DDTV: Donegal based doll manufacturing company ARKLU have created a clever and innovative new video which is aimed directly at smashing down gender stereotypes.
The video, (embedded above) is called ‘Every Girl’s A Superhero’ and has went viral since its release.
The two-minute video clip and has impressed a whole host of top toy retailers in the US with its powerful message.
ARKLU decided to create this video based on the recurring issue of ‘toxic beauty’, where they aim to prove ‘Every Girl Can Be A Superhero.’
The ARKLU/LOTTIE message communicates choice and balance in children’s toys, which, in view of the recent discussions about ‘normal Barbie –Lammily’ and the Australian campaign against gender marketing #nogenderdecemeber, is significant.”
ARKLU are an Irish innovative start up toyco, developed by Donegal born Ian Harkin (Managing Director).
They’ve made remarkable progress in the USA where there LOTTIE products are on sale in over 1400 independent toy retailers as well as Toys R US, Hallmark and Barnes and Noble.
So far this year, they’ve sold an astonishing 300k dolls and 200k accessories.
In Ireland, last month locally they were awarded the Chamber of Commerce Growth in Export Award.
Nationally they’ve been awarded with The Ulster Bank (Ulster) Business Start Up Award and LOTTIE has featured on The RTÉ Late Late Toy Show.
The video is fun, cute – but has a wider, powerful message about smashing stereotypes and burying toxic messages about beauty.
It features dolls with collaborations including the European Space Agency and TrowelBlazers.
In the past week, representatives of ARKLU have been on BBC Radio4 (discussion about realistic dolls) and AlJazeera USA TV programme ‘The Stream’ (discussing gendered toy marketing).
LOTTIE dolls are ethnically diverse, have a ‘childlike’ body based on the dimensions of a 9 year old child, and do a balanced range of activities that real kids do.
The Super LOTTIE superhero outfit has been designed by a child (6 year old Lily), the result of a global crowd sourced design competition.
About the video:
Girls (..and boys) deserve a wider variety of toys.
Let’s move beyond unrealistic beauty ideals, take a hammer to limiting stereotypes, and instead lead with confidence, and celebrate the uniqueness of EVERY girl.
As you can see in the video above the LOTTIE dolls stopmotion animation video, “Every Girl’s a Superhero!,” opens with three hard-hitting messages that inspire girls to #BeBold, #BeBrave, #BeYou, before launching into a series of girls taking part in adventurous escapades under the watchful aegis of Super LOTTIE.
Each scene depicts how girls don’t require super-powers to be a superhero, but how acts of kindness, bravery, overcoming challenges, breaking boundaries, and remaining true to oneself are all superhero qualities.
Lucie Follett, Co-Founder and Creative Director of ARKLU, told Donegal Daily, “We wanted to create something really inspiring, upbeat, fun and positive, targeted towards children.
“But also to demonstrate in a light-hearted manner how we’re working to ‘bury’ the toxic beauty standards that pervade society and have such negative implications for girls.
“We want girls to see the full range of possibilities open to them, and girls being supportive of one another in their interests and activities, however diverse those choices might be.
Lucie concluded by saying, “Every girl is unique and that uniqueness should be celebrated.
“We hope this video inspires girls to express their adventurous spirit and originality.
The stop-motion features forthcoming science-themed LOTTIE dolls: ‘Stargazer LOTTIE’ doll which is collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), and ‘Fossil Hunter’ LOTTIE doll which is collaboration with TrowelBlazers, an international team of scientists dedicated to highlighting the contributions of women to archaeology, geology, and palaeontology.
Stargazer and Fossil Hunter Lottie dolls will launch in 2015.
For more info go to www.lottie.com
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