happiness is justice

Christmas and New Years always come together, catering to the human desire for renewal and regeneration, and gifts are an important part of redemption. In Dickens' A Christmas Carol, as soon as the miser learns to share gifts, he is restored to his humanity and finds that happiness is in the family.

Santa's "invention" gives all families a chance to enjoy "happiness". His face was filled with joy of abundance, and his gift bag was bottomless. As a commercial spectacle since the 19th century: for children, he represents a sophisticated and fashionable toy; for parents, he means the mysterious charm of a personal workshop, not the naked materialistic temptation on the shelf of the mall, but also to the parents. Children "hide" excessive pampering.

Toys are the most meaningful gifts. Some are the product of parents' vision of their children's future, some are the eternal call of parents to their own childhood, and some are the theoretical crystallization of experts. What the toy maker promises is the "educational" function, but the "success" of the entire industry is behind the rotation of the times and demands. Under the new crown epidemic that lasted for two years, toys are not only the "just need" for children to maintain their emotional health, but also become the "baby" that adults use to educate their children.

Special Forces "Battle" Barbie Doll

In 1962, the Special Forces toy line that was about to take the world by storm was just an idea - "a boy's Barbie doll with a military theme at its core".

"Nobody's going to buy this toy." Mattel's founder, Ruth Handler, heard the phrase most three years ago at the New York International Toy Fair in 1959. The dealer has never seen such an "extraordinary" doll: blue eye shadow, black and white striped swimsuit, sunglasses, golden earrings... At that time, the girl was holding a cute and cute doll like "Xiulan Temple", with a head Dignified and playful with short curly blond hair, tied in a red bow, and wearing a rustic dress and moccasins.

Sexy tall Barbie with an elegant smile under the soft lighting of the booth. The dealer passed them by: the children only play the house, imagine themselves as mothers, how can they know how to deal with Barbie? Ruth's husband, Mattel toy designer Elliott Handler, once said, "What mother would buy her daughter a doll with boobs?"

Ruth cried. On the same day, I called the Japanese foundry with low labor and cut production by 40%. "Barbie" is the nickname of Ruth's daughter Barbara, who knows that Barbara is not treating the doll as her own child, but acting as an adult, imitating the dialogue of an adult woman. They dreamed of a beautiful and decent "big girl", so Ruth created Barbie.

TV commercials present an opportunity. Mattel did a movie-style ad for Barbie, wearing a wedding dress, tube top evening gown and work attire, walking down a long white staircase. She sang: One day, I will be you, and then I will know what I want to do... After Barbie took the United States by storm, the New York Times called it a "revolutionary idea" - "little girls no longer Treat the dolls as their own children, but as themselves."

Ruth and Elliott concluded that Barbie's marketing strategy is called "razor-blade model", "razor" is a Barbie doll that lowers the price, and the huge profit is "blade" - an endless stream of clothing and accessories.

Before Special Forces, boys only played with toy guns, toy trains, and clowns that popped out when the lid was opened. The Special Forces research and development team used wooden mannequins in the art store to replicate the U.S. Guards armory. At the time, Barbie could only stand rigidly, while these soldiers were wearing camouflage uniforms, sitting in jeeps, armed with M16 automatic rifles and anti-tank rocket launchers on their shoulders. They have multiple movable joints, can kneel to shoot, can stand guard with guns, and can fully withstand the boy's constant tossing.

The special forces experienced a "life" like a Barbie doll in a very short period of time. Its "Razors" are four unnamed soldiers from the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps, and "Blades" are uniforms, accessories and vehicles.

The only problem is that "dolls" are exclusive to girls, and Hasbro chose to use language to avoid them: the special forces are not called "dolls", but "action dolls". Marketers who call special forces dolls will be fined.

In 1964, on the eve of the full escalation of the Vietnam War, the first generation of special forces was released. In that year, the American cultural atmosphere was light and comfortable, Audrey Hepburn's flower girl turned into a lady, Julie Andrews came to the world like an "angel", and everything in Vietnam only happened in Vietnam. The war at that time still meant glory, and the U.S. military would finally triumph, with more than 2 million "special forces" stationed in more than 150,000 homes in the United States. The boys cut out the ad catalogue and posted it in the most prominent part of the bedroom, implying that the parents took the "clue" before Christmas.

By 1968, mothers were taking to the streets to hold banners, "No War Toys for Christmas." In the wave of peace, the special forces took off their military uniforms and catered to Apollo's moon landing, and began the "adventure team era". Commanders with fake beards wear badges on their chests, pulling them to say "Africa needs us" or "We're getting there before dark, keep up."

The 1973 oil crisis hit the Special Forces again - costs soared and sales slumped. The 12-inch figure is made of plastic and relies heavily on petroleum raw materials. Soon, the child's vision is no longer limited to the real world. In 1977, "Star Wars" was released, and Kennametal Toys launched a 3.75-inch action figure, which was smaller, lower cost, and more abundant and varied in supporting vehicles. Crucially, Star Wars characters have their own stories.

The last glory of the special forces benefited from Reagan's "hero" remarks in the 1980s: "People who say there are no heroes in this era just don't know where the heroes are." In 1985, a toy based on the "Nimitz" aircraft carrier It is 2.5 meters long, but the real material always has an end to copy.

The next era belonged to video game consoles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, reboots of "Star Wars" and Harry Potter, and it wasn't a boy's world, girls joined in: the magic of fantasy worlds began to sweep all ages.

difference between men and women

The gender boundaries between special forces and Barbie dolls were very clear at first. Parents firmly believe that if their children are properly prepared, they will have a great future. Toys not only have to instill optimism and responsibility, they also have to divide the roles of men and women.

Toys designed for boys, technology, innovation, competition and cooperation are all inseparable. Girls' dolls "train" them to be modern housewives and educated mothers, and how to be attractive to adults and men. For a long time, toys have shaped different "futures": for boys, the future is an exciting, industrialized and progressive public space, and toys are a reflection of science and machinery; for girls, the future is composed of warm human relationships A private life composed of fashionable outfits and refurbished fashion, toys are a consuming alternative to housekeeping and personal vitality.

Boys toys are miniature versions of almost every new invention. Model trains have always been the toy for middle-class boys in the United States. The toy company 20th Century Co., Ltd. has created a miniature world of electric trains. Electric trains are equipped with circular garages, crossing lights and other auxiliary equipment. Dad's Companion". Ideal Airplanes reminded the boys "to help the nation advance the knowledge and science of flying as much as possible like the Wright brothers."

Gilbert Enterprises simply hired scientists and engineers from Yale, Columbia, and General Electric to build the science toy line. The chemistry kit includes a toolbox based on hydraulic and air pressure engineering experiments, and each item has a pamphlet for a detailed explanation of the principle, founder Gilbert advertises in Literary Digest: "The joy of play stimulates potential Talent in children...shows boys the careers of the future". He persuaded schools not to buy these types of construction toys because "if children see them at school, they will think they are as boring as everything else in school".

The big toy dealers' catalogs for boys seem like a small business world. Boom cranes, pendulum bridges, pile drivers, inclined plane transmission transmitters, gear clutches, universal joints, tower wheels, and more. In addition to making machinery, the boy also had to imagine himself as a "capitalist" to invest in goods or equipment.

Girls' play usually does not require speed and power. The dolls form a family drama with loving mothers, loving friends, and social relationships formed around shopping, banquets, and household chores.

In the 1930s, electricity became available in all American homes, and household chores were immediately electrified on a large scale. Irons, stoves, ovens, waffle bakers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, immediately in pocket form on girls' toys, they are accessories for "playing the house" and the protagonists are in styles ranging from realism to romanticism The cute dolls of , with chubby rosy cheeks, indicate adequate nutrition; the clothing is fashionable, indicating abundant wealth; the materials are soft and washable, and children are reluctant to let go.

Adorable dolls are usually sold in "groups": parents plus six children, nanny, classmates, friends, neighbors, and of course, a dazzling array of home appliances and character-appropriate clothing. The accompanying booklet tells "Mum" how to change a baby's diaper, how to feed it, and how to make it smile.

Nowadays, toy design is becoming more and more neutral. Barbie dolls have an "LGBT" image. There are many girl players in Lego's building assembly kits, and boys are also willing to sleep with furry bear puppets. In fact, these elements are only a small part of the pursuit of "equality", and gender differences in toys still persist. Society still shares a separate value for men and women, and a clear gender division of labor has not disappeared.

The toy giant Mattel has developed to this day, and its sub-sectors are still boys' brands, girls' brands, pre-school brands, etc., and then determine the development market of derivatives according to the classification - girls' brands mainly develop clothing, dress up, dolls and other toys; boys The brand focuses on toys such as model cars and action figures; the preschool brand explores "education + toys".

In addition, responding to the emotional needs and value shaping of the society is also a "part of the toy". MGA, which competes with Mattel, once successfully grabbed the doll market dominated by Barbie dolls with Bratz dolls, and once captured 40% of the market share. Bratz is known as the "anti-Barbie" wild girl. Compared with Barbie's "Princess Dream", the former rebellious appearance "goes further".

In 2012, the mother of a childhood cancer patient started a Facebook campaign asking Mattel to create a bald version of Barbie to support childhood cancer patients. The "Beautiful Bald Barbie" campaign has a lot of followers, but Mattel did not respond in time. MGA quickly launched 3 bald Bratz dolls, which received more support.

Imagination "made"

Christmas and New Years are the peak season for toys. In response to the global supply chain crisis, American toy manufacturers have changed the size of their product packaging to prioritize the delivery of light and soft toys. Compared with the building blocks and electric toys that boys like, girls' gift wishes are more likely to be fulfilled - hoping to bet on "Made in China".

The modern global toy manufacturing industry has undergone four massive shifts. From Germany, the United States, Japan to China's Pearl River Delta.

At the end of the 1990s, the most complete toy manufacturing industry chain in the world was basically formed in Guangdong: toy companies in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou were good at processing trade, Zhongshan children's car manufacturers "completed the market", and Foshan toy companies produced a large number of plush toys , Shantou Chenghai is famous for plastic toys...

The production technology of Guangdong toy companies is world-leading. CNC machine tools such as CNC digital machining center, number copying machine, laser rapid prototyping machine, engraving machine are widely used, and mechanical facilities such as injection molding machine, shredder, dryer, pad printing machine, painting equipment, testing instrument, production line and so on should be used. Everything. As China's largest toy manufacturing and export base, Guangdong Toys has ranked first in the country in terms of toy export value for more than 30 consecutive years. In 2019, before the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, China's toy exports were 31.136 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 24.2%; of which Guangdong's toy exports were 21.509 billion US dollars, accounting for 69.1% of the national share.

Toys with high technology content in European and American countries are basically produced in Guangdong. Like MGA, 80% of its products come from China and are produced by about 50 Chinese factories. Affected by the epidemic in early 2020, some factories in China delayed the start of construction, and its best-selling toy "LOL Surprise Doll" series was immediately in short supply.

Some developed countries have planned to "relocate" the toy industry, but it is not realistic. Like the German family-owned company Heunec, 95% of its plush toys are produced by 8 subcontractors in China. Take a plush owl as an example: the raw material cost of an owl toy produced by a manufacturer in Nanjing is 1.88 euros, about half of Germany's; the production cost is only 1 euro, only 1/6 of Germany's. Chinese factories use laser computers to make plates and cut plush toys, which can be mass-produced without relying on labor, while German workers still use cardboard molds and cutting machines. Including shipping and customs duties, the total cost of producing an owl toy in China is about 3.6 euros, while the total cost of production in Germany is nearly 10 euros.

Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and other emerging countries with a large number of cheap labor, although they want to vigorously develop the toy industry, but lack a complete industrial chain, advanced equipment factories and knowledgeable workers, it is difficult to compare with China. The toy industry chain includes toy brand operation, toy R&D and design, toy manufacturing, toy logistics and transportation, toy retail and other sub-industries. According to the person in charge of the Guangdong Toy Association, "China's status as a major country in toy manufacturing will not change in 20 years."

There are two value chains in the toy industry. One is driven by the content industry, representing companies such as Bandai, Disney, and Hasbro; the other is driven by R&D and design, representing companies including Lego.

Through a content-driven value chain, the main products are animation toys, or "IP" derivatives. The toy company will advance across the board: establish core brands in the upstream; focus on entering film and television animation production in the midstream, invest in TV channels, and divert product flow; in the downstream channels and sales, actively deploy emerging markets. Players familiar with Mickey Mouse, Star Wars, Transformers, Gundam all belong to this category.

Through a R&D design-driven value chain, the main product is assembly kits. The most typical are Lego bricks. The basic functions of many classic toys have not changed for a hundred years, but designers need to use new technologies, new materials and new processes to upgrade and integrate the original toys through new artistic expressions, so that players can develop new imaginations force.

And the responsibility of the imagination is great. Critics accuse toy dealers of exaggerating boys' obsession with physical strength and intelligence, girls' love of makeup and costumes, saying "mathematics class is annoying" Barbie dolls will make girls lose confidence in mathematics, and cosmic giant Seaman has encouraged "paganism". Mysticism”… Adults generally project their anxieties about contemporary culture onto toys, and toy makers use sophisticated market games and advertising to manipulate their real consumers, children.