MELANIE NOTKIN, TOY EXPERT AND
AMERICA’S SAVVY AUNTIE®, REVEALS THE 2015 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY
AWARD WINNERS
Savvy Auntie partners with TTPM®,
the only site that combines expert written and videos reviews with live
price comparison and one-click purchasing
New York, NY – November 11, 2015
– Melanie Notkin, founder and CEO of Savvy Auntie, the multiplatform lifestyle
brand for aunts and godmothers, announces the 7th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards for the 2015 holiday
season. A total of 25 cool toys have made the coveted list.
With many toy marketers and toy lists
focusing on primary caregivers, Notkin created the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards in 2009 to give aunts and secondary
caregivers the toy-savvy they need to make the best gift choices for the
children in their lives. Savvy Aunties may be secondary caregivers, but they
are primary gift givers.
Savvy Auntie attracts PANKs®,
or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term Notkin coined in 2008 for the growing
demographic of female consumers who are not moms, by circumstance or choice, and
have a special bond with a child in their life. According to the 2012
joint-study entitled: The
Power of the PANK, by Savvy Auntie
and Weber Shandwick, there are 23 million PANKs in North America. PANKs spend
$9 billion a year on nieces and nephews, baseline just one child per PANK. A
whopping 76% of PANKs spend over $500 per niece and nephew, per year.
Notkin’s annual holiday toy list helps Savvy
Aunties maintain that “Cool Aunt” status while fostering what Notkin has
playfully dubbed: “QualAuntie Time” - the playtime aunts spend with a niece or
nephew of any age. Playtime is an important part of any baby or child’s
developmental growth. Studies show that from pretend play as babies and
toddlers, to social development and problem solving as big kids, toys that children
enjoy playing with are an important part of their development.
As a respected toy expert, Notkin meets
with toy manufactures and industry analysts to discover the year’s
ground-breaking toys – the ones on the top of most nieces’ and nephews’ lists. Notkin
then adds her own “Savvy Auntuition” to curate the list. “The toys children
want to play with the most are the coolest toy choices an aunt can make,”
Notkin says.
And now, for the first time, Savvy
Auntie has partnered with TTPM.com, the #1
source for all things play where consumers can research and find the best playthings.
TTPM is the only site that combines expert reviews (video and written) with
live price comparison, one-click purchasing, and product availability at major
retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys“R”Us, and more.
“As founder of Savvy Auntie, I’m
thrilled to partner with TTPM for the Savvy Auntie gift guide,” said Notkin.
“Now Savvy Aunties will not only be able to find the coolest toys, but by
linking directly to TTPM.com, they will also find the best prices for the toys
available at time of purchase.”
“Melanie Notkin is the authority on the
aunt demographic, the growing niche of child-loving women companies should have
a strong connection with,” said Jim Silver. “Now TTPM is able to deliver our
expert reviews to this demographic and help them become savvier consumers about
the toys they choose for their nieces and nephews at the holidays and all year
long.”
The 2015 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners are listed at SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards with links
to TTPM reviews (as available) along with the Savvy Auntie “Ask a Parent” feature
to ask for parent-approval if desired. The 25 winners earn a 2015 Savvy Auntie
Coolest Toy Award Seal for promotional purposes.
2015 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD
WINNERS
There
are 25 winners in all, sorted by age. For more information on each winner and “Why
Savvy Auntie Loves It,” visit SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards:
Age 1+
Go Go Smart Wheels RC Speedway:
VTech
Age 2+
The Peanuts Movie Happy Dance Snoopy:
Just Play
Age 3+
Smart Toy Monkey or Bear: Fisher-Price
Club Petz Lucy Puppy Dog: Just
Play
Doc McStuffins Take Care of Me Lambie:
Just Play
Star Wars Hot Wheels Light Side vs. Dark
Side 5-Pack: Mattel
Barbie Dreamhouse: Mattel
Barbie Fashionistas Black and White Dress:
Mattel
Age 4+
Chubby Puppies Collection: Spin
Master
Color Alive Mythical Creatures:
Crayola
Kidizoom Action Cam: VTech
Minions Movie Minion Bob Talking Figure:
Thinkaway Toys
Marvel Avengers Remote Control Hulk Smash
XPV: Jakks Pacific
Age 5+
FurReal Starlily My Magical Unicorn:
Hasbro
Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage:
Mattel
Shopkins Fashion Boutique: Moose
Toys
Age 6+
Chocolate Pen: Skyrocket Toys
Age 7+
View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack:
Mattel
Age 8+
Legendary Yoda: Spin Master
Age 9+
LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium
Falcon: LEGO
Age 10+
LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack:
LEGO
Girls Scouts Cookie Oven: Wicked
Cool Toys
Meccano MeccaNoid G15: Spin
Master
Age 12+
Sky Viper m200 Nano Drone:
Skyrocket Toys
Age 13+
Star Wars The Force Awakens BB-8 Droid:
Sphero
###
About Savvy Auntie
Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multiplatform lifestyle
brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered
and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a
modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it
remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic.
The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s
Day® - a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers, and
Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for
Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow
2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert and a taste-maker for children’s
trends, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson for brands.
About TTPM
TTPM is the
#1 source for all things play where consumers can research and find the best
playthings. TTPM is the only site that combines expert reviews (video and
written) with live price comparison, one-click purchasing, and product
availability at major retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys“R”Us,
Babies“R”Us, buybuy BABY, GameStop, Best Buy, Sports Authority, Modell’s
Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and Wag.com. TTPM ensures parents and gift givers are
finding the right products for kids at the best prices. The seasoned TTPM
editorial team reviews thousands of products each year, providing comprehensive
video and written reviews of toys, baby products, kids’ electronics, sporting
goods, and family friendly video games, apps, books, and movies.
For additional
information on the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards or on-air and talent
inquiries: Press@SavvyAuntie.com.