It's certainly getting grown-ups like you talking about Barbie, and the metaphor that they are using reflects the majority of people's fascination with celebrity. |
It's definitely a way to reclaim some market share, but how do you get a kid to want it? Kids are more proficient with technology than Mom and Dad. The traditional barrier to what made something a toy has really dissolved... why shouldn't they have the real thing? |
KB hasn't articulated a strategy about what they're doing yet, but need to stock a lot of the hot toys. It isn't really a destination store but the fact that they're mall-based helps because parents are in the mall anyway. |
Kids are very comfortable with technology and these toys reflect that. When the microwave and car talk to you it's perfectly reasonable that toys do. But it comes down to whether it's fun. All the chips in the world won't make a bad toy good. |
Moms will probably draw a line on these dolls but they're a good 'allowance' toy for kids on a weekly or monthly budget, ... They're goofy, gross, inexpensive and a classic buy for a 5-year-old boy. |
On one level, the Hollywood-like romance is tongue-in-cheek. But on the other level, it means serious business. |
Parents are looking for options that allow kids to incorporate physical activity into their play -- even at younger ages. Cranium first defined what that active experience should be for preschoolers with its Cranium Hullabaloo game. With the Hullabaloo DVD Game, Cranium expands the activity by providing an immersive animal environment that will keep kids engaged and playing even longer. |
Parents are looking for products, and increasingly they are agnostic about where they get those products. And with gas prices the way they are they want to go where it's easiest. |
The popularity of plug-and-play games is indicative of what's happening with technology in general, |
There are a lot of obstacles and you really have to think and make the best decisions possible. You look at the decisions you make, and that's really what makes up your score. |
Things come and go, but the Ant Farm is very much like Barbie or G.I. Joe or Hot Wheels that have managed to survive. The novelty was creating a whole world that you can see. |
Toymakers are bringing back proven hits because it's less risky than betting on something new, |
Toymakers are bringing back proven hits because it's less risky than betting on something new. |
Toys 'R' Us will close some of its stores but it's not going away, ... You can't lose sight of how the consumer perceives this retailer. The company has taken a knock but consumers still see it as a powerful brand. |
We are living in a gadget-driven world, and kids want their own gadgets. It makes them feel like they're part of the whole culture. |