Spain is a pioneer in equality. However, despite the effort to educate new generations in values such as equality and diversity, someone seemed to be going against it: the toy industry.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, in its social and institutional commitment to equality, wanted to create a campaign to raise awareness about the impact of toys in children's development. A project with a big objective: to open a social debate on gender stereotypes in toys and their advertising. As 77% of toy advertisement perpetuated gender stereotypes, regardless of the damage to the values they were instilling in children.

To start the reflection, we called a #ToyStrike, a resource never before promoted by a public administration in Spain. A symbolic pause in which toys took to the stage to demand an end to gender stereotypes through a digital protest in which it was claimed that "Play has no gender".

Through a single post, which was an official video communication posted on all the Ministry's social networks, we called on all Spanish families to join the movement with their toys in a digital strike. We created a protest kit for participants with digital banners, GIFs and stickers with our slogans so that children could join the protest with their toys from home.

The campaign managed to attract media’s attention who picked up the story and amplified it on traditional media platforms (tv and radio) and social media, dominating the conversation during the peak of toy sales - Christmas.

A strike that moved everyone.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs aims to ensure that commercial communication aimed at under-age children, conveys an egalitarian, plural and non-stereotypical image.

The problem lay in something that, at first glance, seemed harmless: toys. 50% of toy advertisements aimed at boys contain the activity of police or military, while 35% of advertisements aimed at girls contain the activity of caregiver. This reflects the real-life impact that toys have on children's futures, in Spain 88% of police officers are men as opposed to 84% of caregivers who are women. Maintaining the image that men are still the leaders, only 36% of women become managers in high positions.

During the biggest toy selling season, we decided to declare a strike in which the toys themselves claimed their right to be played by 100% of the children with a social message that said "Play has no gender".

It takes a village to stop gender stereotypes in children lives.

Spain is a country that is making progress in terms of equality, however, at first glance it can be seen that this equality is not as widespread as we think. To give an example, in our country only 36% of women reach top management positions and are in the majority (84%) in professions related to caring for others, while men excel in professions associated with bravery such as policemen (88%).

So we decided to look at the way young people live, are educated and consume in order to understand where the source of the problem lay. Something that at first glance seemed harmless seemed to be at the root of it all: toys.

77% of toy advertisements perpetuated gender stereotypes, increasingly biasing and personalising their messages with the aim of promoting sales, regardless of the damage to the values they were instilling in the youngest children. For 50% of toy advertisements aimed at boys contain the activity of police or military while 35% of advertisements aimed at girls contain caregiver activities.

For this reason, in the biggest toy sales season, the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs wanted to develop a campaign to raise awareness of the impact of toys on children's development.

So, in order to make the main parties involved: families, advertisers and the toy industry reflect on this problem, a resource never before used by a public administration in Spain was used: a strike. A #ToyStrike.

In this way, with a visible message and through a single post, we managed to transfer the conversation to the media and social networks on a massive scale during the dates when most toys are bought.

The campaign was launched on 9 December through an official video statement posted on all the Ministry's social networks. The toys claimed their right to play with 100% of children regardless of their gender and called on all Spanish families to join the movement with their toys through a digital strike on the 12th of that month where they would claim that "Playing has no gender".

For all those who wanted to join, we created a protest kit with digital banners, GIFs and stickers with our slogans so that children could join the protest with their toys from home.

And with just one simple post, the campaign achieved great results: More than 14 hours of TV and radio coverage, over 1,300 press mentions, 3 billion impressions and 56.9 million euros in earned media.

However, true success was achieved only four months after its launch, thanks to a society aware that toys perpetuate gender stereotypes; the actors involved signed an agreement that will co-regulate non-sexist communication in toys next Christmas.

It takes a village to stop gender stereotypes in children.

After huge social debate, we saw a 9% decrease in searches for toys influenced by gender stereotypes. In 2022, 5.10% more 'gender neutral toys' were searched for compared to 2020 and searches for 'inclusive toys' increased to 54.31%5 in the same period. In fact, 19% of parents say they would choose board games for boys and girls and around 30% would have no problem choosing any of the options listed: a ball, a doll and imitation games (kitchens, supermarket, etc.).

Furthermore, the Spanish Association of Toy Manufacturers (AEFJ) with more than 88 registered manufacturers, in 2022 awarded the prize for best toys to those that did not replicate any gender stereotypes, such as; the prize for ‘best toy to change the world’ to Koala Mindful, or the ‘best toy for the jury’ to the Kidizoom Print Cam.

It’s only creative if it’s effective.

-14 hours of television/radio debate

-1,318 media appearances.

-During the campaign, the conversation about gender stereotypes in toys increased by +1,210% compared to the same period last year.

-In the same period one year later, Spaniards' favourite toys did not have gender roles. Ex. Board games and video games were the favourites for 4 out of 10 kids.

-88 companies affiliated to the AEFJ committed to eliminate gender stereotypes in toy manufacturing and communication.