Something I've been wondering...

[Disgruntled Goat]

When did they stop putting toys in boxes of cereal?

Or do you still get cheap plastic toys in cereal in places that aren't the United Kingdom?

It seems like a very British thought to declare that a bowl of cereal was enough fun on its own, and that a crappy toy would just be too much fun for one meal, so this shameful practice had to be abolished.

 

[Kylulu]

I haven't seen toys in cereal boxes in forever. Mostly, it's all just codes that you have to go on their fun little site and enter to win prizes! This is probably a better incentive to the parents who inevitably have to by the sugary cereal for their children.

Or maybe they had one too many choking accidents, and were forced to remove them.

 

[Hope]

By putting codes on the boxes that lead kids to go online is just a tactic of the marketing agencies to track interest, as well as possibly market other things.

I used to love the toys in the cereal boxes as a kid! Instant gratification :)

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

I don't know what happened elsewhere, but when I was a kid, you got free stuff in everything. There were always toys in the cereal (neither my sister nor I were fussy about which cereal it was, so we'd just ask our parents to buy whichever box had toys in it), and there were little blue packets (about the size of a postage stamp) in bags of crisps, which usually just contained a voucher for a free bag of crisps, but sometimes had money inside. Then there were "Tazos" (which were like Pogs, but not quite) which I think also came with crisps, and you even got little statuette things with boxes of teabags and stuff. Everyone gave away free things back in the early nineties.

I suppose all these QR codes make sense. I don't even know if kids really play with toys any more, or is it all computers and computer games? I don't see adverts for Barbie dolls or action figures any more, just things like Skylanders and Disney Infinity instead.

...Looking back on that, I really do sound like an old man. Eesh. /:

 

[Hope]

Oh my gosh, I remember those statues in the tea bag boxes! I used to love playing with those.

Haha I'm right there with you, @Disgruntled Goat

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

Oh my gosh, I remember those statues in the tea bag boxes! I used to love playing with those.

Haha I'm right there with you, @Disgruntled Goat

You're an old man too? /:

I might have to revise my opinion of you, Hope!

 

[Hope]

You're an old man too? /:

I might have to revise my opinion of you, Hope!

I've fooled you all! ;)

 

[Diana]

They stopped putting toys in boxes before the internet got really big, so I think it was more likely the Costs that got in the way. Putting toys in the boxes takes more time and money to do. >> Companies are all about the profits.

THEN Toss in the internet stuff, and now people have to buy multiple boxes and use codes to save up for enough to get a toy. o____o it's pretty lame.

 

[LunaValentine]

@Disgruntled Goat I have seen commercials (and other forms of advertisements) for barbies and other types of dolls. I think toys are still a fairly big thing in the US but they ARE trying to push them towards expensive electronics (like tablets with stuff for TODDLERS)

 

[Hope]

@Disgruntled Goat I have seen commercials (and other forms of advertisements) for barbies and other types of dolls. I think toys are still a fairly big thing in the US but they ARE trying to push them towards expensive electronics (like tablets with stuff for TODDLERS)

Seriously! @ the tablets for toddlers thing. My four year ld nephew knows more about my tablet than I do. I'm finally old enough to get the eye roll with "ohmygosh, aunty. You do it like this. Let me show you!"

It's so sad... u_u

 

[LunaValentine]

Seriously! @ the tablets for toddlers thing. My four year ld nephew knows more about my tablet than I do. I'm finally old enough to get the eye roll with "ohmygosh, aunty. You do it like this. Let me show you!"

It's so sad... u_u

I know right?! I wouldn't let MY kid (If I bother to have any) touch technology at four. Dammit I don't even trust FIFTH GRADERS with tablets! They don't know how to keep the damn things clean or turn them off or log out or any of that stuff. T_T makes my job hell and gross......

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

@Disgruntled Goat I have seen commercials (and other forms of advertisements) for barbies and other types of dolls. I think toys are still a fairly big thing in the US but they ARE trying to push them towards expensive electronics (like tablets with stuff for TODDLERS)

I saw one today for what looked like a teddy bear with a tablet attached to it. From the short advert, it looked like the bear could use the tablet to contact a real phone (or maybe another special tablet, like a walkie-talkie?) to let the child speak to their parents or something. The advert had a father that worked away from home, and he used it to talk to his daughter and stuff. I don't know, but it's kind of weird, right? I'm not the only one thinking that, surely?

 

[LunaValentine]

I saw one today for what looked like a teddy bear with a tablet attached to it. From the short advert, it looked like the bear could use the tablet to contact a real phone (or maybe another special tablet, like a walkie-talkie?) to let the child speak to their parents or something. The advert had a father that worked away from home, and he used it to talk to his daughter and stuff. I don't know, but it's kind of weird, right? I'm not the only one thinking that, surely?

Yeah stuff like that. they connect to actual phones. It's spooky the sort of stuff they come up with! I don't like it. Not one bit. Too many places where it could go all too wrong with security....just like my feelings about integrating more computers into cars.... but that's a topic for another thread.

 

[Fluffy]

I haven't seen toys in cereal boxes for like... Ever. I remember being really enthusiastic about those as a kid, though. I loved cereal and I loved surprise toys, so my mom was always being hassled about that.The lightsaber spoons were always my favorite. I loved sending in Kraft Mac and Cheese, and Kool-Aid codes in for prizes as well.

I do see boxes that have books in them, though. I have a couple of pocket sized DC comics I got from cereal, and I think I have a children's story in my cupboard right now.

 

[Razilin]

When did they stop putting toys in boxes of cereal?

Or do you still get cheap plastic toys in cereal in places that aren't the United Kingdom?

It seems like a very British thought to declare that a bowl of cereal was enough fun on its own, and that a crappy toy would just be too much fun for one meal, so this shameful practice had to be abolished.

WHERE ARE THE TOYS???????????

I WANT MY DECODER RING!!!!!

 

[Beatrix]

I saw Star Wars pens several months ago. I wish we still had the ones we got from the box XD

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

It's rather rare, even in the US, but it still happens. My daughter pointed out a box of Trix that had a toy inside and wanted it simply because of the toy.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

It's rather rare, even in the US, but it still happens. My daughter pointed out a box of Trix that had a toy inside and wanted it simply because of the toy.

Don't leave us all hanging, Nydanna... did you buy the box for your daughter, or are you a terrible mother? (;

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

If I bought it for one, I'd have to buy it for them all, so no I didn't. :P I compromised though, I gave them all 50 cents to get some little junk toy out of a gumball machine. lol

 

[Quiet One]

Toys in cereal boxes aren't that common anymore, but over here in America we try and make the BOX entertaining. We put in word searches, and puzzles and Spot-the-Difference games. I saw a Froot Loops box once where you cut out part of the box and fold it together into a toy. In America even cardboard must be entertaining, and not in the refrigerator box rocket ship way.