Q2 - 2025: An exciting quarter at Commotion Ltd.
As we reflect on the second quarter of 2025, we are delighted to share the significant milestones, business updates, product launches, and industry recognition that have defined this exciting period for Commotion. From securing prestigious industry media coverage to launching innovative new ranges, Q2 has been a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional educational toys and resources to our valuable customers.
Foreword and executive summary from our CEO, James Shepherd:
“I am excited to share our latest business update, highlighting our achievements and key developments for 2025 YTD.
We finished Q2 with a strong June resulting in a year-on-year growth of circa 5% compared to 2024 for the half year. Notably, our European markets stood out with a remarkable increase of 20%. Specifically, tickit U.K. saw an impressive growth of 31%, while tickit Europe achieved an outstanding 43%. It's important to acknowledge that tariffs have significantly impacted our U.S. FOB business, resulting in no sales invoices for April and May
Despite the challenges, our tickit product line showed an overall increase of 5.3%. We also doubled our business with Viga, which is a significant achievement. We successfully launched 60 new products this year, with the standout being the SiliSoft range, which has sold exceptionally well. Additionally, we have more new products in the pipeline, offering a diverse variety that moves beyond our core ranges.
Having launched our new Commotion website earlier in the year, Q2 has been focused on developing the transactional capabilities of the platform. This will greatly improve our customer experience and streamline operations. We also welcomed several new team members to our organisation, contributing to our continued growth. Our social media presence has expanded, reaching over 41,000 Instagram followers, supported by an increased output of brochures, posts, reels, and overall content.
We successfully implemented Microsoft 365 as our new CMS system, which has enhanced collaboration and productivity across the organization. Additionally, new retail packaging options are now readily available to support our flagship tickit range.
Looking ahead, our focus will be on driving sales in the second half of the year, preparing for the Nuremberg Toy Fair, and continuing to refine our marketing direction for the U.K. market. We remain committed to supporting our customers with excellent service and product availability.”
Media recognition and industry coverage
April marked a particularly strong start to the quarter with extensive coverage in Toys & Playthings' Garden Centre Supplement. This comprehensive feature included our products on the front cover, a full-page Whizz Bike advertisement, and a detailed double-page interview with our CEO, James Shepherd. The coverage highlighted our tickit range and demonstrated why our thoughtfully crafted, open-ended products resonate so effectively within the garden centre market.
James's interview provided valuable insights into our approach to supporting retail partners with comprehensive sales and marketing resources, emphasising our understanding of the unique opportunities within the garden centre sector. Explore the supplement here: Garden Centre Supplement April 2025 by Lema Publishing - Issuu
Our media presence continued throughout the quarter with features in PreschoolNews.net, where our new tickit Whizz Bikes were showcased and Andrea Storer, our Head of Product Development, was quoted saying “Watching kids master their first bike is a milestone for any parent. The Whizz Balance Bike combines thoughtful design with features that adapt as your child grows, delivering a safe and enjoyable riding experience,” Read the full feature here: Whizz Balance Bike is just the ‘tickit’ for fun adventures – PreschoolNews.net
Our summer feature in Toys & Playthings highlights essential seasonal toys, with tickit’s Translucent Colour sand and water play resources taking centre stage, read more here: www.toysnplaythings.media/commotion-splashes-out-on-a-summer-of-fun
In May, Toys & Playthings featured us across several pages with its preview of the Toymaster 2025 Harrogate Show where Commotion was prominently featured as a new Toymaster supplier: Toys n Playthings May issue out now - Toys n Playthings
In May, our international reach expanded with a full-page feature in the Italian magazine Toy Store. On page 27, you will find an in-depth interview with James Shepherd and our Business Development Manager, Luca Pateri. Read the full article here: https://toystorebiz.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TOYSTORE_Giugno-Luglio-2025.pdf
Later that month, Toys N Playthings spotlighted the launch of our exciting new tickit SiliSoft range in a dedicated feature. Read the full article here: https://www.toysnplaythings.media/commotion-launches-tickit-silisoft-range/
Award-winning tickit products
We are particularly proud to announce our recent success at the Dadsnet Media Group Awards, where Commotion was honoured with GOLD in two key categories - a testament to the impact, innovation, and quality of our tickit range.
In the Eco/Sustainable Toys category, the tickit Woodland Trail Treehouse stood out for its thoughtful design and environmental credentials. Crafted with sustainability in mind, this engaging resource invites imaginative play whilst supporting conscious choices in early years settings.
In the Sensory Toys category, our Sensory Mood Low Discovery Table earned gold for its ability to captivate and calm. With its soft, colour-changing glow and versatile design, this resource offers a unique sensory experience that supports a wide range of developmental needs and learning environments.
These awards not only celebrate the creativity and passion behind our products but also highlight our commitment to creating meaningful, sustainable resources that nurture and educate through play whilst advocating the importance of being environmentally conscious.
Product launches
tickit Whizz Balance Bikes cause a spin
Our lightweight yet robust balance bikes arrived in April and immediately generated significant interest as potential bestsellers. With a 5-year warranty, rust-proof design, and adjustable seat, these bikes offer exceptional value whilst supporting children's physical development and confidence building. Find out more about tickit Whizz Bikes here.
The tickit Translucent Colour range expands and flourishes
Q2 saw continued growth in our popular Translucent Colour collection, with new additions including Translucent Colour Homes, Spinners, and Cars. This range continues to provide engaging sensory experiences whilst supporting colour recognition and creative play. Explore the full tickit Translucent Colour range here.
The innovative SiliSoft range launch brings excitement to the industry
May introduced our new SiliSoft range, featuring thirty new products made from safe, food-grade silicone. Available in three beautiful, muted colourways - Earth, Rainbow, and Neutral, this range offers unique, captivating and tactile products at exceptional price points.
As our Head of Product Development, Andrea Storer, explained: "We're thrilled to introduce the SiliSoft range - a vibrant collection of thoughtfully designed toys that grow with the child, from their very first teether to their first puzzle."
The range's key benefits include:
- Flexibility and durability
- Bacteria resistance
- Soft, safe, and comfortable materials
- Easy cleaning and hygiene maintenance
Sensory Mood Square Discovery Table joins the Sensory Mood family
We introduced the latest addition to our Sensory Mood Lights collection with the Square Discovery Table. This innovative product has been specifically designed for early years development, featuring perfect dimensions for babies and seated play activities, making it an ideal platform for sensory exploration through messy play and water activities.
tickit Wooden Picture Block range grows
June saw significant expansion to our Wooden Picture Block collection with three new additions joining this bestselling range:
- Wooden Forest Animal Blocks
- People Who Help Us Blocks
- Wooden Bird Blocks
These blocks feature real photographic imagery to enhance recognition and learning, supporting cognitive development through real-world connections. They are chunky, robust and tactile, meaning they can be used for displays and small world play to spark conversations and build vocabulary around key topics.
Wooden Kaleidoscope Blocks shine brightly as a new tickit best-seller:
These eye-catching beechwood blocks featuring 10 vibrant kaleidoscope centres arrived at Commotion HQ. Offering perfectly sized chunky designs for little hands, these mesmerising wooden blocks are ideal for construction, small world play, colour exploration and sensory play activities.
Industry engagement and thought leadership
Toymaster May Show 2025:
Our team's participation in the Toymaster May Show 2025 proved highly successful, providing valuable opportunities to engage with valued existing customers and meet new contacts whilst showcasing our newest and bestselling tickit resources.
Educational content and blogs:
We published our in-house blog "FSC®-Certified Toys: Eco-Friendly AND Exciting" in May, reinforcing our position as champions of sustainable toy manufacturing. This content emphasised our belief that eco-friendly practices should become the industry standard, highlighting how our FSC-certified tickit wooden toys successfully combine sustainability with the vibrant colours that naturally appeal to children.
Additionally, we were honoured to contribute to Toy World's exclusive article on infant toys, where our CEO and Head of Product Development joined industry leaders including Ravensburger and VTech to discuss the developmental benefits of the infant toys category.
Supporting our retail partners
Throughout Q2, we have maintained our commitment to supporting our valued retail partners through comprehensive sales and marketing resources.
Our CEO James Shepherd's statement in Toy World Magazine's Toymaster Supplement perfectly encapsulates our philosophy: "Our partners will benefit from personalised service, with a dedicated account manager providing expert advice on product selection and sales strategies. This collaborative approach ensures that each retailer's specific needs are met, enabling mutual growth."
Community engagement
Beyond business achievements, we remained committed to supporting important causes, including our participation in #FootballShirtFriday to raise funds for life-saving bowel cancer research through the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.
Looking forward to Q3 and beyond…
As we move into the third quarter of 2025, we are inspired by these successful past months. The combination of award-winning products, strong media recognition, innovative new ranges, and robust in industry partnerships have placed us well for an exciting and busy third and fourth quarter.
Our focus remains on delivering exceptional educational toys and resources that support child development whilst providing our retail partners with the tools and products they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive marketplace.