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NPR News

Does the toy industry need to embrace internet culture and influencers?

Illustration shows a toy store.
Illustration shows a toy store.

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Listen 29:53

For children across the country and the world, they’re the centerpieces of weekend mornings, family holidays, and prized collections.

We’re talking about toys.

The global toy industry is at a crossroads. How dolls, action figures, puzzles, skibidi toilets, and more find their way into the hands of kids is changing. The role that the internet and influencers play in getting kids excited about a franchise or specific toy is growing rapidly.

But is the toy industry keeping up? Amid an uncertain economic climate worldwide, buyers for brick-and-mortar stores that sell toys are playing it safe and sticking with traditional offerings.

What’s the toy industry doing to keep up with the times? We talk about it.

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