| for grown-ups pushing kids' toys out of Christmas | | | | series that appeal to an older audience mean that |
| most wanted list. | | | | subsequent merchandising appeal to a grown up |
| Christmas used to be a time for the kids but now | | | | audience who were fans of the series and films first |
| the adults appear to be taking over. The top twelve | | | | time round – the conspicuous presence of |
| toys this Christmas as identified by the Toy Retailers | | | | Star Wars toys and Doctor Who toys in UK toy |
| Association contain a suspiciously high number of | | | | store both online and offline reflect this. |
| toys aimed at bigger kids. This apparent paradigm | | | | The emergence of a two tier market catering for |
| shift in the toy market should come as no surprise | | | | real kids and "big kids" is apparent and will be |
| – a brief look around the internet reveals an | | | | particularly evident in the busiest period for the toy |
| entire market devoted to the taller toy consumer. | | | | market. The market for the older demographic has |
| As UK toy stores prepare for the inevitable | | | | become increasingly sophisticated in recent years and |
| Christmas rush, their shelves are stocked not only | | | | had led to the specific targeting of the segment |
| with gifts for children, but of stock on the wish list of | | | | particularly through the marketing of technology |
| an ever growing adult market. A brief look at the | | | | based toys such as the Robosapien V2 and |
| most wanted list for this Christmas shows toys such | | | | Roboraptor – toys with a limited appeal to |
| as Robosapien V2, Roboraptor and the Doctor Who | | | | those in short trousers. Increasingly, these toys |
| Remote Control Dalek. It does not take an industry | | | | permeate the marketplace and toy stores looking to |
| expert to surmise that these toys are aimed at a | | | | capitalise on the big kids market. |
| demographic with full time jobs and high disposable | | | | It seems that this market is set to grow over the |
| income rather than a demographic that watches | | | | forthcoming years, representative of a wider cultural |
| Saturday morning television. | | | | shift and impacting significantly on the toy market. |
| The rise of toys for grown ups has been an | | | | Whilst the toy market is still dominated by kids toys, |
| increasing trend in recent years and coincides with an | | | | it seems that Christmas toys are no longer just for |
| increase in retro culture that dominates the film and | | | | the kids. |
| television industries. Remakes of films and television | | | | |