American girl company: brosie

1. American girl company: brosie

2. Background

3. Background • Founder: Pleasant T. Rowland • President: Ellen L. Brothers • Headquarters: Middleton, Wisconsin • First Debut: 1986 • Products: Books, dolls, movies, clothes, games Mission: To celebrate girls; to embrace who they are today and look forward to who they will become tomorrow.

4. Employees: 1,900 employees full and part time year round; and 4,200 during the pre-holiday season. • Awards: 2011 Recommended Award, Parents’ Choice, 2010 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold Award, 2010 Approved Award, Parents’ Choice, 2010 Honors Award, National Parenting Publications (NAPPA), 10 PTPA Media Seal of Approval, Parents Tested Parents Approved (list goes on and on) • Number of books sold: 135 million • Number of dolls sold: 20 million • Charity: American Girl has donated over $87 million in cash and products

5. American girl dolls • 18-inches • 40 different combinations of eye color, hair color and style, and skin tone • Extras include: braces, glasses, and earrings

6. Research

7. Competition http://www.zimbio.com/Top+Kids+Toys/articles/U9l4O0RGS2c/Best+Dolls+Girls+2010+Top+Sellers • Barbie • Bratz

8. Pricing • American Girl: about $100 • Sold: in A.G stores, online, select dolls at Target • Barbie: about $30 • All toy stores • Bratz: about $30 • All toy stores

9. Sexualization of girls

10. Sexualization occurs when: • a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; • a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; • a person is sexually objectified—that is, made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or • sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person.

11. Consequences • Cognitive and emotional • Mental and physical health • Sexuality • Attitudes and beliefs • Impact on others and on society

12. Objectives

13. Increase sales of American Girl Dolls Promote American Girl message and values Increase publicity 4. Increase overall sales of American Girl products

14. Strategy

15. Objective strategy 1. Increase sales of American Girl Dolls 2. Promote American Girl message and values 3. Increase publicity 4. Increase overall sales of American Girl products • News release on the (study of) sexualization of young girls (shows Barbie/Bratz vs. American Girl) • A.G Spokespersons on T.V • “This or That” Ads • Celebrity Endorsements • Host a fundraiser • Decrease price of dolls • Be aggressive • Create non-profit group that fights sexualized toys

16. Implementation

17. News • Release an article from a trusted organization (American Psychological Association) on the sexualization of young girls. • Can name toys/dolls that contribute to this issue; and name American Girl as a positive toy for young girls that combats the sexualization of girls.

18. “This or that” ads

19. Cheerleader dolls Barbie American Girl

20. Halloween dolls Barbie American Girl

21. Dancer dolls Bratz Doll American Girl

22. Body Barbie American Girl

23. Celebrity endorsements • Twitter • Blogs • Facebook

24. Host a fundraiser • Raise money for organizations that help young kids • Human Trafficking • Toys for Tots

25. Decrease price of dolls • Make a more generic American Girl doll that can also be sold at toy stores (they can be less expensive than the personalized dolls) • This will help competition

26. Non-Profit group • Funded by American Girl Company • Can bring awareness to the sexualization of girls and the companies that promote it

27. Evaluation

28. Measure sales of dolls (compared to previous years) • Measure sales of other products (compared to previous years) • Measure sales of other companies that sell dolls (see especially if they went down) • Measure website hits • Measure publicity!!! (how many shows, magazines, blogs, A.G was mentioned on)