Starlights is a doll brand designed for enthusiasts, collectors, and parents alike, tackling the common issue of limited diversity, creativity, and uniqueness in today’s market. The dolls are meticulously crafted to celebrate the beauty of individuality, with a range of characters that represent various ethnicities, cultures, abilities, and backgrounds. The core four characters are Galaxia, Daisy, Arya and Destiny. Their fashion follows a unique trend from the current generation, giving each of the dolls their own style and personality. Each doll is designed with exquisite attention to detail, featuring customizable outfits, accessories, and hair textures, empowering both children and collectors to express their creativity and imagination. Whether you’re building a collection or seeking a meaningful playtime experience, Starlights aims to fill a crucial gap, offering something for everyone while promoting inclusivity, self expression, and authenticity.
Personal Story
My name is Gia Cullen and I am a senior at Farmingdale State College. I grew up loving art and expressing my creativity at a young age. Whether it was drawing, painting, or crafts, I always did something art-related. I would always leave drawings under my parents’ pillow at night for them to find. When my dad would bring me to work with him, I would decorate his cubicle at work with drawings that I would do with highlighters and markers while I was there. Sometimes I would do crafts with my mom because she also enjoyed drawing and creating art. Throughout my life, art has became my identity and something that I want to continue doing for my career.
When I first had to come up with an idea for my senior project, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I was looking around my room thinking “What idea can I create that relates to me?” and I noticed my doll collection. I started to think about my dolls and the idea came to me that I wanted to create my own doll brand. It made sense after some thought because it expressed who I am and it also included the type of art I like to do.
The Problem
Doll brands often fail to represent the creativity and uniqueness within diversity in skin tones, ethnic backgrounds, and personal styles.
The problem that most customers see in a doll brand is that there aren’t enough dolls showing a variety of races and ethnicities. Parents and doll collectors look closely at “skin tones, hair, body type, and eyes” (Foster). The dolls that are being marketed today have screened-on faces and clothing that is created through machines, which limits their uniqueness and hands-on craftsmanship. Most brands base their dolls on the same body type throughout their line of dolls, which doesn’t give customers a selection or options to find a doll that relates to them personally.
Sustainable, handmade, and ethically sourced materials in doll production would serve to enhance the uniqueness and value of each doll, making them more special. Without carefil productions of dolls, they can deteriorate and “can include plastic melting or cracking, clothing fading and fraying, and hair breaking off” (Doll Collecting...).
A shift towards diverse and unique dolls would not only reflect the richness of the world we live in but also support positive social change by celebrating the beauty of different cultures, identities, and experiences. This change will encourage the creation of dolls that represent a broad spectrum of physical appearances, abilities, and backgrounds. Promoting inclusivity in doll production would begin to create an environment where everyone feels valued, seen, and empowered, ultimately helping to build a more empathetic and socially conscious world.
The Research
The research was collected through a survey of 53 participants to provide a clear path as to what the current target audience is looking for in a doll brand and what they see as missing. The survey asked questions about demographics, their reasoning for buying dolls, the brands they collect, and what they look for while shopping for dolls.
The Audiences' Opinion
Based on the survey, 60% of participants started their collection because of a childhood memory. The most collected doll brands based on the responses are Monster High (92%), Rainbow High (40%), Bratz (24%), and Barbie (23%). Most people don’t find it necessary to keep track of their collection, but 30% do through organization. When asked what was wished to see in a doll brand, some of the responses were more diversity (skin tones and body types), variety, high quality, and more detail in design. Some of the challenges that people face while collecting dolls are scalpers, availability, high prices, and space to keep them. While shopping for dolls, the target audience looks for quality, rarity value, and specific brands.
Solution
Starlights is a doll brand that celebrates diversity, individuality, and inclusivity. By challenging traditional beauty standards, Starlights embraces the uniqueness of human qualities and features. The brand aims to offer an array of body types, skin tones, and features that promote body positivity and self-acceptance.
In an industry where high-quality, thoughtfully designed dolls are often difficult to find, Starlights fills the gap by providing meticulously crafted dolls that stand out in both aesthetics and funtionality. Each doll is designed with attention to detail, offering a range of features from hair to eye color to clothing styles.
The brand goes beyond just physical diversity; it also fosters an environment of empowerment, helping its customers to appreciate their own beauty and the beauty of others. Starlights opens up a world of possibilities to explore who a person is and who they want to become. There is not just one way to be beautiful and every individual has a story worth telling.
"Creativity is the art of turning imagination into reality, where every stroke, every pixel, and every design tells a story only the artist can see."
Birthday
May 7th
Stone
Emerald
Career
Graphic Designer
Personality
adventurous, creative, artistic, confident, loyal
Hobbies
drawing, painting, gaming
Personas
Competition
Monster High has been a popular doll brand since 2010 and was created by Mattel. The overall theme of the dolls is based on the children of monsters such as Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Boogeyman. Monster High also has been created into books, merchandise, and a web series that has contributed to the marketing and popularity of the brand. Each of the characters is given their own stories, which are created into a diary as they attend the school Monster High. There have been many reboots of the brand that followed three generations, and the company decided to change some details of the dolls themselves to compete against their competition. Monster High generation one received criticism for all the dolls being too skinny and unnatural. The feedback is what created the other two generations.
Bratz is a doll brand created by MGA Entertainment in 2001. The main four dolls of the line are Cloe, Yasmin, Jade, and Sasha. The dolls have exaggerated facial features, such as plumped lips and unnaturally large eyes. Their outfits are inspired by the fashion of the 90s, featuring low-rise jeans, mini skirts, and crop tops. The style of their fashion is also meant to express street style. Bratz has also been created into a TV series, video game, books, and a live-action movie. MGA Entertainment has experienced many controversies due to the look of its dolls and how they promote them. In their years of marketing, Bratz has received criticism about specific themed lines and sexualization in fashion.
Rainbow High is a doll fashion brand that was created in 2020. It also coincides with Shadow High. Both Rainbow and Shadow High have their own unique signature colors, outfits, and personalities. The brand was followed by its animated series, creating more recognition and sales. Rainbow High promotes creativity and boldness as each character is based on a single color. Rainbow High dolls stands out not only for their eye-catching outfits but also for their attention to detail. While Rainbow High dolls are known for their diversity, some have pointed out that certain characters’ personalities or styles might lean into cultural stereotypes. Some critics feel that certain dolls’ fashion choices or interests can overly generalize their backgrounds or ethnicities.
Marketing Strategy
Value Proposition
Diversity & Inclusion ★ Creativity & Self-Expression ★ Craftsmanship ★ Educational Value ★ Community Engagement ★ Limited Edition ★ Customization
Revenue
Retail Partnerships ★ Special Events ★ Loyalty Subscription ★ Advertising & Social Media ★ Educational Events
Retail Partnerships
Partnerships with stores such as Target, Walmart and other stores can boost the visibility and accessibility of Starlights. Bringing the dolls to a well-known retail store makes it easier for customers to feel confident from purchasing from established stores.
Special Events
Pop-up events can create an experience where the brand products are shared between customers. It gives customers a tangible way of interacting with the dolls and an atmosphere of emotion between customers and the brand themselves.
Loyalty Subscriptions
A loyalty subscription to the brand can give subscribers early access to new doll releases or collections before they hit the shelves at retail stores. It will also give subscribers behind-the-scenes content, design sneak peeks, and previews of upcoming collections.
Advertising & Social Media
Advertising through social media can attract the attention of customers through visual content. Posting photos and videos showcasing the dolls can create user engagement and create a community for followers of the brand.
Educational Events
Educational events can help children learn about doll-making, customization, and the importance of inclusivity in different toys. The events can involve hands-on activities, discussions on self-expression and creativity, and meet-and-greet sessions with the creator behind the dolls.
Merchandise
Check out the digital branding book!
Portfolio Website
Bibliography
“Doll Collecting Is Hotter than Ever, but Is the Stigma Really Gone?” Mixed Feelings, mixed feelings, 13 Sept. 2023, www.mixedfeelings.earth/p/doll- collector-stigma-sonny-angels.
Foster, Elizabeth. “Diverse Dolls Drive Sales.” Kidscreen, 19 Nov. 2021, www.kidscreen.com/2021/11/19/diverse-dolls-drive-sales.
“2023 Boom in Doll Collectible Market, 42% Yoy Growth and 8.2% CAGR during 2023 to 2033 - Says Market Decipher.” Market Decipher, PR Newswire, 2 Aug. 2023, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2023-boom-in-doll-collectible-market-42-yoy-growth-and-8-2-cagr-during-2023-to-2033--says-market-decipher-301891345.html.
Leonard, Powell. “The Art of Doll Collecting: A Hobby with Personal and Historical Value.” Medium, 23 Nov. 2023, www. powellleonard.medium.com/the-art-of-doll-collecting-a-hobby-with-personal-and-historical-value-06ee7116c795.
Wong, Queenie. “Toys Aren’t Just Child’s Play. Mattel, Lego and Others Find ‘kidults’ Bring in Big Business.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024, www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-10-17/kidulting-mattel-and-other-toy-companies-embracethe-rise-of-adult-buyers.