2017 TOY & GAME INNOVATION (TAGIE) AWARD NOMINEES

Contact:

Emily Blosser

Brilliant Pr & Marketi

emily@brilliantprm.com

CHICAGO TOY & GAME WEEK ANNOUNCES 2017 TOY & GAME INNOVATION (TAGIE) AWARD NOMINEES – ONLINE VOTING OPEN THROUGH October 31st

CHICAGO, Ill. (October 10, 2017) – The nominees for the 10th Annual Toy & Game Innovation (TAGIE) Awards (http://www.chitag.com/tagies) have been determined for categories including Game Inventor of the Year, Toy Inventor of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Innovative Arts & Visuals of the Year, Innovative Marketing Team of the Year and Young Inventor of the Year. Nominees in these categories were selected by their industry peers, and the public is now invited to join the industry in placing their votes in advance of the annual TAGIE Awards gala, taking place on the evening of November 17 as part of the 15th Annual Chicago Toy & Game Week. The deadline for voting at www.chitag.com/tagies-nominations is October 31st.

The 2017 Toy & Game Innovation (TAGIE) Award nominees are:

GAME INVENTOR OF THE YEAR

· Don Ullman and Steve Calhoun, Soggy Doggy

· Fuse - Oliver Morris, Roller Coaster Challenge

· Jim McCafferty and JMP Creative team, Catch the Fox

· KID Group, Ultra Dash

· Seven Towns, Ltd., Who’s the Dude?

· Top Notch Toys, Fantastic Gymnastics

TOY INVENTOR OF THE YEAR

· Bang Zoom Design, Barbie on the Go

· David Small and Paul Rago, BB8

· Desinbytouch, Nerf Nitro

· Ronen Horovitz, Play Doh Touch

· Ruth Green-Synowic, Paint Sation

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

· Brady Peterson, Groovy Blocks

· Brian Gomez (Egils Grasmanis, Edgars Zakis, Janis Grunte, Reinis Butans), Ice Cool

· Dominic Yard, Thomas Adventures Sea Monster Pirate Set and Shark Escape Play Set

· Joyce Sprau, Flower Fairies Secret Garden

· Thijmen de Schipper, Spy Code Break Free

INNOVATIVE ARTS & VISUALS OF THE YEAR

· Funnybone Toys, Whim, Akin, Spirot, Spectracube, Anaxi, and others

· Harmonix, DropMix

· Mattel, Enchantimals

· MGA Entertainment, Inc., L.O.L. Surprise! Collectible Dolls

· Rory O'Connor and Anita Murphy, The Extraordinaires Design Studio

INNOVATIVE MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR

· Mattel, Dads Who Play Barbie

· Spin Master, Hatchimals

· Hasbro, Nerf’s Dude Perfect

· Marektoy, Klask and Bonk

· PlayMonster, Ultra Dash

YOUNG INVENTOR OF THE YEAR

· Olivia Wasilewski and Brynna Siewers, Ship of Treasures

· Samaira Mehta, CoderBunnyz

· Shay Bhattessa Sharma, Football Billionaire Limited

· Sydney and Toni Loew, Poketti Plushies with Pocket Powers

In addition to the winners determined through nominations and public voting, a panel of industry experts will also determine honorees in the following closed categories:

· Inventor Advocate - Lisa Guili, General Manager of Educational Insights

· In Memoriam - Montage of those we have lost

· Hassenfeld Humanitarian Award - Lurie Children’s Hospital

· Lifetime Achievement - Judy Blau of J. Hope Designs

Lifetime Achievement - Adi Golad, Founder and Managing Director of Goliath

The 2017 TAGIE Award winners will be announced at a festive gala held on the evening of November 17 in conjunction with the 15th Annual Chicago Toy and Game Week. The elegant and entertaining gala at historic Theater on the Lake will bring together industry leaders including inventors, manufacturers and retailers, to celebrate the individuals and teams behind the hottest and most innovative products of the year. The evening will commence with a cocktail hour, followed by a seated dinner and the awards program. Tickets to attend the 2017 TAGIE Awards are available for $250.00 and require registration through chitag.com/tagies.

This year’s fun-filled evening is presented by Mattel, Hasbro, LEGO, Spin Master, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Longshore Limited, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives with additional sponsors including Peggy Brown Creative, Cartamundi and McGill and Associates.

Voting for the 2017 TAGIE Awards is open until October 31st at 11:59 p.m. Members of the media, industry and public are invited to cast their votes for the best toy and game inventors by visiting www.chitag.com/2017-tagies-finalists.

For more information about Chicago Toy & Game Week events including the 2017 ChiTAG Fair, the Young Inventor Challenge and professional conferences, visit ChiTAG.com.

About the Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc.

The Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc. oversees toy industry initiatives designed to encourage and promote the power of play and invention in social, educational, and professional environments. Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) Group initiatives include the Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) Fair, the PlayCHIC Fashion Show, the Toy & Game Innovation of the Year (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the New Inventor Conference, the Professional Inventors Conference, Play in Education Conference, DiscoverToyandGames.com and the Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) Foundation. For more information, visit www.ChiTAG.com or email info@chitag.com.