Microsoft Advertising Insights - French Toys & Games search trends: kids “stuck at home"

1. French Toys &
Games search
trends: kids
“stuck at home"
As of March 21, 2020

2. HYPOTHESIS
Since kids are spending most of their time at home, and will be for the
foreseeable future, parents might be searching more for toys and games

3. Kids' toys & games searches increased
after the government’s first TV speech about COVID-19
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21t; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
“Search list” meansthe figures arefor a group ofqueries not a single one
Searches for kids’ toys and games (search list)

4. HYPOTHESIS
As schools are closed, parents might prioritize educational tools

5. Educational games is the search category with the highest growth, but…
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21th; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
“Search list” meansthe figures arefor a group ofqueries not a single one
Gaming = videogames
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Index of Toys & Games categorysearches againstWeek 9 (search list)
Jeux éducatifs (Educational games)
Kids gaming (Kids gaming)
Jeux de société (Board games)
Puzzle (Puzzle)
Poupée mannequin (Mannequin doll)
Mini poupée, Mini univers (Mini doll,
Mini universe)

6. …educational games (and schoolbooks) peaked only during the first
days of schools being closed
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21th; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
“Search list” meansthe figures arefor a group ofqueries not a single one
Searches for educational games compared to schoolbooks (search list)
Jeux éducatifs (Educational games) Livre scolaire (School book)

7. HYPOTHESIS
As most family members are at home, parents might prioritize
quiet toys & games

8. Noisy toys & games searches grew faster than quiet toys and games,
perhaps because noise “off-sets” the feeling of being alone
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21th; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
“Search list” meansthe figures arefor a group ofqueries not a single one
0
50
100
150
200
250
Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Quiet vs. noisy toys and games searches, indexedto Week 9 (search list)
Quiet Activity Noisy Activity

9. HYPOTHESIS
As parents may be busy, they might prioritize toys & games that kids can
play by themselves

10. Searches for toys and games that kids can play by themselves haven’t
grown faster than average*
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21th; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
* Average = “toy”, ”games”, “kids activity” used as comparison basis
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
"By themselves" toys and games searches vs. generic, indexedagainst Week 9
(search list)
"By themselves" Toys &Games Generique (Generic) as comparision

11. Category trends

12. Of the top categories (search volume and growth),
only imagination and dress up are trending flat or down
Source: MicrosoftInternalData; Country : France; Period: Feb 23th to March 21th; Network: all network traffic; Devices: All
*Licence : Major brands
**Example: cooking,…
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Licence* (Licence)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Kids gaming (Kids
gaming)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Puzzle (Puzzle)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Jeux de société
(Boardgames)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Poupées (Dolls)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Loisirs créatifs
(Creative hobbies)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Déguisement
(Disguise)
23-Feb
26-Feb
29-Feb
3-Mar
6-Mar
9-Mar
12-Mar
15-Mar
18-Mar
21-Mar
Jeux d'imitation**
(Imitation games)