The influence of character products
I remember buying character products in my role as a Stationery buyer at Sainsbury’s. It was so important to select the right character licenses and capitalise on the window of opportunity for peak sales when new films were coming out. Now I am a parent I have a new perspective.
The influence of character is powerful. So powerful in fact that my 18 month old son has learnt to say Thomas and Macapaca before naming members of his own family. From birth, babies are introduced to Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse and the like without any concept that they are products of someone’s imagination.
In the most part character products are born out of a successful film, television or book series, however on occasion it is the product that induces a film, for example the recent ‘Trolls’.
Some particularly popular characters now have entire theme parks created around them; Thomas Land, Peppa Pig World, Harry Potter World and of course the world-famous Disney resorts. I visited Thomas Land with my sons last month and witnessed my then three-year-old become Thomas’s number one fan, completely enthralled with every product in the shop.
Some characters have lasted the test of time, spanning generations without losing attraction. They are often at the heart of parent/child bonding time; nostalgic for the parent and exciting for the child. Children love the idea of playing with their favourite characters. A train isn’t a train unless it’s Thomas, a superhero isn’t a superhero unless it’s Spider-Man. But cleverly these names and licenses add to the price tag.
The Almighty Disney
In my opinion the Disney brand is worlds ahead of its competition, especially since acquiring Marvel in 2009 and Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise in 2012. Their children’s characters are wholesome and their films are cleverly pitched to target all ages in humour and emotion. The market capitalisation of the Walt Disney Company on the New York stock exchange is approximately US$158 billion (figures correct at 11th August 2017). Seeing this figure and my buying experience reminds me of the motivation behind the characters; to make money.
Aside from capitalising on films, Disney currently have 387 stores worldwide with shelves stacked high with character products, not to mention the broad range of Disney licensed merchandise sold globally. I recently visited the Oxford Street store and even as an adult, felt both overwhelmed and empowered. Show any five-year-old girl a sparkling gold Belle gown and her eyes will light up with magic. Everyone in the shop was loving the experience, taking photos with the life sized Lightening McQueen, filling their arms with gifts and toys for little ones. It was a fantastic experience just witnessing the joy that Disney brings. However, Disney are a brand and a very successful money-making machine. Is there really a risk to our children?
Positive influence or powerful branding??
As a parent I am always concerned about the impact of everyday life on my children. Friendly cartoon characters should be the least of my worries but I do believe they are hard to escape which surely isn’t healthy?
Going back to Disney, I really believe that as a company they work hard to ensure their characters are positive role models for our children. Whether it be Merida or Moana, the strong, independent young women or humble Aladdin giving his only meal to a pair of homeless children. With this I have no issue with buying my children character merchandise. I believe this often supports the building of relationships and trust. A child knows Peppa Pig and he or she trusts her. They see her live life and they can cuddle her at night.
However, there are occasions when I think the commercial side of brands takes over. 
As part of the Back to School range, Tesco currently have Disney, Marvel and Star Wars educational workbooks. I personally think this is a step too far. Whilst I appreciate it may encourage some children to want to learn, I think this is a really sad thought. Does it mean that children have lost the drive to learn without being accompanied by their favourite superhero? At what point will we realise that characters are influencing too many aspects of our lives?
We will be writing more about the latest trends in licensed character merchandise in the 2017 Back to School report.
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https://www.bright.studio-key.co.uk/back-to-school-market-research/
