Do you think it's ethical to market plastic toys to accompany the Wall-E movie?

Question

I just think that if they are talking about the environment they shouldn't market plastic toys.

Answer 1

That is an EXCELLENT question! I applaud you for it. I will play the devil's advocate and answer "Yes," giving two counterpoints to your argument.

1. To pay for the costs of producing this excellent film, income was anticipated from both ticket sales, future DVD sales, and plastic toys. I would guess that to be true.

2. What if, and I haven't seen any yet, the packages of these toys carried recycling messages and Pixar announced 10% of the proceeds would go to some environmental cause.

Still, an excellent question for discussion!

Answer 2

The manufacturing and advertising of Wall-E toys might seem a little ironic considering the movie.  But companies produce merchandise for the simple fact that they are businesses and will do what's best to profit.  

Think more about what you do with the products you are purchasing.  Will you recycle or donate the toys, and not just toss them out?  I think our environmental situation is reflected upon the consumers' actions and how they discard their waste.

Answer 3

NO. They only reason they make those toys, is to market the children into dragging their family to the restaurant to buy the food that comes with the toy. WALL E was a cute movie that made the children think about littering through a entertaining way. Parents need to tell their kids the toys will end up in the trash and pollute the world. So no, those plastic crappy toys should not be made, especially for promoting WALL E.

Answer 4

That is a question that cannot be answered solidly "yes" or "no." But, there are several points to consider:

1) Disney/Pixar announed they are NOT making McDonalds toys based on Wall-E for that reason.

2) Kids will be kids, and they are not going to be able to look into the environmental message that far. They will probably get "no littering" and "please recylce" or "plant a tree" and that will be about it. If they see a toy that they think is cool, they're gonna want it.

3) Despite the message made by the movie, Disney is a mass-scaled corporation that is going to care more about making money than getting an environmental point accross.

4) What it comes down to is that almost anything can negatively affect the environment. Nowadays it's like getting cancer; almost anything can cause it. Think about all of the gas it took to transport those PLASTIC movie reels to nearly every theater in America. But at the same time, without that slight harm done to the environment, America would not have been able to experience a very important lesson.

I guess overall, I would have to say "no." But honestly, I think making plastic toys and marketing them would only encourage the message of Wall-E, because those toys have a better chance of sticking with kids and reminding them of that important message than a 1:37 viewing of a movie would.

Answer 5

Wall-E is not about the environment, and not about negative human impact on the environment. If you think that, you missed the whole point of the film. It is a critique on leisure at the expense of hard work in society.

Answer 6

Why do you think they made the movie to begin with?

Children's movies are produced to market toys and games, not the other way around.  Disney produces movies to sell the CDs, toys and vacation packages for years after.  It was a small step from producing TV cartoons to full length movies.

Answer 7

It may not be ethical but it is capitalism.

You can simply not buy an and encourage others to do the same.

Answer 8

Why not? No money, no movie.

Like Al Gore: No global warming no money from carbon credits.

Answer 9

What's wrong with toys?  If you have issues with it, don't buy any for your kids.

Answer 10

They're just toys for kids to play with. Everybody markets things, even if they are environmental. They shouldn't have made Wall-E then in the first place, using your thinking- after all, making a movie takes plenty of resources.