Calling all our pen pals!
It’s National Stationery Week so it seemed only ‘write’ that we stop by the London Stationery Show to see our lovely client The Mitsubishi Pencil Company, where the team were showcasing an ink-credible selection from their @uniball_uk and @posca_uk ranges.
It was a busy stand when we stopped by (even though it was approaching lunchtime!) which demonstrated the strength of both brands in what is a very busy and competitive stationery arena. The POSCA collection was particularly pen-tastic with a display that cleverly showcased its ‘any surface, any time’ capability.
The iconic Uni-ball Eye is a favourite amongst Team Playtime, although the new, bang on-trend One P certainly turned a few heads at our recent Team Day…
Playful comms: it’s how we roll(erball).
#NatStatWeek #LoveStationery #WritingMatters #InkResponsibly uni-ball #posca
PLAY IN THE WILD
Today is Sir David Attenborough’s 100th Birthday so we couldn’t let the day pass without acknowledging this milestone. A national treasure, David Attenborough has brought us many memorable events throughout his stellar career in broadcasting however, for us, the most wonderful is this ⬆️ Seeing him playfully interact with Poppy and Pablo, the mountain gorillas in Rwanda (under the guidance of US gorilla expert, Dian Fossey), is just a joy to watch. As well as demonstrating Sir David’s affinity with the natural world, it also shows how powerful play can be, breaking through barriers and creating unforgettable, life-changing moments.
Happy Birthday, Sir David!
📷 BBC News
#playispower #playfulcomms #davidattenborough
Original story link here: /news/articles/ce9n794g42zo
Play is powerful and everyone has the right to access it, whoever they are and whatever their age.
We established Libraries Board Game Club as an extension of our regular Board Game Club nights in response to the increasing number of barriers preventing families and wider groups from embracing the joy of play. We LOVE seeing the impact that the initiative has had on libraries and their communities, so big thanks to Harwich Library @essexlibraries for sharing this image of their recent Board Game Café event, which was set up using the games supplied by our Libraries Board Game Club programme. The event proved so successful that they plan to hold a Café event every quarter alongside the daily games that they offer in the library! At this particular event, the Exploding Kittens Board Game proved a popular choice, but this is just one example of how Playtime's Libraries Board Game Club continues to contribute to our wider mission of making lives more playful.
Photo credit: @essexlibraries
#playispowerful #boardgames #playisgood #games #libraries #librariesboardgameclub
We’re channelling The Rule of Three at Playtime HQ because for the third week running, we’ve got more positive news to share! The theme of threes continues as we celebrate our third anniversary of achieving @goodbusinesscharter accreditation! ⭐
This national recognition reflects our commitment to doing business responsibly; putting people and the planet at the heart of how the agency operates.
The Good Business Charter sets a high bar. To gain accreditation, we’re committed to ten components, which include paying the real Living Wage, listening to employee voices, sourcing ethically, protecting the environment and paying our fair share of tax.
Working to create a fairer, more sustainable society for all has been part of the Playtime mission from day 1; and so we’re immensely proud to gain this accreditation once again, which demonstrates that we care about how we do not just business, but GOOD business.
#GoodBusinessMatters #GoodNews #PRAgency
The excellent (or should we say eggscellent?) news continues this week with no less than SIX of our clients’ playthings appearing in @thismorning ’s Ultimate Easter Gift Guide!
We know that landing coverage like this delivers real, meaningful impact; increasing awareness, brand recall and sales, so our team works hard to ensure our clients’ products are seen by the right people at the right time, whilst carefully combining storytelling, relevance and knowing what works on TV.
Six products, one of the UK’s most influential daytime shows, and perfect Easter timing. This is smart PR delivering real-world results, putting our clients’ products directly in front of families ready to buy. A great moment for ZURU’s Rainbocorns Wild Heart Surprise and Smashers Mini Jurassic Light Up Ice Age Eggs, Sylvanian Families Easter Celebration Set and Easter Egg Hutch from Epoch Making Toys, plus Egg Surprise and Hot Cross Bunnies from Orchard Toys.
Now that’s what we call a cracking result.
#easter #thismorning #eggalternatives #playfulcomms #pr
STARTING THE WEEK ON A HIGH
We’re kicking off the week with some brilliant news: we’re a 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Awards Finalist! It’s fantastic to be shortlisted again by Inspiring Workplaces and the independent panel of judges in the 2026 UK & Ireland Inspiring Workplaces Awards, sponsored by Prezzee.
The Inspiring Workplaces Awards honours organisations that put their PeopleFirst, creating cultures of trust, purpose and belonging. More than just a great place to work, these awards celebrate workplaces that empower individuals to thrive. This is something that has been at the heart of the Playtime ethos from day one and continues to remain at the Agency’s core so that our team can flourish within a playful culture that is rooted in trust, inclusion and wellbeing.
Coincidentally, today is a Playtime virtual team day, where the whole team will be gathering on Zoom (in the style of The Brady Bunch opening credits, depending on your viewing preferences…) so it will be wonderful to have everyone together to celebrate this news!
#InspiringWorkplacesAwards #PeopleFirst #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceCulture
When you get kicked out of the Oscars for wearing the same thing as Jessie and don’t come home til St Patrick’s Day...
#fugglers #oscars #oscars2026 #jessiebuckley
Pokémon fans assemble! Pokémon Day is finally here!
We knew things were reaching fever pitch ahead of the 30th Anniversary when The Pokémon Center drop of the Pokémon Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX sold out in under an hour last week. Now, Pikachu is BACK! From iconic 'Pika Pika' moments to lifelike blinking eyes, animated ears, glowing electric cheeks and a patented moving mouth with 120+ sounds, this is Pikachu like you’ve never seen before. If you missed it the first time… this is your moment.
Pre-orders go live at Smyths today!
And if you think of yourself as a Pokémon pro, Pokémon Trainer Expert is definitely for you. Hear 10 clues from the game master, guess the Pokémon, and search the board to prove it. With 151 Pokémon, it’s a fast-thinking, clue-cracking challenge for fans ready to show what they know. Get yours at Amazon, Argos or Smyths!
Happy Pokémon Day! #Pokemon30
Last week, we went to the official opening of London’s first Teddy Rehoming Centre, created by our charity partner, @the_toy_project !
Guests enjoyed a teddy bear’s picnic in the Play Room before @theteddybearladies , Julie and Amanda, officially cut the ribbon alongside the Mayor of Islington @jasonujackson . It was a joyful way to mark something genuinely important.
The Toy Project is tackling toy waste head on, rehoming pre-loved toys and ensuring they reach families who need them most. The new Teddy Rehoming Centre is a brilliant example of how small ideas, executed well, can have meaningful social and environmental impact.
We're back from the Big Apple! 🍎
In case you missed our live updates, here’s a quick snapshot of our weekend at the 2026 New York Toy Fair.
As always, it wrapped up toy fair season in style and gave us first-hand insight into the new launches, playful inventions and hot trends we’ll be seeing everywhere this year.
When you think like the media and know what their audiences want, you get results.
Producer-ready content from Playtime resulted in a superb line-up of multiple products from our clients on ITV’s @thismorning , and a brilliant platform for the playful sector all round!
Quality, meaningful, timely coverage. Further evidence that having Team Playtime in your corner year-round gives you the best chance of securing impactful coverage that drives immediate sales uplift. It’s not luck. It’s relationships, judgement and years of understanding what makes these shows and producers tick.
And a team that genuinely loves seeing great toys have their moment in the spotlight 💕
Toy Fair 2026 - DONE!
The BEST start to a brand new year of toys and play
Next stop, Nuremberg where we’ll be playing some more and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the world’s largest trade fair for toys! 🧸
#toyfair2026 #toys #games #PR
