On Diversity, Representation and Inclusion: New Perspectives on the Discourse of Toy Campaigns

Abstract

Toys have a playing purpose as well as a multi-functional dimension, as they relate to visual communication since their representations lead to unexpected practices by the child, which stimulates designers to be constantly exploring new ways of presenting their narratives to a double-audience of both parents and children. This article investigates how the discourse of toy campaigns has changed over the last decade, by focusing on the verbal and visual features of contemporary toy campaigns. It draws on the social semiotic approach of Kress & van Leeuwen (2006) for the images' analyses and on cultural studies (BROUGÈRE, 2014) to provide a broader view on the issues of diversity, representation and inclusion. The analyses suggest that as diversity and the gradual breaking of gender boundaries have gained more visibility in children's media, we have been witnessing the disruption of existing narratives traditionally conceived in toy lines and campaigns.

Pandemic playthings: A multimodal perspective on toys and toy play in the time of COVID-19

“…They highlight the importance of attending to aspects such as representation, interaction, modality, composition, style and materiality in order to consider the communication of meaning. Such a perspective has been used to examine various aspects of toys such as gender (Caldas-Coulthard and van Leeuwen, 2002;Wohlwend, 2012), early infancy (Caldas-Coulthard and van Leeuwen, 2001), diversity (Almeida, 2017), political values (Almeida, 2014) and war (Machin and Van Leeuwen, 2009).…”

Brinquedos Como Representação Social E De Gênero Na Infância: A Ressignificação Do Conceito De Família

“…

Resumo: No mundo contemporâneo atual, caracterizado por discussões que trazem à baila a natureza multifacetada e multirracial da sociedade, a representatividade nos brinquedos ainda se mostra como algo incomum (ALMEIDA, 2017). Para nossa pesquisa, consideraremos os brinquedos como representações semióticas, no sentido de que eles significam a sociedade, refletindo seus papéis, tecnologias, identidades e práticas (CALDAS-COULTHARD; van LEEUWEN, 2002).

…”

“…Representatividade. Família.Abstract: In today's contemporary world, characterized by discussions that bring to light the multifaceted and multi-racial nature of society, the representativeness in toys still shows itself to be uncommon (ALMEIDA, 2017). For our research, we will consider toys as semiotic representations, in the sense that they give meaning to society, reflecting its roles, technologies, identities, and practices (CALDAS-COULTHARD; van LEEUWEN, 2002).…”