Should retailers break the rules of gender norms? Children’s reactions to the toy catalog of Système U retailer

Une enseigne a-t-elle intérêt à bouleverser les codes du genre? Réactions d’enfants exposés au catalogue de jouets de Système U

Pascale Ezan () and Isabelle Ulrich
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Pascale Ezan: NIMEC - Normandie Innovation Marché Entreprise Consommation - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - ULH - Université Le Havre Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - IRIHS - Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire Homme et Société - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université
Isabelle Ulrich: Pôle Markets, Brands & Experiences - Rouen Business School - Rouen Business School

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Abstract: Système U retailer has triggered controversial debates, by inserting visuals revolutionizing gender norms in their Christmas toy catalog. The purpose of this paper is to explore children's reactions at 5-10 years, regarding this catalog and its incongruent visuals, in order to appreciate the pertinence of this initiative. The paper shows that incongruent visuals are rarely noticed by children when flipping through the catalog. But, when observing them, children at 5-6 (at the attainment of genderconstancy) reject these visuals and the associated toys. Older children may accept these visuals but by recontextualizing them to make themtolerable. Further proposals of visuals imagery in toy catalogsare then discussed, aiming at increasing gender neutrality of toys.

Keywords: Children; Toy catalogues; Gender; Gender constancy; Enfant; Catalogue de jouets; Genre; Constance de genre (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-10-14
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Published in 18ème Colloque international Etienne Thil, Oct 2015, Paris, France

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02073058

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