Fisher-Price Celebrates Diamond Anniversary; 75th Birthday Celebration

Fisher-Price Celebrates Diamond Anniversary; 75th Birthday Celebration to Include Play Dates around the Country

    Business Editors/Toy Industry Writers

    EAST AURORA, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2005--Since 1930, Fisher-Price, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT), has inspired the wonder and imagination of millions of children worldwide. Fisher-Price(R) toys have been a part of childhood for more than three generations. Today, the world's leading brand of infant and preschool toys, as well as children's products, announces plans to celebrate a milestone anniversary - 75 years!
    "Fisher-Price toys capture the innocence of childhood, something adults need to hold onto. Whether it's the classic Corn Popper(TM) or Chatter Telephone(TM), these have been staples of childhood for generations. My personal favorite has always been Little People, and I can remember hours and hours playing with my brothers with the Little People Amusement Park. It was a great toy, but it was our imaginations that made it magical every time we played with it," says toy and children's lifestyle expert Chris Byrne, also known as The Toy Guy(R). "My mom liked it too because it was one of the few toys that could keep four rambunctious boys all under 7 quiet and cooperating for long stretches of time."
    With a legacy of three-quarters of a century dedicated to play value and ingenuity, Fisher-Price has celebratory plans spanning the entire year. The birthday party kicked off in late 2004 as Fisher-Price sponsored a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time since 1974. The float was a celebration of life through a child's eyes, with larger-than-life replicas of classic Fisher-Price toys like the Rock-a-Stack(R), Chatter Telephone(TM) and Little People(R) toys. Throughout 2005, Fisher-Price will celebrate in communities across America through its "75th Celebration Tour." The tour, which represents Fisher-Price's first experiential marketing campaign, will feature a large, enclosed play space that will invite families to play with Fisher-Price toys, free of charge, at local events and festivals.
    In addition, the Company plans a national sweepstakes that will place a lucky family front and center to see the Fisher-Price float at the next Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and enjoy the delights of the Big Apple. Retail promotions are planned for the fourth quarter holiday shopping season, as well as a dedicated web site and anniversary replicas of some of the first toys Fisher-Price made, from Sababa Toys.
    The Fisher-Price legacy began in 1930 in the small town of East Aurora, New York, when the mayor, Irving L. Price, joined toy industry veteran Herman G. Fisher and toy store owner Helen Schelle to create a new business venture. In just a year's time, Fisher-Price unveiled Dr. Doodle, Granny Doodle and 14 others as members of a new line of "16 Hopefuls" at Toy Fair in New York City. The early toys reflected the artwork of Margaret Evans Price, a nationally known artist and children's book illustrator and Irving's wife. Fisher-Price continues to operate in the small village of East Aurora where it is home to a play laboratory, museum, toy store and most importantly, hundreds of the most creative designers and artists in the world of toys. Here, Fisher-Price has set the industry standard in preschool toys, based upon the solid foundation established by Herm Fisher's original toy making creed, which stated that Fisher-Price toys must have "intrinsic play value, ingenuity, strong construction, good value for the money and action." Little did the trio know that the company behind these original toys would blossom into the household name it is today.
    "Fisher-Price is among the strongest, most-trusted brand names around the globe - not just in the world of toys, but among all consumer product brands," remarks Jim Silver, publisher of The Toy Book and Toy Wishes magazine. "Having covered the toy industry over the last 21 years, it's remarkable to watch this Company continue to grow and innovate, without losing sight of its core values."
    "There is something in every Fisher-Price toy that has the power to touch a child's life and leave a lasting impression," explains Bruce Fox, company historian, preeminent collector of Fisher-Price toys and co-author of Fisher-Price: Historical, Rarity, and Value Guide, 1931-Present. "My collection documents the rich heritage of Fisher-Price toys we all know and love, spanning decades of history-making toys. Each new piece added to my collection touches my heart just as the first Fisher-Price toy of my childhood did. After selling our toys for more than 27 years, it's very exciting to be part of Fisher-Price's 75th birthday celebration and all that it represents."

    Wow! Did you know that?

--	The first Fisher-Price toy ever sold was Dr. Doodle. In 1931, parents could buy this delightful little pull toy for under $3.00. The same toy, in excellent condition, could command up to $1,000 today.
--	For nearly 75 years, Fisher-Price has designed and manufactured more than 5,000 different toys for children from birth to five years of age. Many of those toys have become Fisher-Price classics, remaining popular playthings for generations of children.
--	More than 10 million Little Snoopy pull toys have been sold since it was introduced in 1966, which is approximately 700 a day for the past 39 years and still going strong! Little Snoopy has "gone on a walk" with children all over the world and has been with many of them as they've taken their first steps.
--	If stacked on top of one another, the 40 million+ Rock-A-Stacks sold since their introduction in 1960 would reach over 6,000 miles into the sky.
--	The Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone has been the first telephone for more than 26 million people since 1962. As a matter of fact, the Chatter Telephone is the only "telephone" on the market that still has a rotary dial!
--	100% of parents in the United States are familiar with the Fisher-Price brand name.

    Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The Company has a 75-year legacy of high-quality toys that enhance early childhood development. Its often-emulated Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way children play and how play benefits their development. Some of the Company's best-known "classic" brands include Little People(R), Power Wheels(R) and View-Master(R). Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of baby gear products (nursery monitors, infant swings, high chairs) as well as a wide array of character-based toys inspired by high quality children's programming such as Sesame Street(R), Dora the Explorer(TM) and Winnie the Pooh. The Company's web site, at www.fisher-price.com, provides valuable information and resources to parents.

    Editors Note: photography including historical images available upon request.

--30--SS/ny*

CONTACT: Freeman Public Relations Sue Murphy, 973-470-0400 smurphy@freemanpr.com OR Kelley Haughey, 973-470-0400 khaughey@freemanpr.com OR Fisher-Price, Inc. Laurie Oravec, 716-687-3395 laurie.oravec@fisher-price.com OR Dana Marciniak, 716-687-3354 dana.marciniak@fisher-price.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD RETAIL MANUFACTURING PRODUCT SOURCE: Fisher-Price, Inc.

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