# Destitute Dolls New American Girl Homeless Doll Raises Questions About Morals By Jacqueline Parrish | Published 2009-09-30 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-girl-homeless-doll References: [nypost](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/homeless_doll_costs_hairstyling_4Ic0hC7Lacpfo8HQbczsQMhttp://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/addydoll.jsf/title/Addy) & [mattel](http://www.mattel.com/) Barbie giant Mattel has recently come up with a rather controversial take on children’s toys with their American Girl homeless doll named Gwen. Gwen, the American Girl homeless doll, is sold with a biography, a sorrowful story that involves her father walking out on her and her mother losing her job. Eventually, the background story states, Gwen and her mother ended up living in a car. Sold for $95, the price seems a little contradictory for Mattel to be selling a sad-storied homeless doll for a rather steep price. Check out some of the other American Girl dolls and available accessories in the gallery above. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 24% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/toys) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Controversial Toys:** There is a growing trend of controversial toys that raise questions about societal values and ethical concerns. - **Storytelling Dolls:** Dolls with detailed backgrounds and emotional narratives are gaining popularity as children seek more immersive play experiences. - **Social Impact Branding:** Companies are leveraging social issues to create unique brand narratives and drive consumer engagement and awareness. ### Who This Affects Most - **Toy Manufacturing:** Toy manufacturers can explore the production of dolls with compelling stories and thoughtful themes that resonate with modern consumers. - **Ethical Consumer Goods:** The rise of controversial toys opens up opportunities for brands to create ethically conscious consumer goods and engage with socially conscious consumers. - **Narrative-driven Marketing:** Brands across industries can incorporate storytelling techniques into their marketing campaigns to connect with consumers on a deeper emotional level. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Glamorous Collector Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-by-american-girl.md) - [Tri-Level Luxury Dollhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxury-dollhouse.md) - [Modern 1920s Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-girl-claudie-wells.md) - [Living Condition Awareness Dollhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unwelcome-home.md) - [Storytelling Snowboarding Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2022-american-girl.md) - [Whimsical Doll Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wicked-for-good.md) - [Inclusive Barbie Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-doll-with-down-syndrome.md) - [Virtual Doll-Focused Metaverses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-girl-1.md) - [Sparkling Detailed Princess Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-girl-doll-1.md)