The Marketing of Children's Toys: Critical Perspectives on Children's Consumer Culture

Abstract

"This book offers an exceptional insight into the everyday life of the child through their toys. The volume expertly unpacks the phenomena of our current toy culture are and decodes its hidden marketing messages." (Dr. Maya Götz, Head of the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television at the Bayerischer Rundfunk) "a diverse collection that critically examines different lines of toys and their role in consumer culture, and how they are intertwined with children's socialization processes. I am impressed by the diversity of the topics, as well as the diversity of the authors in terms of seniority, gender, institution affiliation and the inclusion of perspectives from outside the US." (Dafna Lemish, Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University and Founding Editor of the Journal of Children and Media) "The Marketing of Children's Toys is a remarkably comprehensive collection of original essays that shine a bright light on the many ways in which the toy industry tactically markets its wares to kids-American, Indonesian, Latinx, and others elsewhere (like Norway). The contributors' skillful examinations of brands, branders (as well as influencers) range from the macro to the micro, the nursery room to the global marketplace, cultural discourses to digital media play, girlhood to boyhood, toddlers to teenagers, gender stereotyping to grotesque gross-out toys and more. Essays on guns and dolls, among many other topics together employ cultural studies theories and methods of analysis. These skillful interrogations of market categories as well as particular brands, are sure to contribute importantly to scholarships on the commercialization of play, playthings, and children's cultures, and to the research and teaching of Children's Studies, Girls' Studies, Media Studies, and Dolls' Studies scholars." (Miriam Forman-Brunell, Emerita Professor of History, Women's & Gender Studies, University of Missouri-Kansas City, is the author of Made to Play House: Dolls and the Commercialization of American Girlhood, 1830-1930 and Deconstructing Dolls: Girlhoods and the Meanings of Play).