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Because the diversity in and of society can be recognized ánd mentioned, it is a good idea to also include this in your MarCom. Also with toys. Because you are never too young to learn about (rainbow) diversity.

Millennials and GenZ are the generations that are more open to this than ever. To introduce children to diversity, TV programs, films and toys – which have many cross-overs – are increasingly being released in all kinds of shapes and colors. I previously described how Barbie and Lego did this, here is a look at other toy brands – which mainly focus on Gen Alpha.

Culture
“You play to understand life. If you want a diverse society, it is good that you also have diverse toys, because toys symbolize the world in which the child grows up.” Marianne de Valck, who had a consultancy firm for play and toys for many years, said on RTL News: “It has always been the case that toys reflect a culture. I used to see where dolls came from. Dolls from France had wider hips, the German dolls were fatter, the English dolls were tall and thin. The toys are now globalized, the same everywhere.”

However, this is a kind of reverse diversity, where differences between people are removed. Marketing the Rainbow goes in the other direction. Fortunately, the same also applies to other types of diversity. For example, Goodtoys is launching a series of dolls with different skin colors, with the statement: “People come in all shapes and sizes and we believe it should be the same with toys. In this group you will therefore find dolls with a different ethnic background than the standard white skin/blue eyes doll. By gifting these dolls you are contributing to a world that is more open, inclusive and tolerant of diversity.”

By the way, Mattel has already released several diversity dolls in their collection, including a wheelchair user and a doll with a prosthetic leg, a Ken with vitiligo, Barbies with different body types and hairstyles, and last year also a doll with hearing aids (which I would relate myself to, if I wanted to play with dolls).

By the way, you shouldn’t google gay toys – although that used to be a common brand for cars! – because then you end up in the ‘wrong corner’.

Fisher Price
In addition to the Barbiemania, Mattel, the company that owns Fisher-Price, has previously expressed its support for the LGBT community. It released a corporate “It Gets Better” video in 2013 to support LGBT youth.

In 2015, Fisher-Price partnered with Proud Parenting, an online forum for LGBT parents, to launch the Proud Parenting LGBT Family Photo Gallery. The project is a photo collection of LGBT parents and their families that was featured on digital media channels and promoted by Gay Ad Network on a number of websites and mobile apps. Hailey Sullivan, director of marketing at Fisher-Price, said, “We are excited to partner with Proud Parenting for their first-ever program to increase the visibility of LGBT families.” The toy brand states that there are an estimated three million LGBT parents in America and that as many as six million Americans have an LGBT parent. Married LGBT couples make up 50% of the Proud Parenting audience, and 61% of them have two or more children in their households.

For the International Day of Families (May 15) in 2015, they showed sets of various family compositions.

RuPaul – WERK!
In the series “Little People Collector” they released a set with various guises of drag superstar RuPaul last year (see main image). They said: “The package is a tribute to RuPaul’s efforts to inspire people young and old to stay true to themselves,” adding that the toys are suitable for people aged 1 to 101.

The increasingly self-deprecating hate group One Million Moms (membership approximately 15,000) indignantly led campaigns against the doll because its existence will “indoctrinate children into transgenderism and homosexuality”. Another cry for help was heard from International Family News: “Fisher-Price joins Disney in grooming our children, now as young as 1 year old.” The word ‘grooming’ is quite serious, because it often implies – sexual – abuse. These family-oriented, often Christian, organizations go way over the line and show that the image they have of the family is no longer up to date. They neglect single-parent families (whether due to divorce or other causes), orphans, childless or childfree couples or forms of a family other than m + f + 1.6 children.

Hasbro
The maker of Transformers, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, Monopoly, Twister and My Little Pony was founded in 1923 by Hassenfeld brothers Herman, Hillel, and Henry, making it a century old this year. They were the largest toy manufacturer in the world for some time, and also sold more dolls than Mattel’s Barbie for a while in the late 80s. Since 2016, they have scored a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. As a company, they have neatly formulated and implemented their diversity policy, including in videos such as Be Proud, Be You.

Since 2018, Pride Month has also been colorfully celebrated on social platforms, especially by My Little Pony. “Today and every day we celebrate the unique brilliance of every pony 🌈 Be true to who you are – from hoof to heart!” And this year they said: “This month and all year long we take #Pride in creating spaces and stories for Everypony.”

These posts were generally liked (much) better than the regular publications.

Severa of their labels collaborated with charities such as The Trevor Project (donation of 10 dollars per shirt sold). And even the colors of Monopoly were arranged in the rainbow: “Everyone is celebrated in every field. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 Happy #PrideMonth2023!” D&D and Peppa Pig joined in the celebration, Play-Doh was molded into rainbows, and the Power Rangers also contributed.

There was plenty of merchandise with rainbow themes and the words ‘Be Proud, Be You’. Hasbro said proceeds from the sale will go to Youth Pride RI, a Rhode Island organization that recently held a “youth drag workshop” that taught participants how to become drag performers. That is remarkable given the controversy surrounding the interaction between drag queens and children in the US (the story time), and this actiom made that connection very direct. OK, it was still in the home state of Rhode Island, not in redneck territory, but it was a powerful statement nonetheless. Compliments!

Finally: At the beginning of this year, a new version of Clue was released, modernizing the characters. It could really go either way… one observer comments: “Wait, they came out with Clue: Bisexual Panic edition?”

Potato family
In 2021 Hasbro decided to release the 70-year-old Mr. Potato Head to be gender neutral. “Mr.” was removed from the packaging, what remains is just Potato Head.

De Valck: “The American decision on a gender-neutral potato doll can immediately be seen worldwide. Some companies are quicker with such adjustments than others. Fisher-Price, for example, has been offering all dolls in its range multiculturally for 30 years.”

Hasbro announced that it will continue to sell male and female Potato Heads. So it is only a name change, a statement from the company. There also is a family set, with two adult potatoes and a baby potato. The parents both have mustaches, so I assume this is a situation of two dads. But who knows.

Finally
MyFamily! Products offers a wide range of products specifically for children in rainbow families. This 2012 commercial made history as the first TV commercial for children’s products specifically aimed at children of LGBT parents.

Conclusion
Toy manufacturers are increasingly thinking in rainbows, thus reaching younger customers in a playful way. This way the kids can get acquainted with diversity. No conversion, no indoctrination, no brainwashing: an introduction. It also makes it easier for parents to talk about such matters. We’re waiting for a rainbow football (because the One Love band doesn’t work very well – yet).

Alfred Verhoeven is a marketer and is in the final phase of his PhD research Marketing the Rainbow. He previously wrote for ILOVEGAY about LEGO does the rainbow and the alphabet,  Barbiemania and the shortage of pink paint, Bud Light and the 4 bln dollar woman, Dutch retailer HEMA loves everybody, Pronouns, About those rainbows, Alphabet soup, M&M’s and the lesbian invasion, Magnum and the lesbian wedding,  Marketing the Rainbow: the process and all that came before it, Sport and (un)sportmanship,  Why you need a supplier diversity program, BeNeLux LGBTIQ+ Business Chamber (BGLBC), From B2C and B2B to B2G and G2G (oh, and G2C), The Men from Atlantis, The other kind of cruising, Booking.com, Home Deco, Haters and trolls: the ‘letter to the editor’ of the 21st century, 5 Bizarre LGBT Videos, TRANSparency, Transgender persons as a target group, Matchmaking, 5 videos that went viral, From Representation To Respect, Cultural sensitivities and social involvement in marketing, 4 reasons to practice diversity and The Rules of Market Segmentation.