The development history of Hasbro USA from 1923 to 2002. — Early days
Hasbro was founded in 1923 by brothers Henry Hassenfeld and Helal Hassenfeld in a small office in Providence, Rhode Island. The company was originally called Hassenfeld Brothers and initially sold textile scraps, but soon switched to producing pencil cases and teaching supplies.
In 1928, Children's Play was founded in Milwaukee (Milwaukee), and the company became part of the Hasbro family in the 1980s. Two retired teachers had the idea that preschool children would benefit a lot from learning at home before they go to school, which is how the name Erlebao came about. — Free Parking
The Parker brothers, a company that later joined the Hasbro family, launched a game with the theme of real estate intrigue in 1935. MONOPOLY has been a global best-selling game for many years. — Entering the toy market
Henry Hassenfeld's son Merrill became president of Hassenfeld Brothers, and the company expanded its product line to include paint sets and crayons, as well as its first toy sets called Doctors and Nurses.
In 1947, Mound Metalcraft launched the world's first TONKA truck outside of Minnetonka, Minnesota. In 1991, Hasbro acquired Tonka Corporation.
In 1948, SCRABBLE was established in Macy’s on 34th Street in New York City. SCRABBLE has sold 100 million copies around the world and remains the best-selling word puzzle game of all time! SCRABBLE games were originally produced by Selchow and Righter, acquired by Hasbro in 1989, and are currently part of Parker Brothers Games.
1949 was also a good year for games. Milton Bradley introduced CANDY LAND, the first game played by every American child. — The birth of Potato
The first toy was invented in 1952: Mr. Potato HEAD. Mr. Potato was Hasbro's first successful toy, the first to be advertised on television, and disrupted the entire toy world.
The most admired feature is PLAY-DOH, the addictive molding material invented in 1956 by Rainbow Crafts Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. For 45 years, the product formula remains top secret! - come on!
The 1960s was a fiery decade. Kenner Products (acquired by Hasbro in 1991) launched the EASY-BAKE OVEN in 1963, giving little girls around the world the opportunity to learn to cook delicious meals.
In 1964, Hasbro launched the world's first doll, G.I. JOE. Hasbro designers wanted to design a toy for boys that could change postures, but no one thought that boys could play with dolls, so they coined the term doll. GI Joe was a huge success from the beginning and has remained popular for nearly 40 years. G.I. JOE has become an American icon and is still loved by children.
In 1968, Hassenfeld Brothers changed its name to Hasbro Factory and was publicly listed on the U.S. Stock Exchange.
In 1966, Magic Baileys launched TWISTER, a game that miraculously became popular after Johnny Carson played it on The Tonight Show.
The success of Mr. Potatoes and G.I. Joe allowed Hasbro to grow rapidly, and the company made its first major acquisition in 1969, the purchase of Romper Room, the largest producer of children's television programs in the world. — Brand new model figures
The next major change in the toy and entertainment industries was the success of Kenner's Star Wars toys in 1977. Star Wars toys completely changed the face of the doll market: the size of the dolls was reduced to 3-3/4, the retail price was reduced, and it became the first time for children to collect toys!
Another revolutionary innovation occurred in the 1970s, mainly in the gaming category. When Magic Bailey launched SIMON in 1978, it added sound and light effects to the game for the first time.
In the late 1970s, Hasbro president Merrill Hassenfeld passed away. In 1980, his son Stephen became president and CEO. Merrill's other son, Alan, also works at Hasbro, responsible for developing international markets. — The Growing Decade
The 1980s were an incredible decade for Hasbro, with successful toy lines and major acquisitions that made Hasbro one of the most beloved industry brands.
After a brief withdrawal from the market, the GI Joe returned to the market in 1982 as the 3-3/4 Game Room. The new special forces unit is called A REAL AMERICAN HERO! , spark children's imaginations by battling forces led by the evil COBRA COMMANDER. G.I. JOE's return to the market has been very popular with children, spawning many popular animated TV series and best-selling comic books.
The following year, another legendary toy brand was born, that is MY LITTLE PONY. Pony fans around the world quickly discovered My Little Pony through Hasbro product lines, animated television series, and feature films.
Hasbro became the largest toy company after acquiring Supermarket in 1984. The deal combines the world's most beloved toy company with the strength and robustness of one of the world's most respected gaming companies. In addition, the acquisition of Magic Bailey also included the acquisition of Chicago's Children's Baby Company, opening the door to enter the international market.
In 1984, Hasbro achieved another success in boys' toys, which was the acquisition of prototype alloy cars and airplanes that could be transformed into robots from Japan's TAKARA Company (today's TAKARA TOMY). And named Transformers (TRANSFORMERS). At the time, the industry was skeptical because no one had ever paid eight or ten bucks for a prototype alloy car before. However, the Hasbro team's instincts were correct, and Transformers sales continued to climb throughout the decade. Like G.I. Joe and My Little Pony, Transformers are popular not only as toys and comics, but also as animated TV series and feature films.
One of the most important achievements of the 1980s was the establishment of the Hasbro Charitable Trust in 1983 and the Hasbro Children's Foundation the following year. The mission of both foundations is to improve the lives of children and their families around the world. Since the founding of the Hasbro Charitable Trust and the Hasbro Children's Foundation, Hasbro has helped millions of underprivileged children around the world. In addition, the trust has donated toys and money to needy children in Hasbro's area through programs such as the Children's Giving Tree.
In 1985, the Hasbro factory was officially renamed Hasbro USA Corporation.
In 1989, Alan Hassenfeld became president and CEO after the death of his brother Stephen. Alan is still the president. — Innovation and Vitality
The 1990s were an exciting decade for Hasbro. The company made several major acquisitions, turning it into an industry leader and greatly expanding its already rich family of brands.
In addition, Hasbro has accomplished many things over the past decade thanks to its relentless pursuit of innovative products, new technologies and trends.
In 1991, Hasbro made another major acquisition: Tonka Corporation and its Kenner Products and Parker Brothers divisions. The acquisition adds to Hasbro's product line, which includes TONKA, Play-Doh, EASY-BAKE OVEN, NERF, Monopoly and many licensed properties such as Star Wars and Batman.
In 1992, the production of all Wonderful and Parker Brothers board games was consolidated into the Wonderful factory in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and the new facility was renamed Hasbro Games.
In the mid-1990s, Hasbro's proudest moment arrived. On Valentine's Day 1994, Hasbro Children's Hospital opened in Providence, Rhode Island, offering state-of-the-art pediatric care and family care services.
In 1995, Hasbro entered the video game market with Hasbro Interactive Games. Hasbro Interactive Games quickly launched many successful software based on its own brands, including TONKA and Real Estate Tycoon, and created new software brands such as ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON. Hasbro sold its interactive games division to Infogrames Entertainment SA in 2000, but continues to use the company's brand in the video game market through a licensing agreement with Infogrames.
In the second half of the 1990s, Hasbro made several major acquisitions. In 1995, Hasbro acquired Larami, maker of the world's best-selling Super Soakers water toys. In 1997, Hasbro acquired Russ Berrie and Company and its subsidiaries Cap Toys and OddzOn, acquiring the KOOSH brand and the successful interactive Cap Candy line, including SPIN POPS. The next year, Hasbro added Tiger Electronics, Avalon Hill (maker of strategy board games) and Galoob (owner of MICRO MACHINES) to its fold.
On the corporate side, Hasbro was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1999.
Hasbro bids farewell to the old era and welcomes the new century with many successful series. 1998 was the year with the most popular and innovative toys in the entire 1990s. FURBY is a cute and personalized animated pet. Many children beg their parents to buy it for them to play with during the holidays. Furby appeals to adults too and there were long queues in stores when it was first launched! More than 40 million Furby toys were sold in three years!
After 16 years, Hasbro has launched the sequel to the Star Wars saga, as well as a variety of toys and games.
Hasbro has always been proud of its ability to grasp development trends and win big prizes with Pokemon. In mid-1999, millions of children around the world collected, played and watched Pokemon. Shortly thereafter, Hasbro acquired Wizards of the Coast, makers of collectible Pokemon playing cards that became a worldwide phenomenon. Wizards of the Coast is also the manufacturer of the world's best-selling card game MAGIC: THE GATHERING and the owner of the most famous DUNGEONS & DRAGONS character games.
Hasbro has formed the Hasbro Properties Group based on the wealth of the industry's most popular brands such as Real Estate Tycoon, G.I. Joe and Candy Land, and operates in many entertainment industries including film and television media, licensing, publishing and live broadcasts. entertainment activities) to maximize the use of the company’s intellectual property.
Hasbro bids farewell to the old era and welcomes the new century with the Team Hasbro employee volunteer program.
Each full-time employee works four hours per month on the Children's Care Program, and is paid during this time by the Hasbro Charitable Trusts. In recent years, Hasbro has emphasized a three-pronged approach to running its business: growing core toy and non-toy brands; identifying business opportunities, trends and innovative products; and signing deals with major entertainment companies such as Disney and Lucasfilm. License Agreement.
In 2000, Hasbro entered into a diverse and exciting partnership with Walt Disney. In addition to certain classic properties, Hasbro is the primary toy licensee for all Disney blockbusters and is known as the official toy and game company of Walt Disney World, Disneyland and Euro Disney. As part of the licensing agreement, Hasbro worked with Disney to design and develop a special toy store called Once Upon a Toy, which opened in the summer of 2002 at Downtown Disney.
One of Hasbro's achievements in 2000 was the introduction of HITCLIPS by Tiger Electronic. HITCLIPS Micro Musicians are teen pop stars that can be pinned to a child's clothes or school bag and play songs stored on a postage stamp-sized chip. Hasbro's Tiger Group collaborated with some of the most popular pop stars of the year, including Britney Spears and Superboy. The product is not only popular with children, but also well received by the music industry because it creates a new way for children to enjoy songs sung by their favorite singers at any time. Since its launch, HITCLIPS has sold more than 12 million units.
In 2001, Hasbro achieved many achievements. GI Joe and Transformers are popular with a new generation of children. GI Joe and Transformers saw double-digit sales growth that year. Hasbro Games also saw double-digit growth in family games and adult games. In addition, WHEELS ON THE BUS was the best-selling new preschool game of the year.
In 2002, Hasbro achieved many achievements. GI Joe and Transformers continue to be popular with kids and adults alike, with both seeing double-digit sales growth. Several new products, including BEYBLADE, are off to a good start. Hasbro Games' newly launched products such as TRIVIAL PURSUIT 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, SCRABBLE FOLIO EDITION and MONOPOLY AMERICA EDITION have enjoyed strong sales. In fact, TRIVIAL PURSUIT 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION ranks #1 in the entire toy and game industry.
Hasbro's 2003 product lineup features the hottest new technologies and innovations, unique products for elementary school students, and new twists on classic toys and games. Based on sales last holiday season, Hasbro's best-selling brands in 2003 included FURREAL FRIENDS, G.I. JOE and BEYBLADE, with more than 5 million units sold in the U.S. alone. Hasbro is re-introducing the popular My Little Pony brand loved by little girls around the world. It also launched innovative products such as VIDEONOW, an affordable portable personal video player.
EASY-BAKE celebrated its 40th birthday in 2003 with an annual baker competition. The contest and its winners receive national media attention, such as The Tonight Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, CNN, and The Early Show on CBS.
On May 13, 2003, Alfred J. Verrecchia became CEO, and Alan Hassenfeld continued to serve as president. Mr. Verrecchia has been with the Hasbro family for 38 years. He joined the company in 1965 as a junior accountant and worked his way up through the ranks, holding a number of senior management positions, most recently as president and chief executive officer.
In 2004, Hasbro continued to innovate its core brands and continue to take them to new heights. The cute roly-poly WEEBLE is introduced again as an example. The WEEBLE tumbler was first launched in 1972. The WEEBLE launched in 2004 has a wider swing than the previous tumbler. Children's Lebao has made this weird-shaped classic toy popular with a new generation of children.
We will celebrate the 40th and 20th anniversaries of Hasbro's two brands in 2004. New adventure toys VALOR VS. VENOM and the 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Special Forces will be launched to celebrate the 40th birthday of the toy industry’s first toy Special Forces doll. Transformers is celebrating its 20th birthday as the legendary children's and collector's favorite.
In 2004, Hasbro will launch VIDEONOW COLOR, further expanding the hugely successful VIDEONOW brand (1.2 million units sold in 2003). With its ergonomic design, backlit screen and color display, this latest addition to the VIDEONOW brand is sure to be a success.