Tuesday, July 31, 2007

DORA THE EXPLORER

Im back. This past weekend I went to Toys R Us. I usually buy my toys from WalMart, but I went to TRU instead. I was waltzing thru the aisles and i came across a whole aisle of Dora the Explorer toys. Dora now has about 1.5 walls to show off her stuff. DOra is a cash cow for Mattel, simply put. Who cares about Barbie when you have Dora, or when you have both. Now who is buying these dolls?
1. People who have little kids
2. Latinos,illegal and legal

Has anyone stopped and thought about the link between Dora and illegal immigrants?? Many of the country's illegal immigrants are of Hispanic descent, based on statistics. What will happen to Dora's popularity if and when there is a crack down on illegal immigration? Many " illegals" are going into the toy stores and buying toys for their kids. Whether u are legal or illegal, you have to eat,buy food, get gas, and entertain your children, through the purchase of toys.
So what will happen to the market for Dora in the US if illegals are forced to go back to their country? Sure Walmart is in Mexico and Central America. But if Latinos are forced to go back to their countries, then they will have to give up the good money they were making here in the US. They will have to return to their families and work for lower salaries. After all, everyone comes to America because they are looking for greener pastures and higher pay. If a Latino is forced to return home amd face lower pay, do u really think they will have the disposable income to buy Dora dolls for their children? The answer is no. Hard earned money will be spent on paying for the house and providing food for the table. Toys are not a necessity, they are a want. No body needs a DOra toy, but everyone needs food. Economically speaking. toys are not a complimentary good, like peanut butter and jelly.
POINT: The case of illegal immigration in the US has to be looked at seriously, especially among the toy industry. I'm not saying immigratrion is bad or good, you be the judge. What I am saying, is that DORA the Explorer toys, the mass sale of the products will definitely be affected by illegal immigration laws. Perhaps toy companies should start lobbying Congress, in order to protect their sales, if they feel it is worth fighting for.Considering the fact that DORA takes up nearly 2 aisles, I think its safe to assume that she's worth fighting for.
Prince William County is trying to toughen up on illegal immigration and other counties are soon to follow. I bet you that the sale of Dora dolls will slowly start to decrease as immigrants start to feel scared and worried about their immigration status. I simply want you to think about the Economy and how everything is related,including Dora the Explorer.