18 RESEARCH DUBIT


Talk of the playground – Superhero Battle Royale


Dubit has been asking kids about their favourite superheroes and related toys this month…


WHOwould win in a fight between Batman and Spiderman? It’s a question that’s been asked in playgrounds since the ‘60s, and now we know the answer – in toy form at least. With five superhero films coming to cinemas in 2012, youth research specialists Dubit asked 500 seven to 12 year-olds about their favourite superheroes, toys, and what they want to buy next year.


SPIDERMAN BEATS BATMAN AND SUPERMAN, BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE INCREDIBLES Children’s favourite superheroes are Spiderman and Batman, with the pair collecting 40 per cent of the popularity vote. This is despite a broad list that included not only the big three of Spiderman, Superman, and Batman, but also members of The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X- Men, and The Incredibles. A gender divide was most evident with female characters. While girls had no problem choosing male superheroes (even the cocky Ironman got an even split) only one boy chose a female superhero – The Avenger’s Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansen. This is compared to 46 girls who chose Sue Storm, Storm, or the iconic Wonder Woman. However, it isn’t just classic superheroes that are proving popular. Disney’s The Incredibles, as a group,


FEBRUARY 2012


proved more popular (16 per cent) than The Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.


HULK PROVES A POOR CHARACTER, BUT NOT A POOR TOY


The most dominant superhero in toy form is Spiderman, by far. A headline worthy of the Daily Bugle is that 72 per cent of boys own a Spiderman toy – even 39 per cent of girls have their own Spidey merchandise. While he can’t quite compete with Spiderman, Batman toys are owned by 29 per cent of children. Despite his popularity, Superman is only owned by 18 per cent – in terms of recent box office takings he has also been the most disappointing of the three. One superhero range that defies


the popularity vote is The Incredible Hulk, who is set to star in 2012’s The Avengers film. Despite only picking up three per cent of the popularity vote, Hulk toys are still owned by 14 per cent of children and are the most popular Avenger’s toy (beating Iron Man by two per cent). We suspect


Hulk was helped by the popularity of the Hulk Smash Hands in 2008 – proof that a film-flop doesn’t mean a merchandising disaster.


KIDS EAGER FOR SUPERHERO FILMS


As mentioned, 2012 sees five big


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