I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to eliminate the term “Kidult.” It’s how we in the toy industry currently refer to adults who want to play with toys. As the Oxford Dictionary defines it:
Kidult – “An adult with childish tastes.”
Oxford dictionary
It seems to me that the term is, in its essence, an insult to those adults who want to pay us money for the toys we make. Millennial and GenZ shoppers are nostalgic for the 80s, 90s, and 00s, and they have a lot of money to spend on rekindling their memories.
Consider this CNN headline: “Toy companies expect grown-ups to shop more for other adults this holiday season.” Here is what CNN reporter, Paul R. La Monica, has to say:
The toy giants realize that many adults aren’t just looking to buy toys for their children, grandkids, nieces and nephews. Companies like Hasbro (HAS) are increasingly looking to adults (and not just parents) as buyers for nostalgic products, whether its gifts for older loved ones, friends or for themselves.
And it’s not just the big toy companies recognizing the fast growing adult toy market. McDonald’s is creating Happy Meals for adults. If you were a fan of the Hamburglar, Grimace (and two other characters who I do not remember or do not want to remember – the jury is still out) you will want to get down to your local drive-thru and pick up some Nuggets or a Big Mac. They each come with a collectible character.
It would behoove all of us to start seeing ourselves as far more than a child’s product industry. We serve the whole family, and that includes Adults.
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