For a few years now, the toy industry has been under scrutiny and skepticism due to the seemingly endless product recalls. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, toy hazard recalls as of January 22, 2008 include Cranium Cadoo Board games, toy wagons, Tot Tower Blocks, Super Magnet Toys, Curious George Plush Dolls, and the list keeps going! Affecting even the largest brands, Mattel being the most popular, consumers have been losing trust and faith in these companies. Instead of bringing joy to children, it has caused agony, anxiety, and hassles for parents. Consequently, it has resulted in company hearings, stricter regulations, and significant drops in stock prices. One thing is for sure, this is a crisis situation that these companies must work desperately to solve. Brian Dobson, president of Dobson Communications, inc. specializing in crisis communication, discusses how, "preparation helps companies avoid, or better, manage crisis if it hits." Although much of the blame for the issues, most notable violations of lead paint standard, has been placed on quality control in China, consumers ultimately blame the marketers.
In hopes of retaining loyal customers, companies have recalled millions of products and offered full refunds. They don't seem well equipped for a crisis though, seeing as this isn't enough. Even after a few years, the problems are not being solved which is nothing short of frustrating to consumers and concerned parents.
Most recently, and in my opinion most astonishing, is the recall of Aqua Dots distributed by Spin Master. In late November, it was discovered that the coating on the beads contains a chemical that converts into the familiar and toxic "date rape" drug GHB when ingested! There have been reported cases of children vomiting, going comatose, and requiring hospitalization after swallowing some of the beads. This was absolutely appalling to me. If GHB is found in toys, I feel as though someone must not be doing their job, and something must change immediately. This makes the company appear irresponsible and unprofessional.
An effort is being made by retailers including Walmart, Target, and Toys 'R' Us, who have begun to initiate their own testing in order to protect consumers, their image, and avoid the negative association. However, with the continuation of problems such as violation of lead standards, choking hazards, and now the "date rape" drug, I am unsure if any amount of crisis PR will be able to restore the publics confidence in the toy industry.
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