WPR Appointed to Help The Toy Retailers Association Spotlight the 2025 DreamToys List

WPR is working with the Toy Retailers Association, the voice for toy retailers in the UK, to deliver a campaign blending consumer PR, experiential, and influencer marketing around its DreamToys list of the hottest toys for Christmas 2025.

The DreamToys list is the most authoritative prediction of what are expected to be the most desirable new toys on the high street for the festive season. It is the only list selected by an independent panel of toy retailers and toy experts from small independents to large national chains.

The launch of the DreamToys list, which has traditionally been through a media event in the run up to Christmas, will see a reimagined approach for 2025, with WPR creating a multi-purpose pop-up venue in Soho to unveil the list to content creators and press over the course of a week.

The work, secured following a competitive pitch, is being led by associate creative director Dan Gabriel, who said: “Who wouldn’t love the opportunity to shout about the must-have toys for Christmas? This was a fantastic brief, aligning perfectly with our experience across both retail and the family and kids brand space, and we can’t wait to get people as excited as we are about the toys that will be on everyone’s lists this year.”

Natasha Crookes, Director General at The Toy Retailers Association, said: “The WPR team brought fresh perspectives, real creativity, and deep sector insight to their response to our brief. We’re really shaking up the way we build excitement around DreamToys this year and we can’t wait to see how the industry and media respond.”

With a vibrant festive design to showcase the toys selected for this year’s list, the pop-up launch venue will feature an eye-catching display of all the toys on the first floor with break out space and individual demo plinths for each of the featured toys downstairs.

The DreamToys list is set to feature 15 toys this year, to ensure maximum exposure for each of the featured toys. Content creators and journalists will be able to explore the different brands on offer, speak to the experts and capture video and photography against a bright and colourful DreamToys backdrop.

The event will be supported by a multi-phased PR campaign including a competition to recruit ‘Mini Toy Testers’, launching in September and giving children the opportunity to be among the first to experience the season’s hottest toys at the pop-up venue in November.

A second nationwide competition will launch after the list has been officially unveiled, providing another chance to win all of the toys from this year’s list. With an in-store entry mechanic, the follow up competition is designed to drive footfall to participating retailers across the UK, generating further awareness of the list and supporting stores at a local level during the crucial festive trading period.

The Toy Retailers Association, which was first established in the 1950s and has members including Smyths, The Entertainer, Toy Town, Toymaster and AIS members as well as many independent shops, acts as both a watchdog and persuader to ensure fair play for toy retailers in the UK.