Prompt Cast
The History and Popularity of the Etch-a-Sketch Toy
TLDR The Etch-a-Sketch toy was created in France in the 1950s and gained popularity in the United States. Despite facing challenges, such as being turned down by toy makers and declining sales with millennials, the Etch-a-Sketch remains a cultural icon and continues to capture attention through viral photos on social media.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Etch-a-Sketch is a popular toy that originated in France, despite its association with American culture.
04:30
The Etch-a-Sketch was created by a man named Andre Kassagnis in France in the 1950s, who worked in a factory that made wall coverings and artificial leather.
09:01
The inventor of the Etch-a-Sketch, Andre Kassagnis, got the idea for the toy when he accidentally disturbed metal shavings on a decal and saw the impression it made, and he partnered with Paul Chase, who had money from owning a plastic injection molding company, to bring the idea to life.
13:38
The Etch-a-Sketch works by using an intricate system of pulleys and gears to move a stylus that removes powder from the screen, and shaking the toy recodes the screen with powder.
17:49
Andre Casson created a prototype of the Etch-a-Sketch and tried to sell it at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, but was turned down by every toy maker, including Ohio Art.
22:49
Ohio Art purchased the rights to the Etch-a-Sketch for either $15,000 or $25,000, and rebranded it for the 1960 holiday season, selling 600,000 units at $2.99 each.
27:15
Ohio Art bought the license for the Etch-a-Sketch and capitalized on the popularity of television by creating a TV commercial for the toy, which amazed children and helped make it a cultural icon.
31:56
Etch-a-Sketch sales would increase whenever there was a pop culture reference to the toy, such as the Mitt Romney incident, and despite attempts to improve on the original design, nothing has managed to surpass the staying power of the original Etch-a-Sketch.
36:09
Etch-a-Sketch sales declined with millennials, leading Ohio Art to almost go bankrupt in 2001, but the toy remains relevant due to viral photos of impressive Etch-a-Sketch drawings on social media.
40:13
This section includes some banter between the hosts and a listener mail about Jerry's eating habits.
Categories:
Society & Culture
