“People behind the toys” in 1988
This New York Times News Service article — written by Anne Zusy and discovered in the February 7, 1988, issue of The Times-News newspaper — gives us a snapshot of how the outside world viewed the toy and game industry in the late eighties. In the article, Zusy writes:
“Toy makers said they were always looking for trends and holes in the marketplace and getting ideas from books and magazines, television and advertisements.”
Well, I can report that things haven’t changed since the article was published. It’s not uncommon for discussions with industry professionals to center on the various trends and news, and I’ve even taken advantage of the Google Trends tool when considering licensing opportunities. The more things change and all that, I guess, but regardless of the present I still love these looks at the past.
Bonus: Bernie Loomis gets a mention and quoted in the article, even if by this time he had left behind his greatest successes and was winding down his career in the toy industry.
Related articles
- “Toy makers search for expandable ‘concepts'” (battlegrip.com)
- Spotted Online – The New Yorker Looks at “The Trouble With Toys” (battlegrip.com)
- “Robot Roll Call” in 1984 Featuring Transformers, GoBots, and Robo Force (battlegrip.com)