Marketing toys without playing around

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into how both characteristics of toys and marketer‐provided cues influence parents' perceptions of advertised toys and their ideas of what life skills are important for their children's future well‐being and success.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected with a 2 (toy encourages structured play vs toy encourages unstructured play) × 2 (ad mentions “brain development” vs ad mentions “child development”) experimental design involving four advertisements for a hypothetical toy.

Findings

Parents recognized that the toy encouraging unstructured play has many benefits. Relative to parents who saw an ad with a “child development” appeal, those who saw an ad with a “brain development” appeal rated social and intellectual development as less important for their children.

Practical implications

Findings support the idea that manufacturers can and should continue to develop toys, which encourage relatively unstructured play; such toys are both appreciated by parents and valued by experts. They also support eliminating “brain talk” from advertising; such messages do not enhance parents' evaluations of toys and detract from parents' maintaining the value they place on social and intellectual development.

Social implications

By designing toys which encourage play which is most beneficial to children and promoting them with advertisements without “brain” language, marketers can support children's development and parents' values.

Originality/value

This paper provides insights into the effects of toy and ad characteristics on parents' perceptions of toys and what is important for their children.

Citation

Gardner, M.P., Michnick Golinkoff, R., Hirsh‐Pasek, K. and Heiney‐Gonzalez, D. (2012), "Marketing toys without playing around", Young Consumers, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 381-391. https://doi.org/10.1108/17473611211282626