Toys are advertised all day every day. Children experience
advertising on TV, YouTube, apps, radio, billboards, magazines, newspapers,
movies, the internet, text messages, social media, and more. This is because
advertising works on children: the more TV a child watches, the more toys that
child is likely to want and ask for.
One common advertising strategy for children is the
“bribe”: you get a free toy when you buy a product. The
“game” invites them to play a game and win a prize if they buy a
product. The “big claim” promises that a product is the best in the
world or will make your life better.
The “super-person” makes you think you can be just like this famous or popular person if you have the product they are selling. Cartoon characters also sell toys to kids. Special effects and catchy music are employed. Ads use jokes or interesting stories to engage children.
As you can see, advertising toys to children is a big business. Think of all the toys made famous by ads over the years, from Barbie and Ken to video games and Beanie Babies.
But which toy was the first to be advertised on television? Mr.
Potato Head, who made his television premiere on this day in 1952.
Here’s my question: who thought up the idea of putting body
parts on a potato and calling it a toy?
A Brooklyn-born inventor named George Lerner, as it turns
out. But it wasn’t easy. Lerner came up with his idea in the early 1940s, when
food rationing from World War II was in the public mind and using fruits and
vegetables to make toys was considered irresponsible and wasteful. Toy
companies consistently rejected Lerner’s creation.
He persisted, finally bringing his invention to the market on this day. His was the first advertising campaign to be aimed directly at children. It revolutionized marketing and caused an industrial boom. Over one million toys were sold the first year. Mr. Potato…
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