“Toymakers use scientific approach to producing Christmas playthings” in 1966
In the same newspaper where I found the 1966 article about the toy industry, “You Can’t Build a Business on Fads†there’s a great article all about how toymakers were using their R&D teams to construct the-then latest toys for kids. “Toymakers use scientific approach to producing Christmas playthings” compares the toy industry with spies and fashion, stating that “the ability to think like a six-year-old child” was as important as business sense, fashion sense, and technical know-how.
And we even get some wisdom from Bernie Loomis, legendary toymaker and president of Kenner back in the seventies. According to Loomis, “Any company that doesn’t produce at least on [sic] relative blooper a year isn’t seriously in the business . . . “ This quote isn’t surprising at all; I’ve read multiple instances where Loomis believed that failure was a good thing and demonstrated a willingness to push boundaries and try new things.
I can’t be the only one who enjoys these old articles about the toy industry, right?
Related articles
- “Toy firms are creating TV programs to sell” (battlegrip.com)
- Toymakers, the Economy, and Bernie Loomis in 1981 (battlegrip.com)
- “Film-inspired playthings can be risky child’s play for makers” in 1982 (battlegrip.com)
I like that they predicted that RC toys would become commonplace. I’m sure they were thinking more like RC cars and planes, but I wonder if they had any idea about the possibility of drones!
@Jay – One of the halls at Nuremberg was almost nothing but RC cars, planes, boats, drones, and other stuff.