The popular Mr. Potato Head toy will go neutral

Toymaker Hasbro Inc. is removing the word “sir” from its Mr. Potato Head brand to make the popular toy line neutral and to attract a larger consumer base. The company founded in 1952 gave it a new name: Potato Head. And the change will show up in the boxes this year.

The series, which includes a plastic potato with removable parts like glasses, mustache, nose and mouth, this will also be done in a more sustainable waythe company said Thursday in an investor presentation. Last year, Hasbro said the products would be made from “plant-based plastic” and contain less plastic packaging.

Toy makers try to keep up with changing consumer preferences. “It’s a potato. But kids like to see themselves reflected in the products they play with, ”said Ali Mierzejewski, editor of the Toy Analytics website. The Toy Insider.

Mattel Inc., Hasbro’s biggest competitor in the United States, has seen sales of Barbie dolls skyrocket after adding a wider range of skin tones and body types. Thomas the Tank Engine added more female characters. And American Girl is now selling a male doll.

In the presentation, Hasbro said toys that reflect consumer values ​​are especially important today.

Mr Potato Head dolls were first sold in 1952 and have a long history sales success for the toy giant based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The line has been altered to follow ancient times: in 1987 a pipe was discontinued due to concerns about tobacco. In 1992, the backstory for this toy was rewritten to embrace a more active lifestyle and shatter the reference to “TV junkies,” according to Hasbro.

As part of the rebranding, Hasbro will launch a new set of potato heads that It will allow children to create their own type of family, including two moms or two dads. The characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head will continue to exist in one form or another, Hasbro claimed, but did not specify.

Mierzejewski warns that removing the “gentleman” from their name could encourage other companies not to assign sex to their toys. “It sets a new standard,” he said.

With information from Bloomberg and AP

KEEP READING: