Three reasons toy brands should connect with shoppers year-round

February 19, 2021

Almost 40% of holiday shoppers planned to give toys as gifts in 2020, with 32% purchasing at least one toy during Black Friday/Cyber Monday.1 But while the holiday shopping season is key to your brand’s success, here are three reasons why it’s also important to communicate with toy shoppers throughout the year.

Toy shoppers may need time to learn about your brand

According to The Toy Association, today’s toy shoppers often consider more than just cost and “cool factor” when deciding what to buy. Many also want to understand what the brand stands for, its commitment to sustainability, and whether or not its toys are eco-friendly before making a purchase.2 With these additional factors coming into play, toy shoppers need time to learn about your brand if you want to be top of mind when it’s time to buy holiday gifts.

Toys are a favorite gift for many occasions

While the holiday season is a key time for toy shopping, it’s not the only time when people buy toys. Gift-giving happens year-round, for occasions including birthdays, summer, or “just because.” In a recent survey of Amazon toy shoppers, respondents said that 72% of their toy purchases were for birthday gifts or everyday treats. These toy shoppers also said that they like to commemorate certain life events with a new toy, such as moving to a new home, or the start of a new school year.3

Toys aren’t just for kids; adults like to play too

Not all toys are gifts. Adults are buying toys for themselves, and toy brands are noticing. Movie franchise fans are purchasing the latest licensed toys to add to their collections. Groups of friends are buying board games for virtual game nights. And adults are turning to jigsaw puzzles and building sets for stress relief. Almost 20% of frequent toy shoppers on Amazon say they buy toys for themselves, and those purchases are happening throughout the year.4

Amazon Advertising can help toy brands optimize their advertising strategies

According to a survey by Statista, almost half of all parents find out about new toys through advertising,5 but reaching different toy audiences at the right time with the right message can be a challenge. Amazon Advertising can support objectives across the marketing funnel, from increasing brand awareness, to helping accelerate product sales. To learn more about our solutions, talk to your sales representative.

Learn more about toy advertising.

Sources

1 National Retail Federation, Retail Holiday and Seasonal Trends, 2020
2 The Toy Association, The Future of Play: Appeal to Millennial Parents with Eco-Friendly Toys & Games, 2019
3-4 Kantar custom toy shopper study, US, April 2020
5 Statista, UN Comtrade study, 2019