Toca Boca & Children’s Apps:Diversity & Marketing

Abigail, Kasia, Chiara, Anna

JOURNALISM PITCH:Diversity in marketing → Inclusion in play & education

http://tocaboca.com/wp-content/themes/tocaboca/assets/dist/img/default-share.png

https://tocaboca.com/press-post/roll-call-the-toca-life-series-gets-an-addition-toca-life-school/

Inclusivity + Special Needs Education

Sourced from http://www.spectronics.com.au/blog/apps-and-mobile-learning/toca-boca-fun-and-learning-too/

http://itopchart.com/au/en/free-ipad-apps/education/

http://www.mrsdscorner.com/2015/08/10appsfortheSpEdClassroom.html

http://www.meritnation.com/blog/how-online-learning-can-help-students-with-special-needs/

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/80068/file-21727482-jpg/images/ipad-art-wide-tablets-in-classrooms-420x0.jpg

Sourced from: http://www.theage.com.au/education/index.html

Sourced from: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria

Sourced from: http://www.adcentre.com.au/brands/the-age/

http://www.wholeparent.com/2015/12/31/gifts-toys-for-4-5-year-old-girls-best-toys-list-and-reviews-2015-2016.html

http://durak.org/photos/seandreilinger/299309072/nick-playing-lego-b-wing-fighter

Sourced from Google Image searchbar

http://balloonshopnyc.com/shop/balloon-bouquets/its-a-girl-mylar-party-balloon-bouquet-inflated/

http://balloonshopnyc.com/shop/balloon-bouquets/its-a-boy-mylar-party-balloon-bouquet-inflated/

The Gender Divide

(beyond toys and apps)

http://jezebel.com/5790638/the-history-of-pink-for-girls-blue-for-boys

http://www.mcgrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MCGRC_Digital-Kids-Presentation_022014.pdf

http://businessbearing.com/blendle-brings-itunes-for-journalism-to-the-us/

Usage

http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/32314321598_1/Hsb-toys-font-b-Bratz-b-font-Doll-26cm-MGA-font-b-BRATZ-b-font-ACTION.jpg

Digital media and traditional toys

“Children move across the online/ offline, ‘real’ and virtual, digital and non-digital boundaries with ease.” (Marsh, J, Plowman, L, Yamada-Rice, D, Bishop, J.C, Lahmar, J, Scott, F, Davenport, A, Davis, S, French, K, Piras, M, Thornhill, S, Robinson, P & Winter, P, 2015)

Problem Statement

Play Unlimited is not effectively reaching and engaging with their target audience through social media or petitions, preventing them from facilitating real social change in the area of diversity in marketing and gender equality.

Sourced from: https://www.facebook.com/playunlimited/photos/a.180187638839070.1073741829.180133575511143/180189082172259/?type=3&theater

SWOT Analysis - Play UnlimitedStrengths

- Previous successful campaign (No Gender December)

- Clarity of vision and mission statement of what they want to achieve

- The founders (two parents) in touch with the target public

Weaknesses - Small reach (just over 2,000 followers

on facebook) resulting in unheard voice - Uncertain funding - Overpowered by profit driven companies - Not for profit organisation in a highly

profit driven industry (the toy industry)

Opportunities- High potential for growth - Issue and objectives affect a large

portion of the population (kids and parents)

- Retailers who want to do the right thing/ gain a good image

Threats - Political figures have criticised past

campaigns, position Play Unlimited as “politically correct” in a negative sense (Tony Abbott, 2014)

Play Unlimited current Facebook page Total Likes: 2,197New Likes on Page: 16

Play Unlimited Latest Facebook post Likes: 2Comments: 3

https://www.facebook.com/playunlimited/

Play Unlimited current Twitter page Total Followers: 420

Play Unlimited most recent Tweet Retweets: 1

https://twitter.com/play_unlimited

Website Petitions

http://www.playunlimited.org.au/

Target Publics

- The target publics consist of parents, families, teachers/educators, childcare workers, and children. As these groups are all either current or possible future consumers of the product.

- However, the campaign specifically targets parents.

http://www.mychildapp.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PET-page.jpg

Key Messages

1. Non-diverse marketing has serious negative impacts

“play is an important precursor and facilitator of skills and interests, and ... GTM stifles development and self-discovery.”

- Jenny Wilcox, whilst Consumer Affairs Minister UK (Fine, C & Rush, M, 2016)

2. Why the target public should support Play Unlimited as their organisation of choice

SMART Objectives

Goal: to gain greater, interactive social media following

1. Increase facebook likes by 40% within the next year 2. Have both active petitions reach their goal by the end

of the year3. Double twitter following within the next year 4. Have 40 new subscribers to the website in the next 6

months 5. Have 10 new retailers recognised on the ‘Retailers

doing it Right’ tab on the website

http://www.playunlimited.org.au/retailers/doing-it-right/

http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/6/5070066/facebook-redesigns-the-like-

button

Tactics

1. Publicise and develop the ‘Retailers doing it Right’ tab of the website through:

- Partnership with retailers and corporate sponsors - #retailersdoingitright social media hashtag (targeting digital toys)

- Develop ‘Retailers Doing it Right’ tab into recognised award

2. Establish forum to engage parents where they can ask questions/ discuss issue

3. Collaborate with similar Facebook pages (Let Toys Be Toys), government departments/ childcare institutions and parent blogs

4. Post original content 4 times a week on social media

http://www.lettoysbetoys.org.uk/toymark/

How does it all fit together?

Broader reach = OPPORTUNITY

● To “eliminate gendered marketing of toys to children and promote the idea that all children benefit from the widest possible range of play experiences.” (Play Unlimited)

● To create widespread change in diversity in marketing

http://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news-room/2016/march/2015-annual-result

Reference ListHarman, A 2012 ‘Toca Boca… Fun and Learning Too!’, The Spectronics Blog, blog post, 20 April. Available from: www.spectronics.com.au/blog/apps-and...learning/toca-boca-fun-and-learning-too/

Doyle, C 2015, ‘Which Apps Top the Class?’, Choice Education, 1 February. Available from: https://www.choice.com.au/babies-and-kids/education-and-childcare/education/articles/educational-apps-for-kids

DeLussey, S 2015, ‘10 Educational Apps for the Special Ed Classroom’, Mrs D’s Corner, blog post, 17 August. Available from: www.mrsdscorner.com/2015/08/10appsfortheSpEdClassroom.html

The Age Brand Analysis, 2016, AdCentre. Available from: http://www.adcentre.com.au/brands/the-age/

Fine, C & Rush, M 2016, ‘“Why Does all the Girls have to Buy Pink Stuff?” The Ethics and Science of the Gendered Toy Marketing Debate’, Journal of Business Ethics, pp. 1-16<http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/856/art%253A10.1007%252Fs10551-016-3080-3.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs10551-016-3080-3&token2=exp=1463100606~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F856%2Fart%25253A10.1007%25252Fs10551-016-3080-3.pdf%3ForiginUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flink.springer.com%252Farticle%252F10.1007%252Fs10551-016-3080-3*~hmac=f991391de923e385b08961bff0e9ef02022cd8971d3224d58473897afb7d62a2>

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Reference List (continued)Marsh, J, Plowman, L, Yamada-Rice, D, Bishop, J.C, Lahmar, J, Scott, F, Davenport, A, Davis, S, French, K, Piras, M, Thornhill, S, Robinson, P & Winter, P 2015, Exploring Play and Creativity in Pre-Schoolers’ Use of Apps: Final Project Report, Technology and Play, viewed 13 May 2016,<http://techandplay.org/reports/TAP_Final_Report.pdf>

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014, Perspectives on Education and Training: Australians with qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), 2010–11, cat. no. 4250.0.55.055, viewed 18 May 2016, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4250.0.55.005~2010%E2%80%9311~Main%20Features~Demographic%20characteristics~5>

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Finance_and_Public_Administration/DV_and_Gender_Inequality/Submissions

Noorhidawati, A, Ghazal Ghalebandi, S & Siti Hajar, R 2015, ‘How do young children engage with mobile apps? Cognitive, psychomotor, and affective perspective’, Computers & Education, vol 87, pp. 385-395<http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0360131515300105>

Jadva, V, Hines, M & Golombok, S 2010, ‘Infants’ Preferences for Toys, Colors, and Shapes: Sex Differences and Similarities’, Archives of Sexual Behaviour, vol 39, issue 6, pp. 1261-1273<http://link.springer.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/article/10.1007/s10508-010-9618-z>