Tamagotchi Target Audience

[MamaTiffany]

I'm sorry, but that's pretty dumb. Bandai is a company, they make their products to sell. And the majority of the people who BUY these are, indeed, young girls, not guys. They make changes in order to up their sales, and frankly, from what I can see, they're doing a pretty good job.

And you shouldn't sneak around. Bandai hasn't made you this self concious, it's you. People may think I'm silly, they may not. I don't really care frankly, because it's a free world and it's my right to love cute things.

 

[Medicham12]

Show teenagers (at least two of them guys) in the commercials instead of nine-year-olds...

Show teenagers instead of nine-year olds on the commercial? How rude can you people get!

Im turning 10 in April,and everyone in my class is OBESSED with Tamas.Yes, including the peeps who are turning 12.

The reason BanDai is doing this is,the thing MamaTiffany said.They know that not many boys are interested in Tamagotchis.So, what do they do? Decrease the level of the boy-ish designs.

To add-on,who cares if people see you around with Flower Party Designs.It's a free universe, so tape their mouths shut and move on, even if you have to do it to your Boy/Girl Friend.

 

[Glamastar*immature*]

Show teenagers (at least two of them guys) in the commercials instead of nine-year-olds... <_<

I agree.

I know this guy in my class who couldn't find any boyish designs so he has to play with a girly one.

and the commercial needs at least 2 boys!

 

[MnMztama495]

And older boys, 2 words. Video. Games.

[SIZE=9pt]Umm...I'm a girl, and I LOVE to play video games; I'm 12. [/SIZE]

With that knowledge, I do feel very uncomfortable going into the kiddy aisles (I'm soooo sooooo sooooo sorry if I offended any of the younger kiddo's...I didn't mean to! ) just to find a Tamagotchi that I wasn't even looking for! Also, my dad doesn't have the best hearing in the world, so I have to shout to him, "I'M LOOKING FOR A V5 TAMA, DAD!" and he gets all mad at me because I have to whisper so no one in the other aisles could hear. Kind of embarrasing, huh? At that point, when HE yells at me, saying, "SAY THAT LOUDER!" my face just turns tomato-red. I'm a tall kid, so when people see me they think I'm 16 instead of 12, so I get even MORE embarrassed.

I agree they should de-girlify (a word yours truly made up! ) the website and the commercials. I'll admit, I was a tomboy when I was a little girl. And one thing I HATE is when my parents call me a little girl! Omg I get sooo mad! Anyway, I was a tomboy, and I still am, so I hate all those little girly designs and the flowers...and has anyone else noticed that everything Tamagotchi has two eyes and a mouth?! I mean, you walk into your house, and it has two eyes and a mouth! I agree with most of you. Bandai's Tamagotchi's, Tama Town, the Tamagotchi website, and the commercials are very girly. Please fix it!

P.S.-I'm so terribly sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[MissKelsC]

I think its interesting you all are so embarrassed... I mean I'm a dork, I'm just recently 18 and a freshman in college, and my boyfriend bought me a v5 the other day, and he didn't care, I carry mine around on a tamagotchi lanyard with my college id and key card hanging from it, so everyone sees it, and the only reaction I've received? " Oh my god! a tamagotchi I used to have one of those! those were awesome, thats so cute!"

I have never received anything negative, the closest was my boyfriend calling me a dork, but a cute dork, and being glad I'd rather have a tama rather than expensive jewelry.

no one will think less of you, you guys are overreacting to the point you're causing yourself to be embarrassed, stop blaming Bandai, I know its not geared to my age range, but I don't care, I still enjoy it, thats like telling webkinz to gear it to older people. They base what they do on research, and obviously the research shows that the market is more in the younger people.

If you don't like it don't go to the site,

and never be embarrassed by what you like, the people who matter won't care



when I see the commercials I go, OH MY GOD I WANT IT! I never once thought about the people in it

 

[Milky978]

IM a boy ,and I wsh that they would make new desins for boys. I stutter so I have two things that kids can make fun of me now

 

[Animus]

I wish they'd re-release digimon. I liked the fact that you could make your pet fight, and keep track. And with the new connection technology, it would make battles even cooler, and easier.

 

[Stride]

Whoo. I gotta get this off my chest... *Deep Breath* Here Goes!
Okay, so I just recieved 3 P1 Tamagotchis in the mail to add to my collection. My collection is fairly small, so I wanted to grow it some. When I took them out of the package they were so... so... great!

Back then, Tamaotchis were unisex. They were for everyone, not just 10-year-old girls. I still love the new ones, I just wish they weren't so girly and childish now.

I'm so tired of sneaking onto the Tamagotchi aisle at the store. What if someone I know sees me! Do you know how humiliating that would be?!?!? All my friends and family are constantly saying how I need to grow up. That's what Bandai has done! They have taken something as great as a Tamagotchi and mutilated it beyon repair. Just look at the website. Flowers, happy faces and eyes... Yes, I said eyes. Everything has eyes.

I just wish that Bandai would make Tamagotchis cool again. In the 90s they were for EVERYBODY!!!

I hope I didn't offend anyone, I just need to get that off my chest!

h34r:

******

P.S. Go to this page and tell me what you think. I have 3 words. Oh. My. Gosh. : (

Right with you,much love brah.

 

[MamaTiffany]

I think its interesting you all are so embarrassed... I mean I'm a dork, I'm just recently 18 and a freshman in college, and my boyfriend bought me a v5 the other day, and he didn't care, I carry mine around on a tamagotchi lanyard with my college id and key card hanging from it, so everyone sees it, and the only reaction I've received? " Oh my god! a tamagotchi I used to have one of those! those were awesome, thats so cute!" I have never received anything negative, the closest was my boyfriend calling me a dork, but a cute dork, and being glad I'd rather have a tama rather than expensive jewelry.

no one will think less of you, you guys are overreacting to the point you're causing yourself to be embarrassed, stop blaming Bandai, I know its not geared to my age range, but I don't care, I still enjoy it, thats like telling webkinz to gear it to older people. They base what they do on research, and obviously the research shows that the market is more in the younger people.

If you don't like it don't go to the site,

and never be embarrassed by what you like, the people who matter won't care



when I see the commercials I go, OH MY GOD I WANT IT! I never once thought about the people in it

Exactly. And the strange thing is... that they're geared for 12-year-olds and the 12-year-olds are complaining about being embarrassed. >.> I must be absolutely SHAMELESS, haha.

 

[MnMztama495]

I completely agree with the comments on this topic. I just got my v4 today and was so happy when it came in the post but my mom was like ''why did you buy a toy for children??'' It made me feel quite pathetic.

[SIZE=9pt]Yes! That's another thing...every time I tell my parents that I want to look at the Tamagotchis, they're like, "WHAT?! Isn't that toy for lthe little girly kids?" And I feel, again, humiliated![/SIZE]

I can understand what most of you are saying: don't let people push you around, (you're not REALLY saying that, I'm just trying to get the big picture of it) but still, I just can't help but feel embarrassed. I'll just have to try to ignore those people.

 

[Azuki_bean]

I really enjoyed the simplicity of the designs of the ones back in the 90s. Do you remember those semi see-through ones? It was always fun to dig through the big bins at Toys R Us to find the best color; back then, there were a ton of different colors released at once. I think they were more stylish, too, without giant antennae and really crowded, bright designs that rub off after a while.

I haven't got a v.5, but I'm considering it, as I collect Tamagotchis and virtual pets in general. I'm 23 and female, by the way... so if you think you're embarassed and you're eleven, there are college-age people I know with these. Anyone own a V.5 with opinions on it either way?

 

[Ozzie]

I think its interesting you all are so embarrassed... I mean I'm a dork, I'm just recently 18 and a freshman in college, and my boyfriend bought me a v5 the other day, and he didn't care, I carry mine around on a tamagotchi lanyard with my college id and key card hanging from it, so everyone sees it, and the only reaction I've received? " Oh my god! a tamagotchi I used to have one of those! those were awesome, thats so cute!" I have never received anything negative, the closest was my boyfriend calling me a dork, but a cute dork, and being glad I'd rather have a tama rather than expensive jewelry.

no one will think less of you, you guys are overreacting to the point you're causing yourself to be embarrassed, stop blaming Bandai, I know its not geared to my age range, but I don't care, I still enjoy it, thats like telling webkinz to gear it to older people. They base what they do on research, and obviously the research shows that the market is more in the younger people.

If you don't like it don't go to the site,

and never be embarrassed by what you like, the people who matter won't care



when I see the commercials I go, OH MY GOD I WANT IT! I never once thought about the people in it

That's the exact same reaction I get. In fact, friends and acquaintances who have seen me with my V5 usually say something along the lines of "I should get one too so we can bring back the 90s."

There's something I like to call the "Barney Effect." Remember when you were 4, and you watched Barney religiously? You practically worshiped at the altar of Barney? And then, years later, you turned 7, and all of a sudden hating Barney with a fervent passion was all the rage. Everyone sang "tic tac toe, three in a row, Barney got shot by G.I. Joe." You wanted Barney dead. But then you matured into a thoughtful 13-year-old and realized there's nothing wrong with Barney -- heck, it teaches good values like sharing and caring. It's even sort-of cute.

The Barney Effect is exactly what pre-teens today are going through when it comes to Tamagotchi. You love it when you're younger, then everyone around you goes through this phase of incredible hostility. When you get older, people will mellow out, and finally it will become a little piece of nostalgia that everyone can't wait to "tama-sit" for a few hours while you're in class.

But on the real subject... so what if they target 12-year-old girls? That was the target audience back in 1996, too. Just because you've gotten older since the toy's inception doesn't mean the toy has matured, too.

 

[dancinkayley]

Ozzie, I have a cousin that's about eight years old and he loves Barney. But I also have another cousin that's about twelve years old who likes to sing stuff like, "I hate you, you hate me, we all hate Barney! When we all see Barney dead on the floor, no more purple dinosaur!"

Back on topic, Bandai is trying to target Tamagotchi to 10-12 year olds but I don't think it's working- a lot of 10-12 year olds in my area are saying things like, "Tamagotchi are so OLD!"

 

[Coco Boy]

I'm getting a P2 soon. The original Tamagotchi were less complicated and they are more fun, it seems. Nowadays, they're not close to pet-like. They're nothing like back then. I'd never want to visit my house and see a face on it. And the characters! There are wayyy too many! In Japan the place has a school for Tamagotchi! Can anyone stick to the older versions? The American versions SUCK!

 

[Spooky Tanuki]

I wish they'd re-release digimon. I liked the fact that you could make your pet fight, and keep track. And with the new connection technology, it would make battles even cooler, and easier.

I absolutely love the original Digimon!

Mine is on my keyring, and it goes everywhere with me.

Two of my friends have those too, so we occasionally train them and battle.

 

[RiotsWithGhost]

heh, i'm 15. I'm in 10th grade going on 11th, and I take my tama to school. I don't care what my friends think as long as I wanted it that's all that matters.

And when I did take it to school everyone freaked out 'cause they remembered when they had one. So it won't be as bad as you think I promise

 

[MnMztama495]

And when I did take it to school everyone freaked out 'cause they remembered when they had one. So it won't be as bad as you think I promise

Omg really? Well, I shouldn't be surprised, because when my brother and I were cleaning the house (chores...gotta hate 'em) I noticed a Tamagotchi Mini (or was it a P1? :furawatchi: ) in my brother's closet in his old room! He's 19 now, and on the back it said "Bandai...1997" so he was about... 8 when he got it. He also had all these Pokemon and Digimon electronic pets and he was probably older when he got those. Just goes to show...RiotsWithGhost was right!! :furawatchi: :furawatchi:

 

[Coco Boy]

Well, I'M a boy. Back in the '90's I know there were more boy designs than girl ones! And yes, I have been seen with pink Tamagotchis with butterflies and flowers. I love both of them. What makes boys think things are girly? I'm a boy and pink is fine. It's a color. Without it, you might have a purple tongue! Our tongue = pink. So there. And no one makes fun of you for your tongue, right? The designs should be more boysih. My parents say "Too old." Other boys say "Girlyish" Other make fun of the name. And the version. Sheesh! BanDai, help us! :furawatchi:

And heck, my P2 is the best boy design ever! I thought technology was increasing the stuff not decreasing.

 

[Stride]

Boys too.
-DDDTrooper

I'm a boy and I love my V4.5 and V5. ^_^

 

[RiotsWithGhost]

Omg really? Well, I shouldn't be surprised, because when my brother and I were cleaning the house (chores...gotta hate 'em) I noticed a Tamagotchi Mini (or was it a P1? ) in my brother's closet in his old room! He's 19 now, and on the back it said "Bandai...1997" so he was about... 8 when he got it. He also had all these Pokemon and Digimon electronic pets and he was probably older when he got those. Just goes to show...RiotsWithGhost was right!!

Totally, my friends and I were in the generation that had the original tama's. I still have mine it just dosn't work

In fact I remember when they gave out tama toys at McDonalds