Toy Fair 2015: Etch A Sketch Turns 55

Etch A Sketch®, The World’s Favorite Drawing Toy® turns 55 in 2015, #EtchASketch55Bday! The iconic toy was first introduced in the United States in 1960 by The Ohio Art Company as a mechanical drawing toy, but has since become the iconic toy everyone knows and loves. It is a symbol of American pop culture, an adult’s portal into blissful childhood memories, a preferred medium for some artists but most importantly, it is still a source of fun and entertainment for children of all ages. More than 175 million units have been sold worldwide since it made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City 55 years ago.

“For fifty-five years Etch A Sketch® has remained one of the world’s most popular toys despite an increasingly technological toy market,” says Martin Killgallon, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Product Development from The Ohio Art Company. “Its success can be attributed to its simple design that inspires endless hours of creativity, requires no instructions, is portable and powered simply by imagination.”

With the classic Etch A Sketch®, children can twist and turn to create pictures. Just turn either the horizontal or vertical knobs and watch the magic screen as lines begin to form. It’s easy to draw, all it takes is a steady hand and a creative spark. When finished, just shake it and start the fun all over again. Etch A Sketch® is best known for its simple red exterior case, but the line has expanded to include popular licenses throughout the years including Disney Frozen, Hello Kitty and Dora the Explorer.

Throughout its tenure, Etch A Sketch® has received numerous toy awards and can boast a 95% worldwide awareness factor. Quickly after its release in the United States, it became the number one selling toy for Christmas of 1960. It has co-stared in the “Toy Story” movie franchise and “ELF,” introducing the classic toy to new generations. The “magic screen” was inducted into Rochester’s National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998 and added to the Toy Industry Association’s “Century of Toys List” five years later.

In 2012, Etch A Sketch was thrown into the Presidential political race thanks in part to Mr. Fehrnstrom, trusted advisor for Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney who stated, “I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up, and we start all over again."
The classic Etch A Sketch® is available nationwide at major retailers and specialty stores across the county. Retails for $14.99 and is for ages 3 and up.

Visit us online: www.ohioart.com