The unstoppable trend: How toy and game companies are reclaiming the hearts of adult consumers

While on vacation, my friend and I were peacefully relaxing in our hotel room when she suddenly exclaimed, "Zoo Pals are back!" Without hesitation, we hurried to purchase them. However, to our dismay, they were already sold out. Determined, we diligently refreshed the page for days, hoping they would become available again. Finally, after a few weeks of anticipation, I managed to acquire my very own set of Zoo Pals.

I'm almost ashamed to admit that Zoo Pals were paper plates featuring adorable animal faces like pigs, turtles, ducks, and whales. Each plate had a main section and two smaller sections for the animal's ears or feet. Unfortunately, Hefty, the manufacturer of Zoo Pals, discontinued them in 2014.

As a child, Zoo Pals revolutionized mealtime for me. They allowed me to keep my broccoli separate from my chicken nuggets, and they even had a designated spot for dipping my nuggets in ketchup. Plus, they provided me with motivation to finish my food so that I could see the smiling face of my Zoo Pal again.

Hefty has recently reintroduced Zoo Pals, revitalizing the beloved plates adorned with animals that were phased out almost ten years ago. The decision to bring back Zoo Pals was fueled by the desire to allow our devoted fans to nostalgically reconnect with their cherished childhood moments.

From Hefty

As an adult, I no longer have such needs. But $6.99 was a small price to pay for a walk down memory lane.

The purchasing power of kidults

The demand for relics of their youth is prompting adults to invest in items that bring back memories of the late 20th-century or turn-of-the-century, such as flip phones, film cameras, and Tamagotchis. This trend has led to a booming market for toys and products originally designed for children, like my Zoo Pals.

According to data from consumer research group Circana shared with CNN, individuals aged 18 and older, commonly referred to as "kidults," accounted for approximately 17% of total toy sales in the United States for the 12 months ending in June 2023. This represents a notable growth of four percentage points from 2021 and a significant increase of eight percentage points from 2019.

The data from Circana also reveals that toy sales for adults witnessed a substantial rise of $1.7 billion, reaching a total of $6.4 billion from June 2021 to June 2023.

The pandemic drove more people to revisit their youth

The phenomenon of adults purchasing toys for their own enjoyment is a relatively recent trend. However, the nostalgic desire to revisit the joyous memories of childhood has always been present. Consequently, one may ask what factors have contributed to the growing willingness of adults to invest substantial amounts of money on toys in order to relive their past experiences?

Adults began buying more toys for themselves following the onset of the pandemic. According to Krystine Batcho, a licensed psychologist and professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, Covid brought about increased levels of anxiety and prompted individuals to contemplate mortality.

Camila Cabello with her flip phone.

From Camila Cabello/Twitter

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According to Batcho, nostalgia expert and creator of the Nostalgia Inventory, both elements are linked to a heightened sense of nostalgia. The Nostalgia Inventory, a widely utilized survey, determines the factors that contribute to an individual's inclination towards nostalgia.

Research suggests that individuals belonging to the millennial and Gen Z generations are particularly prone to feeling nostalgic due to their life stages. They go through a conflicted stage of wanting to embrace independence while also longing for the carefree innocence and security of their childhood. Moreover, individuals tend to experience increased nostalgia during challenging times and in situations that pose a threat, according to Batcho.

Amidst the pandemic, individuals sought ways to keep themselves entertained either at home or in small gatherings, leading them to turn to social media for inspiration, as revealed by Juli Lennett, Circanas toy industry advisor, in conversation with CNN. This trend significantly contributed to the surge in sales for various forms of recreational items such as games, puzzles, collectibles, trading cards, and building sets, among others, according to Lennett.

Lennett further mentioned that consumers discovered fellow toy enthusiasts and communities formed around specific toy categories and brands, a phenomenon that persists even now.

Lego: An adults Zen Zone?

Lego introduced a complete range of products in 2021, specifically designed for adults. These products can be found in the "Adults Welcome" section on Lego's website. According to a post on Lego's site, the Lego Sets for Adults offer a focused and hands-on activity that promotes mindfulness. It serves as a creative recharge, a tranquil zone, and a place to discover your inner state of flow.

A growing share of adults are buying toys for themselves.

According to Jamie Cygielman, the president of American Girl, the company's doll line, Mattel Inc.'s American Girl, has experienced an increase in purchases from adult collectors, known as kidults, in recent years, and this trend is continuing to gain popularity.

That trend took flight in 2021 when American Girl reintroduced six of their original dolls, commemorating their 35th anniversary. With a price tag of $150, these dolls swiftly sold out within the first day of being available online, as noted by Cygielman. According to a subsequent survey conducted by American Girl, over half of these purchases were made by women for themselves, rather than for a child.

American Girl initially introduced alcohol sales at its inaugural retail store café in Chicago back in 1998. Presently, all nine of its cafés possess full liquor licenses or offer beer and wine selections. Consequently, it has become a favored spot for Gen Z and millennial customers to commemorate bachelorette parties and birthdays, often accompanied by their cherished dolls.

"We began embracing this trend even further," she explained. This entailed reintroducing a greater variety of dolls and doll clothing options that adults grew up with. Additionally, we expanded our in-store café menus to include a wider selection of alcoholic beverages and food items that cater to adult tastes.

"When you step into our café on any given day, you'll find tables filled with young adults, without a child in sight," Cygielman remarked. Many of them visit to commemorate birthdays and bachelorette parties, often accompanied by their dolls seated on attachable chairs beside them.

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Most recently, American Girl re-released two doll outfits that were originally sold in 1999.

TikTokers and Instagramers had a field day seeing those and rushed to post about it.

Social media, especially TikTok, has an impact

Social media users have been expressing their desire for an American Girl doll who pursued higher education in 2016, as American Girl crafts unique narratives set in historical eras such as the Colonial period or World War II to complement their doll collection.

The video posted by the TikTok account @inbloombyemily garnered close to 200,000 likes. In the video, the account owner narrated the story of the dolls and showcased various curated outfits and accessories. Notably, one of the accessories featured was a bottle of Svedka strawberry lemonade vodka.

American Girl recently reintroduced the two outfits showcased in the middle on the dolls, which were originally available for purchase in 1999. This initiative aims to entice nostalgic adults into buying these items for themselves.

American Girl has not taken advantage of the opportunity to create dolls based on the popular memes, according to Cygielman. She states that while they appreciate the flattery, they do not intend to create these dolls themselves. The company remains devoted to their primary customers, young girls and the gift-givers who care for them.

A slowdown in discretionary spending?

As for the kidult trend, there are some signs that it could slow, Lennett said.

"As the current macroeconomic conditions result in a decrease in disposable income for consumers, their spending on non-essential products such as toys has declined," she stated. "If these conditions persist, it is likely that there will be a reduction in adult toy expenditures."

However, Batcho, the psychologist, highlights that during difficult periods, nostalgia can serve as a positive coping mechanism.

Batcho explained that people are often reminded of better times through nostalgic memories, which can motivate them to find solutions and work towards a more hopeful future. Additionally, nostalgia has been found to enhance one's sense of purpose and meaning in life, as it promotes social connectedness and combats feelings of loneliness. Despite the pandemic's gloomy period slowly fading away, there continues to be a yearning for the safety and stability of life before the outbreak.