Examine individual changes

'{{short description|Children's modeling compound}} {{Infobox toy |name=Play-Doh |image=[[File:Play-Doh brand logo.svg|200px]]<br/>[[File:Play-Doh Original Canister.jpg|200px]] |image_size= |caption=Play-Doh Retro Canister |type=[[Modelling clay]] |inventor=Brian Joseph McVicker<br>Bill Rhodenbaugh |country=[[United States]] |company=[[Kutol Products Company|Kutol]] (1955)<br />[[Rainbow Crafts]] (1956–1971)<br />[[Kenner]] (1971–1991)<br/ > [[Hasbro]] (1991–present) |from=1956 |to=present |website=playdoh.hasbro.com }} '''Play-Doh''' (similar to "[[dough]]") is a [[modelling clay|modeling compound]] used by young children for arts and crafts projects at home. The product was first manufactured in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], [[United States]], as a [[wallpaper]] cleaner in the 1930s.<ref name="Walsh" /> The product was reworked and marketed to Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s. Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention in 1956 and prominent department stores opened retail accounts.<ref name="Works" /> Advertisements promoting Play-Doh on influential children's television shows in 1957 furthered the product's sales.<ref name="Walsh" /> Since its launch on the toy market in the mid-1950s, Play-Doh has generated a considerable amount of ancillary merchandise such as The Fun Factory.<ref name="Sobey" /> In 2003, the [[Toy Industry Association]] named Play-Doh in its "Century of Toys List". ==History== ===Origin=== [[File: Play dough 04799.jpg|thumb|Objects made out of Play-Doh.]] The non-toxic, non-staining, reusable modeling compound that came to be known as "Play-Doh" was a pliable, putty-like substance concocted by Noah McVicker of [[Cincinnati]]-based soap manufacturer [[Kutol Products Company|Kutol Products]]. It was devised at the request of [[Kroger|Kroger Grocery]], which wanted a product that could clean [[coal]] residue from wallpaper.<ref>''[http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence/season-1/2012/03/17/accidental-brands-1/ "Accidental Brands"], from [[Under the Influence (radio documentary series)|Under the Influence]]'', by [[Terry O'Reilly (broadcaster)|Terry O'Reilly]], on [[CBC.ca]]; first broadcast March 17, 2012</ref> Following [[World War II]], with the transition from coal-based home heating to [[natural gas]] and the resulting decrease in internal soot, and the introduction of washable [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]]-based wallpaper, the market for wallpaper cleaning putty decreased substantially. McVicker's nephew, Joe McVicker, joined Kutol with the remit to save the company from bankruptcy. Joe McVicker was the brother-in-law of nursery school teacher Kay Zufall, who had seen a newspaper article about making art projects with the wallpaper cleaning putty.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|author=Greg Hatala |url=http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2014/01/made_in_jersey_dover_teacher_made_a_household_item_into_a_household_word_with_play-doh.html |title=Made in Jersey: Play-Doh is a Dover teacher's handiwork |publisher=NJ.com, The Star-Ledger |date=January 28, 2014 |accessdate=April 16, 2016}}</ref> Her students enjoyed it, and she persuaded Noah McVicker (who also sold the putty) and Joe McVicker to manufacture it as a child’s toy.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Zufall and her husband came up with the name Play-Doh; Joe McVicker and his uncle Noah had wanted to call it "Rainbow Modeling Compound".<ref name="autogenerated1"/> ===Launch=== Joe McVicker took Play-Doh to an educational convention for manufacturers of school supplies,<ref name="Walsh">{{cite book |last= Walsh |first= Tim |year= 2005 |title= Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them |chapter=Play-doh |chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=jftapGDTmYUC&pg=PA115 |publisher= Andrews McMeel Publishing |location= Kansas City |isbn= 978-0-7407-5571-2 |pages= 115–120}}</ref> and [[Woodward & Lothrop]], a department store in [[Washington, DC]] began selling the compound.<ref name="OhioC">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/enwiki/w/Rainbow_Crafts_Company,_Inc. |title=Rainbow Crafts Company, Inc. |accessdate=October 30, 2008 |publisher=Ohio History Central |date=July 28, 2006}}</ref> In 1956, the McVickers formed the Rainbow Crafts Company to make and sell Play-Doh.<ref>{{cite web |author=Phil Ament |url=http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/playdoh.htm |title=Play-Doh History – Invention of Play-Doh |publisher=Ideafinder.com |accessdate=May 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607170114/http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/playdoh.htm |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in 1956, a three-pack of 7-ounce cans was added to the product line, and, after in-store demonstrations, [[Macy's]] of [[New York City|New York]] and [[Marshall Field's]] of [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] opened retail accounts. In 1957, chemist Dr. Tien Liu reduced Play-Doh's salt content (thus allowing models to dry without losing their color), and Play-Doh ads were telecast on ''[[Captain Kangaroo]]'', ''[[Ding Dong School]]'', and ''[[Romper Room]]''. In 1958, Play-Doh's sales reached nearly $3 million.<ref name="Walsh" /> ===Subsequent developments=== In 1964, Play-Doh was exported to Britain, France, and Italy.<ref name="Walsh" /> In the 1980s, its cardboard can (with a rust-prone metal bottom) was replaced with a more cost effective plastic container.<ref name="50Year">{{cite web |title= The 50 Year History of Play-Doh |year= 2006 |url= http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/playdoh_history |accessdate= February 19, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060515012026/http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?%2Fweblog%2Fcomments%2Fplaydoh_history |archive-date= May 15, 2006 |url-status= dead }}</ref> By 1965, Rainbow Crafts was issued a patent for Play-Doh.<ref>Noah W. McVicker and Joseph S. McVicker, [http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=03167440&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D3,167,440.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F3,167,440%2526RS%3DPN%2F3,167,440&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page "Plastic modeling composition of a soft, pliable working consistency,"] U.S. patent no. 3,167,440 (filed: May 17, 1960; issued: January 26, 1965).</ref> Also in 1965, [[General Mills]] purchased Rainbow Crafts and all rights to Play-Doh for $3 million.<ref name="Walsh" /><ref name="OhioC" /> In 1971, Rainbow Crafts and [[Kenner Products]] merged, and, in 1987, the [[Tonka Corporation]] bought the two. In 1991, [[Hasbro]] became Play-Doh's owner, and continues to manufacture the product today through its preschool division.<ref name="Walsh" /> In 1996, gold and silver were added to Play-Doh's palette to celebrate its 40th anniversary. [[File:2016 Nuernberger Spielwarenmesse - Play-Doh - by 2eight - 8SC3014.jpg|thumb|upright|Doh-Dohs at International Toy Fair Nürnberg 2016]] ===Mascots=== Play-Doh packaging was briefly illustrated with children in the mid-1950s, but replaced by the Play-Doh pixie, an elf [[mascot]] which, in 1960, was superseded by Play-Doh Pete, a smock and beret-wearing cartoonish boy.<ref name="Walsh" /> By 2001, Play-Doh Pete's beret had been replaced with a baseball cap.<ref name="Walsh" /> Since 2012, living Play-Doh cans named the Doh-Dohs have been seen in advertisements. ==Ingredients== Play-Doh's current manufacturer, (known as Hasbro) reveals the compound is primarily a mixture of water, [[salt]], and [[flour]],<ref name="Works">{{cite web |last= Wilson |first= Tracy V. |title= How Play-Doh Modeling Compound Works |publisher= How Stuff Works |url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/play-doh.htm |accessdate= February 19, 2009}}</ref> while its 2004 [[United States patent]] indicates it is composed of water, a starch-based binder, a [[Retrogradation (starch)|retrogradation]] inhibitor, salt, lubricant, [[surfactant]], [[preservative]], hardener, [[humectant]], fragrance, and color.<ref>{{cite web |title= Google Patents |url= https://www.google.com/patents/US6713624 |accessdate=July 28, 2014}}</ref> A [[petroleum]] additive gives the compound a smooth feel, and [[borax]] prevents mold from developing.<ref name="Sobey">{{cite book |last= Sobey |first= Edwin J.C. |author2=Woody Sobey |year= 2008 |title= The Way Toys Work: The Science Behind the Magic 8 Ball, Etch A Sketch, Boomerang, and More |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F2ApK7QnbPUC&pg=PA96 |publisher= Chicago Review Press |isbn= 978-1-55652-745-6 |page= 96}}</ref> Play-Doh contains some wheat and may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to wheat gluten. It is not intended to be eaten.<ref name=FAQ>{{cite web |url=https://playdoh.hasbro.com/en-us/faq |title=FAQ |website=Play-Doh |access-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111061751/https://playdoh.hasbro.com/en-us/faq |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> ==Related merchandise== [[File:Playdoh.jpg|thumb|Play-Doh Fun Factory]] In 1960, the Play-Doh Fun Factory (a toy press that extrudes the compound in various shapes) was invented by Bob Boggild and Bill Dale.<ref name="Walsh" /> The Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber & Beauty Shop of 1977 and Mop Top Hair Shop of 1986 featured a figurine whose extruded "hair" could be styled. In 1995 an educational software CD-ROM game, ''Play-Doh Creations'' was released. In 2003, the Play-Doh Creativity Table was sold. Play-Doh related merchandise introduced during the 2007 anniversary year included the Play-Doh Birthday Bucket, the Play-Doh Fifty Colors Pack, the Fuzzy Pumper Crazy Cuts (a reworking of the 1977 Fuzzy Pumper Barber & Beauty Shop), and the Play-Doh Creativity Center.<ref name="Sobey" /> In 2012, "Play-Doh Plus" was introduced. It is lighter, more pliable, and softer than regular Play-Doh. ==Cultural impact== More than two billion cans of Play-Doh were sold between 1955 and 2005,<ref name="Walsh" /> and, in 2005, Play-Doh was being sold in 75 countries at 95 million cans a year.<ref name="Walsh" /> In the United States, more than 6,000 stores carry Play-Doh.<ref>[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/play-doh.htm HowStuffWorks "How Play-Doh Modeling Compound Works"<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> To mark Play-Doh's fiftieth anniversary, [[Demeter Fragrance Library]] created a limited-edition [[fragrance]] inspired by Play-Doh's distinctive odor for "highly-creative people, who seek a whimsical scent reminiscent of their childhood."<ref name="Works" /> Play-Doh was inducted into the [[National Toy Hall of Fame]] at [[The Strong]] in [[Rochester, New York]], in 1998. In 2003, the [[Toy Industry Association]] placed Play-Doh into its "Century of Toys List", a roll call of the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the twentieth century. In late 2014, the company offered to replace the "Play-Doh Cake Mountain" playset's extruder tool, for free, after receiving complaints about the tool's "phallic shape".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/31/living/feat-play-doh-toy-penis-shape/index.html?eref=edition|title=Play-Doh will exchange phallic-shaped toy |last=Respers France|first=Lisa|work=[[CNN]].com|accessdate=January 3, 2015}}</ref> ==Film== On April 2, 2015, [[20th Century Studios]] announced work on a movie with Hasbro Studios along with its subsidiary company [[Allspark (company)#Allspark Pictures|Allspark Pictures]] and [[Chernin Entertainment]] producing, Jason Micallef writing, and [[Paul Feig]] directing from his production company Feigco.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/play-doh-live-action-feature-paul-feig-fox-hasbro-1201403854/|title=Fox Molding ‘Play-Doh’ Film With Paul Feig Circling; Another Hasbro Toy Brand Making Movie Transfer|publisher=Deadline|last=Fleming, Jr|first=Mike|date=April 2, 2015}}</ref> ==Dough Business== ==See also== {{portal|Toys}} * [[Milliput]] * [[Plastilina]] * [[Plasticine]] * [[Sculpey]] * [[Play-Doh (sculpture)]] by [[Jeff Koons]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140226152114/http://cincinnati.com/blogs/ourhistory/2013/01/24/play-doh-began-as-wall-cleaner/ Play-Doh began as wall cleaner | Our History] * [http://www.parents-choice.org/article.cfm?art_id=236 Playmakers Part II: Play-Doh] *[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/accidental-invention-play-doh-180973527/ The Accidental Invention of Play-Doh, by David Kindy, smithsonian.com, November 12, 2019] {{Commons category|Play dough}} {{Hasbro}} {{good article}} [[Category:Art and craft toys]] [[Category:Clay toys]] [[Category:1950s toys]] [[Category:Hasbro products]] [[Category:Hasbro brands]] [[Category:Sculpture materials]] [[Category:Products introduced in 1956]]'