TECH VS TRADITIONAL SPECIAL


FOR THE families we spoke to, tech divides into toys with robotic or electronic elements on one side, and what they see as full blown technology such as tablets and gaming devices on the other. Across the range of tech


toys, mums had very clear views. If it only takes their child a couple of attempts to work out what the toy does, and quickly completes its function, it becomes a five-minute wonder.


My child’s friend has recommended the toy


My friend has recommended the toy


I have seen the toy online


I have seen the toy advertised


I have seen the toy in a shop


My child is asking for it


ON A more emotional level, mums justify their child’s usage saying they need time to chill out and be able to choose their own entertainment. Overarching is the


reality that these products enable mum


to do the cooking, have an undisturbed phone conversation or listen to the class assembly with a younger sibling occupied with an appropriate app. However, 67 per cent of parents place limitations


on the usage of screens to prevent them becoming the dominant feature within their child’s play time (see figure four). Where the worlds of tech and traditional serve our mums best, is when a popular tech based


Longevity of engagement


is a key driver for purchase consideration at these higher price points through incorporating elements such as an emotional connection to the product or measureable success e.g. levels or scores. Mums have become


savvier as the ranges of robotic or tech toys increase, products need more than a simple gimmick to be value for money.


19% 19%


19% 19%


26% 26%


33% 34% 44% 35% 59% 67%


product which their children can be obsessed by, moves into the traditional space, promoting reading, arts and crafts and other traditionally ‘stronger’ play and educational values.


Overall, parents today


are happy for their children to spend their free time across both traditional and tech products, but we have no evidence to suggest that families will be supporting traditional toys any less as a result.


Figure 4: Proportion of parents who put restrictions on the time their children are allowed to play on screens and type of restrictions they use


I allow them to play everyday but limit the time Not before school No more than 30 minutes at a time


% 59


33 24


Other 7 Only at weekends


13 67% – Restrictions www.toynews-online.biz 33% – No restrictions


If you would like to know more about this study and other work carried out by iGen Insight then please contact Lucy.gregory@igen-insight.com.


July 23 As parents consider toys


over the £50 plus price point, they are looking at the purchase being the sole gift for a birthday or Christmas. There was a belief that these high-end tech toys, or in some cases family technology purchases such as tablets and games consoles, are more substantial than traditional toys and have a higher quality threshold. There are multiple drivers given for


these purchases, from peer pressure to ‘finally giving in’ on the one hand, to a genuine appreciation of a product on the other. Mums say that they need


to move with the times and their children need to be able to keep up with skills such as using a keyboard. Mums also noted their


appreciation for the portability of many of these products. Figure three illustrates some key


differences in how parents claim purchasing decisions are made between tech and traditional products. Interestingly, although the


child’s wishes and seeing the advertising is highly influential for both groups, retail appears to be significantly higher in the traditional area than in tech, with 44 per cent being influenced by seeing a traditional product in a shop vs 26 per cent for the tech products.


Figure 3: Which two influences parents claim have most effect on their purchasing choices


Source: iGen Insight Tech Meets Traditional


Technological Traditional


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