CHICAGO TOY & GAME FAIR NOVEMBER 2007 NEWS - TOY SAFETY PANEL AND MORE!

It is ChiTag Time! Time for Fun! November 17th and 18th.

Industry trade and media are our guests. Just stop at the Trade/Media Registration Counter and trade your business card for a ticket. No lines. No hassles.

We have an impressive offering of trade programs in addition to the public fair exhibits:

Love to have you join us… and bring the family. They can play while you attend the industry events. Events in addition to the many Fair exhibits from all over the world include:

Detailed information regarding the above events is below. Due to limited space, most events require advance registration, so sign-up soon!

Help us show the world how important and how fun play can be!

Our Best,

Mary Couzin and the Chi-Tag Staff
mcouzin@chitag.com
847-677-8277 direct dial

CHICAGO TOY & GAME FAIR EVENTS, FORUMS AND WORKSHOPS ADJUNCT TO FAIR EXHIBITS IN HALL

Chi-Tag Awards:
Best in Show Toy and Best in Show Game voted on by Fair attendees
Teacher’s Choice for Best in Show
Golden Game Award to teachers using games in the classroom and in the school.
Co-sponsor Jax Games.
Young Inventor Challenge Winner. Co-sponsor Inventor’s Digest and Everyday Edisons
WorldBee Geography Bee Winner. Co-sponsor Milne American Express Travel

List of Ask the Experts for Friday (12 to 2 pm), Saturday and Sunday (1 to 3pm)
Not all experts available all days
Richard Gottlieb, Author, Consultant, and Playthings Columnist
Tracy Dudkiewicz, President of TAP Marketing (PR and marketing)
Peggy Brown, Peggy Brown Consulting (packaging, colors, copy and development)
Bob deGrace, President of FRV Group (printer/packager)
Matt Nuccio – Partner of Design Edge (graphics and design)
Matt Forbeck - President of Full Moon Enterprises (veteran freelance author and game designer)
Howard Jay Fleischer – President of RoyaltyPros Licensing (Inventor, Agent, Consultant)
Corey Feldstein – Vice President of Commercial Operations, Inventor’s Digest, Everyday Edisons
Juan Mendez – President of Delano Service (printer/packager)
Mike Hirtle – Head of Global Inventor Relations and Product Acquisition at Hasbro (Licensor)
Dave Okada – Vice President Inventor Relations at Mattel (Licensor)

November 16th

Noon - 2 pm – Ask an Expert
Sign up for free 15 minute sessions.

2 pm to 6 pm – Free Exhibitor Workshop
Knucklebones Lounge – Joe Jones, Publisher of Knucklebones, Moderator
Richard Gottlieb – topics from his latest book, Ambassador to Wal-Mart.
Tracy Dudkiewicz, President, TAP Marketing - What’s Your Marketing Mix? How to Use PR, Advertising and Promotion without Breaking the Bank!
Peggy Brown, Peggy Brown Consulting - Package Design, Trend Colors, Copywriting and Product Development.
Bob deGrace, President of FRV Group – Printing, What You Need to Know.
FRV Group sponsoring snacks and refreshments.

6 pm - Exhibitor Pizza Eat-n-Greet

November 17th

9 am Star Wars Character Breakfast open to public
$25/adult and $15/child – Federation Toys is co-sponsor

9 am Mompreneur Networking Breakfast open to public
Peggy Brown speaker
$15/person

7:30 am Inventor Forum $45, free to exhibitors
   7:30 am breakfast sponsored by DeLano Service

   8:00 am – Hasbro and Mattel – What do they want?
      Tim Walsh – moderator - Play Entrepreneur
      Mike Hirtle – Head of Global Inventor Relations and Product Acquisition at Hasbro
      Jeffrey Breslow – Co-Founder of BMT (Big Monster Toy)
      Dave Okada – Vice President Inventor Relations at Mattel
      Randy Horn – President of Zobmondo
   9:45 break

   10:00 – Self-Production, Licensing and International Sales – What do you need to know?
      Tim Walsh - moderator - Play Entrepreneur
      Howard Jay Fleischer – President of RoyaltyPros Licensing
      Richard Gottlieb - Author, Playthings Columnist and President of Richard Gottlieb and Associates
      Arne Lauwers – President of Lauwers Games from Belgium
      Renaud Honhon - CEO of Flarus Trading (Russian Federation & Belarus Distributor)
11:45 end

11 am HL Games Event - TBA

12 pm Boy Scouts on Stage for Merit Badge

1 pm – 3 pm – Ask an Expert
Sign up for free 15 minute sessions.

1 pm Giant Loteria Mix Game on Stage

1 pm – 6 pm - Games in Education Forum, Free with fair admission ticket
Barnes and Noble Co-sponsor
As an Approved Illinois CPDU Provider, this Forum will provide professional development seminars on how and why to use games in the curriculum. Professional educators, parent educators, administrators, and future educators are all invited to attend. Topics include but are not limited to:
- Why games are good for the brain
- How to evaluate games for their educational potential
- How others are integrating games into their educational programs
- How to differentiate instruction using games
- How games evolve to match developmental levels from early childhood to adulthood
- Practical exercise in evaluating and using games in the curriculum
Presenters include experts and educators from HL Games, High Content Games, Learning Resources, Educational Insights, Kapla Toys and the National-Louis University Center for the Gifted.

2 pm - Star Wars the Force Among Us Documentary Talk with the Director and Producer Chris Macht on Stage

3 pm - Toy Safety Panel on Stage
Carter Keithley – President of Toy Industry Association
Donald Mays – Senior Director of Product Safety Planning at Consumer Reports
Senator Dick Durbin – Pending schedule
Richard Gottlieb moderating
More panelists to be announced.

4 pm – Young Inventor Session on Stage
Hasbro Head of Global Acquisition and Inventor Relations Mike Hirtle inspires kids to think inventively!

10 am – 6 pm All Day Events, Free with Admission Ticket
Young Inventors’ Challenge
Game Club HQ
Kapla Tournaments – Relay Race, Tallest Tower and Tree Toppling

6 pm - Night at Essen Free with General Admission Ticket
A Night at Essen features hot new games direct from the world famous Essen Game Fair sponsored by Rio Grande Games.

November 18th 2007

Reaching the Latino Market, Free with General Admission Ticket
7:30 am breakfast sponsored by Paco Communications and Univision Radio
8:00 am Forum begins
Carina – Latino Radio and TV personality and author of Carina’s Annual Ten Best Toys and Games
Ozzie Godinez – Partner, Paco Communications
Hector Fabregas - Univision Radio
Sharmila Fowler - Phoenix Multicultural
Marketing to Hispanics is different than marketing to the general population. They buy different and for different reasons depending on their level of acculturation. If you want to break into the fastest growing, largest and youngest market in the U.S. who adore their children, you should attend.

9:50 am Girls on the Run ‘Run’ Through Fair

10 am How to Protect Your Idea Free with General Admission Ticket
James Michael Faier, MPP, MBA, JD
Registered Patent Attorney, Faier & Faier

11 am Paul Niemann - Market Launchers Free with General Admission Ticket
How to use the internet to promote your invention and to catch the attention of a Product Scout.

11:00 am Dance Aspirations Dancers on Stage

12:30 – 1:30 pm Radio Disney Party Patrol on Stage

1:00 – 1:45 pm Games in Libraries & Schools Free with General Admission Ticket
Scott Nicholson, Syracuse University School of Information Studies

1 pm – 3 pm – Ask an Expert Free with General Admission Ticket
Sign up for free 15 minute sessions.

1:30 pm Energy Productions Dancers on Stage

2 – 4 pm WorldBee – Geography Challenge sponsored by Milne American Express Travel on Stage
Students in grades 4 – 8 compete to win travel vouchers, games and other prizes in this geography based “Scholar’s Challenge.” Complete rules of participation and registration information forthcoming. Grand prize $1500 travel voucher from Milne American Express Travel.

2 – 4 pm Retailer Roundtable Covering Large Chains to Independents and Distributors free
Moderated by Tracy Dudkiewicz - President of TAP Marketing
Brandi Field - Buyer for Go! the Game Store and Calendar Club
Gordon B Lugauer - 'the' Board Game Barrister
Raiko Mendoza - AblePlay, National Lekotek Center
Linda Stortz - Stortz Distributing Canada

5 pm Young Inventor Winner Announced on Stage
Corey Feldstein of Inventor’s Digest and Everyday Edisons presents award to winner and talks about inventing.

10 am – 6 pm All Day Events Free with Admission Ticket
Young Inventors’ Challenge
Game Club HQ
Kapla Tournaments – Relay Race, Tallest Tower and Tree Toppling