Hasbro to Drop “Mr. and Mrs.” From Potato Head

Hasbro to Drop “Mr. and Mrs.” From Potato Head

Hasbro’s Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head will be no more.

Instead, they will soon just be “Potato Heads.”

According to reports on Thursday, the iconic toy is going gender neutral.

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"Culture has evolved," Hasbro Senior Vice President and General Manager Kimberly Boyd said, according to CBR.com. "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.”

The gender-neutral Potato Head toy will be available this fall as both a standalone and in boxed sets that allow children to create Potato Head families. 

"Starting in the fall, Hasbro will sell Potato Head family kits," reported Bloomberg. "They’ll come with two non-gendered 'adult' potatoes, one 'baby' potato and 42 accessories, according to a spokeswoman. That will let kids decide the parents’ gender, rather than being told they are 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.'"

"The sweet spot for the toy is two to three years old," Boyd said, according to CBR. "Kids like dressing up the toy, then playing out scenarios from their life. This often takes the form of creating little potato families, because they’re learning what it means to be in a family."

The toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in 1949 and first manufactured and distributed by Hasbro in 1952.

In 1995, Mr. Potato Head made his film debut with a leading role in the Disney/Pixar animated feature Toy Story with the voice provided by comedian Don Rickles.

In 2000, Mr. Potato Head was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, NY.