The hottest toys this holiday season
UC expert on what’s driving this year’s trends
As parents rush to finish up holiday shopping for their kids, Local 12 took a look at the trendiest toys this season.
Furbies, hatchable dinosaur eggs and Mini Brands mystery capsules are just a few of the most coveted items for kids this year. Local 12 turned to Lindner College of Business associate professor-educator of marketing Roseann Hassey to explain what’s got these items flying off the shelves.
“You’ve got this combination of interactivity — kids have something to play with — then you’ve got nostalgia, and inter-generational play,” Hassey said. “Then you throw in scarcity principles, and that gives this ‘in-group’ status to both the child and to the parent that secures the toy.”
Watch the full story on Local 12.
Featured image at top of a shopping cart full of gifts in front of a Christmas tree. Photo/iStock
Related Stories
How scammers can persuade you with AI
July 27, 2026
Spectrum News recently dove into how cloning voices with artificial intelligence is making it easier to scam people over the phone. The news outlet spoke with Kimberly Hyun, assistant professor of marketing at UC’s Lindner College of Business, to examine why AI is making it so much easier to trick people.
How phone scammers use your own voice against you
September 18, 2026
The Wall Street Journal recently did a deep dive on how artificial intelligence is making scamming people over the phone much easier, citing research by Kimberly Hyun, assistant professor of marketing at UC’s Lindner College of Business.
The magic behind retail powerhouse Macy's
April 20, 2026
USA Today recently did a deep dive on Macy's, the iconic department store brand that is almost as old as the United States. The publication detailed how the brand grew from one of the country's first department stores to a retail giant intertwined with American culture. USA Today spoke with University of Cincinnati's Noah VanBergen for details on how the company became such a household name.