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The advertising industry underwent a minor revolution on 30th April 1952 when Mr Potato Head starred in the first ever nationally televised ad campaign for a toy, unleashing the demon force of kiddie pester power on an unsuspecting world.\nUnlike regular toy dolls, a Mr Potato Head wasn\u2019t self-explanatory, so toy company Hasbro decided it was worth investing in TV ads for the product. The marketing decision is credited with helping sell more than a million Mr Potato Heads in the toy\u2019s debut year.\xa0\nIn this week\u2019s Sunday episode, exclusively for members of \U0001f334 CLUB RETROSPECTORS \U0001f334, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Mr Potato Head\u2019s inventor George Lerner initially had trouble getting toy companies interested in his idea; discuss the pros and cons of using real fruit and vegetables as toys; and reveal the names of the entire Potato family\u2026\xa0\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018The first Mr. Potato Head commercial hit the airwaves on this day in 1952\u2019 (Boing Boing, 2022): https://boingboing.net/2022/04/30/the-first-mr-potato-head-commercial-hit-the-airwaves-on-this-day-in-1952.html\xa0\n\u2022 \u2018Toy Story: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head\u2019 (Screen Rant, 2020): https://screenrant.com/toy-story-pixar-unknown-facts-mr-potato-head/#mrs-potato-head-followed-in-1953\xa0\n\u2022 \u2018Vintage Original Mr and Mrs Potato Head commercial 1960's\u2019 (Sky News, 2010): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICGrjmJouWA\nThis episode first premiered in 2023, for members of \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\n\xa0\nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors\n\xa0\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.\n\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices