Mr. Potato Head brand drops 'mister' for brand name makeover
The iconic Hasbro toy will get some new packaging this year, but Mr. Potato Head won't be retiring.
The Hasbro toy Mr. Potato Head is known for its interchangeable plastic parts.
After decades as Mr. Potato Head, it seems the plastic-spud toy brand will embrace a new, more inclusive identity with its packaging. Toy company Hasbro will drop the "mister" part of the logo, with the change set to appear on boxes this year, according to an AP report on Thursday.
While the main brand name will be slightly different, the Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head characters will remain. "I yam proud to confirm that Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head aren't going anywhere and will remain Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head," Hasbro tweeted on Thursday.
Hold that Tot – your main spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn’t going anywhere! While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD pic.twitter.com/6I84KrxOLQ
— Hasbro (@Hasbro) February 25, 2021
AP said Hasbro described the move as a "modern makeover." Official Hasbro social media channels shared an article about the rebranding effort, but didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Mr. Potato Head toy first rose to popularity in the 1950s as a set of plastic face parts that could be stuck onto a real potato. Eventually, it became an entire plastic potato and current versions of the toy typically come with a mustache, a hat and other accessories.
The current Mr. Potato Head comes with mustache and other accessories.
"Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists -- with the 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.' -- is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure," Kimberly Boyd, a Hasbro senior vice president, told Fast Company.
The brand name could be seen as fitting into a broader corporate philosophy for Hasbro.
"We have the privilege of being a part of childhood, fandom, and intergenerational play and entertainment globally," Hasbro said in a statement on inclusion and diversity released in July 2020. "With that privilege comes a responsibility to foster inclusion and to help teach the next generation that everyone is equal, and everyone is worthy."