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About the Let Toys Be Toys campaign - presentation to student journalists on Cardiff Journalism school Communicating Causes module.
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Let Toys Be Toys
Overview
Started on Mumsnet Nov / Dec 2012
14 retailers have now changed or promised to
change signage and organisation of toys
Launched ‘Let Books be Books’ petition on World
Book Day 2014
Launched ‘Toymark Good Practice Award’
Launched schools resources Sept 2014 to tackle
gender stereotyping in primary schools
Context
•Massive rise in gendered marketing
•Social acceptance of 'Men are from Mars, Women
are from Venus' guff
•Media love a stereotypes story
•Rise of new feminist movements (NMP3, Everyday
sexism)
•Voices speaking out against 'neurosexism'
•Rising awareness of harm to girls (Pinkstinks)
•No-one's really talking about boys
Possible targets
•Shoppers – but no-one likes to be lectured
•Manufacturers – huge, hard to influence, slow to
change
•Politicians – risky!
•Retailers – visible, accessible, influential
•Publishers – visible, accessible, influential
lAims and objectives
l“The Let Toys Be Toys campaign is asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.”Underlying aim is challenging stereotypesObjective – get signs removed from shopsObjective – get labels removed from books
lSupporters
lListen to them
lProvide ways they can
contribute
lGive them tools and
ammunition they can use
lNeutral
l“The Let Toys Be Toys campaign is asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.”
lThink about barrierslFocus on limitations, harm to childrenlFocus on manipulation and exploitation
lHostile
lReiterate key messages
lBe ready to neutralise
lDon't leave open goals
lDon't just assume they're
stupid because 'they don't
get it'
lDon't let them make you
look po-faced
lRetailers
lPolite, professional tone
lEngage and listen
lBe willing to assume good
faith
lBe firm
Stereotypes are harmful
•Kids should decide for themselves what they
think is fun. Toys are for fun, for learning, for
stoking imagination and encouraging creativity
•Play matters: Children need a wide range of play
to develop different skills
•Marketing matters: restricting buying choices
and reinforcing gender rules
•Stereotypes matter: limiting job expectations,
affecting self-image and self-esteem
Proposed solution
•If retailers drop boys and girls labels on toys and
books children will feel more free to choose their
interests, and shoppers will be encouraged to buy
outside narrow boy/girl categories.
Mechanisms
•Petitions (change.org – 12k signatures)
•Facebook (13k Page likes)
•Twitter (12k followers)
•Website
•Media coverage
•What don't we do? And why?
Evaluation
•What does success look like?
•Comms outcomes are useful to measure but...
•Think about how you can measure IMPACT
l14 retailers changed policies
l60% reduction in boy/girl shop signage
lWorking on websites research
lShift in the tone of the debate
Change in stores
Questions?
•lettoysbetoys.org.uk
•@LetToysBeToys
•Facebook.com/lettoysbetoys
•Jess Day @day_jess