Eh-oh! It's the Teletubbies!
Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-la and Po have swept aside all competitors to win the top award in the UK toy industry, the British Association of Toy Retailer’s (BATR) Toy of the Year 1997/1998.
The award was presented in front of an audience of around 600 from both sides of the toy industry at a gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on Sunday 1st February 1998.
BATR chairman, David Fogel says, “In an industry dominated by powerful multi-national companies, I am delighted that our award has been won by a family-run British toy company, Golden Bear in Telford, with toys based on a British television programme.”
The originators of the ‘virtual pets’ craze raging around the world, Tamagotchi (Bandai) won most Innovative Toy of the Year, Hasbro’s Action Man Skydiver was Boy’s Toy of the Year, while a Spanish company, Famosa scooped Girl’s Toy of the Year with a doll that can change it’s expression. Star Wars Monopoly (Waddingtons) was voted Game of the Year.
Toy Options, with Buzz Lightyear in 1996 (which continued high sales right through 1997) and Spice Girls dolls which only arrived in December, won Toy Company of the Year award.
THE BATR TOY AWARDS 1997/98
| Award | Winner | Other Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| BATR Toy of the Year | Teletubbies (Golden Bear) | |
| Most Innovative Toy | Tamagotchi (Bandai) | Nano Pals (Playmates) Barcode Truck (Lego) |
| Game of the Year | Star Wars Monopoly (Waddingtons) | Jenga (MB Games) Goosebumps (Waddingtons) |
| Boys Toy of the Year | Action Man Skydiver (Hasbro) | Buzz Lightyear (Toy Options) Micro Machines (Hasbro) |
| Girls Toy of the Year | Baby Expressions (Famosa) | Pet Doctor Barbie (Mattel) Magic Moving Polly Pocket (Bluebird) |
| Pre-School Toy of the Year | Tickle Me Elmo (Tyco) | Thomas the Tank Engine (Ertl) Pooh Bear range (Mattel) |
| Activity Toy of the Year | Get Set Chocolate Factory (Waddingtons) | |
| Toy Company of the Year | Toy Options Limited Suppliers of Buzz Lightyear and Spice Girls Dolls |