While many things in my life have changed and evolved since I was a child, my love of any plush item has been the one thing to stick — blankets, pillows, and soft clothing, but especially stuffed animals. Maybe it comes from my strong sense. Something about a plush object, akin to an email, endlessly enraptures me. Over the last few years however, I have noticed that I am not the only one who still loves stuffed animals.
It seems as though every day there is a new trendy stuffed animal. Jellycats, Gudetama, Sanrio, and even Snoopy are seemingly everywhere. While their products are conventionally aimed at younger audiences, their marketing strategies that include social media, clothing stores, and other adult avenues show a clear shift to target young adult women. I would argue that most parents are not purchasing a $30 stuffed bunny for their small child to drag to the ends of the earth as they know it — the playground to the grocery store.
Products like Jellycats differ from other brands because their plushies are often strictly ornamental, lacking any real stuffing and making them quite honestly unpleasant to snuggle with as a bedtime companion. Additionally, they also market their products on social media sites that require their users to be +13, making it clear that their goal is to attract adult buyers.
Yes, stuffed animals do not provide the same functional purpose in the way that hygienic products or clothing do, but to me at least there does seem to be another benefit. As trivial as it sounds, these products do bring me joy. Their silly little faces, permanently stuck with a lopsided smile brings me back to my childhood. As adults, especially college students, we are often expected to leave all childish items and habits behind once we turn 18. Even if it’s just a keychain on my backpack or a silly sticker on my laptop, I love carrying my childhood with me into adulthood.