The ToyDirectory MOM
By Hollie Bethany

What’s Wrong With This Trend?

Licensing has done well for the toy industry as far as growth. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, “too much of a good thing is bad.” Companies need to rethink the “free for all” attitude that is taking over the licensing market.

Barbie used to mean Mattel. Now, with so much Barbie licensed “stuff” out there that is not Mattel, I don’t know what to trust. Manufacturer’s brands are losing the trust they spent so much time and money to earn.

As a parent, it drives me mad that the same exact thing is all over the toy shelves with just a different package, or a different licensed character. My house holds 10 play phones, 4 learning “computers,” 2 ball pits, 2 play houses, 4 wooden train sets, all types and sizes of dolls in different states of undress and hair removal and buckets of plush. Remote control cars, dogs, monsters and even a mouse!

With every new movie of a cartoon genre comes a new list of the same things my son has to use as a bribe.

Manufacturers need to get back to developing and designing new products, rather than signing out rights to logos and characters. If you wouldn’t make it yourself, why would you let someone else put your name on it?

~ Happy Playing! ~