Playmobil will kill itself off if it focuses too much on the competition and the modern pop culture brainwashed child. There are thousands of licensed toys and battery-operated toys out there, and a European-made toy cannot compete price-wise.
Playmobil's strengths are historical details, European styling, being made in Europe, open-ended storylines, and the lack of electronics (for the most part). They should focus on those areas, rather than trying to be like everyone else. There very much is a market for these types of toys, even if it's not mainstream. It may be "bourgeois", but hey, the bourgeoisie spends a lot of money on their children.
They should play up the educational and open-ended play aspects - more well-researched specialty historical/cultural sets (museum sets, historical figures sets, sets that show every day life in a particular time period, figures in traditional costumes from around the world), cut down on gender stereotypes (have male fairies and dragon-fighting women, back off a bit on the pink and purple), cut down on items that increase price without increasing play (base plates, carry boxes, and excessive electronics), go back to modular buildings, cut down on depictions of modern violence, etc.
My generation (the age around which people have young children) is full of well-read, well-educated people who are disillusioned with mainstream toys.
