Adrienne Appell

Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications, is responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of The Toy Association’s communications strategies, with a strong focus on the Association’s proactive safety / advocacy communications and brand integrity programs, such as the Genius of Play, which has successfully encouraged millions of families to make time for play in their day-to-day lives.

Appell has nearly two decades of experience in the toy and youth entertainment industry, having joined The Toy Association’s communications department in 2004. Serving most recently as senior director of strategic communications, Appell has led the organization’s safety education, advocacy, and toy trends communication programs while maintaining close contact with toy companies to stay abreast of what’s new, next, and cutting edge in toys and games.

As a leading toy trends specialist and spokesperson for The Toy Association, Appell is often called upon as an expert to speak at industry events, trade shows, and conferences on a variety of toy-related topics. She is frequently interviewed by national and local consumer and business media, including top-tier outlets like Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, Good Day New York, Reuters, the Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times, among many others.

Prior to joining The Toy Association, Appell worked in the corporate communications division of Scholastic, Inc. She began her career at the global public relations agency Weber Shandwick, working on client accounts such as Kodak, Disney, and Compaq computers.