RAZOR DECK Declared Finalist for TOY OF THE YEAR®
New York, NY | August 21, 2023 – Today, The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) announced the top specialty toys and games that are advancing the world of play. RAZOR DECK by Storyastic is one of only seven finalists selected in this prestigious, industry-leading award distinction.
In an industry with thousands of new products hitting the market every year, finalists were selected by an independent panel of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts, who narrowed down the pool from the hundreds of nominations submitted by top companies of all sizes.
The category winners, determined by votes from consumers, Toy Association members, retailers, and media, will be announced at the TOTY Awards on September 29 in New York City. The award ceremony serves as the kickoff to Toy Fair®, the largest toy and game convention in the Western Hemisphere, and is the biggest night of the year for toys, where the industry gathers to recognize innovation across every category of play.
“This year’s TOTY Awards finalists are an unmatched lineup of toys, games, and professionals that represent the best of the best in the toy industry,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “We look forward to celebrating all of the finalists at the industry’s biggest night of the year, plus advance the industry’s collective philanthropy for the benefit of children in need.”
The night is also the ultimate fundraiser to support TTF’s work delivering the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need around the world. The Toy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of preeminent industry institution, The Toy Association™.TTF aims to be the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need. In 2022, the industry’s support helped TTF reach more than 925,000 children and all proceeds generated from the TOTY Awards help TTF impact even more children through the distribution of toys through The Toy Bank℠, support of play therapy programs in children’s hospitals, and development of the next generation of diverse talent.
RAZOR DECK are the world’s thinnest, coolest playing cards. They are the same height as standard poker-sized playing cards, but only one-third as wide, so players can hold an entire hand of cards in the space of one standard-sized playing card. An entire layout of Solitaire can fit on an airplane seat-back table and still fit a drink and snack. The cards are also waterproof and don’t tear or curl like traditional playing cards. Razor Deck features clear, clean design on bright white PET material, which is better for the environment than PVC (used in most waterproof playing cards). The cards have an optimized viscosity and surface treatment so they don’t stick together and are easy to handle, shuffle and deal.
They come in a two-piece telescoping box which is perfect to pop in your pocket, purse or backpack.
“Everything Storyastic makes is designed to bring people together in the real world,” said Dana Brown, Co-Founder of Storyastic. “Winning awards is a wonderful confirmation that we’re helping people come together, but it’s most gratifying to realize that attention like this ultimately helps even more people reach for Razor Deck instead of their screens.”
“When our first four ‘all-together’ games did well, people kept asking us to make a cool playing card deck, but we didn’t want to offer yet another widget with thousands already on the market,” added Chip, Storyastic Co-Founder. “So, we went to the essence of playing cards–the edges of the cards–that’s the ‘essential’ part people use, and we tested many designs, materials and viscosities, making sure all the ‘easter-egg’ details like one-eyed Jacks are integrated into the design.”
Razor Deck is one of eight innovative playing card decks offered by Storyastic this past year, three of which have won prestigious awards.
Consumers are invited to visit ToyAwards.org to vote for their favorites now till September 8.
Voting for the People’s Choice Award, uniquely decided by online consumer votes, will remain open through November 10, and the winner will be announced on November 20.
For more information about the TOTY Awards voting and selection process, visit ToyAwards.org.
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About Chip and Dana Brown
Dana was a Lead Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering for two entirely new-concept parks: Disney’s California Adventure/Paradise Pier and TokyoDisneySeas/Mediterranean Harbor. This role included the responsibility of creating the interactive and magical experiences in-between the rides, in open spaces, restaurants and retail, where consumers spend most of their time. Chip has spent more than 25 years in the media and entertainment industry, including TV, film, internet, live theatre, radio, animation, music and publishing. He helped lead Disney’s Tony ® Award-winning The Lion King to become the largest financial opening in Broadway history. He was also SVP & Group Publisher at HarperCollins.
About Storyastic www.storyastic.com
Storyastic cultivates meaningful human connection in the age of tech and screentime through the creation of fun, interactive experiences and tools simple enough for everyone to play. Founded by Dana Brown, former Lead Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering and Chip Brown, former producer at Walt Disney Studios and publisher for HarperCollins, Storyastic is an imaginative toy, game, and entertainment company whose debut product is THE RANK GAME, named Favorite Pick at Toy Fair NY, the largest toy and game convention in the Western Hemisphere. It has since won multiple awards.
About The Toy Foundation™ www.toyfoundation.org
The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) is a 501 (c)(3) children's charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association™. Our mission is to be the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need. In collaboration with the toy industry, TTF aims to create a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary physical, emotional, and educational benefits of play through three program areas – The Toy BankSM; Play Grants; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Pipeline Program. TTF’s signature program, The Toy Bank, has delivered more than $284 million in toys to 31 million children around the world. In 2022, TTF provided $1.9 million in Play Grants to children’s hospitals nationwide and global partner organizations actively assisting thousands of Ukrainian refugees. TTF launched its DEI program in 2022 working with a network of colleges and universities to attract diverse talent to career pathways in the toy industry.
CONTACT: Chip Brown, (310) 497-7400, chip@storyastic.com