5 ms·

Sounds like sales declining and not being able to think straight in the panic

by Mo3 4y ago

cr__ 4y ago
Toughen up a little bit, it’s a doll.
DoreenMichele 4y ago
I doubt that. Underrepresented people have this relatively new platform called the internet that helps them find their voice and be heard by other people, sometimes even if just shit posting and doing some variation of "drunk dialing." I'm guessing that's a factor here.
- calculatte 4y ago
  Yes, I also only consume products that reflect my particular stereotype. If you want my dollar, you'd better feature a fat bald guy who sits in an office chair 14 hours per day shitposting on reddit. I shall be waiting for the Barbie doll announcement.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - the_af 4y ago
    I'm wary of this argument from sarcasm because I've seen it used to marginalize people who do want other options. I've seen it countless times, for example in the Warhammer community (in case you aren't familiar, Warhammer is a tabletop game where you wage war with toy soldiers; there are also countless videogame spinoffs). A major point of contention is that Space Marines, the poster boys of the Warhammer 40K universe, can only be men. Why? Because current fans say so. To be clear: Space Marines are genetically engineered, cyberenhanced, drug-addled monstrosities -- any resemblance to actual humans is long gone. So fans (usually male) argue that women cannot be supersoldiers because women are weaker (ignoring countries who do employ women in frontline combat roles), even though Space Marines are engineered monsters wearing powered armor. This is the stuff of endless flamewars. But riddle me this: a common argument these very vocal male fans deploy is "of course, players are so fragile they can only play with toy soldiers that resemble them, that's why women supposedly need female Space Marines!". But they are the ones threatening to rage quit the game if Games Workshop (the IP owner) ever changes the background lore of the game to allow female Space Marines. Women never threaten to quit because Space Marines are currently a male only club. It's not like female Space Marines or disabled Barbie are going to prevent anyone from buying the previous versions of the toy. They just introduce more options where there were fewer.
the_af 4y ago
Regardless of Mattel's motives, your comment seems to imply you think this decision is a mistake ("not being able to think straight"). Why?
- Mo3 4y ago
  Because honestly it just appears like trying to grab off a handful new customers by dumping countless iterations of the same sucked-dry product into a rapidly declining market. Similar to putting dozens of these crappy websites up that all sell the same crappy product no one wants. Children don’t care about a skinnier Ken and a disabled Barbie. Not because of the special attributes of these iterations, mind you, they don’t really see these differences yet anyway. Maybe a few parents will appreciate those but that should be about it.
  - the_af 4y ago
    I don't see what's wrong about trying to grab new customers. Mattel is a business, after all. Countless iterations of the same thing is what Barbie was already doing. There's a parody of that in The Simpsons' Stacy Malibu ("it has a new hat!"). This seems a bit riskier and slightly more profound than giving Barbie a new dress. I looked at the photo of the new dolls and they don't look like iterations of the same thing: each looks strikingly different to the rest. Then again, do people look at Playmobil or Legos and complain that they are "countless iterations of the same thing"? Because they certainly are! As for the differences: my 2 year old sees them already. And even if not, aren't toys also about teaching something? > Maybe a few parents will appreciate those but that should be about it How can you speak for parents and know how many will or will not appreciate this?
  - mcphage 4y ago
    > Because honestly it just appears like trying to grab off a handful new customers by dumping countless iterations of the same sucked-dry product into a rapidly declining market. The way you phrased this, it sounds like you’re implying that expanding your product line to new customers when your sales are declining is a bad idea. But… I can’t imagine how you think businesses work, then. Like, what’s Plan B? Ride the ship into the ground?

Sounds like sales declining and not being able to think straight in the panic

by Mo3 4y ago

Sounds like sales declining and not being able to think straight in the panic

cr__ 4y ago

Toughen up a little bit, it’s a doll.

DoreenMichele 4y ago

I doubt that. Underrepresented people have this relatively new platform called the internet that helps them find their voice and be heard by other people, sometimes even if just shit posting and doing some variation of "drunk dialing." I'm guessing that's a factor here.

calculatte 4y ago
Yes, I also only consume products that reflect my particular stereotype. If you want my dollar, you'd better feature a fat bald guy who sits in an office chair 14 hours per day shitposting on reddit. I shall be waiting for the Barbie doll announcement.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- the_af 4y ago
  I'm wary of this argument from sarcasm because I've seen it used to marginalize people who do want other options. I've seen it countless times, for example in the Warhammer community (in case you aren't familiar, Warhammer is a tabletop game where you wage war with toy soldiers; there are also countless videogame spinoffs). A major point of contention is that Space Marines, the poster boys of the Warhammer 40K universe, can only be men. Why? Because current fans say so. To be clear: Space Marines are genetically engineered, cyberenhanced, drug-addled monstrosities -- any resemblance to actual humans is long gone. So fans (usually male) argue that women cannot be supersoldiers because women are weaker (ignoring countries who do employ women in frontline combat roles), even though Space Marines are engineered monsters wearing powered armor. This is the stuff of endless flamewars. But riddle me this: a common argument these very vocal male fans deploy is "of course, players are so fragile they can only play with toy soldiers that resemble them, that's why women supposedly need female Space Marines!". But they are the ones threatening to rage quit the game if Games Workshop (the IP owner) ever changes the background lore of the game to allow female Space Marines. Women never threaten to quit because Space Marines are currently a male only club. It's not like female Space Marines or disabled Barbie are going to prevent anyone from buying the previous versions of the toy. They just introduce more options where there were fewer.

the_af 4y ago

Regardless of Mattel's motives, your comment seems to imply you think this decision is a mistake ("not being able to think straight"). Why?

Mo3 4y ago
Because honestly it just appears like trying to grab off a handful new customers by dumping countless iterations of the same sucked-dry product into a rapidly declining market. Similar to putting dozens of these crappy websites up that all sell the same crappy product no one wants. Children don’t care about a skinnier Ken and a disabled Barbie. Not because of the special attributes of these iterations, mind you, they don’t really see these differences yet anyway. Maybe a few parents will appreciate those but that should be about it.
- the_af 4y ago
  I don't see what's wrong about trying to grab new customers. Mattel is a business, after all. Countless iterations of the same thing is what Barbie was already doing. There's a parody of that in The Simpsons' Stacy Malibu ("it has a new hat!"). This seems a bit riskier and slightly more profound than giving Barbie a new dress. I looked at the photo of the new dolls and they don't look like iterations of the same thing: each looks strikingly different to the rest. Then again, do people look at Playmobil or Legos and complain that they are "countless iterations of the same thing"? Because they certainly are! As for the differences: my 2 year old sees them already. And even if not, aren't toys also about teaching something? > Maybe a few parents will appreciate those but that should be about it How can you speak for parents and know how many will or will not appreciate this?
- mcphage 4y ago
  > Because honestly it just appears like trying to grab off a handful new customers by dumping countless iterations of the same sucked-dry product into a rapidly declining market. The way you phrased this, it sounds like you’re implying that expanding your product line to new customers when your sales are declining is a bad idea. But… I can’t imagine how you think businesses work, then. Like, what’s Plan B? Ride the ship into the ground?