I’m sure you’ve all seen them. The jellycat plushies that are now a ubiquitous sight in our school. Students seem completely enamored with them. But are they worth the money that students are spending on them? And what does their popularity say about our society as a whole?
Jellycat Studios was started in London 25 years ago, but if you are like me then you won’t even have heard of them until recently. Their popularity seems to have soared until they have become the must-have accessory of the high school. Their marketing plays on a high level of twee and cuteness, perhaps deliberately re-infantilising its target audience. Apparently, in store, the workers will act out various scenes involving your chosen plushie, turning the act of play into performance in a way that is somewhat endearing, but also vaguely troubling.
The cheapest of these plushies will set you back around $40 up to about $300 for ones the size of a small child. Spending that kind of money on a soft toy is anathema to me, but apparently not to the majority of our students. What do they get for their money? I asked some of Jellycat’s biggest fans for their opinions. Karika, in grade 11, suggested that “if it makes you happy, it’s worth it.” While Pich, in grade 12, said that “they are unlike any other plushies. The fur is different.” And they are undeniably soft and cute, but does it really justify such an inflated price tag?
I know a few things. I know I am not the target audience for Jellycat. I don’t like ‘things’ very much. I believe that, as a society, we consume far too much. We are constantly buying and buying, consuming at a rate that is no doubt unsustainable for our planet. I also know I am in the minority here and it seems rather churlish of me to begrudge people something that makes them happy.
There are much worse companies than Jellycat. There are much worse ways to spend your money. So, in the end, maybe this old man should just sit quietly and let the kids enjoy their toys.