A T-shirt without characters, please!
2025-11-08 19:50:31
Manjola Lloja Bushati
A notebook with Stitch, a T-shirt with Frozen, a bag with Ballerina Capuchina. Such a list is quite common in a child's requests. The competition is open and parents, according to their abilities, some in the market and some in the shopping mall, run to fulfill the children's requests.
In a world where their preferences are dictated by marketing, can we stop today to look a little at what happens to children's everyday products?
How do ready-made models affect them? Should all products for them be filled with characters? Also my observation with great curiosity: why do companies from the Nordic countries, always appreciated for their children's education and quality of life, not use famous characters in their children's products?
Let's look at it a little more closely together.
Ready-made models such as superheroes, princesses, movie characters or social media stars have a strong influence on children. I think we all agree on this. Children identify with the characters they admire and want to imitate their behavior, way of dressing or preferences. Young consumers perceive an item from their favorite character, judge it as better and more valuable. Although the quality may be the same as products without such, often even significantly weaker.
According to researchers of children's mental and emotional development, if every toy, clothing or school item is associated with an existing character, the space to develop original stories and roles during play is very narrow. Children repeat their characters, imagination is severely damaged. But not only that. Children do "what needs to be done" with preferences influenced by marketing, not by the experiences they discover for themselves. This does not happen if the products are without fixed characters and figures.
Products without celebrities help children use more imagination and be the creators of situations. Of course, consumer appreciation for the quality, functionality and natural beauty of objects is also better developed without the influence of celebrities. Self-esteem and independence are better developed if they choose based on personal needs and tastes, not those of marketing.
In Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, this experience is regularly followed as in such societies the culture of simplicity and equality is very strong. The glorification of fame and consumerism tends to be avoided.
But the influence of state policies is not far behind. Laws protecting children are much stricter. For example, in Sweden, television advertising directed at children under 12 is prohibited. Not to mention the strict attitudes towards the use of technological devices and the Internet. The educational approach in the school system is focused on emotional development, creative skills and empathy. Ready-made characters find it difficult to "disturb" children in such an environment.
Now I understand that in today's society, in general, children are constantly exposed to famous characters through television, movies, games and various products. Even more so in ours where the rules of the game are not very clear. But I always tend to show the other side of the coin. In simple words, let's think a little more about what we are allowing to shape our children. Maybe we will discover new paths, even originality. And this can only be something good for our children. And I believe this is the second point where we all agree on this note :)
