Traditional toys are normally big hits during the holiday season, but this year especially marketers and retailers are really pushing retro themes. Card games suck as Miles Bornes, Pit, and Canasta, are very popular with the younger age groups. Every Christmas season tends to have a theme and retro themes are "in" this year. It all started back in the fall of 2000, with the return of capri pants, and Burberry plaids. Trend analyst Tom Juilan said retro has been the theme for awhile, but the recession has added to the old time marketing strategies. Many consumers are feeling the financial pinch, and are going to back to buying toys that they played with when they were younger. Tech toys are not selling as they have done in past years, and retro toys are big money makers for retailers. Clothing with things like I Love Lucy on them are selling like crazy and marketers are pushing them increasingly. Mall of America's theme this year is involved the classic Christmas theme, along with Target's "Inn Thing" marketing strategy that uses 1950's- style graphics. All most all retailers are sticking to the retro theme because of the 9/11 crisis, and because the economy is slowing down.
I think the Retro theme is fun, and will do well this year. My personal opinion is that many retailers will not do as well in past years, so marketing with a retro theme might save them money. Retailers have realized that people want things that comfort them around the holiday season, and many classic toys and logos fulfill peoples need for comfort. Although marketers are advertising the retro theme like crazy, I think that the Game Cube and X Box will still do well this season because of the popularity of video games. However, I don't think that the video game systems will do as well if they were release in a time of financial prosperity. Old classic games always will be hit around the holiday season, and marketers know this.
