Podcasts about Hasbro

Another San Diego Comic Con has come and gone, and Wookiee Radio has the rundown. We have the top news from the Lucasfilm Publishing, Hasbro & Lucasfilm Animation panels. Then we look at list involving lightsabers in a galaxy far, far away and see if we agree with the ranking of all of the Star […]

Cang Toys shows off their next Dinobot, Dr. Wu designs some G1 Micromasters, and we take a look at Hasbro's reveals from New York Comicon. All this and much, much more on this episode of TransMissions! Order our exclusive Skybound Transformers #1 comic with cover art by E.J. Su! Want some TransMissions swag? Check out our online shop, powered by Dashery! Show Notes: If you enjoy TransMissions, please rate us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! These ratings greatly help podcasts become more discoverable to other people using those services and is an easy way to help out our show. Contact us: Continue reading The post Episode 664 – Optimus Died Of Dysentery appeared first on TransMissions Podcast Network.

Cang Toys shows off their next Dinobot, Dr. Wu designs some G1 Micromasters, and we take a look at Hasbro's reveals from New York Comicon. All this and much, much more on this episode of TransMissions! Order our exclusive Skybound Transformers #1 comic with cover art by E.J. Su! Want some TransMissions swag? Check out our online shop, powered by Dashery! Show Notes: If you enjoy TransMissions, please rate us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! These ratings greatly help podcasts become more discoverable to other people using those services and is an easy way to help out our show. Contact us: Continue reading The post Episode 664 – Optimus Died Of Dysentery appeared first on TransMissions Podcast Network.

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Jessica Murphy, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy & Operations at Hasbro, to explore how play fuels connection in an increasingly digital world. Jessica unpacks the loneliness epidemic, the role of tactile and imaginative play in child development, and how Hasbro is modernizing iconic IP like My Little Pony and Peppa Pig while experimenting with AI-driven possibilities. She also shares how the toy giant is adapting its marketing playbook for YouTube, gaming, and creators, while reminding leaders why adaptability is the most critical skill in a changing marketplace.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Jessica Murphy on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phantastic Geek visits New York Comic Con to talk Game of Thrones to Hasbro to Star Trek to Alien and more!Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

Send us a textFor today's episode, Mike & Bogie look to provide a #trailer #reaction video for the recently released 1st official #StarWars: #Mandalorian & #Grogu trailer.  On top of that, they also react to the new #Visions Volume 3 trailer!  A double dip!  Come join as they watch the trailers for the first [and 2nd] time and listen to what their thoughts and opinions are as the trailer is new and fresh in their minds.  #Jedi #Sith #Rebel #Empire #Republic #Force #cosplay #lightsaber #toy #nerd #geek #photography #tv #film #gamer #comic #book #movie #scifi #LucasFilm #MandalorianAndGrogu Social Media Handles:TikTok: @DetBlockAA23Twitter: @DetBlockAA23PodInstagram: detention_block_aa_23FB Group: Detention Block AA-23: A Star Wars PodcastYouTube: Detention Block AA-23: A Star Wars #PodcastDon't forget to #SUBSCRIBE to our #YouTube channel for #podcast episodes and other content! #Prize #giveaway at 200 subs! Goal = 500!Sponsors:Under Pressure #BrewingGolden Valley, MNMirror Twin BrewingLexington, KYSource: #Comics & #GamesRoseville, MNStar Wars ComicsStar Wars Games: X-Wing & Armada strategy games; Star Wars: Legion strategy #gameTwin Cities Geek - Magazine & Online #CommunityMy Star Wars Life - FB Group (Join Now!)

Get ready for an action-packed episode of the Smugglers' Galaxy Podcast!Toy Reveals & Action Figures: We dive deep into the exciting toy news from New York Comic Con (NYCC)! Tune in for our thoughts and opinions on all the latest reveals, including Star Wars Black Series, The Vintage Collection (TVC), and Retro Collection action figures. We break down the must-haves and share our opinions for these upcoming figures.Tron Talk: Jason gives his initial review of the highly-anticipated movie, Tron: Ares. Plus, we discuss Hasbro's latest crowdfunding project: the Tron HasLab offering inspired by the original film. Is it worth backing?Pop Culture & Theme Park Experience: Glen is back from Orlando with an update on Epic Universe—six months after its grand opening! Find out what's new and different at this massive theme park. And finally, Jason shares his unique experience at a themed Ghostbusters Pop Bar.This episode is a must-listen for fans of Star Wars action figures, Disney/Tron, and pop culture collecting.

This week on The Game Deflators, John and Ryan kick things off with their latest gaming pickups and a spoiler-filled discussion of Silent Hill f. The guys break down the ending and share whether it lived up to the series' legacy—or left them scratching their heads. Next, it's on to Magic: The Gathering, where recent comments from Mark Rosewater have reignited debate around Universes Beyond. Is Hasbro enriching the game with crossovers—or forcing them down players' throats? Then the duo unpacks the buzz around a potential Nintendo hack. What's the story, and how could it impact gamers and developers alike? Finally, they dive into a retro horror gem with a review of Siren on PS2. Does this stealth-heavy survival title still deliver the scares, or has time dulled its edge? 00:00 Introduction to the Game Deflators Podcast 01:09 Gaming Pickups and Equipment 07:18 Silent Hill F: Gameplay and Story Analysis 27:14 Gaming Nostalgia and Spooky Season 31:55 Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond Controversy 44:09 The Future of Universes Beyond and Crossovers 52:54 Magic Card Collecting and Pricing 55:01 Nintendo Hacked: Implications for the Gaming Industry 01:01:55 Siren: A Deep Dive into Gameplay and Mechanics 01:17:29 Final Thoughts on Game Pricing and Value   Want more Game Deflators content? Find us at www.thegamedeflators.com     Find us on Social Media Twitter @GameDeflators Instagram @TheGameDeflators Facebook @TheGameDeflators YouTube @The Game Deflators   Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18 

Hasbro's prices are going off the grid as their Haslab program heads in the Tron direction. Plus, Mondo is serving up spooky seconds, but do Real Ghostbusters fans have the appetite to double dip? And Playmates Toys heard Turtles fans tell them to, “Knock it off,” so often, they finally listened. It's The Reluctant Adult Podcast. Email TheReluctantAdultPodcast@gmail.com Save 10% with code RAP101 at New Meta Save and get Free Shipping from Entertainment Earth Spooky & Weird Plush from MaterialJill TikTok @TheReluctantAdultPodcast Instagram @TheReluctantAdultPodcast Twitter @Reluctant_Pod Facebook The Reluctant Adult Podcast YouTube The Reluctant Adult Podcast Paul's eBay Auctions  

News week with a little disappointing lack of new things from New York comicon but Wonderfest had a bit more to show off. Oh and we have a cow prime coming

The X-Men '97 season 2 trailer is here! Let's discuss in DETAIL! Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix! Rise of Apocalypse! Polaris! Kid Omega! Lady Deathstrike! X-Factor! There is SO MUCH to discuss!

There is just too much cool stuff coming out. While there was a ton of Masters news, I think everyone was most excited to see vintage Origins continue with Dragstor. Close behind, for me at least, is our first look at the next and most likely the last set of Masters of the Universe x Transformers figures. Something I don't need, but want oh so badly and will probably justify it as a decoration, is the new LEGO Star Wars gingerbread AT-AT. Finally, Joe continues the Mole Rat coolness with Stage 2.

This week: Brian preps his new studio as the team gears up for New York Comic-Con, wondering if Hasbro will deliver surprises beyond Studio Series Thundercracker. In toy talk, the guys check out Missing Link Arcee, MPG Rattrap, Seaspray, Venom, the Target 4-pack, and the Retro Collection Wheelie and Outback. As always, the shelves are full, the wallets are not, and the hype for TFCon is real.

This week: Brian preps his new studio as the team gears up for New York Comic-Con, wondering if Hasbro will deliver surprises beyond Studio Series Thundercracker. In toy talk, the guys check out Missing Link Arcee, MPG Rattrap, Seaspray, Venom, the Target 4-pack, and the Retro Collection Wheelie and Outback. As always, the shelves are full, the wallets are not, and the hype for TFCon is real.

What are you thoughts from todays episode?

Another fun series of games that I discovered through my research was the Hasbro "Rivals Editions." In this series, Hasbro took one of its classics and boiled it down to a two-player, mano y mano showdown. I was interested in how you could boil some of these games down to two players, for sure. So, first up, Monopoly! Grab your biggest rival and let's battle it out over Monopoly: Rivals Edition!Directing people to the get the games tab

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Join Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect for an exclusive preview of his New York Comic Con 2025 vlog and a mysterious special event reveal. Dive into NYCC's “Haunted” theme at the Javits Center, Oct. 9–12, with 100+ celebrities like Bryce Dallas Howard and Simu Liu, 600+ creators, and exhibitors like Marvel and Konami. Analytic Dreamz covers ticket prices ($80–$437), exclusive merch, cosplay championships, and Walmart Collector Con's Hasbro and NECA drops. Get the full breakdown of this pop culture juggernaut with Analytic Dreamz's insider take. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Join Steve Megatron and TFG1Mike in this episode of All Things Transformers as they discuss the latest Transformers news, including Hasbro's transformation sound trademark, Devastator appreciation, Wonderfest Shanghai 2025, Skybound's Transformers comic solicitations, and new Retro Deluxe Wheelie & Outback and MPG-19 Soundwave & Laserbeak reveals. They also delve into the rising MSRP prices for Transformers in the US.

Star Wars collectors, get ready! On this episode of the Smugglers' Galaxy Podcast, host Jason is joined by special guest, David Quinn from the Star Wars Prototype and Production podcast. We discuss latest news affecting the Star Wars collecting community.Key discussion points include:Hasbro's $3 price hike on Black Series and The Vintage Collection figures. We analyze how this will impact collectors' budgets and the future of the hobby.The GI Joe Classified "variant cardback." Could this be a sign of things to come for Star Wars action figure collecting?A leaked plot for the rumored Star Wars Starfighter game. Is this new story a rehash of old Star Wars stories or a clever retcon of the Disney sequel trilogy? We break down the fan debate and offer our take.We also have a heartfelt conversation about our favorite things about the Star Wars collecting hobby, Rogue Fun, and so much more!

Jumping around time its time to look at the RiD 2015 toy line.....well the warrior class line specifically....the only one worth talking about.

What are you thoughts from todays episode?

This episode is the audio for a YouTube TeamStream that initially ran on July 30, 2025.  TeamStreams run live every week on the WOJM YouTube channel, barring unforeseen circumstances or holidays.  Please take a moment and help us out — even if you don't watch us there, subscribe to our YouTube channel today! You can watch this episode at: https://youtube.com/live/oO393CFDADY We flooded our social media streams with photos from SDCC panels and Hasbro's #GIJoe booth last week, thanks to our intrepid man on the ground, Phil Donnelly of Articulated Points, and now our semi-regular guest host is back in the #WOJM #TeamStream to help run it all back! Between Hasbro's GI Joe: Classified panel, Skybound's Energon Universe panel, and Cold Slither-mania, this one's going to run long!  LISTEN TODAY!

This week: The crew reacts to MPG Soundwave and speculates on possible Blaster and TwinCast releases. With Hasbro's panel at MCM London Comic-Con coming up, they're curious about potential surprises or exclusives. In toy talk, they cover Missing Link Arcee, MPG Rattrap, Sea Spray, Venom, and the Target 4-pack—praising the figures' alt modes and build quality.

This week: The crew reacts to MPG Soundwave and speculates on possible Blaster and TwinCast releases. With Hasbro's panel at MCM London Comic-Con coming up, they're curious about potential surprises or exclusives. In toy talk, they cover Missing Link Arcee, MPG Rattrap, Sea Spray, Venom, and the Target 4-pack—praising the figures' alt modes and build quality.

Anthony is not impressed by anything that's happened in the last two weeks, and Darren very smartly pushed up his glasses before recording today's episode because he's very smart and knows money things. Basically what we're saying is that we could do a better job running Hasbro.---https://x.com/SaffronOlive/status/1972645434943267235Saffron Olive Tweethttps://x.com/jakeformayor/status/1971572025870434368?t=V1OsJsuTIvhe_KAZ9VHOkg&s=19Sourceless Data Tweet---Fireside Magic is a production of the Fireside Crew.If you would like to contact us about the show, you can send an email to Servotoken1@gmail.comThe Fireside Crew is branching out! We are taking this show on the road (figuratively) and will be slowly morphing how the show looks and operates into 2026. There will be a new logo once things happen, so you'll know when it happens when that happens. There is a NEW PATREON coming soon! Be on the lookout for that in the coming months. We appreciate all the support we've gotten over the years, and look forward to even better things to come. But in the meantime, Thanks for listening. www.thegathering.gg

This week we talk about Xbox raising Game Pass' price 50%, EA making their privatization sale official, a new Playstation 5 revision, Ubisoft's new studio group and much more. Click this link for my socials, all of my other content and ways to support: https://linktr.ee/baundiesel 00:00:00 | Intro00:00:54 | Game Pass Price Hikes00:18:27 | EA Announces Sale00:42:46 | A New Playstation 500:46:11 | Ubisoft's New Studio00:47:46 | Twitch Retires Prime00:49:06 | Hasbro's Dev Hub00:51:11 | Silent Hill 1 Remake00:52:48 | Content Updates00:56:42 | Wrap Up

As part of the 10th anniversary celebration for Curse of the Damned, Night Demon have unveiled their first action figure for Axe-Wielding Eugene, the sinister black-clad figure on the album cover. In this episode, we tackle the questions of why Night Demon decided to do an action figure and how the character came to be named Eugene. The bulk of the episode consists of Jarvis's interview with Kyle, toy designer at Carve the Five who is responsible for creating this timeless piece of Night Demon memorabilia. Listen in as Kyle walks you through his history in the business and his connection to Night Demon, as well as a step-by-step description of all phases of the design and manufacturing processes. Listen at nightdemon.net/podcast or anywhere you listen to podcasts! Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook

Askani'son RETURNS and we discuss the state of Jean Grey in 2025!

How can strong business fundamentals, cross-functional alignment, and a focus on planning drive sustainable growth in today's tech-saturated world?In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Brendan Leonard, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Crews & Co., to unpack the real drivers of business success. Brendan brings deep experience across sales, marketing, and leadership, having held roles at Samsonite, Hasbro, and Capital One, and shares why getting back to the basics is more important than ever, even in the age of AI and automation.We dig into the myth that technology can solve everything, and why chasing trends without a clear strategy is a major growth killer. Brendan reveals how setting structured goals, aligning your sales and marketing efforts, and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration can significantly improve business outcomes. With practical takeaways and real-world examples, this episode is a must-listen for leaders looking to cut through the noise and refocus on what truly moves the needle.In this episode, we cover:Why AI is a tool, not a replacement, for business fundamentalsThe danger of chasing shiny objects and losing focusHow to align sales and marketing through shared goals and regular review cyclesThe power of structured planning: 3-year, 1-year, and 90-day goal settingIf you're ready to refocus your business strategy, realign your teams, and make smarter decisions in a tech-driven world, this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately.

Age of Revelation HATH BEGUN! Let's break down what we know so far. Covering Heir of Apocalypse; Age of Revelation issue 0; X-Men issue 22; and Age of Revelation Overture!

In this episode, we chat with Choni Fernández, Chief Sustainability Officer and Customer at PortAventura World, the first carbon-neutral theme park in the world, and now proudly B Corp certified.Choni isn't just ticking ESG boxes, she's leading a cultural shift in how attractions operate. From zero-emissions hotels to renewable energy and deep supply chain work, PortAventura is setting the global standard.In this episode, we dive into the real work behind the headlines. How do you build a sustainability culture that actually sticks? Can you lead without a big green team? And what does digital sustainability really mean?If you're serious about sustainability, or wondering where to start, this is the conversation you need to hear.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  PortAventura World website: https://www.portaventuraworld.com/nosotros/trabaja-con-nosotrosChoni Fernández on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choni-fern%C3%A1ndez-veciana/Choni Fernández is Customer, Sustainability and Communications Director at PortAventura World. With a background in Economics and over a decade at BASF, she joined PortAventura in 2007, where she has led Procurement, Logistics, and Sustainability. She spearheaded the company's sustainability strategy, achieving the milestone of B Corp Certification, and now leads the newly created Customer Department to drive a more customer-centric approach. Choni also serves as Catalonia Delegate at DIRSE and is Chair of the IAAPA EMEA Sustainability Committee. Plus, live from the IAAPA Expo Europe show floor, we catch up with:Jakob Wahl, President & CEO of IAAPAhttps://iaapa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakob-wahl/Elliot Hall from Expression Capital Partners LLPhttps://expressioncapitalpartners.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-h-1b804a6a/Matt Barton, CEO / Co-Founder CurtainUp Ltd. & President of Themed Entertainment Association TEA https://www.curtainup.livehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-barton-99a8039/Melissa Oviedo, Chief Executive Officer, Themed Entertainment Association TEA https://www.teaconnect.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-oviedo-ruminot-90a63228/Kevin Murphy, Senior VP, Kraftwerk Living Technologieshttp://www.kraftwerk.athttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-murphy-854439/Jacob Thompson, CX Director, Attractions.io https://attractions.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-thompson-icap-151271149/ Transcriptions:  Welcome, skip the queue, to Barcelona.Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about the world's best attractions and the amazing people that work in them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and along with my co-host, Andy Povey, and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're bringing you the latest news from IAAPA Expo Europe in Barcelona.Paul Marden: You join me today tired and just a little bit emotional at the airport after an amazing week at the show.Paul Marden: In this episode, we wrap up our time at IAAPA Expo Europe with a final look back at the show floor buzz. I catch up with Jakob Wahl, Chief Executive Officer of IAAPA, to get his reflections on an unforgettable week, from standout innovations to what's next for the global attractions industry. But first, Andy sits down with Choni Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer at PortAventura World, to explore what it really takes to become the first carbon neutral theme park on the planet and why sustainability must be at the heart of guest experience going forward.Andy Povey: So hello, everybody. I'm joined today by Choni Fernandez from PortAventura World. Choni is responsible for sustainability and guest experience and a number of other things, I believe, Choni. Hello and welcome to Skip the Queue. Hello. Choni Fernandez: Thank you very much for your invitation. Andy Povey: So, Choni, you guys at PortAventura World are really leading the industry and probably more than just our industry. In terms of sustainability, you were the first carbon neutral theme park in the world and in '24, the first theme park company to achieve a BCorp certification. Am I right?Choni Fernandez: Yes, you're right. It was, in fact, we are VCOPS since 2022. And yes, we were operational carbon neutral because we reduced our emissions during several years. And after that, we acquired some carbon credits to compensate the result of the balancing emissions. For scope one and two. Yes. So since then we are operational carbon neutral. That is not really an official name, but it's easy to explain what we are doing. Andy Povey: Okay. So what is the official name?Choni Fernandez: The official name, in fact, now that's interesting because it's a big discussion in the European community. We chat the terms we can use or not. In the new CCRG, that is going to change. Some words like green, sustainable, are probably forbidden, words that cannot be used any longer. And you need to speak properly about the impact of your activity without using these words that can lead to a type of greenwashing. And you need to be more clear about when you say, for instance, 'carbon neutral,' you need to say, 'we have reduced emissions, we compensate.' More explanation than just using one word that can be easily misunderstood.Andy Povey: Okay, yeah, yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Just buying carbon credits. You're actually doing something positive. Taking action. Like, is it Europe's largest solar farm?Choni Fernandez: It's the largest solar farm. That was one of the biggest at the source of Europe. And for sure, I guess, is still the biggest in Spain.Andy Povey: The biggest solar farm in Spain.Choni Fernandez: Sorry, in a holiday resort, yes. There are other very big solar plants that they produce energy for third parties, but they are not linked to a tourist industry.Andy Povey: No, that makes absolute sense. So you're generating your own power.Choni Fernandez: We generate 30%. The plant is not big enough and we have some restrictions of the government. So we cannot sell the surplus of energy we produce. So we could only make the plan as big as the low on consumption we have in a period of a year.Andy Povey: That makes absolute sense.Choni Fernandez: So that means that there are several months where we produce 100% energy we need. But then, obviously, in the peak of the season, we need extra energy. We buy from the net, but we always buy green energy from the net, too. Then 100% of the energy we consume is green energy, not coming from non-renewable.Andy Povey: It all becomes much more complicated as you dive into the detail, doesn't it?Choni Fernandez: Yes, yes, yes. Everything is much more complicated. And in Europe, yes, I would say even one step more complicated than the rest of the world because of all the regulations.Andy Povey: So what was it that inspired PortAventura World and how did you persuade PortAventura World to take sustainability so seriously?Choni Fernandez Okay, the history starts really with, I would say, a huge pain point, even when they were designing the park. And it was related to water. We are established in an area where we suffer from water scarcity many periods. So for those designers, they already designed the park with sustainability in mind. So they have created a complex system to recover all water rains in a big tank that is our Mediterranean lake.Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: So water was a treasure since the beginning. And they have also in a private-public investment. Take all the gray waters from the park, sending it to a water treatment plant several kilometres far away from the resort, and making the pipe bring the recycled water back to the resort for gardening. So PortAventura was using recycled water since 30 years ago. And that was really the starting point of sustainability at PortAventura. So we start with all the environmental impacts that the activity was going to have. And they created the park open doors in 1995. So in 1997, just two years after that, they have created the Green Team.Choni Fernandez: It's a team from different members of different departments who takes care of the environmental impacts and how they can reduce the use of water, energy and so on. And this team is still working nowadays and takes care of more complex things, certifications, but with the same, I would say, purpose, you know, that is to reduce the environmental impact of the resort, and now we start to regenerate different areas. So it's not producing impact, it's creating positive impact through regeneration.Choni Fernandez: And that was a starting point. But I like to repeat that sustainability has not fixed rules. So that is the story of Pota Aventura, because we are what we are. We are located where we are. But for instance, in the Global Sustainability Committee of IAAPA, SCARBRED was a member of that. And SCARBRED, the sustainability, had not begun for the water scarcity. They don't have this problem.Choni Fernandez: So sustainability there was more linked to the social sustainability, how to integrate communities in the project. So it really depends, again, in that moment, the momentum, you know, that we call. Where you are, who you are, what is your future footprint of your activity in your community and in the environment.Choni Fernandez: So we start with that. And year after year, we consolidate this beginning. So any new activity of PortAventura, it doesn't matter— new hotel, new park, convention centre has always followed the same philosophy that we started in 1997.Andy Povey: Very good.Choni Fernandez: Yes, because I think that this makes the project really coherent, consistent, and resilient. So it's something that we have not done from day to night, you know. It's something that we have. It's like a dish you have cooked in a low, low temperature, you know. Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Slow cooker. Choni Fernandez: Slow cook. That is. Sustainable PortAventura is slow cook. But at the end, you know, the dish is very good cooked and it's good.Andy Povey: Absolutely. And then, as the person responsible for customer experience within PortAventura World, before talking to you, I wouldn't necessarily have put... sustainability and customer experience together in the same group.Choni Fernandez: You're right because, okay, that is something that has changed also through years, you know, so sustainability was linked and happened at PortAventura. It was totally linked to the environmental part. But that is only one third of what sustainability means. Sustainability is also the social impact and obviously the governance.Choni Fernandez: We call also ESG. Okay, it has some difference because it has more financial meaning. But what is clear when you talk, when we talk about sustainability, we talk about the environmental impacts and the social impacts. And the social impacts are the impacts that your activity, our activity has on people. And when we talk about people, we talk about employees, we talk about our community that's surrounding us, we talk about shareholders, we talk about suppliers, and we talk about guests or visitors. And the activity of any company should have a positive impact on these people that are affected by the activity, that they are also called stakeholders.Choni Fernandez: So, and here is the reason why we try to improve every year the guest experience in order to improve this positive impact. And at the end of the day, because we are not NGOs. We strongly believe that a positive impact on the guest experience is going to be translated in future revenues, more attendance for our parks, and makes our resort more resilient because it's more profitable in the long term.Andy Povey: So this really is a sort of a wheel or a cycle. Choni Fernandez: You are right. You are right. You are right. So we really differentiate at PortAventura. I mean, sustainability is also a new angle to see your business. There is the financial angle. And then there is the angle— how your activity affects the difference they hold up. But that is clear that both need to go together. I mean, business and sustainability. In fact... One of the reasons to become a BCorp company is to evolve our mission and vision with a purpose that integrates sustainability in the business model. So it is much easier for us to talk to employees, to talk to suppliers, to talk to guests. About what is the reason why it exists and why it's important to have sustainability included in order, again, to make our business resilient through the past of the years.Andy Povey: So we have a lot of listeners around the world. What would be your advice to someone running a venue that doesn't have the advantage of starting with sustainability right at the heart and from where they started their business? How do you make a start on this?Choni Fernandez: That is a very interesting question. And the first I think any company needs to do is really to understand the stakeholders they are affecting too. Because just with this complete transparent and dialogue with the different stakeholders, you really can understand what is the impact you are producing on them. And from this result, then you know where are your main pain points, where you need to focus first on. Obviously, there are some general rules. Your impact on the environment, as I told you before, normally a new venue has, for sure, clients, or at least customer guests, employees, probably shareholders, and then in another level, suppliers, community, etc.Choni Fernandez: So, and depends what is the situation, you need to start with that. You need to prepare a good analysis because, if not, what could happen? Imagine that you focus a lot on the environmental part and you start with that because you have seen that PortAventura has started with that.Choni Fernandez: But then that is not your problem because you are in an area where your resources are really well controlled or your resort has very good standards, very efficient, because it has done with high technology, but you have an employee problem.Choni Fernandez: You have problems perhaps to attract employees, to retain the talent, or really to make them happy working with you. Then you have to start the sustainability for not the most important topic in your company. So the most important is to understand what the stakeholders need from you and then to prepare. And it's also very interesting, I think, to start, you know, things small.Choni Fernandez: Making small projects that can be consolidated and embedded into the company. Because what is really important in a company is that each department, each area of the company, maintenance, procurement, human resources, marketing, and each of the departments really is doing the part of sustainability they need to, because it is impossible that one person on every team produces all the sustainability that the whole company needs to do.Choni Fernandez: So if sustainability is really not embedded in the activity of each Japan, it's really impossible to be a successful company in terms of sustainability. You know what I mean?Andy Povey: I know exactly what you mean. That rule is so true for so many things, isn't it? You could replace the word sustainability with guest experience or ride safety. Choni Fernandez: Yes, it's the same. Andy Povey: Any number of different things.Choni Fernandez: I always explain when people say, 'but you have done a lot, Choni.' I say, 'no, no, no, no, no.' Choni has not done a lot.Choni Fernandez: Many people are doing a lot, you know. And sustainability managers or directors normally are orchestra directors. But each one needs to play its own instrument so we have a nice music, you know. If not, it does not work at all, you know, like in orchestra. So we need the maintenance guy, really. or the energy manager to really take care of that. And human resources really to prepare inclusivity, et cetera, policies linked to employees. And marketing, doing really an ethic marketing to guests. So, and that is how everyone is really doing a part of the peak and sustainability of the company.Andy Povey: That sounds very familiar and I'm sure for our guests will ring true in many different areas. It's interesting you talk about really understanding where you are. What it is you're doing. We've done some work here in the UK on the sustainability of websites. So by not printing a park map, you obviously save resources, you save paper. But if you put that on a really inefficient webpage, then you're just consuming someone else's electricity. It doesn't make you any more sustainable.Choni Fernandez: And one thing I would like to tell you is that one of the big steps for us was when our investors make the management very clear that investors of the private funds that own PortAventura were asking for sustainable investments. So that was also a way, really, to receive more money from the investors to the owners. And that is very important because when the financial markets really recognise that sustainability is a plus for an investment, then, you know, things change. Things happen. And we had two moments in this company, in my opinion, for us, for sustainability managers, that make this big change in our mindset. Choni Fernandez: One is the world of our shareholders. And that was really a big, big step forward. Because we realised then, 'oh my God, we are sustainable. We can be sustainable. Our sustainability is a lever really to receive more funds to our business.'Choni Fernandez: And the second one was when we have two different businesses, really a B2C— final customer— and a B2E— travel agencies, companies who do their conventions in our convention, et cetera, et cetera. Once upon a time, a company came to PortAventura asking for a quotation for a big convention, European size, very big one.Choni Fernandez: And before receiving the quotation, they asked, 'Please, can you send us your sustainability report?' Because we would like to see if that's the venue where we want to go. Now, everything changed.Andy Povey: Absolutely.Choni Fernandez: Because at first time, sustainability was bringing business to the company. It was not a nice to have, something that we need to have. It was really part of the business. And that changed the history of the, I would say, the sustainability journey of this company when we have both shareholders' commitment and really request to continue on that. And on the other side, we were recognised for our sustainability activity in a business case.Andy Povey: It's very interesting when you get push or pull from both sides. Choni Fernandez: You're right. Then you realise that there is no other way to do that, you know, so you need pushing, pushing.Andy Povey: You're doing a lot of work about education, work, and working with schools, and having to engage them in your journey.Choni Fernandez: That's again the same case, you know. So in our guest segmentation, school groups are one of them. And it is a very important group for us and I guess for other operators too. As we receive many schoolers. But, you know, the teachers, not students, they thought that the trip to PortAventura was really 100% entertainment. And schools were looking for something more cultural, educational.Choni Fernandez: So then, at that moment, we prepare some workshops at the beginning of the day before the park opens. If the park opens at 10, we can deliver a sustainability workshop from 9 to 10. For instance, talking to kids about biodiversity, about waste management, how to produce green energy. So in the solar plant, we don't have only solar panels. We also have some instruments, some elements to explain children how to produce green energy with movement, with wind, with sun, with solar energy. And they can experiment with their hands. With this element, how to produce this green energy. And they understand very well because that is part of the curriculum that they have to study at school. But now they can put it in practice in a different way, in a way... that our industry delivers very well, that is entertainment, you know?Andy Povey: Yes, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: And that is driving more schools to visit us. So again, there is another link with sustainability, more business, more attendance, more revenues.Andy Povey: We're back on the cycle.Choni Fernandez: Yeah, again, the cycle. We close the loop, you know.Andy Povey: Absolutely. Choni, is there something you'd like to leave as a sort of parting message or a final thought to everybody that's listening to the podcast? A single sentence about how they can emulate your success.Choni Fernandez: No, I think that, okay, sometimes in life, you know, for sustainability managers, I mean, and now in the world, perhaps you feel like Talmon, you know, coming up to the river.Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: In a difficult situation, but it doesn't matter. So the evidence is so strong that, if you really can close the loop, as we have been talking, if you can really demonstrate and we can close the gap. Between the sustainability impacts and the financial impacts, then sustainability is part of your business. I think that should be the goal— to really don't have sustainability as something nice to have additional to the business. Avoid that at all.Choni Fernandez: Sustainability is part of the business and makes the business more resilient and more profitable in the long term.Andy Povey: Lovely. That's a great message to leave us with. Paul Marden: Now let's hear some of the buzz from the show floor.Claire Furnival: So day three of IAAPA and I've just bumped into Matt Barton. Matt Barton: Hello. Claire Furnival: Matt, you wear many hats.Matt Barton: My day job is I'm the founder and CEO of Curtain Up. I'm also the owner of 7th Sense, a company that makes media servers and pixel management systems. But I'm also the president of the Themed Entertainment Association, better known as the TEA.Claire Furnival: Crumbs, the busy man. I hear you had a party last night. Matt Barton: We did. Yeah, we had a very successful mixer. We have a great relationship with IAAPA and we have a mixer at all of IAAPA's events around the globe. And we bring our members together, usually on the second or third night of the event.Claire Furnival: Anything announced last night at the party?Matt Barton: Yeah, so we announced our next SAIT conference, and SAIT stands for Storytelling, Architecture, Technology equals Experience. So it's a thought leadership conference where we talk about trends in the industry, best practices to follow, that kind of thing. We've just finished our SAIT Asia event just three weeks ago now, and that was in New Zealand this year. And we just last announced that we're going to be in Dubai next year. Again, building on that great relationship we have with IAAPA, we're actually doing it almost like a pre-conference event. So it's tied in with IAAPA Middle East, which is going to be in Abu Dhabi. We're going to be the week before. So people can then come to SAIT, enjoy SAIT with us, and then go straight down to Abu Dhabi for the IAAPA conference.Claire Furnival: What activities is it that the TEA do? What do you offer your members?Matt Barton: So a whole range of things. And what I'm going to do now is introduce our CEO, Melissa. Melissa Oviedo.Claire Furnival: Great to meet you, Melissa. So what is it that TEA offers its members?Melissa  Oviedo: We are really the connection community. The connection community for the design, the makers, the builders, the creators. Everybody who delivers world-class experiences around the world, that's really who we are and what we represent. That can be from theme parks to museums to cultural to location-based entertainment. Claire Furnival: So I understand that the TEA does an annual benchmark report. Melissa  Oviedo: Yeah, we've just rebranded this. This is the TEA Theme Experience Index. This is the 19th year that we're doing this benchmark study. Yeah, it's really exciting for us. And what this is, is this is the annual attendance report that tracks attendance data from around the globe for the top theme parks, water parks, and museums globally. It really looks at trends, so we can understand where are the guests going, where are they spending their time, how are the parks, especially as they're coming new on the market, how do they influence those trends? And we're actually going to be launching this on October 22nd.Claire Furnival: So a couple of questions spring to mind on that one. So first of all, can anybody access the report?Melissa  Oviedo: Yeah, sure can. It's a completely free resource. You can go online. If you're not a member, we just ask for you to fill out a quick form so we know who's downloading the report. And you will have full access to all of the data, and we will have actual books to hand out at IAAPA in Orlando in November.Claire Furnival: The sector's very, very, very lucky to have this piece of research. So can you give us any snippets as to what we might see in the report?Melissa  Oviedo: I think you'll see that the theme parks are really consistent. The big players are still the big players with Disney and Universal really driving the... main attendance data. And then China, with Chimalong Park, really still holding rank at number one water park in the world. We're seeing the attendance coming back in a fierce way in China.Melissa  Oviedo: Outlook is positive. Overall, though, you'll be able to find in the report a lot of the trends that we're seeing. A lot of what we're not only anticipating in 2025, but in the future as well, with all of the developments that are happening. So, really exciting, this year's report. Claire Furnival: And what about 2026? What does that bring the TEA? Melissa  Oviedo: Momentum is high, right? The community continues to look at how they diversify as an organisation or as a business. Theme parks is our core, but we're so much more than just that. So I think you're going to see. More people doing really cool and immersive things in new places. I think the definition of themed entertainment gets broadened and further defined. I think that you're going to see more activity and more collaboration because collaboration is really when the magic happens. And you're going to start to see that even more robustly in 2026 and beyond. Claire Furnival: Sounds exciting. So last thought from you, Matt.Matt Barton: Yeah, I just wanted to touch on a couple of things we've got left in 2025 before we look to 2026. So I mentioned SAIT earlier. We also have our SAIT conference in North America coming up. So that's in October. at Knott's Berry Farm, and that ties in with when we're launching the Global Experience Index. And then in November, we've got our mixer, our international mixer, combined with the IAAPA conference in Orlando. And so on the Tuesday night of IAAPA, we have our international mixer at the Isle of Berk attraction at Epic Universe. We've got the whole land, we've got dinner and drinks, and it's going to be a good one, so make sure you get your tickets in.Claire Furnival: One not to miss. Well, it's fabulous to catch up with both you, Matt, and you, Melissa. So thank you very much for your time.Matt Barton: Thank you.Melissa  Oviedo:  Thank you so much, Claire.Andy Povey: So we're on day three, and I'm sitting here with Elliot Hall, who's one of the founding partners behind Expression Capital Partners. Elliot, hello. Elliot Hall: Hi, Andy. Good to see you. Andy Povey: For our listeners at home, can you just tell me what Expression Capital Partners do and treat me like an idiot because I really don't understand the world of investment banking and all that kind of stuff.Elliot Hall: Okay, so Expression Capital Partners is the advisory firm to Entertainment Investments 1LP. Which is specialising in the entertainment industry. Andy Povey: Interesting. So I understand you're doing some work with Hasbro and in particular things like Monopoly.Elliot Hall: Yes, yes, yes, absolutely. So we're looking to open monopoly-themed hotels and casinos around the world. Andy Povey: Wow. Elliot Hall: Along with many of the different types of brands, as we're rather across their 1000 plus brands. Andy Povey: I understand there's also some sporting connections. Tell us a little bit about, tell us what you can. Elliot Hall: Yeah, so what we can. We are working with some brands that have relationships and contracts for the IP for UEFA, FIFA and the FA. Yeah, so some really exciting products there and businesses. And we are in a position to be able to sign licenses and lease agreements and so on. And we're looking at bringing all of those brands together, either in the same cluster of IP attractions or within one building under one roof. Andy Povey: So, Elliot, you guys really are the people that are bringing the magic together. The IP, the operators, and then working out how someone funds it all.Elliot Hall: Yes, absolutely, yes. Andy Povey: Fantastic.Claire Furnival: So I'm here talking to Kevin Murphy from Kraftwerk Living Technologies. How are you finding the show this year and what do you see the trends for 2026 for you, Kraftwerk or also the industry?Kevin Murphy: I think in many respects, the trend at the moment is survival, which isn't being negative, but the world is a different place from how it was pre-COVID. The industry, though, is very, very alive. There's a lot happening out there. It's good to see the show for full. We actually tried to get a booth this year and couldn't. Everything had sold out. It's busy. People are wandering around with a very positive vein. But there's no doubt that there's— world tensions and there's problems with investment— and it does affect the industry and you know we're not immune from that. Kevin Murphy: But what's been good about this show is that a lot of the partners and Clients that we're working with are starting to announce their new projects. You have to bear in mind, for us, we do high technology behind the scenes in parks and museums and science centres. We can be working on them for many, many years. So we've had projects that have been brewing and they're just starting to get announced now. So what I'm seeing is, although there's concern about the industry, there is a slightly more positive vein coming through. I think the economy is improving out there, investors are starting to come out, and you can make money out of our industry.Claire Furnival: So what in particular have you got going on in 2026? Anything you can talk about and share with us?Kevin Murphy: Well, we're very, very pleased it's been announced, so I can talk about it. Plopsaland, which is a park in Belgium, are working with Mac. And I'm delighted to see that they've just announced, earlier than we expected, we're still working behind the scenes, but they've now announced their new flying theatre. Which will be ready and prepared at the end of 2026 for the 2027 opening.Claire Furnival: Congratulations, that's really, really exciting news.Kevin Murphy: Sadly, a lot of the other projects, I still can't say too, too much, because they may not have announced.Claire Furnival: Yeah, the dreaded NDAs.Claire Furnival: Just bumped into Jacob from Attractions. io. How's the show been for you?Jacob   Thompson: Great. This is my second time at IAAPA in Barcelona. It's been even better than the first time. So the weather's held out. Great conversations, great company. So overall, a success.Claire Furnival: And a little birdie has told me that you have a new feature coming out.Jacob   Thompson: That is true. So, yeah, we have launched a new product this month called GX Pulse. And the idea is it's enabling operators to make sense of all the noise of guest reviews and sentiment by breaking... reviews down from TripAdvisor, Google reviews, their own internal platforms to make sense and map that across a guest journey, specifically for attractions. So it's able to understand sentiment across things like queue management, your attractions, your food and beverage, give you scores and benchmark you against other venues. But most importantly, give you actionable insights to make improvements to the guest experience.Claire Furnival: Brilliant use of data there. Really, really, really good. So is this product now launched?Jacob  Thompson: Yes, yes it is. So we've been demoing it across some attractions at the trade show floor this week and it's had some really positive feedback. This product is completely separate from our core app platform and experience. So even if you don't have a mobile app and don't need a mobile app, this can be valuable for anybody that is looking to understand the sentiment and experience of their guests across their attractions.Claire Furnival: Fabulous. Guest will be seeing you in IAAPA Orlando.Jacob   Thompson: Yes, and I heard there's going to be a great party hosted by Skip the Queue.Claire Furnival: I'm not sure we'll be hosting a party, but we'll certainly be partying.Jacob   Thompson: Well, I'll be there to join you nonetheless.Paul Marden: So we're here for the final day of IAAPA Expo Europe. I've had a whale of a time and I'm sat here with Jakob Wahl, who amazingly, considering three days into this fantastic expo, is still looking fresh and bright. Jakob, please introduce yourself for our listeners who may not know you.Jakob  Wahl: I'm president and CEO of IAAPA, the Global Association for the Attractions Industry. I've done that now for two and a half years, but in total I've been with IAPA for, I think, nearly 15 years.Paul Marden: Wow, so man and boy almost.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, you know, and I always say the kid in the candy store— I love doing what we do and bringing people together.Paul Marden: How could you not? So this is my first IAAPA. It has been fantastic and stood on the show floor. I think it was yesterday. I was on my own, done so many interviews. I've been bouncing around, but I just had a few minutes by myself and just stood in the middle of it all. Totally is like being a kid in a candy store, the Willy Wonka moment isn't it? Of what this place is like, because it is so fantastic.Jakob  Wahl:  It is and the most wonderful thing about it is, you know, we as an association, we create a framework, but it is actually all of you, our members, who fill it with life. Because everybody comes together. It's just a massive class reunion. People know each other. And the best thing about it is they're all willing to help and support each other. So obviously, the trade show floor is one component, but we have all those networking sessions, the education sessions, safety corners, we have places where people can exchange, depending on what they work in or where they work, and everybody comes together to share. That is so wonderful, because it's not only family-owned parks, small parks, big parks, but it's also the big private equity corporate players. They're all here to really benefit from this platform, and that fills me with pride.Paul Marden: Good. So, as the week draws to a close, what's been the real highlights for you?Jakob  Wahl: How much time do I have? First of all, the people. It's always the people. It's, you know, for me, it's my team coming together from all around the world, putting this together. And then it's... the people coming and creating those education sessions, creating those moments together, sharing their knowledge. That is just wonderful. There's not one specific moment like that, but it happens all the time. Jakob  Wahl: And then one of the highlights for me is always, always, always the opening reception. That is our Tuesday night event, which took place at Tibidabo, this classic historic amusement park on top of Barcelona. We were a little bit concerned Monday. Will it rain? Will it not rain? So we had to rent tents to make sure that everybody will stay dry. And what happens if you're intense? Obviously, it doesn't rain. Jakob  Wahl: There was an expensive insurance, but it turned out to be exactly that evening. And we have been to Barcelona three times now. We have been to the Tibidabo three times and I think I can be pretty sure that when we go back to Barcelona in three years, we will also go again to Tibidabo because, you know, it's just this evening filled with magic and good people.Paul Marden: Excellent. You've had some time wandering the show floors, I'm sure, talking to suppliers, getting a feel for what's happening in the industry. What have you heard from the show floor that you think is going to influence the sector over the year ahead?Jakob  Wahl: I would have loved to ask you that question, actually. What is your impression?Paul Marden: Oh, the blending of tech with real life I find really interesting. We all want to take our kids to attractions because we want to pull them away from their screens. But there's got to be a hook, I think. And in many cases, there are rides or there are amusements of some form that is a skillful blending of that tech with an in-life, in-real-life experience that I think is the hook to get the kids in. But then we're still wrenching them away from the screens. They're doing something for real with family.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, I think technology enhances the experience. It doesn't replace the experience. I think that is something which is very clear on the show floor, that there are different ways of how you can combine existing attractions with new technology. And we sometimes call it fusion attractions, where you bring several elements into play with each other. And I think that is very important. What we have seen also is an increase in what I would call smart technology. How can you use technology... to improve the guest flow, to make it even smoother. We all want to have a smooth process. It should be easy on the phone. All those things, besides the classic coasters and water slides and inflatables, that is, I think, some area which has really grown on our trade show floor over the past years.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. If you can smooth that process from the moment that they hit the website all the way through, getting them to the experience and then back out the other side and encouraging them to want to return again is really important, isn't it?Jakob  Wahl: And the same is for operations and maintenance, the front of house for the customer, but also the back of house. And we learned some fascinating things. We talked in our leadership breakfast with the CEO of a large park group, and he said, 'There are tools that can now predict 93% of the attendance of every day.' And that is just fascinating because that helps operational planning, that helps food and beverage planning, that helps all those aspects in running a park successfully or running an attraction successfully.Paul Marden: Absolutely. So, as we come to the end of IAAPA Expo Europe, there are many US listeners, I'm sure, also quite a few Brits as well, anticipating IAAPA Expo Orlando in November. Have you got any insider tips or things that we can look forward to in Orlando? Jakob  Wahl: I can say it will be epic. There's quite a significant theme park which opened this year, Epic Universe, which is just down the road from the convention centre.Jakob  Wahl: And we actually have not only... Mark Woodbury is speaking in our keynote in our leadership breakfast. But we also have privatised the park on Thursday evening for the IAAPA Celebrates for four hours. So it is Epic Universe, just for IAAPA members, which will be amazing. I've had the luck to visit the park several times. And I can only tell you, you know, you should be there. The evening before the show opens on Monday, IAAPA has the Legends event, the honorary evening for the Hall of Fame. And this year we're actually inducting five inductees. Among them is Dolly Parton. So if you have ever wanted to meet Dolly Parton. Paul Marden: The real Dolly Parton. Wow.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, Dolly Parton is getting into the IAAPA Hall of Fame, besides some other really fantastic candidates or inductees. And she will be there to receive that accolade. And as you said, you have many British listeners. Next year, IAAPA Expo Europe is in London.Paul Marden: Now, I'd quite like to do an edit for my family that might be listening, because that did sound quite epic. And we need to be absolutely clear that there's lots of hard work to be done in Orlando, as well as enjoying ourselves at Epic and seeing Dolly Parton.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, I'm pretty sure we need to Skip the Queue on site for a podcast from Orlando.Paul Marden: Oh, there we go. There we go. I think we should end it there. Jakob, it has been delightful to meet you. I've really enjoyed it. I'm so grateful for being invited to come to IAAPA this year. Bring the podcast here. I've had so much fun. I've learned so much. It's been wonderful. Thank you.Jakob  Wahl: Oh, we love what you do. Thank you, you know, for making the attractions industry present in the digital space. And we are all great listeners of your podcast. So thank you for what you do for us.Paul Marden: Wow, what a week. A massive thank you to IAAPA for hosting us in Barcelona. It was an incredible few days of connection, innovation, and inspiration. We've absolutely loved being part of it. And who knows, maybe we'll see you again sooner than you think. If you liked today's episode, please like us or leave a comment on your podcast platform. It really does help people to find us. And lastly, thank you to all of the team that made these daily episodes and today's wrap-up session. A possibility without the team it could not have been possible to have done this— thank you to Emily and Sami at Plaster, Steve at Folland Co. Wenayn, Claire, and Andy back at Skip the Queue HQ. It has been a delight to be with you and I look forward to seeing you again next week. The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

En la edición de hoy de Radar Empresarial, abordamos la última primicia de Reuters sobre Pop Mart. Wang Ning, CEO y COO de la empresa creadora de los populares muñecos Labubu, ha revelado que su ambición es construir un imperio mediático en torno a esta figura, siguiendo los pasos de Disney. “Llevamos mucho tiempo estudiando el modelo Disney. Su verdadero valor radica en saber gestionar su propiedad intelectual durante décadas, incluso más de un siglo”, explicó Wang. En esa línea, Pop Mart planea expandir su universo creativo con nuevas producciones audiovisuales y hasta parques temáticos, al estilo de Disney World. Lejos de centrarse únicamente en repetir el éxito de Labubu, el objetivo de la empresa es diversificar sus colaboraciones y mejorar la experiencia en sus tiendas físicas. 2025 ha sido un año excepcional para Pop Mart: sus acciones han subido más de un 200 %, superando en valor de mercado a gigantes como Hasbro y Mattel. En solo el primer trimestre, la empresa logró ingresos por 1.910 millones de dólares, superando por mucho todo lo facturado en 2024. Además, Wang declaró en agosto que esperan alcanzar los 4.000 millones en ventas antes de que finalice el año, impulsados en parte por su expansión en Estados Unidos, donde ya cuentan con 40 tiendas. A pesar del fuerte crecimiento, comienzan a surgir dudas sobre una posible burbuja. En el último mes, las acciones han caído un 16 %, principalmente por la desaceleración de la demanda en el mercado chino. Otro factor preocupante ha sido el fenómeno de la reventa, donde algunos especuladores están vendiendo a la baja por temor a una caída mayor. Desde la empresa, sin embargo, aseguran que esta situación era previsible. En un comunicado a CNBC, informaron que han triplicado su producción anual: de 10 millones de unidades en 2024 a más de 30 millones este año. Aunque su mirada está puesta en nuevos mercados y formatos, Pop Mart no olvida sus raíces. Recientemente, Wang anunció el lanzamiento de una versión mini de Labubu. Desde su fundación en 2010, cuando Wang convenció a sus amigos universitarios de fabricar juguetes coleccionables, la marca ha crecido hasta convertirse en un fenómeno global. Su éxito también se ha visto amplificado por el formato de “caja sorpresa” y por celebridades como Rihanna, Dua Lipa o Kim Kardashian, que han ayudado a viralizar la marca, al igual que ocurrió con los famosos Sonny Angel.

Oh hello new Studio Series Soundwave, looks like the old netflix earthrise mold is ready for the bin right? Plus lots of news for the week

Lords * Alexander * Kev Topics: * "Floaty movement" in games * The power to give people clutter that they can't throw away * https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/users/yorkdoom/palweb/week12/palwk12.htm * https://www.anabuzzalino.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/book-of-kells.jpg * Dunning Kruger got debunked! * https://economicsfromthetopdown.com/2022/04/08/the-dunning-kruger-effect-is-autocorrelation/ * With or Without Witnesses, by Hasbro, Inc. * https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/457/alloy-myr * Esper says: "A lot of the lore and worldbuilding of Magic is conveyed through flavor text, but there's also about a novel's worth of writing for each set distributed as webfiction and a few dozen novels throughout the game's history. It's good stuff, usually!" * The instinct to not swing a heavy object at someone, even when you're supposed to * Japanese curry Microtopics: * The Humble Screw. * What it might take to be good at hammering nails. * Fingerbashing. * An inclined plane that goes around in a circle. * Metric Rules Football. * Whether a state machine is the same kind of thing as a wedge. * Clockwork Maiden. * Speedrunning, cleaning and dating. * Floaty movement. * The JPEG artifact of physics simulation. * How to Unit Test a video game. * Using MIDI knobs to tune your game's physics. * Game Oriented Assembly Lisp. * Hot Reloading Workflow. * Why Naughty Dog stopped using Lisp. * Just going about your life when suddenly you have to use Perl for something. * Peak Node.JS/SAAS years. * Walk/run/sprint transition speed. * Getting an special drink for your guys. * Medieval style calligraphy. * Gifting someone with a burden for the rest of their lives. * Pouring rocks into your dad's pocket because that's where you keep your rocks. * The kitten going to sleep behind your laptop because it's warm back there. * Here's how someone in the 14th century would've written these words. * How to say "fuck around and find out" in medieval Latin. * Writing a meme in 14th century Blackletter Hand. * Sans-serif calligraphy. * The ancient Greeks trying to invent ASCII art but they couldn't close the deal. * Letters placed inside other letters. * Autocorrelation. * Figures 8 and 9. * Coming out of discussion the topic with a better understanding of the topic. * Using a bird feather to write. * Knowledge that we used to have and now have again. * Learning to Topic Lords while doing home improvement stuff. * Scrapping your fragile human body to merge with the machines. * Rainbows in Space. * Suns going around in circles regardless of whether anyone's looking. * A semi-conscious little robot dude. * Calling the Qualia Function. * A real messed-up looking machine cat. * Communicating the story solely via flavor text on mana dorks. * A squadron of little kids waving wooden swords at each other. * How do you turn sword fighting into something you can do in a video game? * East Bay Rat Motorcycle Club Flight Nights. * Situations where they ask if you want a mouth guard. * Asking the ref at the boxing match what the etiquette is for tapping out. * The crowd roaring when they realize you're a southpaw. * Punching a guy you just met three seconds ago. * Did you end up cutting that girl's head off? * Renaissance MMA. * That Awkward Sparring Feeling. * A simulacrum of kicking each other in the face. * Getting a part-time job at your favorite curry shop so you can learn the recipe. * What part of curry is the curry? * The curry you eat so you don't die. * Emperor Riding a Dragon to the Forbidden Palace. * The advantage of a burger as a fast food staple. * How to make curry convenient. * Rendang. * Dry curry. * Joining a discord and asking "what are all these users for??" * Which user is which lord on which episode?

This episode is the audio for a YouTube TeamStream that initially ran on July 30, 2025.  TeamStreams run live every Tuesday at 9 pm on the WOJM YouTube channel, barring unforeseen circumstances or holidays.  Please take a moment and help us out — even if you don't watch us there, subscribe to our YouTube channel today! You can watch this episode at: https://youtube.com/live/oO393CFDADY We flooded our social media streams with photos from SDCC panels and Hasbro's #GIJoe booth last week, thanks to our intrepid man on the ground, Phil Donnelly of  Articulated Points, and now our semi-regular guest host is back in the #WOJM #TeamStream to help run it all back! Between Hasbro's GI Joe: Classified panel, Skybound's Energon Universe panel, and Cold Slither-mania, this one's going to run long! LISTEN TODAY!

What are you thoughts from todays episode?

In 2010, Hasbro released five games in this U-Build series. I was only familiar with the Monopoly version, so I was excited to try U-Build Mouse Trap, a variant of the 1963 staple.U-Build Mouse Trap arrived, procured from eBay, and the kids and I sat down that evening to play it. I had done very little research into it because I wanted to go into it with no expectations. We opened the box to discover it was filled with a lot of building blocks similar to, but not, Lego. We sat around the table, and set to work building the game and playing it. Let's see how it went.Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Karin Bursa welcomes a powerhouse panel of women supply chain leaders who are rewriting the rules in today's “never normal” world. Joining the discussion are Stephanie Beal, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Hasbro; Tamera Fenske, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Kimberly-Clark; Eliza Simeonova, Vice President of Global Supply for Mars Pet Nutrition; Whitney Shlesinger, Vice President of Global Planning and Logistics at McCormick; and Sylvia Wilks, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Lamb Weston.Together, they share defining moments that shaped their careers, from early plant leadership to global transformation initiatives. They explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping supply chain performance: driving operational discipline, improving demand planning, enhancing knowledge management, and freeing teams to focus on creative, strategic work. The panel also reflects on the importance of clean data, talent development, and building integrated value chains that deliver measurable business results.Looking back, each leader offers advice to their younger selves, highlighting the power of mentorship, confidence, and learning from failure while encouraging the next generation to own their careers and pay it forward. Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(02:45) Panel introduction(13:56) Defining career moments(25:13) AI's impact on supply chains(27:19) Data's role in AI success(29:25) AI for employee efficiency(31:11) AI in inventory and demand forecasting(32:33) AI in decision making and strategy(33:39) Personal productivity and AI(36:33) AI in knowledge management(37:41) Career advice for supply chain leaders(47:47) Connecting with supply chain expertsAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Stephanie Beal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniebeal/ Connect with Tamera Fenske: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamera-fenske-08121a7/ Connect with Eliza Simeonova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliza-simeonova-787999151/ Connect with Whitney Shlesinger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-shlesinger/ Connect with Sylvia Wilks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvia-wilks-7658513/ Learn more about Hasbro:

On today's episode we discuss New X-Men #125 PLUS the legendary Uncanny X-Men 152 where Storm/Emma swap bodies!

I feel like we've definitely been in a flow for the last few years, but how long can it last? Mattel is definitely in its rhythm with MOTU, especially with its new She-Ra and Swiftwind release. Hasbro, not so much with their new Shockwave Humpback Whale. However, the Classified cop looks like it might be one of their most popular non-exclusive releases yet. Star Wars shows off what the future of collecting might look like with their mixed reality playset, and I don't like it.

We are back for the final look at the Dark of the Moon toy line with the last 8 figures

Craig Miller, the first Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm Ltd., played a pivotal role during the creation of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. As a publicist, writer, producer, and innovator, Craig crafted groundbreaking ways to engage and grow the Star Wars fanbase, helping cement its place as a cultural phenomenon. Beyond Star Wars, Craig has been a key figure in the Writers of the Future contest since its inception, and he shares insights from its early days. We also discuss Craig's book, Star Wars Memories: My Time in the (Death Star) Trenches, a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories from his time in the Star Wars universe. From accidental mishaps to industry-defining moments, Craig's tales are as entertaining as they are revealing. In this episode, we explore: 1. How Craig landed the dream job of Director of Fan Relations for Star Wars. 2. The scope of his role and what it meant to be the bridge between Lucasfilm and its passionate fans. 3. His favorite interviews with Star Wars legends like Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford. 4. Memorable filming locations and what made them stand out. 5. The hilarious and chaotic story of how Craig accidentally shut down the state of Illinois' telephone system. 6. The epic saga of Kenner vs. Hasbro and the licensing misstep that rivals publishers rejecting Harry Potter. 7. The impact and legacy of the Star Wars comics.

It's been twenty years since X-MEN LEGENDS II was released! Power of X-Men host Dayspring sits down with Video Game Director Dan Vondrak to discuss what it was like to develop X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse! How soon did the game go into development following the first entry? What did the story originally look like? How was it like to bring Archangel to the game? Why were Psylocke and Emma cut from the game? Who was originally suppose to be playable? And...most importantly...what would X-Men Legends III have looked like? Strap in, True Believers! This is a special episode you don't want to miss!

There's more info on Missing Link Ultra Magnus, Nemesis Prime is everyone's favorite Optimus Prime repaint, and Hasbro finally says goodbye to Rhode Island. All this and much, much more on this episode of TransMissions! Order our exclusive Skybound Transformers #1 comic with cover art by E.J. Su! Want some TransMissions swag? Check out our online shop, powered by Dashery! Show Notes: If you enjoy TransMissions, please rate us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! These ratings greatly help podcasts become more discoverable to other people using those services and is an easy way to help out our show. Contact us: Continue reading The post Episode 660 – Mattel’s Nemesis appeared first on TransMissions Podcast Network.