Remember the Pet Rock? In the mid ‘70s this “pet” that didn’t need to be walked, fed, trained, or groomed hit the market, went viral, and made a multi-millionaire out of inventor Gary Dahl. While the Pet Rock fad lasted only 6 months, it underscored the ongoing appeal of play pets – a genre of toys that attempts to replicate the appeal of owning an actual pet without the very real responsibility of taking care of it.
A recent story by Marilen Cawad on TheStreet website identifies play pets as one of this season’s most popular holiday toys and provides insight into their enduring appeal.
I look forward to seeing how this product line continues to evolve before the NEXT holiday season. I’m sure we’ll get a glance at what may be in store (no pun intended) for this category of toys at the upcoming North American International Toy Fair in New York City from February 14-17, 2015.
