Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman: Tween Girls’
Products Come into Their Own
By Tina Dhamija
June 2003
It’s no secret that the teenage market continues to be a lucrative one
for those savvy enough to gain entry, but what about their little sisters
and brothers—those who’ve come to be known as “Tweens?” They comprise
the 8-14 age group that flocks to retail outlets such as Claire’s
and Accessorize, but still have at least two years to go before
they can get a driver’s license.
A market report from KeyNote Ltd. (Aug. 2002) suggests that most
Tweens today come strapped with their own pocket money, explaining how
in the past 3-5 years the Tween market has carved a growing niche in the
retail industry, one that asks for the simplicity and playfulness of a
toy, but with all the moxie of such teenaged strongholds as hairspray
and pierced ears.
CHARM IT! Disney Collection
Charmed Princesses: New Disney Charm Bracelets
High IntenCity Corp. has just launched its newest addition to
its popular CHARM IT! Charm bracelet line, the CHARM IT! Disney Collection,
letting kids adorn themselves with their favorite Disney characters in
an assortment of charm bracelets. The High IntenCity CHARM IT! Disney
Collection will feature Mickey and pals, Pooh and friends from the Hundred
Acre Wood, Disney princesses such as Ariel and Cinderella, the Disney
Channel’s Lizzie McGuire and Kim Possible, and Disney movie characters
cast in pewter, crystal, and enamel charms. The CHARM IT! Disney bracelet
retails for $8, while crystal/enamel charms are $5 a piece and charms
made of pewter run for $3. Like the existing CHARM IT! line, the CHARM
IT! Disney Collection will offer a growing line of accessories such as
handbags, picture frames, charm holders, room accessories and more.
Winsome Fragrance
Smells Like Tween Spirit: Fragrances for Pre-Teens
If lip-gloss and clothing can sell multitudes to pre-teen girls, it was
inevitable that perfumes would not be far behind. Winsome Fragrance
Co. has fashioned its own product line for the Tween market. Made
in roll-on form to help avoid spills and spray mishaps, the All Star
and Little Champ fragrances are marketed to boys ages 2-14, with
Sweet & Soft and Winsome scents formulated especially
for girls of the same age range. Mary Vail, owner and president
of Winsome Fragrance believes there’s a wide market for her product. “When
kids get dressed up, they feel really great with the finishing touch of
their own fragrance,” she said. “Adult colognes are too intense and too
costly.” Winsome fragrances retail for $8 on the shelves of children’s
specialty stores and large department stores such as Nordstrom.
2 Kids Jewelry Care’rousel
Clutter and Mess to go with that Dress: Storage for Tween Products
Where toys for small children can usually be tossed right back into the
toy-box or closet for a quick vacuuming, products for pre-teens, especially
Tween girls, have been lacking their own storage solutions. Banking on
this dilemma, Deico Products (ToyDirectory)
has come up with an attractive solution to Tween girl clutter with its
'2 Kids' Care’rousel line. With separate carousels made to store
hair, nail and jewelry products, caring for and clean-up of Tween products
has never looked this good. The '2 Kids' Nail Care’rousel ($24.95)
comes complete with polish and nail stickers, stores all types of accesories,
and also has a handy nail polish dryer built into the bottom so girls
can paint their nails and dry them in moments. Also new from the '2 Kids'
Care’rousel line is the new '2 Kids' Jewelry Care’rousel
($24.95) that works as both a revolving jewelry display and storage compartment
for jewelry and other small items.
Groovy Girls “T Series” dolls, Talli, Trini, and Tomiko
Groovy Gear and Stuff for Groovy Girls
Despite the chilly retail climate of late, one product that has sold
monumentally well since its introduction in 1998 is the Groovy Girls
($9.95) line by the Manhattan Toy Company (ToyDirectory).
Marketed to girls ages 2-12, the Groovy Girls line is designed to portray
a positive body image for young girls of all different ethnicities, with
each doll having different skin tone and facial features . Groovy Girls
dolls and accessories have managed not only to become bestsellers in the
market, but also recently won both the “Girl Toy of the Year” and “Specialty
Toy of the Year” awards from the Toy Industry Association (TIA) at
the 2003 Toy Fair in New York City. Also teaching young girls that each
is unique in her own way, the Groovy Girls T Series dolls, Talli,
Trini, and Tomiko, all represent girls of different ethnic backgrounds.
Writer's Bio: Tina R. Dhamija was born with a passion
for writing and has been a published writer for media publications since
she was 17 years old. She has worked for the London Daily Telegraph and
Haymarket publishing in London. She currently lives in Long Beach, California
with her cat Raina, where she enjoys reading, dancing and walking along
the beach.
