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Savvy Auntie Press Kit

7/8/2008 12:00:00 AM

The Savvy Auntie Press Kit is designed for the media and press contacts. You can download it here.

Thank you.


Recent Press Releases

  • May 2023

  • Announcing the 15th Annual AUNTIE’S DAY Sunday, July 23, 2023
    The 15th ANNUAL AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023


    Melanie Notkin, Creator of SAVVY AUNTIE®, Announces the 14th Annual Day in Celebration of Modern Aunthood

    – Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –

    NEW YORK—May 16, 2023 — Melanie Notkin, founder of SAVVY AUNTIE, the lifestyle brand dubbed a “Celebration of Modern Aunthood,” announces that the 15th annual official AUNTIE’S DAY® will take place on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

    Like Mother's Day in May and Father's Day in June, Auntie's Day is an annual day of celebration that occurs every fourth Sunday in July.

    AUNTIE’S DAY was founded in 2009 by Notkin to acknowledge, honor and celebrate aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC) to friends’ children, godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. This special day is especially poignant to the PANK® demographic—women who are childless by circumstance, challenge, or childfree-by-choice, and have a special bond with at least one child. Notkin uncovered and coined the PANK (Professional Aunt No Kids) demographic in 2008 with the launch of SAVVY AUNTIE.

    A 2018 national study by Melanie Notkin Media, Inc with Michael DeCicco entitled: “GENERATION PANK: A Report on the Social and Economic Influence of Professional Aunts No Kids,” revealed that 91% of PANKs say their role as aunt is “very important” to them while 89% say the experience of becoming/being an aunt is even better than they expected. And yet, while 83% of PANKs feel appreciated by parents, only 28% feel appreciated by society for the meaningful role they play in children’s lives and the family-village.

    “All women in the ‘family village’ should be valued for their love of, and generosity toward, the children in their lives,” says Notkin. “Aunts provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ helping develop nieces and nephews through bonding and play. And of course, many aunts are known for the gifts and ‘Auntventure’ experiences they give these children.”

    A conservative estimate of 2.5 nieces and nephews per PANK, PANKs collectively spend an astonishing $61 billion on the babies, children, and teens they love, each year. And PANK generosity extends beyond typical gifts. The study found 63% of PANKs have contributed to a niece's or nephew’s education and 67% have given gifts to parents to help provide for their child or children.

    And yet, this hidden demographic often remains overlooked, misunderstood and unappreciated. Auntie’s Day is designed to put a spotlight on this tribe of loving, generous women and give them the appreciation they deserve.

    The official Auntie’s Day destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how nieces, nephews, godchildren, and these children’s parents can celebrate the cool aunts, great-aunts and godmothers in their lives. Like all official days of recognition, AUNTIE’S DAY is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    ###

    About Melanie Notkin and Savvy Auntie
    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is a “celebration of modern aunthood” serving aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC), godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. Savvy Aunties can find resources and community at SavvyAuntie.com, Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie Facebook.com/groups/savvyauntie Instagram.com/SavvyAuntie and Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie

    Notkin is the creator of Auntie’s Day and the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards. She is national bestselling author of Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011) and received a Booklist Starred Review for her memoir OTHERHOOD: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness (Seal Press/Penguin Canada 2014).

    As a leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, often single women, Notkin has partnered on, and independently conducted, several national marketing research studies on the cohort. Notkin is speaker for Fortune 500 companies, global marketing and communications agencies, and consumer summits, and has presented at TEDx. Notkin works directly with brands and agencies for her deeper insights into the PANK and Otherhood cohorts.

    As a media personality, Notkin and her work have been featured on CNN, TODAY Show, The Tamron Hall Show, Rachael Ray, NPR, BBC, and in The New York Times, The New York Post, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, New York Magazine, and countless other national and global media outlets.

    For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. For interviews, sponsorship opportunities and speaker inquiries: Info@MelanieNotkin.com


    More
  • June 2021

  • AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2021
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2021
    Melanie Notkin, Creator of SAVVY AUNTIE®, Announces the 13th Annual Day in Celebration of Modern Aunthood

    – Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –

    NEW YORK—June 14, 2021 — Melanie Notkin, founder of SAVVY AUNTIE, the lifestyle brand dubbed a “Celebration of Modern Aunthood,” announces that the 13th annual official AUNTIE’S DAY will take place on Sunday, July 25, 2021. AUNTIE’S DAY occurs annually on the fourth Sunday in July.

    AUNTIE’S DAY was founded in 2009 by Notkin to acknowledge, honor and celebrate aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC) to friends’ children, godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. This special day is especially poignant to the PANK® demographic—women who are childless by circumstance, challenge, or childfree-by-choice, and have a special bond with at least one child. Notkin uncovered and coined the PANK (Professional Aunt No Kids) demographic in 2008 with the launch of SAVVY AUNTIE.

    A 2018 national study by Melanie Notkin Media, Inc with Michael DeCicco entitled: “GENERATION PANK: A Report on the Social and Economic Influence of Professional Aunts No Kids,” revealed that 91% of PANKs say their role as aunt is “very important” to them while 89% say the experience of becoming/being an aunt is even better than they expected. And yet, while 83% of PANKs feel appreciated by parents, only 28% feel appreciated by society for the meaningful role they play in children’s lives and the family-village.

    “All women in the ‘family village’ should be valued for their love of, and generosity toward, the children in their lives,” says Notkin. “Aunts provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ helping develop nieces and nephews through bonding and play. And of course, many aunts are known for the gifts and ‘Auntventure’ experiences they give these children.”

    A conservative estimate of 2.5 nieces and nephews per PANK, PANKs collectively spend an astonishing $61billion on the babies, children and teens they love, each year. And PANK generosity extends beyond typical gifts. The study found 63% of PANKs have contributed to a niece's or nephew’s education and 67% have given gifts to parents to help provide for their child or children.

    And yet, this hidden demographic often remains overlooked, misunderstood and unappreciated. Auntie’s Day is designed to put a spotlight on this tribe of loving, generous women and give them the appreciation they deserve.

    The official Auntie’s Day destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how nieces, nephews, godchildren, and these children’s parents can celebrate the cool aunts, great-aunts and godmothers in their lives. Like all official days of recognition, AUNTIE’S DAY is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    ###

    About Melanie Notkin and Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is a “celebration of modern aunthood” serving aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC), godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. Savvy Aunties can find resources and community at SavvyAuntie.com, , Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie Facebook.com/groups/savvyauntie Instagram.com/SavvyAuntie and Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie

    Notkin is the creator of Auntie’s Day and the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards. She is national bestselling author of Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011) and received a Booklist Starred Review for her memoir OTHERHOOD: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness (Seal Press/Penguin Canada 2014).

    As a leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, often single women, Notkin has partnered on, and independently conducted, several national marketing research studies on the cohort. Notkin is speaker for Fortune 500 companies, global marketing and communications agencies, and consumer summits, and has presented at TEDx. Notkin works directly with brands and agencies for her deeper insights into the PANK and Otherhood cohorts.

    As a media personality, Notkin and her work have been featured on CNN, TODAY Show, Rachael Ray, NPR, BBC, and in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, New York Magazine, and several other national and global media outlets. She is a contributor to The New York Post, Huff Post, and Washington Post.

    For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. For interviews, sponsorship opportunities and speaker inquiries: Info@MelanieNotkin.com

    More
  • June 2020

  • AUNTIE’S DAY IS SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2020
    Press@SavvyAuntie.com

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


    AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2020
    Melanie Notkin, Creator of SAVVY AUNTIE®,
    Announces the 12th Annual Day in Celebration of Modern Aunthood

    – Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours.–

    NEW YORK—June 10, 2020 — Melanie Notkin, founder of SAVVY AUNTIE, the lifestyle brand dubbed a “Celebration of Modern Aunthood,” announces the 12th annual official AUNTIE’S DAY will take place on Sunday, July 26, 2020. AUNTIE’S DAY occurs annually on the fourth Sunday in July.

    AUNTIE’S DAY was founded in 2009 by Notkin to acknowledge, honor and celebrate aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC) to friends’ children, godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. This special day is especially poignant to the PANK® (Professional Aunt No Kids) —the growing demographic of women who are childless by circumstance, challenge, or childfree-by-choice, and have a special bond with at least one child. Notkin uncovered and coined the PANK demographic in 2008 with the launch of SAVVY AUNTIE.

    A 2018 national study by Melanie Notkin Media, Inc with Michael DeCicco entitled: “GENERATION PANK: A Report on the Social and Economic Influence of Professional Aunts No Kids,” revealed a vast number of PANKs (91%) say their role as aunt is “very important” to them while 89% say the experience of becoming/being an aunt is even better than they expected. And yet, while many PANKs (83%) feel appreciated by parents, only 28% feel appreciated by society in general for the meaningful role they play in children’s lives and the family-village.

    “Aunts by Relation and Aunts by Choice should feel valued for their love of, and generosity toward, the children in their lives,” says Notkin, a PANK herself. “Aunts provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ helping develop nieces and nephews through bonding and play. And of course, many aunts are known for the gifts and ‘Auntventure’ experiences they give these children.”

    With a conservative estimate of 2.5 nieces and nephews by relation and by choice per PANK, PANKs collectively spend an astonishing $61 billion on the babies, children and teens they love, each year. And PANK generosity extends beyond typical gifts. GENERATION PANK found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of PANKs have contributed to a niece's or nephew’s education and 67% have given gifts to parents to help provide for their child or children.

    And yet, this powerful consumer cohort often remains overlooked and misunderstood. AUNTIE'S DAY is designed to put a spotlight on this tribe of loving, generous women and give them the appreciation they deserve.

    The official AUNTIE'S DAY destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how nieces, nephews, godchildren, and these children’s parents can celebrate the cool aunts, great-aunts and godmothers in their lives. Like all official days of recognition, AUNTIE’S DAY is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    ###

    About Melanie Notkin and SAVVY AUNTIE

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, SAVVY AUNTIE is a celebration of modern aunthood serving aunts by relation (ABR), aunts by choice (ABC), godmothers, and all women who love a child-not-their-own. Savvy Aunties can find resources and community at SavvyAuntie.com, Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie, Instagram.com/SavvyAuntie and Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie.

    Notkin is the creator of AUNTIE'S DAY and the SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARDS program. She is national bestselling author of Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011) and her memoir OTHERHOOD: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness (Seal Press/Penguin Canada 2014) received a Booklist Starred Review.

    As a leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, often single women, Notkin has partnered on, and independently conducted, several national marketing research studies on the cohort. Notkin is speaker for Fortune 500 companies, global marketing and communications agencies, and consumer summits. Notkin works directly with brands and agencies for her deeper insights into the PANK (Professional Aunt No Kids) and Otherhood (non-mom) cohorts.

    As a media personality, Notkin and her work have been featured on CNN, TODAY Show, Rachael Ray, NPR, BBC, and in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, New York Magazine, and several other national and global media outlets. She is a contributor to The New York Post, Huff Post, and Washington Post.

    For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. For interviews, sponsorship opportunities and speaker inquiries: Info@MelanieNotkin.com

    AUNTIE'S DAY, SAVVY AUNTIE, PANK, and OTHERHOOD are registered Trademarks of Melanie Notkin Media, Inc.


    More
  • May 2019

  • AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019
    Press@SavvyAuntie.com
    AuntiesDay.com
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



    AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019
    Melanie Notkin, Creator of the Beloved Savvy Auntie® Lifestyle Brand,
    Announces the Date for the 11th Annual Celebration of Aunts

    – Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –


    NEW YORK—May 9, 2019—Melanie Notkin, founder of SAVVY AUNTIE, the lifestyle brand dubbed a “Celebration of Modern Aunthood,” announces the 11th annual official Auntie’s Day will take place on Sunday, July 28, 2019.

    Auntie’s Day was founded in 2009 by Notkin as the annual day set aside to acknowledge, honor and celebrate aunts by relation (ABR); aunts by choice (ABC) to friends’ children; godmothers; and all women who love a child-not-their-own. Following Mother’s Day in May and Father’s Day in June, Auntie’s Day occurs annually on the fourth Sunday in July.

    This special day is especially poignant to PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term coined by Notkin for the growing demographic of women who are childless by circumstance, challenge, or childfree-by-choice, and have a special bond with at least one child.

    GENERATION PANK, a 2018 national study by Melanie Notkin and Savvy Auntie with Michael DeCicco, a strategic market researcher, reveals that PANKs, or 4-in-5 women without children, wield enormous social and economic influence. The study of 700 American PANKs found that 91% of these aunts say their role as an aunt is “very important” to them and 89% say the experience of becoming/being an aunt is even better than they expected. And yet, while many PANKs (83%) feel appreciated by parents for their role in their child’s life, only about a quarter (28%) feel appreciated by society in general for their role as an aunt.

    “All women in the ‘family village’ should be valued for their love of, and generosity toward, the children in their lives,” says Notkin. “Aunts provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ helping develop nieces and nephews through bonding and play. And of course, many aunts are known for the gifts and “Auntventure” experiences they give these children.

    In fact, with a conservative estimate of 2.5 nieces and nephews per PANK, PANKs collectively spend an astonishing $61 billion on the babies, children and teens they love, each year. Plus, PANK generosity extends beyond typical gifts. The study found 63% of PANKs have contributed to a niece's or nephew’s education and 67% have given gifts to parents to help provide for their child or children.

    And yet, this hidden demographic often remains overlooked, misunderstood and unappreciated. Auntie’s Day is designed to put a spotlight on this tribe of loving women and give them the attention they deserve.

    The official Auntie’s Day destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how nieces, nephews, godchildren, and these children’s parents can celebrate the cool aunts, great-aunts and godmothers in their lives - as well as ideas for how aunts can treat themselves on Auntie’s Day. Like all official days of recognition, Auntie’s Day is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    ###

    About Melanie Notkin and Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is a “celebration of modern aunthood” - the lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere. Aunts can find resources and community at SavvyAuntie.com, Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie, Instagram.com/SavvyAuntie and Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie.com.

    Notkin is the creator of Auntie’s Day, the annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards, and national bestselling author of Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011).

    As a leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, often single women, Notkin has partnered on, and independently conducted, several national marketing research studies on the cohort. Notkin is speaker for Fortune 500 companies, global marketing and communications agencies, and consumer summits, and has presented at TEDx. Notkin works directly with brands as a consultant for her insights into her dynamic cohort.

    As a media personality, Notkin and her work have been featured on CNN, FOX, TODAY Show, Rachael Ray, NPR, BBC, and in The New York Times, The New York Post, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and several other national and global media outlets.

    For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. For interviews, sponsorship opportunities and speaker inquiries: Info@MelanieNotkin.com

    More
  • March 2018

  • AUNTIE’S DAY® IS SUNDAY, JULY 22, 2018
    Melanie Notkin, Creator of the Popular Savvy Auntie® Lifestyle Brand, Announces the Date for the 10th Annual National Day Celebrating Aunts and Godmothers

    – Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –


    NEW YORK—March 7, 2018—    Melanie Notkin, founder of Savvy Auntie, the multi-platform lifestyle brand designed for cool aunts, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids, and the national bestselling author of SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids, announces the tenth annual day set aside to honor and celebrate aunts and godmothers. The 10th Annual National Auntie’s Day will take place on Sunday, July 22, 2018.

    Established in 2009 by Melanie Notkin, Auntie’s Day is a reminder to acknowledge, honor and celebrate the aunt(s) in a child’s life, whether she is an Auntie by Relation (ABR) or an Auntie by Choice (ABC) to friends’ children. Auntie’s Day is especially poignant to the one-in-five North American women who identify as PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term Notkin coined in 2008 for the growing demographic of childless women who have a special bond with at least one child in their life. The Power of the PANK, a national joint-study by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick with KRC Research, revealed that PANKs are a sizeable segment of younger women with disposable income, dynamic influence, and a digitally-connected lifestyle. The 23 million North American PANKs are extraordinarily generous, collectively spending $9 billion each year on the children they love.

    “It’s time that all women in the American Family Village are honored for their love and generosity for the children in their lives,” says Notkin. “Many aunts provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ and fun ‘Auntventures,’ for their nieces and nephews, not to mention gifts and necessities. Many non-moms also give tirelessly to children all over the world. These BenevolAunts are due their day to be honored.”

    The official Auntie’s Day destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how nieces, nephews and godchildren, and their parents, can celebrate the Savvy Auntie in their lives as well as how aunts can treat themselves on their special day. Like all official days of recognition, Auntie’s Day is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    ###

    About Melanie Notkin and Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multi-platform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day, the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards, and Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, often single women, Notkin is the author of the Booklist Star Reviewed OTHERHOOD: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness (Seal Press/Penguin Canada 2014). Notkin has appeared on CNN, TODAY Show, The New York Times, NPR and many more national and global media outlets. For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. For interviews and other inquiries, contact: Press@SavvyAuntie.com

    More
  • January 2017

  • Ninth Annual Auntie’s Day® is Sunday, July 23, 2017

    Ninth Annual Auntie’s Day® is Sunday, July 23, 2017

    National Day Honoring Aunts and Godmothers founded by Melanie Notkin,
    Creator of Popular Savvy Auntie® Lifestyle Brand

    - Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –


    NEW YORK—January 10, 2017— Melanie Notkin, founder of Savvy Auntie, the multi-platform lifestyle brand designed for cool aunt, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids and and national bestselling author of SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011) announces the date for the ninth annual national day dedicated to honoring and celebrating aunts and godmothers. Auntie’s Day will take place on Sunday, July 23, 2017. Like all official national days of recognition, Auntie’s Day is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    Established by Melanie Notkin in 2009, Auntie’s Day is a time to thank, honor and celebrate the aunt in a child’s life, whether she is an Auntie by Relation (ABR), Auntie by Choice (ABC), godmother, for any woman who loves a child not-her-own. While all aunts are celebrated on this day, the day is especially poignant to one in five American women who identify as PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids. PANKs self-identify as childless or childfree and have a bond with at least one child by relation or by friendship. A study called The Power of the PANK released in November 2012 by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick, a global PR firm, with KRC Research, revealed that childless aunts are a sizeable segment of younger women with disposable income, dynamic influence, and a digitally-connected lifestyle who are extraordinarily generous with the children in their lives, those children’s parents, and our communities at large. 23 million American women are PANKs and are found to collectively spend $9 billion on gifts for children not-their-own each year.

    On Auntie’s Day – a “Mother’s Day” for aunts - aunts and godmothers will be celebrated with special activities and gifts. The official Auntie’s Day web destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) will feature ideas on how parents and nieces and nephews can celebrate the Savvy Auntie in their lives and how aunts can pamper and treat themselves on their special day.

    “It’s time that all women in the American Family Village are honored for their selfless giving to the children in their lives,” says Melanie Notkin. “An aunt is there to provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ and experiences as a loving caregiver and “ConfidAunt” to her nieces and nephews from the day they are born and as they grow up. Many women without children of their own also give tirelessly to children all over the world. These BenevolAunts are due their day to be honored.”

    ###

    About Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multi-platform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day – a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers, the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert, and leading expert in the growing demographic of childless, of single women, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson. For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com. More
  • March 2016

  • Official Eighth Annual National Auntie’s Day® is Sunday, July 24, 2016
    Eighth Annual Auntie’s Day® is Sunday, July 24, 2015

    Auntie's Day was founded in 2009 by Melanie Notkin, creator of the popular Savvy Auntie® lifestyle brand, to honor and celebrate aunts and godmothers.

    - Aunthood Is a Gift. This Day Is Yours.-


    NEW YORK—March 07, 2016—Melanie Notkin, founder of Savvy Auntie®, the multi-platform lifestyle brand designed for cool aunt, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids and and national bestselling author of "SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids," announces the date for the eighth annual official national day dedicated to honoring and celebrating aunts and godmothers. Auntie’s Day - http://auntiesday.com - will take place on Sunday, July 24, 2016. Like all official national days of recognition, Auntie’s Day is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    Established by Melanie Notkin in 2009, and observed every fourth Sunday in July, Auntie’s Day is a day to acknowledge, honor and celebrate the aunt(s) in a child’s life. These are Aunts by Relation (ABR), Aunts by Choice (ABC), godmothers, and all women who love children not-their-own. While all aunts are celebrated on this day, it is especially poignant to the one-in-five North American women who identify as PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids, as coined by Notkin in 2008. PANKs self-identify as childless, or childfree by choice, and have a special bond with at least one child in their life.

    A 2012 joint-study entitled "The Power of the PANK"  by Savvy Auntie, Weber Shandwick and KRC Research, revealed that childless aunts are a sizable segment of younger women with disposable income, dynamic influence, and a digitally-connected lifestyle who are extraordinarily generous with the children in their lives, those children’s parents, and our communities at large. Numbering 23 million North American women, PANKs collectively spend $9 billion on gifts for children not-their-own each year, baseline just one niece or nephew per aunt.

    On Auntie’s Day – a “Mother’s Day” for aunts - aunts and godmothers will be celebrated with special activities and gifts. The official Auntie’s Day web destination (http://AuntiesDay.com) features ideas on how parents and nieces and nephews can celebrate the Savvy Auntie in their lives and how aunts can pamper and treat themselves on this special day. The official slogan is: "Aunthood Is a Gift. This Day Is Yours".

    “It’s time that all women in the American Family Village are honored for their selfless giving to the children in their lives,” says Melanie Notkin. “An aunt is there to provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ and experiences as a loving caregiver and 'ConfidAunt' to her nieces and nephews from the day they are born and as they grow up. Many women without children of their own also give tirelessly to children all over the world. These 'BenevolAunts' are due their day to be honored.”

    ###

    About Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie - http://savvyauntie.com - is the multi-platform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched Savvy Auntie in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day, the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards, and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: "SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids" (HarperCollins/Morrow 2011). For more information, visit: http://SavvyAuntie.com and http://MelanieNotkin.com.
     More
  • February 2016

  • MELANIE NOTKIN REVEALS THE SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD WINNERS - TOY FAIR 16

    Click here to read the announcement  - Or see below





    Melanie Notkin, Toy Expert and America’s Savvy Auntie®, Reveals the
    Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners - Toy Fair 2016

    Savvy Auntie List Celebrates 10 Inaugural Winners

     

    New York, NY – February 17, 2016 – Melanie Notkin, founder and CEO of Savvy Auntie®, the multiplatform lifestyle brand for aunts and godmothers, has revealed the SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARDS - TOY FAIR 2016. While Notkin has announced an annual list of coolest toy awards at the holiday season since 2009, for the first time, Notkin has added a preview list of coolest toys discovered at Toy Fair. Toy Fair NY (February 13-16, 2016) is produced by the Toy Industry Association.

    While many toy marketers and toy lists focus on primary caregivers, Notkin created the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards to give aunts and all secondary caregivers the toy-savvy they need to make the best gift choices for the children in their lives. Savvy Aunties may be secondary caregivers, but they are primary gift givers.

    The inaugural list of SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARDS - TOY FAIR 2016 offers savvy gift-givers the opportunity to get a head start on knowing which toys the children in their lives will be coveting when the toys are available later in 2016. Notkin looked for toys that are fresh and innovative, and as the award suggests, “cool.” Her awardees list includes toys from the largest toy makers like Mattel and Spin Master, to startups like the crowd-funded iBesties. The awardees feature some of the 2016 trends in play, including: coding; robotics; latest technology; makers; “blind bag” surprises; and girl empowerment. Gift-givers will also spot nostalgic toys modernized for Generation Z on the list.

    The 2016 winners will also be listed at SavvyAuntie.com

     

    SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOYS AWARDS – TOY FAIR 2016

    Ages 3+


    Fisher-Price: Think & Learn Code-A-Pillar™ - Fall 2016

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: Like reading and counting, coding is now becoming part of preschooler learning and development. Fisher-Price has developed a seamless way to help the youngest children learn how to code, while also helping their new buddy navigate the playroom! Imagine the satisfaction on a child’s face when he or she realizes they are in control of how their Code-a-Pillar™ moves!

    From Fisher-Price: The Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar™ is a caterpillar that encourages experimentation while developing coding, sequencing and critical thinking skills. Preschoolers can arrange Code-A-Pillar’s easy-to-connect segments in endless combinations to send Code-a-Pillar™ on his path: forward, left, right, or even wait for a couple seconds before moving again. Kids can configure the segments in such a way that the Code-A-Pillar™ can reach targets they set up throughout the room. When kids connect the segments to make Code-A-Pillar™ move -that’s sequencing! When they figure out a sequence that will create a path for Code-A-Pillar™ to reach a target, that’s programming (and problem solving, too)! It’s all coding—and it’s all fun! Includes 8 light-up segments, motorized head segment with lights, sounds and blinking eyes, and 2 targets. 4 AA batteries required. Additional segment add-ons sold separately. A companion app will expand on the learning & fun with the Code-a-Pillar™ facing new challenges the child has to plan & sequence and gets to overt learning like counting & patterning. MSRP: $49.99

     


    Wicked Cool Toys: Cabbage Patch Kids So Real Baby - Fall 2016 

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: There are a few techno-driven baby dolls comings to market in 2016, but the Cabbage Patch Kids Baby So Real is really special. Wicked Cool Toys has teamed up with Seebo, an innovative technology company, to develop a baby doll that needs a child’s attention to feed her, make her feel better when she’s sick, sooth her when she cries, put her to bed when she’s tired, and play with her when she awakens. The bond between this baby doll and it’s “mommy” or “daddy,” along with seeing the child develop nurturing skills and empathy, will be wonderful to watch.

    From Wicked Cool Toys: Cabbage Patch Kids (CPK) Baby So Real allows you to enjoy one of the most magical and interactive experiences in the baby doll category. These life-like babies combine traditional play patterns with groundbreaking technology. Baby So Real’s interactive sweet baby sounds and random reactions are designed to surprise and delight. With your touch, Baby So Real comes to life with beautifully animated LCD eyes that open, close and look around. Loaded with realistic features that encourage interactive nurturing play, Baby So Real has sensors for peek-a-boo and tickle play feeding from a special bottle, burping, diaper changing, and rocking to sleep. If your baby should develop a fever, you can calm those red cheeks by administering TLC from a magical spoon. Just like the original Cabbage Patch Kids, Baby So Real is soft and cuddly with removable clothes. And for advanced play, Baby So Real has its own free app that allows your phone or tablet to simulate a baby monitor. The online mode allows you to see the virtual nursery where you can play with your baby, feed, diaper burp and administer TLC. You can also play games, watch video clips and earn baby points for additional virtual accessories and new features. Baby So Real comes with a fully removable outfit and diaper, a special interactive bottle and medicine spoon, birth certificate and adoption papers and a free baby monitor style app for additional virtual play. MSRP $99.99

    Ages 4+


    Wonder Forge: Disney Imagicademy Storymation Studio: Fall 2016

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: Wonder Forge has a knack for developing games that are truly original and innovative, while helping develop the preschool and young student mind. Storymation Studio, the stop motion movie kit, stops us in our tracks (no pun intended!) when we saw it at Toy Fair. While Wonder Forge released a version of the toy in 2015, the second generation coming later this year allows for much more flexibility and creativity for kids - and a lower price-point. While it comes with Disney characters, we’re sure kids will add their own favorite toy mini figures, or create their own movie characters with cardboard and markers. The app even allows for a title image so kids can introduce their movies. Image unavailable

    From Wonder Forge: It’s a stop motion movie kit for children! Kids get creative with a collection of Disney characters, backgrounds, clay, and costume molds! With the free, easy-to-use Storymation Studio animation app, children will be making their own animated masterpieces inspired by their favorite Disney films!  MSRP $19.99

     

    Ages 5+


    Spin Master: Hatchimal -: Fall 2016

    This one is a secret! Lucky Savvy Auntie got a sneak peek at Toy Fair and we’ve promised to keep it a surprise! Wait until you see the magic and enthralling experience hatching from Spin Master this fall. MSRP $59.99  


    Ages 6+

    Mattel: DC Super Hero Girls™ Action Dolls - Spring 2016

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: We almost want to say: “What took so long?” The DC Super Hero Girls are absolutely beautiful and diverse, muscular and powerful. Any gift giver will be a super hero for giving any one – or all – of these action hero fashion dolls to a child. Let them create their own hero’s journey!

     From Mattel: Inspired by a new interpretation of iconic DC Comics characters in an all new high school setting, who are learning to hone their super powers, girls can explore their own inner heroes with this assortment of dolls designed to lead to Super Hero fun. Fashions include elements from original DC Comics Super Heroes while accessories highlight the characters’ super powers. Articulation allows for lots of action and Super Hero poses. MSRP $19.99



    Mattel: Barbie Hello Dreamhouse™ - Fall 2016

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: There’s no question that Savvy Auntie loves a Barbie Dreamhouse. And while we gave the latest Barbie Dreamhouse a Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award in 2015, this smart house, is beyond our wildest imaginations. Sure, it’s a high priced luxury pad at nearly $300, but the technology driving this dream of a playhouse is like nothing we’ve seen before.

    From Mattel: Go high-tech with the world’s first smart dollhouse -Barbie Hello Dreamhouse™! This two-story home has innovative features designed for a modern girl and reflective of the next wave of innovation in the home. Floor sensors recognize where Barbie® and her friends are in the house. Embedded speech recognition allows you to control elements of the house, including the slide and elevator. An accompanying app allows further customization. Through a combination of voice commands and embedded switches, kids can imagine, customize, and control their house play. MSRP: $299


    iBesties: iBesties Middle School Moguls - Now

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: There are a number of cool dolls coming in 2016, but iBesties, a Kickstarter funded toy, is one of the coolest we’ve seen. iBesties Middle School Moguls is designed to empower any girl to become a leader. From McKenna the Business Boss to Sunny the Coding Queen, with three more iBesties available, each doll inspires leadership and/or STEAM development. They each come with a book with vocabulary words like “CEO” and “Mergers and Acquisitions.” But it’s not all “business.” Savvy Auntie loves is that each doll comes with fabulous hair and fashions that many FashioNiecetas adore, so it combines girl empowerment with a classic play pattern.

    From iBesties: These middle-schoolers are the new girls at Mogul Academy— an unconventional school run by eccentric billionaire business woman Sherry Rocketsmeller.  Each with their own unique talents, the girls find themselves in a high-tech, faced-paced, world of adventure as they work to build businesses, friendships and unforgettable fun! The Middle School Moguls are as diverse as the girls who love them. Distinct in culture, personality and talents, they come from backgrounds that include blended families, bi-racial families, military families and single-parent households. The girls are smart, fun and talented, yet not at all perfect. In fact, that’s what makes them such good friends, they can all be real with each other and they always help each other out. It’s the combination of all their unique (and sometimes random) personalities that make them the talk of Mogul Academy! $40.00

    Ages 8+

    WowWee: CHiP - Fall 2016


    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: This robot dog is so lovable – and loving, you’ll probably forget he’s not a real dog. CHiP is the puppy children are wishing for – if they aren’t able to have a real dog as a pet. Plus, he’s easier to take care of then the real thing. He’ll even find his “bed” to go to sleep and recharge so he’s ready for the next day of play.

    From WowWee: CHiP (Canine Home Intelligent Pet) is the ultimate AI Robotic Dog. Based on new Mechatronics, the latest in a combination of wireless technology, telecommunications engineering and a suite of advanced sensors, CHiP is truly the latest and greatest in robotic pets. CHiP recognizes its master and responds to commands using the included SmartBand, a sleek, rechargeable wearable controller. Also, CHiP plays fetch and fun games with the SmartBall, interacting in all the ways a real dog would. CHiP even knows when it’s time to head to its special SmartBed and recharge. With a 360-degree system of play that’s physical, digital and tactile, with an intuitive, evolving app, CHiP is a welcome addition to today’s connected home and fun for all ages. MSRP: $199


    Moose Toys: SelfieMic™ - Fall 2016

    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: Some tech toys are so high-tech, there’s a long learning curve before kids can get to play. The SelfieMic™ is so simple and fun, combining all the trends kids and teens are into: selfies; lip syncing; social sharing; and the maker trend – that it’s an easy gift choice.

    From Moose Toys: Combining the love of Selfies with the popular past time of singing karaoke, the SelfieMic™ allows kids to become a pop star and create their own music videos right from their smartphone. The SelfieMic is a selfie stick with a working karaoke microphone, ear piece, and music app. Kids can record their own voice or lip sync to over three million songs, creating music videos which they can share with their friends! The SelfieMic’s voice and video effects make anyone sound and look like a star. MSRP: $24.99

    Ages 9+

    Innovation First: Vex IQ Robotics Construction Set - Now


    Why Savvy Auntie loves it: Construction paired with robots is a hot trend and Vex is one of the leaders with its latest Vex IQ Construction set. While a high price-point, it’s endless in its play and learning value. Children can build the models – and also build their own robotic creations from the parts. Vex is releasing smaller sets this summer, at under $20, so kids can decide if Vex IQ is the right choice for them before a larger investment.

    From Innovation First: The VEX IQ Robotics Construction Kit is loaded with advanced robotics technology, including a brain with 12 self-configuring input/output ports, as well as 750+ pieces that include four smart motors, one color sensor, one bumper switch sensor, one touch LED sensor, and built in rotational sensors on the motors. This technology is accessible enough to jump right in and snap these robots together using the intuitive, tool-less pieces. Follow simple step by step instructions to build your first robot, and then take advantage of the unmatched versatility of the VEX IQ system to build anything you can imagine! It comes with a video game style remote control with a rechargeable lithium ion battery, and with two programming software options - Modkit for VEX or ROBOTC, as well as VEX IQ Curriculum that is free for all users. MSRP: $299

    ###

    About Savvy Auntie®

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multiplatform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK® – Professional Aunt No Kids - demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day® - a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers each fourth Sunday in July, and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert and a taste-maker for children’s trends, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson for brands.

    About PANKs®

    Savvy Auntie attracts PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term Notkin coined in 2008 for the growing demographic of female consumers who are not moms, by circumstance or choice, and have a special bond with a child in their life. According to the 2012 joint-study entitled: The Power of the PANK, by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick, there are 23 million PANKs in North America. PANKs spend $9 billion each year on nieces and nephews, baseline just one child per PANK. A whopping 76% of PANKs spend over $500 per niece and nephew, per year.

    For additional information on the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards or press / on-air and talent inquiries: Press@SavvyAuntie.com.


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  • November 2015

  • MELANIE NOTKIN REVEALS THE 2015 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD WINNERS

    MELANIE NOTKIN, TOY EXPERT AND AMERICA’S SAVVY AUNTIE®, REVEALS THE 2015 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD WINNERS

     

    Savvy Auntie partners with TTPM®, the only site that combines expert written and videos reviews with live price comparison and one-click purchasing

     

    New York, NY – November 11, 2015 – Melanie Notkin, founder and CEO of Savvy Auntie, the multiplatform lifestyle brand for aunts and godmothers, announces the 7th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards for the 2015 holiday season. A total of 25 cool toys have made the coveted list.

    With many toy marketers and toy lists focusing on primary caregivers, Notkin created the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards in 2009 to give aunts and secondary caregivers the toy-savvy they need to make the best gift choices for the children in their lives. Savvy Aunties may be secondary caregivers, but they are primary gift givers.

    Savvy Auntie attracts PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term Notkin coined in 2008 for the growing demographic of female consumers who are not moms, by circumstance or choice, and have a special bond with a child in their life. According to the 2012 joint-study entitled: The Power of the PANK, by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick, there are 23 million PANKs in North America. PANKs spend $9 billion a year on nieces and nephews, baseline just one child per PANK. A whopping 76% of PANKs spend over $500 per niece and nephew, per year.

    Notkin’s annual holiday toy list helps Savvy Aunties maintain that “Cool Aunt” status while fostering what Notkin has playfully dubbed: “QualAuntie Time” - the playtime aunts spend with a niece or nephew of any age. Playtime is an important part of any baby or child’s developmental growth. Studies show that from pretend play as babies and toddlers, to social development and problem solving as big kids, toys that children enjoy playing with are an important part of their development.

    As a respected toy expert, Notkin meets with toy manufactures and industry analysts to discover the year’s ground-breaking toys – the ones on the top of most nieces’ and nephews’ lists. Notkin then adds her own “Savvy Auntuition” to curate the list. “The toys children want to play with the most are the coolest toy choices an aunt can make,” Notkin says.

    And now, for the first time, Savvy Auntie has partnered with TTPM.com, the #1 source for all things play where consumers can research and find the best playthings. TTPM is the only site that combines expert reviews (video and written) with live price comparison, one-click purchasing, and product availability at major retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys“R”Us, and more.

    “As founder of Savvy Auntie, I’m thrilled to partner with TTPM for the Savvy Auntie gift guide,” said Notkin. “Now Savvy Aunties will not only be able to find the coolest toys, but by linking directly to TTPM.com, they will also find the best prices for the toys available at time of purchase.” 

    “Melanie Notkin is the authority on the aunt demographic, the growing niche of child-loving women companies should have a strong connection with,” said Jim Silver. “Now TTPM is able to deliver our expert reviews to this demographic and help them become savvier consumers about the toys they choose for their nieces and nephews at the holidays and all year long.”

    The 2015 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners are listed at SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards with links to TTPM reviews (as available) along with the Savvy Auntie “Ask a Parent” feature to ask for parent-approval if desired. The 25 winners earn a 2015 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Seal for promotional purposes.


    2015 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD WINNERS

    Savvy Auntie Coolest Toys Awards 2015

    There are 25 winners in all, sorted by age. For more information on each winner and “Why Savvy Auntie Loves It,” visit SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards:

    Age 1+

    Go Go Smart Wheels RC Speedway: VTech

    Age 2+

    The Peanuts Movie Happy Dance Snoopy: Just Play

    Age 3+

    Smart Toy Monkey or Bear:  Fisher-Price

    Club Petz Lucy Puppy Dog: Just Play

    Doc McStuffins Take Care of Me Lambie: Just Play

    Star Wars Hot Wheels Light Side vs. Dark Side 5-Pack: Mattel

    Barbie Dreamhouse: Mattel

    Barbie Fashionistas Black and White Dress: Mattel

    Age 4+

    Chubby Puppies Collection: Spin Master

    Color Alive Mythical Creatures: Crayola

    Kidizoom Action Cam: VTech

    Minions Movie Minion Bob Talking Figure: Thinkaway Toys

    Marvel Avengers Remote Control Hulk Smash XPV: Jakks Pacific

    Age 5+

    FurReal Starlily My Magical Unicorn: Hasbro

    Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage: Mattel

    Shopkins Fashion Boutique: Moose Toys

    Age 6+

    Chocolate Pen: Skyrocket Toys

    Age 7+

    View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack: Mattel

    Age 8+

    Legendary Yoda: Spin Master

    Age 9+

    LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon: LEGO

    Age 10+

    LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack: LEGO

    Girls Scouts Cookie Oven: Wicked Cool Toys

    Meccano MeccaNoid G15: Spin Master

    Age 12+

    Sky Viper m200 Nano Drone: Skyrocket Toys

    Age 13+

    Star Wars The Force Awakens BB-8 Droid: Sphero

     

    ###

    About Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multiplatform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day® - a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers, and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert and a taste-maker for children’s trends, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson for brands.

    About TTPM

    TTPM is the #1 source for all things play where consumers can research and find the best playthings. TTPM is the only site that combines expert reviews (video and written) with live price comparison, one-click purchasing, and product availability at major retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys“R”Us, Babies“R”Us, buybuy BABY, GameStop, Best Buy, Sports Authority, Modell’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and Wag.com. TTPM ensures parents and gift givers are finding the right products for kids at the best prices. The seasoned TTPM editorial team reviews thousands of products each year, providing comprehensive video and written reviews of toys, baby products, kids’ electronics, sporting goods, and family friendly video games, apps, books, and movies.

     

    For additional information on the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards or on-air and talent inquiries: Press@SavvyAuntie.com. 

     

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  • March 2015

  • Seventh Annual Auntie’s Day® is Sunday, July 26, 2015

    National Day Honoring Aunts and Godmothers founded by Melanie Notkin, Creator of Popular Savvy Auntie® Lifestyle Brand

    - Aunthood is a Gift. This Day is Yours. –

    NEW YORK—March 23, 2015    —Melanie Notkin, founder of Savvy Auntie, the multi-platform lifestyle brand designed for cool aunt, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids and and national bestselling author of SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011) announces the date for the seventh annual national day dedicated to honoring and celebrating aunts and godmothers. Auntie’s Day will take place on Sunday, July 26, 2015. Like all official national days of recognition, Auntie’s Day is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events.

    Sponsored by Savvy Auntie, Auntie’s Day, is a time to thank, honor and celebrate the aunt in a child’s life, whether she is an Auntie by Relation (ABR), Auntie by Choice (ABC), or godmother, for everything she does for a child not-her-own. While all aunts are celebrated on this day, the day is especially poignant to one in five American women who identify as PANKs®, or Professional Aunts No Kids. PANKs self-identify as childless or childfree and have a bond with at least one child by relation or by friendship. A study called The Power of the PANK released in November 2012 by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick, a global PR firm, with KRC Research, revealed that childless aunts are a sizeable segment of younger women with disposable income, dynamic influence, and a digitally-connected lifestyle who are extraordinarily generous with the children in their lives, those children’s parents, and our communities at large. 23 million American women are PANKs and are found to collectively spend $9 billion on gifts for children not-their-own each year.

    On Auntie’s Day – a “Mother’s Day” for aunts - aunts and godmothers will be celebrated with special activities and gifts. The official Auntie’s Day web destination (www.AuntiesDay.com) will feature ideas on how parents and nieces and nephews can celebrate the Savvy Auntie in their lives and how aunts can pamper and treat themselves on their special day.

     “It’s time that all women in the American Family Village are honored for their selfless giving to the children in their lives,” says Melanie Notkin. “An aunt is there to provide ‘QualAuntie Time’ and experiences as a loving caregiver and “ConfidAunt” to her nieces and nephews from the day they are born and as they grow up. Many women without children of their own also give tirelessly to children all over the world. These BenevolAunts are due their day to be honored.”

    ###

    About Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multi-platform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day – a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers, the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert and a taste-maker for children’s trends, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson for brands. For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com and MelanieNotkin.com.

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  • November 2014

  • 2014 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners

    Toy Expert and America’s Savvy Auntie®, Melanie Notkin, Reveals the

    2014 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners

     

    New York, NY – November 11, 2014 – Melanie Notkin,  founder and CEO of Savvy Auntie, the multiplatform lifestyle brand for aunts and godmothers, announces her 6th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards for the 2014 holiday season. This year, 20 toys have made the coveted editorial list.

    Savvy Auntie is focused on the growing influential niche of American women who love the children in their lives, but don’t (yet) have children of their own. This powerful demographic Notkin dubbed PANKs® (Professional Aunts No Kids) has a strong desire to make the most savvy toy choices each season. With many toy marketers and toy lists focusing on primary caregivers, Notkin created the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards in 2009 to give aunts and other secondary caregivers the toy-savvy they need to make the best gift choices for the children in their lives. Savvy Aunties may be secondary caregivers, but they are primary gift givers.

    According to a 2012 joint-study entitled: The Power of the PANK, by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick, there are 23 million PANKs in North America, women age 18+ who are not (yet) moms but have a special bond with a child in their life. PANKs spend $9 billion a year on those children, baseline just one child per PANK. A whopping 76% of PANKs spend over $500 per child in her life, per year. Notkin’s annual toy list helps those generous aunts and godmothers pick the right toys for the children they love.

    Notkin’s annual toy list certainly helps Aunties maintain that “Cool Aunt” status. And Notkin’s toy list also fosters what she’s playfully dubbed: “QualAuntie Time.” The playtime time an Auntie spends with a niece or nephew of any age is quality time - often uninterrupted playtime - an important part of any baby and child’s developmental growth. Studies show that from pretend play as babies and toddlers to social development and problem solving as big kids, toys that children enjoy playing with are often an important part of their development. Savvy Aunties are giving kids gifts they crave as well as giving them the opportunity to develop necessary skills through having fun.

    As a respected toy expert, Notkin meets with toy manufactures and industry analysts to discover the year’s ground-breaking toys – the ones on the top of most nieces’ and nephews’ lists. “I find the most buzzed about toys based on industry outlooks, toy quality, strong pop culture tie-ins, modern twists on the classics - and then I add a little of my own “Savvy Auntuition” to produce this list each year,” Notkin says. “The toys children want to play with the most are the definitely the coolest toy choices an aunt can make.”

    2014 SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD WINNERS

    There are 20 winners in all, sorted by age. For more information on each award winner and ‘Why Savvy Auntie Loves It’, visit SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards. Please note: prices may vary throughout the season.

    Ages 1+

    VTech Go! Go! Smart Animals - Zoo Explorers Playset ($40)

    Ages 3+

    Leapfrog LeapTV ($150)

    Tolly Tots Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Doll ($40)

    Just Play Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile Cart ($45)

    Ages 4+

    Mattel HOT WHEELS® RC Street Hawk Remote Controlled Flying Car ($60)

    Hasbro FurReal Friends Get Up and GoGo My Walkin Pup Pet ($60)

    Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secret Sewer Lair Playset ($100)

    Ages 5+

    Spin Master Zoomer Dino ($80)

    Moose Toys Shopkins™ Small Mart ($20)

    Mattel HOT WHEELS® Airbrush Auto Designer ($30)

    Ages 6+

    LEGO Friends Heartlake Shopping Mall (41058) ($95)

    LEGO Super Heroes The Batcave (6860) ($75)

    Spin Master Kinetic Sand Sandbox and Molds ($20)

    Spin Master Sew Cool Sewing Machine ($30)

    Crayola Virtual Design Fashion Collection ($30)

    Jakks Pacific Max Toy Truck ($60)

    Ages 8+

    Nerf Mega ThunderBow Blaster ($40)

    Hexbug VEX Robotics Spider ($70)

    Wowwee MiP Robot ($100)

    Ages 10+

    LEGO Cuusoo Minecraft III (21106) ($40)

     Each winning toy is listed on SavvyAuntie.com/Gifts with links to an online retailer and an “Ask a Parent” button to help ensure parental approval when needed. The winning toys earn a 2014 Savvy Auntie Coolest Award Winner seal for promotional purposes, attracting the PANK demographic with Notkin’s ‘stamp of approval.’

    ###

     About Savvy Auntie

    Founded by Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie is the multiplatform lifestyle brand that empowers and engages aunts, serving the PANK demographic discovered and coined by Notkin, and heralded by fabulous kid-loving women everywhere as a modern celebration of Aunthood. Notkin launched SavvyAuntie.com in 2008 and it remains the first and only resource and online community for this demographic. The brand also includes a popular and engaged social media following, Auntie’s Day® - a national day founded by Notkin to honor aunts and godmothers, and Melanie Notkin’s national bestseller: Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and all Women Who Love Kids (Morrow 2011). As a lifestyle expert, toy expert and a taste-maker for children’s trends, Notkin appears on TV and as a spokesperson for brands.

    Melanie Notkin is also the author of Otherhood: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness (Seal Press / Penguin Canada 2014) and appears on TV as taste-maker for children’s trends and is available immediately as a lifestyle expert for Holiday Gift Guide stories and TV segments, as well as other child lifestyle expertise as needed.

    For additional information on the Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards or on-air and talent inquiries: Press@SavvyAuntie.com.  For more information, visit: SavvyAuntie.com.