One simply has to look at the development of toy advertising in order to see the shift towards the culture of the digital. When G.I. Joe was introduced as one of the first action figures for boys in 1964, it was predominantly a military character. With the anti-war sentiment of the late 1960's and 70's the makers tried to re-brand the character as more of an action hero.
In the mid-70's commercials, children are playing outside with the toy, in the mud, and grass, interacting with it and other children. One might argue that their play required a more highly developed imagination in order to devise new ways to play with the toy, the sounds it might make, and the actions it might perform.
When we watch the progression of commercials for G.I. Joe we can see the beginnings of trying to get more involvement from the children by having them call in to collect a special edition toy. The toy is now tied to a character, and the child is asked to perform tasks beyond simply playing with it. The toy now has a face, a voice, and a persona, which may or may not match the character as imagined by the child.
In the most recent commercial, children aren't even featured. The toys are presented in a computer type interface and with limited human interaction. The toys have lights and sounds, fire missiles, and perform various actions. Are we limiting the development of our child's imaginations by providing too many visual or auditory cues as to how the toy should be played with?
At the end of the commercial, viewers are invited to go online and join the team. What child wouldn't want to be part of the team of his / her favorite toy? Is this simply a means to sell more products, or is there any value in allowing the child access to an already developed digital world of the toy?
