Here’s how it goes: first it becomes popular, then it becomesunpopular, then it becomes kitsch, then, sometime after that, itbecomes popular again. Hence goes the pop culture cycle. Chances are bythe time you grow up, all those toys that you abandoned when you became“too grown up” to play with, become important to you again. They becomereminders of your youth and you begin to yearn for them. Of course,you’re not the only ones. Big business knows this. Because of this youshould ready to pay a premium for your beloved Playmobil toys or MyLittle Pony’s because you’re not the only one looking for them. I recently went to the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, CA to meetsome friends for dinner. As I was walking I noticed that there was arather large Lego Chain store which sold nothing but Lego sets andproducts. I didn’t have to think twice, I made a bee-line for thestore. Now,
I know Lego’s are thought of as a little boy thing, butI’ll make no qualms about the fact that when I was a kid I lovedLego’s. Sure, I enjoyed Barbie’s, My Little Pony’s, etc., but for methere was nothing more fun then putting together a Lego airport, policebuilding or pirate ship. As I walked into the store and began to lookaround, two things immediately popped into my head. First: if you candream it, there is a Lego set for it now. Forget airports, you canliterally build the Taj Mahal now out China Polyurethane Foam Toys Manufacturers of Lego’s. Second, and mostrelevant, Lego’s have gotten expensive. I’m sure you can still get asmall set at Wal- Mart for something resembling a reasonable price, butwow, if you want to build an airplane or an building or a pirate shipprepare to open your wallet. A set can cost up to $70 now. Even thecheaper sets cost $30. Needless to say I passed on purchasing a set,even if I felt a child like need to. It didn’t hit me until I got home why these Lego sets cost so much.These sets were not for children, but instead, for adults who grew upon Lego’s and again want to experience the thrill of constructing abuilding out of these tiny blocks. I recently help put together a smallset a cousin brought over, and trust me;
it’s still as fun to do as Iremember it. If anything, this experience at the Lego shop reminded me of the“kitsch” cycle. Toy sellers now understand that parents are as willingto purchase something that reminds them of their youth as they are topurchase these new products for their children, same goes for Playmobil Toystoo. Look at the Transformer franchise. Most of the people who saw thefilm hadn’t played with a transformer for 15 years, but went in drovesto the movie because of cherished childhood memories (the movies wereterrible by the way, which makes the success of the second one evenmore “memories” based). Next time you’re at Target look around and look at how much of theDVD’s or home supplies marketed to adults are simply repackaged and“hip looking” products from your childhood. I think you might besurprised at what you find. Chances are while you’ve “grown up” yourtastes have pretty much stayed the same.
