Girl Power

When I was young, lots of role models could be found among my favorite toys. Princess Leia fought for peace and justice across the galaxy. She-Ra had her own TV show and action figures. And Barbie had already been a surgeon, an astronaut, an ambassador and a rock star. These days, some of the properties may be different, but not much has really changed in the world of girls' toys. Dora explores, Tinkerbell flexes her magical muscle and Barbie is still on the scene, having been a veterinarian, a soldier, a firefighter and even president. But is this really enough to empower today's girls, especially in a society that sends them so many mixed messages about how, what and who they should be?

Many parents say the answer is no. Fortunately, a number of toy manufacturers and publishers agree, and have recently introduced or expanded several brands that aim to give girls something more—more choices, more self-esteem, more appropriate role-models and more encouragement to pursue any area of interest that appeals to them as they grow up.

“It's important for girls to know that they matter and what they care about matters,” Julie Parks, director of public relations for American Girl, Middleton, Wis., tells Playthings. The brand's original line of 18-inch historical dolls and books was created in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland to educate, entertain and allow girls “to be girls just a little while longer,” Parks says. Mattel acquired the brand 12 years later and has expanded it to include both historical and contemporary dolls, books, apparel, accessories, a magazine, a Web site, three retail and theater locations, made-for-TV movies and a film starring Abigail Breslin that debuts next July.

“Everything we put our name on celebrates girls in a truly age-appropriate way and helps them to become their personal best,” Parks says. “American Girl provides a space for girls to be girls—a place where they are respected and taken seriously, and also free to express who they are and what they want to become ... the girls we impact today will be the women who make a difference tomorrow.” This focus has been critical to the brand's success, Parks adds. “We listen and talk to girls everyday and know what truly matters to them ... We also listen and talk to their parents and know that they appreciate quality products and experiences that don't push their girls to grow up too quickly.”

Input from girls and parents has also been important to the new Only Hearts Club brand of dolls and books. “We got a lot of response to the positive image, the age-appropriate dress and the message they [dolls] deliver,” Len A. Simonian, president of the Camarillo, Calif.-based company, tells Playthings. “Retailers love the message. Many of them are parents themselves and appreciate the same things. It's a move away from what [girls] are seeing in terms of celebrities. It's nice to have something age-appropriate, something that says it's okay to be a girl and not grow up too fast.”

The brand hopes to appeal to even more new fans with the additions of dolls themed to activities that girls love; the first of these is a new line of equestrian dolls and plush horses, which just debuted. “It's something that is real,” Simonian says. “It's something that they can really associate with.” He adds, “There is still a lot of opportunity in the market for girls' issues of self-esteem, real things that real girls deal with on a daily basis, school and family. It's not just in toys ... a lot of people are talking about this. We think we can contribute in some small effort with the dolls.”

Like Rowland and Simonian, Addie Schwartz also saw a need for healthy role models for her 9-year-old daughter, which led her to create the Beacon Street Girls (BSG) brand, a line of books and accessories that she hopes to expand to other mediums. “There are many, many opportunities for BSG line extensions, including greeting cards, bedding and home decor, apparel, even TV and movies. We'd love to see a tie-in for some healthy snacks,” says Bobbie Carlton, director of marketing for brand owner B*tween Productions, Lexington, Mass. “The characters and the look were designed with licensing in mind, and the company currently focuses on providing positive media and strong role models through an award-winning Web site, series of books and line of gifts for girls.”

Each of the five Beacon Street Girls characters represents different attributes that girls can relate to, and the series uses this identification to advance positive—and important—messages to girls, Carlton says. For example, the series' tenth and latest title, Just Kidding, addresses cyber-bullying, Internet safety and gossip. B*tween has also begun a parallel adventure series with the characters and is launching its second book in that line, Maeve on the Red Carpet, this month. The company has formed a special partnership with the N.Y. Film Academy to launch the book at special events and at Universal Studios Back Lot locations. The book is also in a partnership with Girl Authority, the tween singing group from Rounder Records, who were written into the story. The book will come packaged with a code for a free song download, while the group's CD booklet will include information about the Beacon Street Girls and its Web site.

“As parents, we think providing positive role models for girls is very important—[they] are our future,” Carlton says. “As business people, we realize that more and more, consumers (even the youngest consumers) want to support socially-conscious and responsible companies. It is a key differentiator in a crowded consumer market.”

Another company to watch in the tween arena is Kids Can Press, Tonawanda, N.Y., whose new Planet Girl books are designed to be “a fresh DIY craft series that would not only encourage girls' crafting talents, but also their individuality, creativity and self-expression,” according to editor Yvette Ghione. The publisher hopes to expand the brand to include more life skills topics, like its spring 2008 title, Centsibility: The Planet Girl Guide to Money, Ghione says. “We feel we have a responsibility to provide our audience with products that they and their parents can rely on for quality and value…the message we encourage through the series is to think for yourself, to be a conscious consumer.”