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YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

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Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#21

Post by sjg007 »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #17
nickelcitymario wrote: post #16

There is a precedent for regulating this sort of thing. Advertising to children is regulated to some form or another just about everywhere. What's new and challenging here is that when a person simply posts a video they made on YouTube, that's freedom of expression. If I want to post videos of me unboxing things, there's nothing morally or legally wrong with that. The grey zone is the money being traded between toy m…

> The grey zone is the money being traded between toy makers and video makers. As soon as money is exchanged, that should logically be considered sponsorship and be subjected to advertising laws. This strikes me as the obvious solution and really not all that gray. Kid posts video on Youtube? That's free speech. Kid posts video on Youtube and company pays them? That's now an ad, and can/should be regulated. Throwing…

This will be a fun supreme court decision when it happens in the next 10 years.

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#22

Post by sjg007 »

sevensor wrote: post #13
SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The biggest change to come to the toy industry as a result of YouTube, though, is in packaging. Toy brands are riffing on the unboxing trend by developing special boxes or wrapping that specifically look good on camera, and by creating as many surprises as possible. Nah, they are making the unboxing more elaborate.

It's gotten really bad. They sell toys with superfluous packaging on purpose now, toys where there's next to nothing fun to play with once they're unwrapped. You're left with a trash-bag full of plastic waste and a tiny, badly made, doll.

Or that fake snow stuff with mini jewel like square creatures in them.. or the pirates in the sand crap. I am amazed with how viral and successful they've become.

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#23

Post by nickelcitymario »

sjg007 wrote: post #20
nickelcitymario wrote: post #16

There is a precedent for regulating this sort of thing. Advertising to children is regulated to some form or another just about everywhere. What's new and challenging here is that when a person simply posts a video they made on YouTube, that's freedom of expression. If I want to post videos of me unboxing things, there's nothing morally or legally wrong with that. The grey zone is the money being traded between toy m…

The third option is where Youtube runs ads on top of the unboxing videos or in line with it. You also have the issue where parents have to sign up children under the age of 13.

I could be wrong, but my understanding of most laws regarding advertising to kids is: It's OK to run ads on media consumed by kids (so long as those ads aren't for inappropriate things like alcohol or cigarettes or adult chat, etc). It's NOT OK to try and pressure/trick/cajole/persuade/influence or otherwise actually target those kids in the ads. It's a weird distinction, but it's what allows ads to still run on daytime television and during children's programming.

For example, you can have an ad that happens to show a toy being played with (I think). You can't have an ad that tells kids to ask their mom and dad to buy it right away.

There's a lot of nuance in between, but I've never bothered to master it because as a matter of principle I refused to be involved in any marketing aimed at kids. Life's too short to feel that kind of guilt.

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#24

Post by tinus_hn »

nickelcitymario wrote: post #16

There is a precedent for regulating this sort of thing. Advertising to children is regulated to some form or another just about everywhere. What's new and challenging here is that when a person simply posts a video they made on YouTube, that's freedom of expression. If I want to post videos of me unboxing things, there's nothing morally or legally wrong with that. The grey zone is the money being traded between toy m…

Wasn’t there already some rule requiring people to disclose if they’re being paid?

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#25

Post by tinus_hn »

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #18
thecatspaw wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There really aren’t any redeeming qualities in those videos. There are. I do solve rubiks cubes as a hobby, so when I look for a new puzzle, I watch unboxing videos of those on youtube. Its basically just a short review with some cardboard discarding at the beginning

I am referring to unboxing videos that are targeting kids. I myself watch unboxing videos for laptops and phones and find them useful.

It’s only the videos about things other people want that are useless, obviously.

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#27

Post by rasz »

smaili wrote: post #5

It isn’t just toys - opening trading card booster boxes and packs is also very popular, especially when something rare is pulled :)

> especially when something rare is arranged to get pulled

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36702905

https://news.slashdot.org/story/19/01/04/2158259/youtubes-bi...

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/youtubers-charged-promoting-...

Re: YouTube unboxing and how it is changing the toy industry

#28

Post by sjg007 »

nickelcitymario wrote: post #23
sjg007 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The third option is where Youtube runs ads on top of the unboxing videos or in line with it. You also have the issue where parents have to sign up children under the age of 13.

I could be wrong, but my understanding of most laws regarding advertising to kids is: It's OK to run ads on media consumed by kids (so long as those ads aren't for inappropriate things like alcohol or cigarettes or adult chat, etc). It's NOT OK to try and pressure/trick/cajole/persuade/influence or otherwise actually target those kids in the ads. It's a weird distinction, but it's what allows ads to still run on dayt…

I find that my kids get inappropriate ads on iPad games. Even though they have age restricted accounts per Apple, it looks like 3rd party ad providers are violating the law. I'm not sure how to address it..
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