What’s the Worst Toy of 2015?

Posted on December 6, 2015 at 8:00 am

It’s time for the TOADY Awards again. The most oppressive, destructive, exploitative, media-saturating, imagination-killing products on the market. The Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood has posted the TOADY nominees, and now is your chance to vote. Will it be the spy drone? The doll who comes with her own selfie stick? The toy gun for girls that comes with matching jewelry? The info-mercial book series that teaches toddlers about brands? Or the doll that spies on your kids and can easily be hacked to let others spy on them, too?

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Parenting

#Playlikeahero with GoldieBlox

Posted on November 5, 2015 at 8:00 am

From Goldieblox:

What if all the action heroes who saved the world, day in and day out… were girls?

Only 12% of protagonists in major Hollywood films are female. Even in the background, in crowded wide shots, women only make up about 17% of those shown in live action and animated movies. Among the highest grossing G-rated films of all time, female characters are outnumbered by male characters by three to one.

Move behind the camera and the numbers are sadly similar: in 2014, only 15% of films had female directors, 20% had female writers, and a mere 8% had female cinematographers.

50% of the population is female.

This is a problem.

We’re not here to produce the next blockbuster; we’re here to provide a role model in play. When the girls in your life pick up Ruby Rails, we want them to know that they can be a high-flying, fashion-loving programming extraordinaire too. We want them to feel like they can be a boxer, a secret agent, a dinosaur wrangler, or a fighter pilot.

Our girls deserve action heroes with flowing hair and combat boots. Our girls deserve to see themselves on-screen and calling the shots behind the scenes. Our girls deserve more.

A New Ad Shows What Barbie (Yes, Barbie!) Can Do for Girls

Posted on October 30, 2015 at 7:30 am

This ad for Barbie (yes, Barbie!) is captivating. It’s not about the dream house — it’s about the dreams.

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Advertising Marketing to Kids

Amazon Will No Longer Sell “Boys Toys” and “Girls Toys” — Just “Toys”

Posted on May 11, 2015 at 3:32 pm

There is only one person who should decide which toy is fun — the person who plays with it. Not the manufacturers or the retailers. President Obama wisely pointed this out by refusing to accept the labels on toys at a holiday giveaway.

Now mega-seller Amazon has decided to no longer categorize toys as “girl’s toys” or “boy’s toys.” Everything is just Toys.

I can only say: Well played.

Marvel/Disney — Where are the Natasha Dolls?

Posted on May 1, 2015 at 3:29 pm

Jenna Busch and the wonderful folks of Legion of Leia and Heroic Girls are asking an important question: #wheresnatasha?

Remember last year when the #WheresGamora hashtag called out the lack of Gamora toys in the Guardians of the Galaxy toy line? Well, it’s happening again. Natasha Romanov, the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is a huge part of the Avengers team and one of the only women in the Marvel films. At the moment, she’s also the only female Avenger. With Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron coming out, you’d think we’d get to throw our money at them and walk home with a Black Widow toy. However, of the 60 products that Marvel and Disney have out for the film, only three feature Black Widow. Not exactly a great percentage. If you’re a Natasha fan, you can head to Target and purchase a tote bag, a men’s t-shirt and a figure that’s part of a LEGO set.

Dudes. Black Widow is awesome. She is every bit as much of a superhero as the other Avengers. Girls want to buy her. And guess what, boys do, too. What were they thinking?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjMdFf8vKqA

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Gender and Diversity Marketing to Kids