熱門時事分享：3C 與少子化夾擊，玩具品牌如何靠全齡商機起死回生？｜20260630
目錄
2026 年 06 月 30 日｜HOT 用英文聊時事｜S1 EP33
歡迎收聽《HOT 用英文聊時事》，我是 CLN 的 Clarence 老師。現在小孩幾乎人手一台手機、平板，從小就開始滑短影音、打電動，早早失去了對傳統實體玩具的興趣，這些玩具到底還能賣給誰呢？過去玩具品牌最穩定的核心客群一直都是兒童，然而全球主要市場像台灣、韓國、美國與歐洲，出生率都持續下滑，今年台灣新生兒數甚至可能跌破 8 萬人，歐洲 12 歲以下兒童數量十年間也減少約 3%。今天，就讓我們來聊聊，玩具產業如何從破產邊緣起死回生，創造成人與銀髮市場商機，重新布局未來玩樂生態。
Welcome to “Hot English Topics.” This is Clarence from CLN. These days, many kids have their own phones or tablets. They grow up watching short videos and playing games, and they quickly lose interest in traditional toys. So who are these toys still for? For years, children were the most stable customer group for toy brands. But birth rates are falling across major markets like Taiwan, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. In Taiwan, the number of newborns may drop below 80,000 this year, while in Europe, the number of children under 12 has fallen by about 3% over the past decade. Today, let’s talk about how the toy industry came back from the edge of collapse, found new opportunities in the adult and senior markets, and is reshaping the future of play.
說到最具代表性的玩具，樂高幾乎是腦中第一個浮現的名字，不過這個家喻戶曉的品牌，過去卻曾經深陷破產危機。當初因擔心電子遊戲興起取代積木，於是急著往外找新的收入來源，沒想到跨足太多不熟悉的領域，反而讓品牌定位模糊、產品線過度擴張，直到 2003 年負債高達 8 億美元，幾乎到破產邊緣。
When people think of iconic toys, LEGO is often the first name that comes to mind. But this famous brand once came close to bankruptcy. At the time, LEGO worried that video games would replace building toys, so it rushed to find new sources of income. But by expanding into too many unfamiliar areas, the brand lost focus and stretched its product line too far. By 2003, its debt had reached 800 million dollars, and the company was close to collapse.
最終決定關閉虧損部門與門市、大幅砍半原本 13,000 種零件，逐步壓低成本，接著把焦點拉回最擅長的一件事：透過積木提供有趣的組合體驗，停止過度簡化產品，持續提升品質，最終成功轉虧為盈，重新坐穩全球玩具龍頭。這次轉型也讓樂高注意到，成年人不可忽視的龐大消費潛力。
To recover, LEGO closed unprofitable units and stores, and cut its 13,000 parts by half to reduce costs. It then turned its focus back to what it did best: creating fun building experiences with its bricks. It stopped oversimplifying its products and kept improving quality. In the end, LEGO returned to profit, regained its position as a global toy leader, and realized the strong buying power of adult consumers.
誰說小孩才能玩玩具？這群童心未泯的 Kidult 族群，具有強大的消費能力，願意花錢投資自己熱愛的玩具和模型。美國約 28% 的玩具銷售、英國與歐洲 12 歲以上達 31% 購買率、日本市場規模破 1 兆日圓，背後主力都是由這群老小孩們貢獻。因應這股需求，各大品牌透過簡約包裝和成熟設計，破除成人買玩具的尷尬，從品牌聯名、限量模型到電影公仔，玩具變身為收藏新寵，走進日常空間擺設，自然融入生活美學。當 Kidults 將這些收藏分享到社群平台，藉由開箱、展示，玩具變成人與人之間建立歸屬感的社交工具，討論熱度持續發酵，不只讓玩家的連結更緊密，也持續替品牌帶來穩定曝光與話題流量。
Who says toys are only for kids? Kidults, adults who still love toys, have strong buying power. They are a major force behind about 28% of toy sales in the U.S., a 31% purchase rate among people aged 12 and above in the UK and Europe, and a market worth over 1 trillion yen in Japan. To meet this demand, brands use simpler packaging and more mature designs to make adults feel more comfortable buying toys. Through brand collaborations, limited models, and movie figures, toys are becoming collectibles that fit naturally into everyday spaces and home styles. When Kidults share these collections on social media through unboxings and displays, toys become a way to build a sense of belonging. This brings fans closer together and gives brands steady exposure and ongoing attention.
玩具受到成人玩家喜愛，除了成為珍貴收藏和居家擺設，高壓生活中，成年人越來越願意為紓壓與驚喜感買單，潮玩與公仔成為日常放鬆選擇。療癒經濟去年已突破 7 兆美元，爆紅的泡泡瑪特盲盒放大購買前的期待感，每次開箱都充滿驚喜，能快速為情緒充電，Molly、Labubu 角色沒有明確的故事設定，玩家可以自由把自己的心情與壓力投射在公仔上，而 Crybaby 的陪伴提醒著玩家，不用假裝沒事，難過的時候就好好哭一場；Jellycat 則透過領養與角色設定，玩偶成為情感寄託，扮演著陪伴的角色；對有些玩家來說，真正療癒是專心動手把玩、組裝的過程，把注意力拉回眼前，短暫抽離焦慮，建立起成就感。
Toys are popular with adult buyers not only as collectibles and home decor, but also as a way to relax. In today’s high-pressure life, more adults are willing to pay for stress relief and small moments of surprise, making designer toys and figures a common way to unwind. The healing economy reached 7 trillion dollars last year. Pop Mart’s blind boxes build excitement before people even open them, and each unboxing brings a sense of surprise that can quickly lift the mood. Characters like Molly and Labubu have no clear storylines, so people can project their own feelings and stress onto them. Crybaby offers a sense of companionship and reminds people that they do not have to pretend everything is fine. When they feel sad, they can simply let it out. Jellycat uses adoption stories and character design to turn its plush toys into emotional companions. For some people, the real healing comes from focusing on hands-on play and building, bringing their attention back to the present, stepping away from anxiety for a while, and building a sense of achievement.
當越來越多成年人願意為收藏和陪伴感買單，品牌接下來思考怎麼樣留住鐵粉，同時開發出更大的市場。有些品牌透過共創平台讓玩家實際參與設計與投票，觀察玩家喜歡什麼？願不願意掏錢預購？再決定是否量產。結合 AI 篩選社群回饋與熱門提案，加速產品開發流程，大幅縮短創意到上市的時間，避免庫存壓力與資源浪費。
As more adults are willing to spend on collectibles and companionship, brands are thinking about how to keep loyal fans while also growing the market. Some brands use co-creation platforms to let fans join the design process and vote on ideas. This helps brands see what people like and whether they are willing to pre-order before deciding on mass production. AI is also used to sort social media feedback and popular ideas, speed up product development, shorten the time from idea to launch, and reduce inventory pressure and waste.
另一種做法是直接和玩家熟悉的熱門角色合作，帶進原本的粉絲流量。像樂高與《星際大戰》合作超過 25 年，後來又陸續和漫威、哈利波特、任天堂等熱門 IP 推出聯名，持續創造話題；泡泡瑪特則和 Sony Pictures 合作拍《Labubu》電影，甚至還在北京蓋了主題樂園 Pop Land。
Another approach is to work with popular characters that fans already know and love, bringing in an existing fan base. LEGO has partnered with Star Wars for over 25 years and has also worked with Marvel, Harry Potter, and Nintendo to keep creating buzz. Pop Mart is also moving into entertainment by working with Sony Pictures on a Labubu movie and building a theme park called Pop Land in Beijing.
不僅僅要抓住成人玩家的心，面對全球高齡化的趨勢，品牌開始把目光放向銀髮市場的需求。日本大型玩具公司萬代順勢推出長者認知健康系列，透過精密組裝訓練手部協調、刺激腦部、強化記憶，玩具慢慢走進長輩的日常，變成延緩老化的好幫手。
Brands are not only trying to attract adult fans. As the global population ages, they are also turning to the senior market. A major Japanese toy company, Bandai, introduced a cognitive health series for seniors. Through detailed assembly, these products help improve hand coordination, stimulate the brain, and strengthen memory. In this way, toys are slowly becoming part of daily life for older people and helping them slow the effects of aging.
AI 科技的加入，也替玩具產業打開另一種全新可能。AI 能即時辨識玩家進度，卡關時主動給予提示，提升組裝玩具時的完成率與成就感，而樂高的 LEGO SMART Play 系統，透過智慧積木與 3D 空間感知技術，不需依賴螢幕，玩家也能獲得即時聲光回饋，整體的沉浸體驗大大提升。品牌從破產谷底翻身改寫了生存規則，打造出全齡化娛樂互動平台，不僅在多變的時代中站穩腳步，更重新定義下一代全新的玩樂生態。
At the same time, AI is opening up new possibilities for the toy industry. It can track player progress in real time and offer help when they get stuck, improving completion rates and the sense of achievement. LEGO’s SMART Play system uses smart bricks and 3D sensing technology to give players instant sound and light feedback without relying on screens, creating a much more immersive experience. After rising from near bankruptcy, toy brands have rewritten the rules of survival by building interactive platforms for all ages. They are not only staying competitive in a fast-changing world, but also redefining the future of play.
若你喜歡這種主題與雙語內容，歡迎追蹤我們、給我們五顆星，並分享給對成人玩家商機、療癒經濟或學英文有興趣的朋友。也告訴我們下次想聽的主題吧！我是 CLN 的 Clarence 老師，我們下次見！
If you enjoy this bilingual episode, please follow, rate us five stars, and share with friends interested in kidult economy, healing economy, or English learning. Tell us what topic you want next. This is Clarence from CLN. See you again soon!
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CLN (Corporate Language Network) 創辦於 2014 年，是亞洲企業外語服務和培訓的領導品牌，旨在解決企業因外語所衍伸的相關問題，協助客戶成為具有跨文化溝通和國際合作能力的專業人士。我們提供一流的企業教育訓練、AI 學習工具、隨選隨上家教平台、文件翻譯、會議口譯、師資訓練等專業服務。這些年來，我們的合作廠商包含 Google、Yahoo、IBM、IKEA、Mercedes-Benz、聯發科等多家國際品牌。
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