DD is already obsessed with commercial characters!

[physmom]

I don't get it. She's not allowed to watch TV, we never purposely buy a single brand (like Dora or Seaseme Street) but whenever we go anywhere whether it be the library or Toys R US, she is always drawn to commercial characters. For instance, the first time we went to our local library DD started giggling and pointing constantly at the big Maisy cut out that they had on display (they had a number of others ones but it was specifically this one that she wanted to see). From then on she's wanted all things Maisy and will always prefer Maisy books over all others (and completely freak out if we stop reading any Maisy book for the hundredth time, ahh!!).

But it's not just Maisy. We went to Toys R Us because we wanted to buy her a slide for Christmas (of course, they were already sold out and it was just a crowded mess ) but she saw an Elmo doll and could not leave it alone. Ditto another time when she saw some Dora stuff. I don't get it, she likes other toys but she becomes obsessed with these things. Is there some sort of subliminal advertising that I don't know about?

I should say, I don't mind the Maisy obsession too much because I like the books. At least they have some semblance of a story and our library has a bunch but I don't get the other stuff? I'm not completely against commercial stuff but I don't want it to run her life and I don't understand where this obsession is coming from? BTW, she's not in preschool or daycare or anything and all her friends have moms that don't get into this stuff either so it's not like she's getting it from friends...

[bettyjones]

Apparently there is a cable station devoted to babies. Research shows babies 6months on can recognize logos. Thus the station. It's really sick but psychologists are used to create commercials that "help" kids nag parents. So lots of research goes into those commercial dolls etc. to make them attractive. Just keeping doing what you are doing. We don't have tv but once we showed dd 13months a music clip on the computer it took weeks for her to get over the computer obsession. It just reminded me why we dont' do tv- kids like tv but it is just not good for them. Oh well.

[physmom]

Originally Posted by bettyjones

So lots of research goes into those commercial dolls etc. to make them attractive.

Huh, yeah, I think that's exactly what's going on her. It just amazes me how quickly they pick up on this. DD has a total computer obsession too but then again DH and I both use the computers quite a bit for work, so I just figured it came from that.

[Dea]

marketing...
Elmo and the like are designed to appeal to children.
I loathe Elmo and despite my efforts to remain Elmo free my MIL bought DD one. (it lives hidden away, heh, it's a dumb toy, but that's another rant) But when we were at Sea World they were all about Seasme Street and DD was in toddler heaven.
sigh, marketing, our babies are targets.

[junipervt]

fwiw I believe Maisy started as books & the tv show is just a spin off

I watched this crazy pbs special about marketing to kids. There is a lot of $ that goes into research of what it attractive to different age kids.
http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/comme...action&key=134