In 1969, fresh off a corporate name change from Hassenfeld Brothers Inc. to Hasbro Industries Inc., the US-based toy maker touted a new direction, products, and growth opportunities for retailers carrying the brand.
The 68-page catalogue also introduced a short-lived visual identity for the company, a triangular “H” constructed of colourful triangles that represented Hasbro’s new outlook.
The catalogue led off with a series of “Just Like Mom & Dad” toy lines, including sewing sets, shaver sets, and diaper and feeding sets. Arts and crafts kits were also featured using a variety of creative mediums, including acrylic and oil paint, crayons, and pencils.
Thanks to additional licensing agreements, Hasbro also integrated new board games into its existing line of family game-night staples. These included new offerings based on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Banana Splits Saturday morning children’s show.
The company also continued to innovate with some of its classic brands, including two of our favourites, Lite-Brite and Mr. Potato Head.
The Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union played out in Hasbro’s Astro-Sound, Talking Space Toy line. The futuristic theme was also present in the introduction of Amaze-A-Matics, a line of cars with movement “programmed” by inserting pre-printed cards into the back of each vehicle.
