Toys

Implications - Augmented reality is increasingly being used in children's toys, both for outdoor and indoor use. The incorporation of this emerging technology into kids' products speaks to the desire for tech to fuel play, while still offering enough variety and flexibility to please parents who are more old-fashioned in their approach to establishing how their children interact with games. [More]

Implications - Tapping into a bit of nostalgia, toy brands are reverting back to hands-on activities that not only encourage interactivity, but that entail mess as part of the process . Appealing to various sensory elements, brands are offering kids toys that encourage behavior like getting your clothes wet to creating custom-made slime. This turn toward more messy, hands-on activities suggests a shift back to not only more analog activities for kids, but activities that encourage disorganized, unconventional play. [More]

Implications - Seeking to provide greater authenticity, toy brands are integrating hyper-realistic features that are reflective of what one would encounter in real life situations. Moving beyond simply aesthetic similarities, toys are adopting characteristics that focus on specific details like performance or operational qualities, allowing the toys to function like the product they're mimicking. This focus on functional details showcases a commitment from brands to provide more authentic qualities, which are held in high regard from younger consumers like Gen Z. [More]

Implications - Offering more than a game or activity, modern toys are doubling as unique accessories for increased functionality. From stuffed animals that transform into clothing accessories to toys that you can wear around your wrist, these examples not only speak to the need for more practical sources of play, but also to how brands are seeking to become much more ingrained in the lifestyle and routine of their consumers. [More]

Implications - As kids become increasingly accustomed to technology, parents are turning to products that feature heightened interactive and responsive qualities to add an element of education to those early upbringing experiences. More than just a source of entertainment, these toys offer smart, responsive technology to provide education in a more interactive, autonomous manner. Offering ways to learn through methods of playful engagement, these examples not only showcase the use of smart technology among kids, but also the move toward more autonomous, self-educating tactics . [More]

Implications - Brands are giving kids the chance to feel more like adults by offering products that mimic activities and rituals most often experienced by older consumers. From challenge games that replicate drinking rituals to outdoor sporting activities made accessible for kids, these examples not only offer unique experiences, but they also provide an early introduction to activities that might seem daunting or challenging later on in life. [More]

Implications - Toy and entertainment companies that are viewed as nostalgic for adults today are incorporating contemporary features to rebrand themselves for a younger audience. What were once relatively simple forms of entertainment are now adapting to the proclivities of children and teens born in the 21st century. This shift functions as evidence that traditional companies can stay afloat, so long as they are able to adapt on a topical level to the changing needs of their consumers. [More]

Implications - Taking the fundamentally interactive nature of toy stores and streamlining it, brands are immersing parents and their children in smaller, more targeted toy pop-ups. With adult consumers being highly receptive to interactive marketing, it is only fitting that the interactive nature of toy stores is packed into more personalized experiences in order to market to better market to children. [More]

Implications - Brands that create toys are increasingly offering products that are focused on the use or enhancement of specific senses, creating an educational tool for young kids that is simplified in both its design and function. This more streamlined approach to play allows parents to adopt minimalist, step-by-step methods to teach kids basic skills -- all while offering the interactivity that consumers crave, and that young kids require for healthy development. [More]

Implications - The concept of Millennials trading in a traditional approach to adulthood for one that prioritizes experience and play is transforming to include young Millennials, and even older members of Generation Z. This is manifesting through adult board and card games that references mid-2000s nostalgia. This demonstrates the increased pace of change, as the nostalgia cycle begins to shrink to include more recent cultural movements. [More]