Part 6/9:
The Role of Brands and Consumer Expectations
Branding experts, however, emphasize that corporations like Mattel are primarily driven by market forces. They see an opportunity to tap into a niche of parents and children eager for diversity in toys. Whether these initiatives succeed financially or not, they increasingly serve as signals of social awareness for their corporate image.
Some argue that the very existence of these dolls risks infantilizing individuals with disabilities. Children, they say, should not have their awareness of societal differences heightened artificially; instead, they should learn acceptance through genuine human interaction.