Criteria for acquisition/purchase
On which occasions do children receive toys?
Children receive toys on a great variety of occasions. Special occasions for giving toys as presents are principally Christmas and birthdays. Christmas time is a special occasion which “demands” that the family throws itself into an orgy of present-giving, the same applies at least partly to birthdays.
Grandparents tend to give presents on special occasions but also spontaneous gifts at other times. Guests and friends of the children also give presents when they come to visit.
Children also save their pocket money up to buy toys (how much depends on the age of the child). In the majority of cases they decide what they are going to buy far in advance of their purchase. Eight occasions on which children receive toys were listed in the survey and parents were asked to indicate on which occasions their children receive toys.
On which occasions do your children receive toys? (all figures = percentages)
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Total number of children: 401 |
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Total |
86 boys 3-5 yrs |
119 boys 6-10 yrs |
73 girls 3-5 yrs |
123 girls 6-10 yrs |
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Occasion:
Christmas Birthday When they are well-behaved When they are home alone From grandparents From visitors When they ask for a toy Buys toys with pocket money savings
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99 99 30 2 46 33 16 87
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99 99 42 2 58 37 29 82
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99 99 28 1 37 29 16 97
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99 99 14 1 47 41 11 72
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99 99 34 2 45 28 14 89
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Source: Steenhold (1993,d)
There are significant age and gender specific differences. The younger Danish boys receive toys from their grandparents more often than younger girls and older children. They receive toys more often from their parents if they are well-behaved - or when they ask for them.
The tendency for the 3-5 year old boys to receive more toys than girls and older boys is confirmed by retail chain store consumer surveys (Jørgen Bruhn, 1990:99-108), which show that 65% of retail turnover is given to boys.
However, there has never been much correlation between results of surveys of retail toy purchases in different countries. That boys’ consumption of toys exceeds girls’ is, nevertheless, a consistent pattern in the majority of surveys.
According to comparative German studies (cited by Bruhn, 1990), 64% of toy consumption goes to boys. This covers 75% of toy turnover. In one American study (cited by Bruhn, 1990), the girls’ share of toy turnover is only 40%.
The question is whether the boys’ extra toy consumption is in fact mythical. What constitutes a toy? - for a girl? for a boy? Toys don’t necessarily have to be the things we buy in a toy store. Where girls are concerned, toys include ornaments and fancy goods which can be bought elsewhere.
Children’s and parents’ criteria for choosing toys
There are many market analytical surveys which attempt to uncover the reasons why children acquire certain toy products, e.g. LEGO products, Barbie, etc. These analyses are usually carried out by or for companies who want to know exactly why, how and when children and adults generally acquire certain toys.
Being motivated by advertising is, however, not the only reason for acquiring toys. Specific or non-specific, overt or covert reasons can lie behind a toy purchase. An unsystematic survey carried out among 52 4-10 year old children and their parents by Steenhold (1991) is a meagre supplement to a well-organised, thorough Flemish survey carried out among 3000 children aged 4-12 years by de Bens (1992). There is nothing to indicate any vast differences between the culture or market conditions in Holland and Flemish-speaking areas of Belgium and those in Denmark.
De Bens (1992:Table 7.1.):
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CRITERIA
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Very important |
Quite important |
Unimportant |
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The child saw the toy in a store A friend/playmate has the toy Seen on TV/advertising/TV spot Seen it in a brochure Seen it in a magazine Seen it on a poster Other criteria |
22% 30% 14% 39% 11% 4% 27%
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57% 47% 47% 49% 36% 22% 9% |
21% 23% 38% 12% 53% 74% 64% |
It is interesting to note how little influence the children attribute to TV advertising while repeated exposure in a brochure, booklet or poster represents a greater influence. TV as a “flickering” communicator loses influence when faced with brochures, catalogues and booklets which children can carry around with them, refocus on and use as a means by which to relate to the concrete object with the help of conversation and dialogue.
De Bens’ research suggests that parents listen to children or are particularly receptive when children express a desire to have a certain toy. However, for parents too, brochures are a very significant incitement to toy acquisition.
De Bens (1992:Table 7.2).
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CRITERIA
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Very important |
Quite important |
Unimportant |
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The child asked for the toy Seen on TV/ad/news item Seen it in a brochure Recommended by the store Seen it in a magazine Seen it on a poster Other criteria |
60% 4% 12% 10% 3% 2% 45%
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38% 22% 54% 34% 29% 11% 7% |
4% 74% 34% 56% 68% 87% 48% |
The toy market is worth many millions of dollars. Manufacturers and suppliers do everything they can to help consumers with their toy wishes: TV ads, brochures, in-store displays and shows. These create needs - or did these needs already exist?
On the one hand, there are people who argue that needs materialise instantly when the consumer flicks through catalogues or watches TV ads. These needs materialise with the help of intensive marketing aimed at children who naturally and voluntarily respond.
On the other hand, there are people who argue that the children have these needs already because they are developing and because they possess natural human curiosity. When they advertise in print and on TV, manufacturers and suppliers simply inspire the children to make choices between the different products.
Where this second line of thought is concerned:
1. Children themselves create needsfor certain toys because they are prestigious. Alternatively, children themselves exercise peer pressure, act on the herd instinct or promote a sudden “trend” or “craze” within their own ranks.
2. Children are aware of the toys due to in-store exposure.
3. Children see toys in catalogues and print ads in comic books
4. Children watch TVads (the significance and influence of which is from time to time questionable, especially where the advertising is idiotic - as De Bens’ research indicates).
As users and consumers, the children and adults of today are equal partners and regard the four media as good or bad entertainment and information. They evaluate the quality and format (often critically). Children slowly learn the art of critical consumer behaviour. They evaluate and gradually learn how to see the failings of poor advertising, poor products. Children rarely allow themselves to be cheated - and never more than twice!
However, toy catalogues are regarded and utilised by children not only as toy advertising. At the mental level, children play with the toys in the catalogues, put crosses against interesting items, colour them in and cut them out.
A catalogue often has a lifetime of several months and is included in the source material for children’s discussions and dialogues - in the same way as brochures and information material inspire parents.