Dear Khloe Kardashian, An open letter about Biracial Dolls, Doll Stores, and Search Engines

Dear Khloe,

Boy, what a kerfluffle over "Biracial Dolls!'

Thought you might be interested in our history, and why The Pattycake Doll Company introduced 'Biracial Dolls' to our stores in 2010, and why we think all that nonsense and criticism you got last week is just that - nonsense. 

For us, it started with the 2010 Census, when we learned that the Government was allowing Hispanics to choose to list themselves as Hispanic and any of the races. (The choices were: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). Like any other 'Race' issue, at the time it caused a big stink.

60% of those who chose Hispanic, also chose White. 

So if 60% of Hispanics were identifying themselves on the census as White, who was buying all of our light brown / Hispanic dolls?  And like any other business in America at that time, we wanted to know "how do we sell even more?"

So we asked some Black - White couples we knew this question: "If you were to go to Google to look for a doll for your daughter, what would you type?"

Some said "Mixed Kids" dolls, but most said "Biracial Dolls." 

As an internet store specializing in selling dolls for children of color, people have to be able to FIND our store in order to BUY from our store! 

We did our research, and found that NOBODY was searching for Mixed Kids Dolls. Nor for that matter were they searching for 'Black and White' dolls. Nor were they searching for "light skinned Black dolls."

What they were searching for was 'Biracial Dolls.' (Like you did.) Sometimes for 'Multiracial' dolls. Occasionally 'Multicultural' dolls as well.

So if we wanted to sell more of those medium colored dolls, it seemed that we should not just limit ourselves to 'Hispanic' dolls, but to add every phrase we could think of, like Biracial dolls and Multicultural dolls and Multiracial dolls so that parents like you could more easily find what they were looking for. 

We had learned that for most of these parents it wasn't about Race, it was about Search. 
It was helping people find what they were looking for by using the words they were using. They would decide which doll was best for their children. 

PS: Calin Marie (above) is our number one selling 'Biracial' Baby Doll, and Simply Willow (below) our number one selling Rag Doll.

 With all our love;

The Pattycake Doll Company