Should Hasbro include boys in My Little Pony commercials? · 9:25pm May 22nd, 2015
Here's something circulating on social media:
https://twitter.com/jackybboyd/status/601343045167091713
Skip the “it's just ponies on the packages” comments, and let's address the interesting question: should Habro feature pictures of little boys playing with pony toys in the commercials as well as girls. At the moment it is indeed exclusively girls.
But that's by design, right? MLP was made to appeal to little girls, following a long tradition. And we love it for what it is. If, by accident, they made such an awesomely high quality product that it appeals to a wider audience, then good for them, but why should Habro change the script?
Doesn't matter to me. I'm happy to buy toys meant for young girls, and if anyone thinks I'm odd, that's their problem. This is the great thing about being grown up and independent. You can spend your pocket money on whatever you want. And your true friends will accept you for who you are... etc etc.
But for young children it is entirely different. Playing with the wrong sort of toys is a serious offence. The gender police will be after you like a shot. And every other kid in your class knows which toys are for boys and which are for girls, because there are pictures on the box and commercials to make it clear. There are rules. Just as you don't hit other children, you don't play with the wrong toys. Shameful humiliation awaits any youngster foolish enough to break the rules.
So Hasbro, spare a thought for your younger male customers, and let's see some boys in the commercials, along with girls, and let's show everyone that it's OK for all children to play with whatever type of toy they like. The desegregation of gendered toys is the future. You have a premium brand well placed to ride this trend.
And a big thumbs up to young Sebastian for telling them.
I'd LOVE to see that.
We have two girls and a boy and he's the one who loves the ponies most dearly. He also loves tractors and every other big piece of machinery (so do the girls). He usually combines the two... last time by having Derpy steer his Lego tractor and accidentally running Chrysalis over.
Now he'll soon be old enough to be bullied for that. *sigh*
Hasbro could really, really move something here.
And girls in Transformers commercials, if that is not already a thing.
There are reasons why this happens. Stores these days have boys sections, girls sections, but no gender neutral sections, so they have no where to put toys that aren't feminine or masculine. This means companies like Hasbro can't make gender neutral toys, because no stores will buy them. And stores that do carry male dolls find that no one will buy them, so they decide not to sell them. And boys don't buy dolls, and girls don't buy legos, because they know from commercials and TV shows which toys are meant for them and which ones aren't. It takes a lot of effort to break loop like this.
The article I learnt this from is here. (I actually found this from following a couple links from you feminist conspiracy blog.)
Should Hasbro include adult men in My Little Pony commercials? Serious question.
They've been to pony cons. They know pretty much every seat was 20-30 year old males.
Hey guess who has more disposable income, 10 year old Johnny, 8 year old Kelly, or 28 year old Mr Davidson from marketing?
They should make a premium line of toys. Like, fully animatronic + the real ponies' voice actor software.
I do not like this pigeon holing either. I would like to get rid of the Pink/Blue-Distinction. Not only is it sexist in and of itself, but it teaches boys to be hyperaggressive and girls to not use their brains.
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Fortunately things are starting to change. We heard this month that Amazon are dropping boy/girl labels. Toys R Us ended explicit gender labels in the UK a year or so ago, and in Sweden they did a completely gender neutral catalogue. It's moving in the right direction, but still a long way to go.
I have to admit... That logic diagram makes compete sense, AND made me LOL quite prodigiously!
