Corporate Identity Construction in the Kidult Era: A Discourse-Historical Analysis of the British Brand Jellycat

Abstract

The plush toy market has undergone great transformation in recent years, with consumer demographics expanding from children to adults as the influence of Kidult culture (adult infantilization) continues to grow. However, existing research lacks investigation into how Kidult culture shapes corporate identity construction and drives strategic adjustments at a deeper level. This study employs a discourse-historical analysis of the Directors’ Reports in the annual reports of Jellycat, a British company, spanning 1999 to 2023, with particular emphasis on the critical transition period from 2011 to 2016. The research decodes corporate identity construction strategies through textual discourse analysis across three analytical levels: micro (consumer positioning), meso (corporate strategy adjustment), and macro (global expansion). The analysis reveals that Kidult culture has driven three pivotal transformations in Jellycat’s development: (1) Value orientation shifted from function-driven toy manufacturing to emotion-centered companionship products; (2) Market positioning expanded from a child-exclusive focus to an “all-age” consumer base; (3) Development trajectory evolved from a regional brand to a global cultural symbol, reinforcing brand identity through emotional narratives and cross-generational consumption scenarios. These transformations fundamentally represent strategic responses to the socio-psychological needs embedded in Kidult culture, particularly emotional compensation and identity reconstruction, demonstrating the dynamic coupling between business strategy and cultural trends. This study not only reveals how cultural subgroups drive iterations in corporate identity but also offers a practical pathway for corporate identity construction in the Kidult context. These findings provide valuable insights for domestic toy companies, particularly brands like Pop Mart, on balancing functional and emotional value while expanding cross-age consumption in an increasingly stratified consumer market.