The Affiliation of Gender Stereotypes in Toy Advertisements

Prompt: It has been scientifically proven that children learn roles and skills from playing; the
toys they have to some extent determine which roles and skills they learn (Gender Roles and
Toys). You must evaluate childrens toy ads and discuss whether or not they are displaying
gender stereotypes. If so, what are some of these stereotypes? What gender ideals do these
stereotypes promote?

Brooklin Ricks
Ms. Garcia and Mr. Stoll
27 October 2014

What does it mean to be a boy? What does it mean to be a girl? Since the beginning of
time, society has implied what it means to be a boy or a girl from the colour of our clothes to
the toys we play with, the messages begin at a very early age (Beng 13). It has been
scientifically discovered, that children have become more gravitated towards certain toys
because of the gender labels attached to them. Scientific studies have shown that girls are more
gravitated towards toys such as kitchenettes and baby dolls; however, boys are more attracted to
toy cars and action figures. The growing epidemic of gender self-socialization in children can

be traced back to big brand toy companies (Auster and Mansbach 33). As a result of large toy
companies incorporating unrealistic gender ideals into their toy advertisements, children have
been constricted to gender based roles that often do not account for a childs individual likes
and abilities (Beng 12). Many children have difficulty communicating that they want to play
with toys intended for the opposite sex. For instance, when boys want to play with baby dolls
instead of action figures, it is frowned upon by society and many of the people around them. By
promoting unrealistic gender ideals, toy advertisements have confused the malleable minds of
children to believe the twisted gender stereotypes they are promoting. Over the years, childrens
toy advertisements have increasingly displayed gender stereotypes that endorse impractical
gender principles to young children.
Nickelodeon, a popular childrens company, has been found guilty numerous times of
categorizing their toy advertisements by gender. In 2010, two researchers by the names of
Kahlenberg and Hein dug deeper into Nickelodeon and made appalling discoveries. Not only
were pastel colored toys tended to be shown with girls [But] boys tended to be dressed
wearing bright or neon colors in these [Nickelodeon] advertisements (Auster and Mansbach
38). By associating girls with pastel colors, Nickelodeon portrayed them to be soft and dainty; by
relating boys to bright colors, Nickelodeon portrayed them to be bold and daring. Based on
another study of Nickelodeons toy commercials in 2004, researchers found that outdoor
settings for girls included backyards, gardens, or shopping centers, which the authors described
as mere backdrops for traditional female activities such as gossiping, courting, or caretaking
(Kosut 390). On account of Nickelodeon viewing females to be gossipers and caretakers,
Nickelodeon commercials depicted young girls the same way. Even when Nickelodeon featured
girls in indoor settings, girls were still typically seen in a shopping mall or dance studio (Kosut
390). By promoting ads that openly characterize gender stereotypes, children are forced to

believe these stereotypes. Based on the same study in 2004, researchers discovered that
Nickelodeons toy commercials had girls more likely engaged in cooperative play indoors and
boys playing competitively outdoors (Kosut 391). Many young children who viewed
Nickelodeons toy commercials in 2004 were quite perplexed. Many boys who enjoyed playing
inside now faced the stigma of being girly is they did not want to play outside; many girls who
took pleasure in playing outside now faced the reality of being labeled too boy-like by society.
The incorporation of gender stereotypes in toy advertisements simply confuses children. Young
kids feel as if they cannot be themselves because of the imputations associated with each gender.
As well as Nickelodeon, many other toy companies have practiced gender stereotyping in their
toy advertisements.
Toys R Us is one of many toy retailers that separate their toy advertisements on the basis
of socially constructed gender ideals. In 2000, a researcher named Lisa Bannon decided to
investigate how gender stereotypes and large toy retailers were related. Bannon found that along
with integrating gender ideals in their toy ads, Toys R Us was separating sections of their stores
based on gender. During the 1990s Toys R Us came up with Girls World which had plenty
of dolls, kitchen toys and makeup stocked on its magenta shelves (Encyclopedia of Women and
Gender 545). If Girls World was not already stereotypical enough, over in the red section
Toys R Us established Boys World which included trainsalongside action figures, Tonka
trucks and walkie-talkies (Encyclopedia of Women and Gender 545). By constructing specific
sections of the store like Girls World and Boys World, Toys R Us was actively
participating in gender labeling. As other researchers gouged further into Toys R Us the results
were even more astonishing than Bannons findings. Researchers found that in the catalogues of
major retailers like Toys R Ustea sets, baby dolls, carriages, shopping carts, and vacuums are
[always] cast in a pink glow and are shown to be the exclusive domain of girls (Smith 10).

According to these Toys R Us advertisements, girls should like pastel colors such as pink, and be
attracted to toys, such as shopping carts. Unlike what is shown in toy advertisements from Toys
R Us, many children enjoy playing with gender specific toys intended for the opposite sex.
Although, many boys enjoy playing with tea sets and vacuums, they are often shown in a garage
or workshopplaces in which girls, according to toy sellers, never set foot (Smith 10). The
manner in which Toys R Us communicate gender stereotypes within their toy advertisements
gives the impression to children that the two genders are not interchangeable. Toy advertisements
are so impactful on the minds of young children that many boys seem to think that playing with
toy carriages is only for girls and many girls seem to think that playing with toy trucks is only
for boys. The truth of the matter is, that the two genders are interchangeable. Boys should be
able to play with toy carriages if they want, and girls should be able to play with toy trucks if
they want to. Along with Toys R Us, toy companies in general have become more active in
including gender stereotypes within their toy advertisements.
In the early 2000s, a well-known researcher by the name of Larson conducted a study
detailing all of the gender labels prevalent in over six hundred childrens toy commercials. Based
on Larsons study of toy companies in general, she identified just how stereotypical toy
advertisements were. Larson uncovered that boys-only ads seldom occurred around the house
and instead featured settings such as restaurants, video arcades, and baseball fields (Strasburger
52). Since boys have the esteem of being considered bold and outgoing by society, many
advertisements for boys-only toys illustrated that stereotype. Almost all of the six hundred toy
commercials Larson studied were consistent with gender stereotypes, [because] nearly 30% of
the boys-only ads featured competitive interactions, but none of the girls-only ads did
(Strasburger 52). Society has construed women to be non-competitive beings, so when making
toys for young girls who will eventually become women in society, toy companies are most

likely not going to incorporate competitive aspects into them. Focusing on commercial
advertisements, Larson also disclosed that commercials targeted to boys were frequently for
video games or action figures, and those targeted to girls often were for Barbie dolls
(Strasburger 52). Furthermore, because of the gender ideals society has assembled, children are
forced to suffer the brunt of gender stereotypes and the incorporation of them into toys. Big name
toy companies as well as toy companies as a whole, often engage in creating toy advertisements
based on socially composed gender ideals.
Large toy retailers, such as Nickelodeon and Toys R Us, are not the only ones to be held
accountable for the recurring gender stereotypes in childrens toy advertisements. Many of the
marketing consultants that work for the large retailers urge the companies to separate their toy
advertisements by gender. Marketing consultants encourage that since boys were said to desire
power [they] needed to be represented as playing with action toys that emphasized success
meaning victory in combat and competition (Chudacoff 171). In the same sense, consultants
assumed that girls craved glamour and were more likely than boys to sit indoors where they
quietly played with dolls and games (Chudacoff 171). Marketing consultants are hired to come
up with the best advertisements for companies to sell their products. The marketing consultants
hired to companies like Nickelodeon and Toys R Us believed that the best marketing strategy
was to categorize toy advertisements by gender. Marketing consultants as well as researchers
employed by toy companies insisted that boys and girls play very differently, even with the same
toy (Chudacoff 172). Consultants convinced toy companies that boys tend to transform their
environment to fit their imaginary worlds and engage in taunting each other in ways that
represent a kind of male affection (Chudacoff 171). To support their argument, marketing
consultants even went on to claim that girls, alternatively, accommodate their activities and
their play spaces to what already exists and direct their antagonisms toward those outside the

group through gossip (Chudacoff 171). Although, there is no scientific evidence to support the
widespread belief that boys and girls play differently, marketing consultants still promoted this
belief to toy retailers as if it was a scientific fact. Despite the fact that large toy retailers are
responsible for the persistent appearance of unrealistic gender stereotypes in toy advertisements,
marketing consultants also share a part of the responsibility.
Due to the exhibition of gender stereotypes in toy advertisements, many children have
been exposed to impracticable gender ideals. Lego, a popular childrens toy retailer, is
accountable for a profuse amount of the unrealistic gender ideals being displayed to children. As
a part of their Bionicles line, Lego created the Skrall amidst other main characters featured in the
exclusive toy line for boys. On the Lego website, the Skrall were described as arrogant, vicious,
brutal, fear nothing and care about even less (Smith 52). To accompany the appalling
description of the Skrall on their website, Lego went on to say that what [the Skrall] may lack in
technique they make up for in sheer bludgeoning power and strength (Smith 52). By advertising
characters like the Skrall, Lego is partially accountable for clouding the minds of young children
with unrealistic gender ideals. After reading the description of the Skrall, young boys have no
choice but to yearn to be just like them. Young boys are now being influenced to be as brutal and
bludgeoning as the toys they play with. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Mattel
Incorporated, the company responsible for creating the first Barbie, has also engaged in
familiarizing children with impracticable gender stereotypes. Mattel, a company originally
intended to design toys for young girls, released a talking Barbie in 1992 that could say math
class is tough (Smith 55). After facing public defamation and humiliation, Mattel eventually
eliminated this [stereotypical] phrase from Barbies repertoire in response to heavy criticism
(Smith 55). After Mattels 1992 release of the talking Barbie, people were completely outraged
that the only phrase the Barbie could say was math class is tough. By releasing the 1992

talking Barbie, Mattel distorted the minds of thousands of young girls. Not only was Mattel
promoting the idea that it is okay for girls to be unintelligent, but Mattel also did not take into
account the girls that actually enjoy math class. Young girls were suddenly wondering, Is it
okay for me to be smart? Should I be more like Barbie and think that math is hard? As a result
of the unrealistic gender ideals exhibited throughout childrens toy advertisements, many
children have become confused about what it means to be a boy and what it means to be a girl.
Over the years, young children have become increasingly perplexed about gender roles,
due to improbable perceptions of the labels associated with both genders. In toy advertisements,
gender roles are often displayed based on the stereotypical views of society. For instance,
[advertisements] for toy cars, trucks, and action figures always feature boys, whereas
[advertisements] for dolls always feature girls (Shaw 28). According to societys warped
perception, boys should only play with toys, such as action figures, while girls should only play
with toys, such as baby dolls. Children often strive to be just like the gender roles society has
blueprinted for them. Based on a study of how gender roles are exhibited by playing with toys,
researchers found that boys toys and play promote action, adventure, competition, and displays
of aggression (Kosut 400). According to the same study, researchers also found that girls toys
and games encourage and foster more socially oriented activities, cooperation, and domesticoriented play styles (Kosut 400). By simply playing with toys that advocate male competition,
young boys feel pressured to be adventurous and aggressive; by playing with toys that support
domestic styles of play, young girls feel obligated to cooperative and submissive. Toys that
exhibit gender stereotypes only give children one side of the spectrum. For instance, young girls
know that it is acceptable to play with baby dolls, but are unaware that it is also acceptable to
play with toy trucks as well, if they choose to do so. Additionally, the social stereotypes
associated with both genders has caused toy companies to make gender specific toys. For

example, in the early 2000s, Mattel created a Barbie and Hot Wheels computer model for
children ranging from ages four to twelve. The Barbie model specifically for girls [was] pinkflowered and [came] with half of the educational software found on the royal blue computer for
boys (Encyclopedia of Women and Gender 550). Not only was Mattel sending the message that
girls are not as intelligent as boys, but Mattel also communicated to young girls that they will are
unequal to boys. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that boys are smarter than
girls, yet Mattel decided to incorporate only half of the computer software on the Barbie
computer model. Although, boys and girls are equal, toy advertisements have displayed
unrealistic gender stereotypes that furthermore confuse children about gender roles and their
place in society.
From the beginning of time, society has characterized what it means to be a boy and what
it means to be a girl. Based off of the stigmas associated with certain toys, children have become
more attracted to them. Over the years, it has become more apparent that a large majority of girls
prefer Barbie dolls over actin figures, and a large majority of boys prefer action figures over
Barbie dolls. The creators of the toys that children are so attracted to have created their products
with gender stereotypes in mind. Toy companies like Nickelodeon, Toys R Us, and Mattel are
responsible for creating toy advertisements that promote unrealistic gender ideals to young
children. Also in assistance, marketing consultants have encouraged toy companies to separate
their toy advertisements according to gender as a crafty business strategy. Over time, childrens
toy advertisements have increasingly exhibited gender stereotypes that promote improbable
gender ideals.

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