in BR - Wonderland - Madelen loves to make children smile When three-year-old Alice and her grandmother walked into a BR Toys shop at Triangeln in Malmö, the store staff noticed that she was very sad, with tears rolling down her cheeks. They were told that Alice had just visited another store, where she had planned to choose a new bunny and a little dress for it to wear. Alice had been looking forward to the visit for weeks, but when she and her grandmother arrived at the shop, they found a note saying it was closed down. To Alice, this was a tremendous disappointment, but Granny knew where to get help and cheer up her little angel. They went directly to BR Toys, a shop they often visited during their time together. Granny explained to Madelen, the Store Manager, that Alice was dreaming of a well-dressed bunny. Madelen took the two of them to BR Toy’s plush animal selection. A little smile started to appear on Alice’s face. She quickly picked

out a grey bunny with fluffy ears and gave it a loving hug. “But granny,” Alice said sadly, “this bunny has no dress!” Madelen could see she could help with this problem, and turn her tears into a happy smile. She quickly pointed out to a selection of puppet clothes, and helped her young friend pick out a beautiful shiny silver dress for her bunny. “So Alice, let’s dress that bunny of yours,” Madelen said in a friendly voice. “Let’s do it right now!” Alice’s eyes were shining. “Yes, please,” she whispered to Madelen, who immediately unpacked the puppet clothes. Together with Madelen and her grandmother, Alice got to dress her brand-new bunny. The huge smile on her face was everything Madelen had hoped for – in fact, it is the very reason why she loves her job so much, and has worked for BR Toys for nearly 12 years.

Madelen’s extra effort and care made the day for ‘Alice and her grandmother at BR Wonderland’, and it was hard to tell whose smile was bigger as they left the store. Thanks to Madelen, Alice and her grandmother ended up having a wonderful day shopping for a new bunny.

We are very happy to highlight Madelen as a great example in how to make a child smile and in striving to make a difference for a child every single day.

Small gestures turn tears into smiles “When I applied for this job, I had no idea it would be this much fun. Being part of the BR Toys team has taught me that even a small effort can make a child’s day brighter. The other day a two-year-old boy came to the shop in tears. I sat down next to him, smiled and gave him a BR Toys flag. Right away he started to smile too. He played a bit with the flag and walked away very happy. His mother gave me a thankful look as they left the store. Experiences like that really make my day and give me the confidence to try to make a difference for the children who visit us.” Katrine, apprentice BR Toys Frederikshavn, Denmark

36 Stores

“

Smilegenerating events

I love all the events we create at the shop for the children. We just held a My Little Pony event with face painting and drawings and I loved every minute of it. I always dreamed of being a kindergarten teacher, but I never really liked going to school. By planning and executing events and interacting with the kids at the store, I feel as if part of that dream has come true. The children love to be recognized by us and are so proud when we know their name or ask about an event at kindergarten, or about the birthday party they are buying a present for. I love it when we can make them feel special. All kids should feel special. The one thing that my job at BR Toys has taught me is to be more openminded. Adults have a tendency to overthink everything. Having kids around you all day long teaches you to be more impulsive and break down the facade. My job has taught me to open up towards strangers with a smile – even when I am not wearing my BR Toys uniform.” Josephine, Sales Assistant BR Toys Strøget, Copenhagen, Denmark

Store Manager Tina Andersen (on the left) with her colleague Henriette in their store in Skanderborg like to make a difference for children.

Helping kids with challenges makes Every night when I put my day “ mysee head on my pillow, I a happy child’s face. Their smiles are my reward and I am willing to go the extra mile to make a child happy. Our new wonderful shop in Bloms in Skanderborg isn’t big enough to carry all brands and all selections. If a mother comes into our store on a Wednesday to buy a special present for her daughter’s birthday on Friday, I will do whatever I can to be able to deliver that particular item on the big day. If we don’t carry it in our store, I will ring up a colleague from Aarhus or Horsens and arrange for them to take the toy home with them, so I can swing by after work and pick it up for the mother to collect at the store. Knowing that driving those extra kilometers on my way home can bring happiness to a child on her birthday is worth all the effort. However, the best part of my job is when I can make a difference for a child with physical challenges. Last autumn,

we would open up early for a child who had been diagnosed with cancer. This little girl could never come to the store during our normal opening hours because of the risk of infection from other kids. She would walk around the shop with big eyes, pick out a small thing, come to me and pay with her little red lady purse, and then … she would smile at me. It really worries me that I haven’t seen her around lately and my heart goes out to her and her family. Kids like her are very dear to me and teach me a great deal about life.” Tina Andersen, Store Manager, BR Toys, Bloms Skanderborg, Denmark

38 People

Our customers always decide what’s right Interview with TOP-TOY’s Retail Sales Director Denmark Brian Dannaher

When Brian Dannaher, age 23, took a job as first man at BR Toys at Søndergade in Århus, Denmark in 1982, he had no intention of staying there for long. BR Toys was, after all, merely a stepping stone in the right direction of one day owning his own store or becoming a manager somewhere. Had anyone told him he would stick around for some 30 years or more, he would have been … amused. The ultimate service dream scenario

Yes, current Retail Sales Director for BR Toys and TOYS”R”US in Denmark Brian Dannaher likes to think big.

Is that why he is also such a fan of the Big Apple? Brian: “I’m crazy for New York, and visit the place every year, for 12 years in a row now. It makes me feel like I’m on top of the world. New York’s got everything. I especially like the underground Apple store on 5th Avenue where you can shop around the clock and one sales person can service you all the way by using one mobile device only. I expect one day we are able to service TOP-TOY customers the same way Apple does.”

Driven by passion

There’s another reason Brian likes the big city buzz. He is a high energy person, and when he’s not driving around the country visiting stores, he’s out investigating new store or service concepts, or you will find him out running or in the gym where he practices boxing three times a week. According to his boss Søren Blangsted, the reason Brian has been around for such a long time, is that he has constantly developed himself in line with the company’s development, and he has never been afraid of taking on new and exciting challenges. Søren: “It’s impressive to see Brian’s drive after all those years of having been employed by TOP-TOY.”

People 39

Brian Dannaher expects TOP-TOY to follow in Apple’s footsteps when it comes to servicing customers around the clock and in the best and quickest way possible. Picture: Apple, 5th Avenue, New York

Passion for sales

“I have always wanted to work in sales and like customer contact. From my first boss with TOP-TOY, Egon Jørgensen, I have learned a lot. He really taught me the ropes, like e.g. that business sense means to really believing in a product and acting accordingly and always think two steps ahead.” Brian Dannaher has definitely put his mark on TOP-TOY’s retail service and store concepts. He has been responsible for the establishment of more than 80 stores and even more renovations and reconstructions throughout his time. “When I came here, there were 34 stores and I haven’t been able to keep the number down since,” he admits.

We have to keep re-inventing ourselves

The competition in the toy industry is tough. “Customers have a lot of options to choose from these days. We want them to choose us. We want them to be happy and satisfied, and offering excellent service in every way is one way of doing that. It’s also important we stay visible on a local level and offer customers lots of in-store activities. Always finding new ways and trying to be visionary is also of vital importance to keep ahead of competition. Bottom line though is that we have to give the customers what they want because they are always right.”

Stop at the top

30 Years of faithful TOP-TOY service has not taken any of young man’s Brain Dannaher’s dreams, ambitions and hopes. On the contrary - “I still don’t feel like I am going to work when I am going to work, and I still want to feel I have earned the job I have every day. One of my tasks is to have store employees understand how important they are for our company. It’s important to stay active and alert. Guess I’ll only stop at the top and I’m still working my way up there …”

40 People

An interview with Hans Poulsen, Store Manager TOYS”R”US Rødovre, Denmark

Working for TOP-TOY means being ready for change Hans Poulsen lost 10 kg when he became Store Manager for BR Toys in Herlev, Denmark, at the time he was aged 18 and his first time as store manager. Now, 30 years later, he still enjoys the hard work, which is quite impressive for somebody who calls himself lazy. “When I started to look for another job as a 16 year old, tired of stacking shelves at a supermarket,” he explains, “my plan was to work for a bank. After all, sitting down all day long was my teenage dream, and the thought of actually getting paid for doing just that was fantastic.” A surprise career

Things turned out a bit different though. The bank turned him down and, by coincidence; he ended, or rather started, a career in the toy business at TOP-TOY instead. Today, he runs the 3,500 m2 TOYS”R”US store in Rødovre, where dozens of pallets loaded with toys and other children’s products are delivered every day, put on the shelves and wrapped up for the customers to take home. Together with a team of 26 people, Hans puts in long hours every single day of the week, including Sundays, and there’s a lot of physically demanding work involved as well.

It was different in the old days, where there was more breathing room in certain periods. Now, it’s always busy - there’s always something which needs to be done or taken care of or an activity in the store. Customer demands have increased a lot too, especially during the last couple of years. Todays’ customers are very busy people; they want and need things quickly and easily. We, therefore, have to be more visible on the store floor so we can give more service and live up to their expectations. I guess things in general are just happening at a much faster pace these days.”

Never a dull moment

Hans loves TOP-TOY

At some point, Hans must have gotten over his ‘lazy’ aspirations, since he is still active and appears to be having a good time at work. “There is always so much happening in our business which keeps you on your toes.

Hans Poulsen knows that working for TOP-TOY means you have to be ready for change. Throughout his career with the company, he has tried many different roles and in different places. “I started out as an after-school worker

People 41

Hans with one of his dear colleagues Helle Bødker who he has been working with for many many years, both in BR Toys and TOYS”R”US.

A Norwegian TOYS”R”US store celebrated the annual Carnival campaign by offering customers a 25% discount on Super Heroes products and decorating the store with balloons.

and became a Store Manager at age 18 which was huge. In 2009, I became Store Manager for TOYS”R”US in Rødovre and became a ‘giraffe’. I can hardly remember all that has happened – as there is too much. There’s always something going on such as the customer contact, my colleagues. I like that, that’s me. And I really can’t think of working anywhere else. TOP-TOY is ‘my’ company. TOYS”R”US is my store. I really wouldn’t know what else to do. I have been given a

In May 2013, TOYS”R”US organised a Star Wars event where Darth Vader visited the stores and children could meet him, get their picture taken, try out some toys or buy some with a 25% discount.

lot of room to take on more responsibility, and that makes me, in turn, feel like I own the place. I treat the store like it’s mine, and the family and my Sales Managers stimulate and support me. But there’s room for fun too. Like the time we set up the first BR Toys store in Germany in 2007. Afterwards we all got together for a ‘few’ drinks in the evening. Everyone was really happy, having a good time. The next morning we were there again getting the job done, as we always do.”

42 People

An Interview with TOP-TOY’s Business IT Manager Lise Lotte Petersen

A Great

Work-Life In the 20 years that Business IT Manager Lise Lotte Petersen (48) has worked for TOPTOY, she has always been able to keep a good worklife balance. “When I just started, Peter Gjoerup and I formed the IT department. He and I complemented each other very well. While I worked from 8-16 in perfect combination with my private life, where my family and sports activities demanded a great deal of my attention, Peter, who was single back then and a bit of a workaholic, started later in the day and – lucky me - took on everything I could not.”

balance

Combining motherhood with career

Lise Lotte is good at keeping work and private separate. Combining her job with being a mum, for instance, has never been an issue while working for TOP-TOY. “When I got my first child though, it proofed hard to combine motherhood with the job I had at Dansk Supermarked, a well-known Danish retailer business. I was responsible for managing textiles here but the hours were too inflexible. So, I decided to take an education within computer programming instead, while having a second child and preparing for a fulltime job later on. That turned out the right thing to do, especially when I was offered a job at TOP-TOY three years later.”

Healthy working conditions

Lise Lotte’s job at TOP-TOY proofed to be hard work but hours were flexible and the work environment very positive. “When I’m on the job I’m working - and I like to work hard - but when I’m free after work, I don’t think of TOP-TOY more than I should. And with the working peaks we have in IT, it’s nice to be able to relax at the other end as well. TOP-TOY gives me that opportunity.” Lise Lotte finds the atmosphere at TOP-TOY head office in Tune, Denmark amiable and easy going. “Yes, people work hard and are busy, but there is always room for a smile or some small talk when people meet in the offices, hall ways or the canteen. There is just a very relaxed way of speaking and a friendly atmosphere here. I very much enjoy the contact with colleagues who have also been here for a long time. Whenever I meet them, we chat a little and catch up. And even though the company has grown bigger, I don’t think it’s going to affect the way we are too much. There will always be some kind of familiarity about TOP-TOY. I like that.”

Already from a young age Lise Lotte was crazy about playing badminton. Today, she still spends lot of her free time on the court.

Since 1992, the IT department has grown from 1 freelance consultant (TOP-TOY’s current Joint Group Managing Director Peter Gjoerup) to about 35 in-house professionals (in 2013) specialised in Business solutions, Application Development and Integration, Operations and Service.

44 Family

Centre Children at the

Having children as the target group is a lot of fun for the managers in charge at TOP-TOY, but at the same time a very serious responsibility. It is all about a constant awareness and effort to keep children and their safety at the centre of attention.

Family 45

Not afraid to challenge business partners

“It makes me proud that the big players also know that we never compromise on quality. At a company like Disney we are known for demanding high quality and we are not afraid of challenging them to improve, even though Walmart or other big retail chains have already approved. If I am in any doubt I picture my own child in front of me playing with the toy and then I know what to do. If I don’t like the picture I see, I never settle”, says Lars Gjoerup – Joint Group Managing Director.

We turn down 9 out of 10 toys

“When your target group is under age you balance on a very delicate line. On one hand you are eager to bring lots of joy and happiness to children, and on the other hand you strive to keep them safe. In this dilemma we carry a large responsibility. Prospective suppliers present us to many different toys every week. We want only to pick the very best toys and therefore we turn down 9 out of 10 products with lack of play value and fun or quality and safety”, says Carsten Nielsen, Group Director - Licence and Retail Merchandise.

Working on a sustainable future

“Positive play, happy children and safety are fundamental criteria to how we operate our business. We also focus a great deal of resources and attention to ensuring that our products are manufactured under ethically compliant conditions in factories meeting our requirements. As these fundamentals are in place, children can play together and develop skills through positive play”, says Liselotte Gjerdrum Carlsen – Group Sustainability Manager.

Inspections and surveillance

“Our Quality Assurance team in Hong Kong carry out shipment inspections to ensure they reach our highest quality standards. We only hire the best inspectors/engineers to do this, and if they find a product that does not match our criteria we will STOP the delivery”, explains Clarence Wong, Quality Assurance Manager for TOP-TOY in Hong Kong.

Responsible marketing

“We strive every day to offer children the products which make them happy. Communicating with children is therefore a natural part of our every day work and we are very aware of the great responsibility accompanying our marketing efforts. We therefore also strive to communicate in a fair, honest, and clear way towards children at all ages. It’s our ethical responsibility and a pivotal part of our marketing strategy”, says Thomas Meng, Retail Marketing Director.

46 People

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Birthday BRfromToys

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At turning 50 (Spring 2013), BR Toys can safely say two whole generations in Denmark, and a new one to come, have grown up with toys from one of its stores. Let’s ask some of them their opinion.

Mum with Rasmus (9), and Nikoline (3). Favourite toys: Skylanders and Hello Kitty. BR Toys, March 2013

“We live in a small town, but every time we come to a city with BR Toys, the kids love to stop by and have a look. I love all the activities here, and the little tables where they can draw and play.“ Alexandra, living in Malmö, originally from Uganda. BR Toys, March 2013 “My three-year-old daughter loves everything about BR Toys. And I love to see her big smile when I come home and she recognizes the BR Toys logo on my shopping bag. BR Toys makes it very easy for me to shop for toys because of the broad range of brands.”

Thure, living in Bergen, Norway, originally from Denmark. Favourite toy: LEGO. BR Toys, March 2013 “In Norway, where we live, we always shop at BR Toys. I also love the BR webshop. We usually buy all our presents for young relatives and friends in Denmark using BR’s online service – it’s quick and easy.”

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People 47

R Mary Jane, visiting from Beijing, China BR Toys, March 2013

“I love this store – take a look at the Tivoli-size Carrousel to try! It all reminds me of a fairytale. I am buying one of these stuffed seals to take home. I hope to see a BR Toys store in Beijing soon.”

Dad and Joshua (8) Favourite toys: iPad and LEGO. BR Toys, March 2013

Grandmother Bente with Malou (4) BR Toys, March 2013

“I love to come with my dad to pick out toys at BR Toys. The LEGO selection is great. I have built all of the Ninjagos and am looking for new challenges. Chima looks awesome.”

“As a grandmother who gets to spoil my grandchildren by coming here often, I love all the benefits of Club BR. Today we are buying a present for our little cousin, who is coming to visit. He also has a membership. I love to see my grandchildren’s big smiles when they recognize that the wrapping on the presents is from BR Toys.“

Hans, father of Mikkel (7), and Emilie (4). Favourite toys: Dolls and X-Box. BR Toys, March 2013.

”We love BR Toys and come here two to three times a month. The kids love to come and play. For me as a father, it feels great to see them smiling as they test out new toys – which we often end up buying”.

Company Highlights 1991 – 2013 (Part Il) 1992

TOP-TOY opens office in Hong Kong To be closer to suppliers and keep a check on quality and safety, TOP-TOY opens a Buying office in Hong Kong, run by Lars Gjoerup.

1994

First customer loyalty programme is established in Denmark and Sweden. The loyalty programme has to keep customers shopping at their local BR Toys store. The program aims at kids 14 and under, and gives each child a sticker book they can fill up with the stickers they receive after a purchase. Kids who hand in their completed books get a discount on any purchase.The campaign also offers a newsletter / catalogue of products. Kids also receive a card on their birthdays.

1996

TOYS”R”US joins TOP-TOY in the Nordic TOP-TOY signs a master franchise to operate the TOYS”R”US brand in the Nordic countries. All existing 9 SUPERLEG mega stores are converted into the TOYS”R”US format, and TOP-TOY takes over the original 4 TOYS”R”US stores in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmoe in Sweden and the one in Copenhagen, Denmark. A new 28,000 m2 distribution centre is built in Greve, Denmark.

1997

TOYS”R”US opens first store in Norway By 2013, this TOYS”R”US store in Oslo is still the biggest one run by TOP-TOY.

1999

BR Toys first webshop BR Toys launches its ‘webshops’ in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. There is much hype surrounding ‘dot-com’ and ‘world-wide web’, but people are not ready to buy things online yet. After 3-4 years, the websites are taken down (to be successfully re-launched 6 years later).

2001

TOP-TOY introduces its own private brands KIDS-WOOD, FLEXI-TRAX, COLOR KIDS, BELLINO and PLAY2LEARN.

2003

TOP-TOY opens first BR Toys store (BR-Leker) in Haugesund, Norway.

2005

Expansion of distribution centre The Distribution Centre in Greve in Denmark is expanded to 60,000 M2 (0,5 km long) and equipped with automated systems which handles up to 8,000 cartons per hour. TOYS“R“US is here to stay TOP-TOY signs a new master franchise contract with TOYS”R“US for another 10+10 years. First TOYS“R”US store is opened in Finland

2007

TOP-TOY opens BR Toys in Germany In May, TOP-TOY acquires the established toy chain ‘ Salzmann Spielwaren’ in the Northern part of Germany, including the existing staff. Boerge Rasmussen’s grandson Christian Gjoerup (see family tree) is appointed Sales Director here. All existing stores are being transformed into BR Toys stores and are ready to open its doors for the public in September. Biggest ever in Iceland TOP-TOY opens its first TOYS”R”US store in Reykjavik, Iceland. By 2013, the store chain consists of 3 stores in the country located in Reykjavik, Akureyri and Korputor.

2009

TOP-TOY acquires toy wholesaler K.E. Mathiasen (now NORSTAR) and becomes the largest retailer and largest wholesaler in the Nordic. TOP-TOY 3rd generation family business Lars and Peter Gjoerup are appointed as Joint Group Managing Directors of TOP-TOY. Henrik and Bjarne Gjoerup become Co-Chairmen of the Board. TOP-TOY joins United Nations Global Compact As part of its on-going commitment to sustainability; TOP-TOY becomes a member of the UN Global Compact to support issues concerning human and labour rights, the environment and anticorruption. CLUB BR launched After the success of the original customer loyalty programme in 1994 (in Denmark and Sweden) Club BR is launched also in Norway, Finland, Germany and Faroe Islands. Success comes fast as shortly after the launch, the club has over 1 million members.

2010

Partnering with Mattel TOP-TOY enters a strategic partnership with the world’s largest toy manufacturer Mattel and takes over a large part of Mattel’s Nordic operation. This fits well with TOP-TOY’s strategy of NORSTAR being a leading kids brand-house enabling the company to invest more and longer term in some of Mattel’s core brands and licenses in the Nordic.

BR Toys re-launch their webshops in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland The below numbers were achieved after only one month after the initial official launch of the websites (1 Nov - 24 Dec):  30,000 customers subscribed as Club member online  Our sites were video plugged 42,000 times  12 million pages of online catalogues were viewed  BR websites registered 2 million visits  TOYS”R”US websites registered 550.000 visits

2012

New identity for wholesale business K.E. Mathiasen, Leksam and K.E. Leisure change name to NORSTAR as the banner for TOP-TOY’s wholesale business. NORSTAR was chosen as the collective identifier for all wholesale companies and activities. The name change took place in 2012; however NORSTAR was already the trade name of the wholesale operations in Norway and Finland since 1974, enjoying success in those markets.

TOYS”R”US launches webshop in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland

TOP-TOY wins award for ‘best emerging Annual Report’. Presented by the Danish Association of Chartered Accountants; the award goes to companies that are relatively new in sustainability reporting, but have come a long way already. This accolade means that TOP-TOY is officially alongside big Danish players when it comes to working strategically with sustainability.

2013

TOP-TOY celebrates 50 years anniversary – A summary  TURNOVER € 550 million  251 BR Toys stores  51 TOYS“R”US mega stores  NORSTAR leading toy wholesale in the Nordic  Over 3,000 full-time employees in NORSTAR, BR Toys, TOYS“R”US stores throughout the Nordic and Northern Germany and Hong Kong, with more being hired during the course of a year.

anniversar� 1963-2013

On behalf of the Gjoerup family, we would like to thank all the people who have made TOP-TOY the company it is today.

Lars Gjoerup and Peter Gjoerup Joint Group Managing Directors