Toys “R” Us just came back from the dead, and it wasn’t kids who brought it back. The toy industry posted its strongest first half ever, with adult spending up 25% and driving nearly 60% of all dollar gains. 80% of American adults played this year for themselves. 51% would rather open a blind box than talk to a therapist. Based on new Harris Poll research, John and Libby unpack why grown-ups are turning play into self-care and what it means for the 77% of Americans who say brands still underestimate how much adults want to play.

Toys &ldquo;R&rdquo; Us just came back from the dead, and it wasn&rsquo;t kids who brought it back. The toy industry posted its strongest first half ever, with adult spending up 25% and driving nearly 60% of all dollar gains. 80% of American adults played this year for themselves. 51% would rather open a blind box than talk to a therapist. Based on new Harris Poll research, John and Libby unpack why grown-ups are turning play into self-care and what it means for the 77% of Americans who say brands still underestimate how much adults want to play.

So Get This - host John Gerzema and Libby Rodney (The Harris Poll) names the cultural shifts hiding in plain sight—the strange, data-backed behavioral changes that reveal what people want right now, even when they can't articulate it themselves. It's part dinner-party ammunition, part business wake-up call.

 

Want to discover more Bubbler Media podcasts? Explore all our shows on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bubbler_Media

So Get This - host John Gerzema and Libby Rodney (The Harris Poll) names the cultural shifts hiding in plain sight&mdash;the strange, data-backed behavioral changes that reveal what people want right now, even when they can't articulate it themselves. It's part dinner-party ammunition, part business wake-up call.
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So, Get This

The Rise of Kidulting: Toys “R” Us Is Back, Adults Are the Growth Engine, and Why Fun Is No Longer a Kids-Only Category

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7abcee8e-6f45-411b-884f-b4f600e61757/transcript