The Billion Dollar Babies

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In this video we look at one of the most meteoric rises of any company in history and how despite the bubble bursting on their #1 product, the company owner was able to spin things off into what is still one of the largest companies in the world.

Sources:

[Terri_MacKay]

I remember the Beanie Babies craze as something that was meant for children that was ruined by adults.
The whole idea was that they were an inexpensive toy that children could buy with their allowance money, but then adults had to get involved and turn them into collectables. Kids couldn't find the Beanies they wanted because adult collectors were hoarding them. My kids were young at the time, and they had some that were for playing with.
I knew other parents who had collections of Beanies, each in their own acrylic box (which I seem to remember cost $10 each), and a clamshell protector that went on the label. It was insanity. They had shelves of $5 toys that their kids weren't allowed to touch. And they wouldn't buy any for their children because they "didn't know how to take care of them properly"!!! 😕 I was so glad that every idiot who spent thousands ended up with collections that were worth nothing.
It pissed me off at the time that adults were being such douchebags over something meant for kids, and it will come up in conversation occasionally, and it still really pisses me off.
As you can see!! 😂

[mavschick]

I just love listening to Simon. Soothing voice.

[NathanCassidy]

I still have my crab one that I got and it currently sits on top of the head of my LEGO Yoda statue like a toupee.

[larryscott]

Bonus fact
“The U.S. Postal Service gave the Slinky its own stamp. The Smithsonian put a Slinky on display, beside Kermit the Frog and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.”

And
“Physicists love it for its reactions to gravity. Math teachers use it to teach about equilibrium, mass and diameter.”

“The rules that govern the mechanics of a slinky are Hooke's law and the effects of gravitation.”

[david_vs_a_word]

God i remember this craze back in 90s basically the type of people that collected those, also collected a large number of cats.

[blazertundra]

I was really into beanie babies as a kid. Not as a collector, but just because they were soft, cute, versatile, and built ridiculously tough. I started collecting the older ones right after the bubble popped and rounded up some pretty nice ones from thrift stores and yard sales. I know my little collection is next to worthless, but boy do those little beady-eyed snakes and puppies on the shelf bring out the nostalgia.

[AliasUndercover]

Geez, I remember this whole mess. The tulips of the '90s.

[StelCreator]

I didn’t know how much I needed to hear the origins of the Slinky until I did. Thank you.

[plinkitee]

I still have a few. I collect elephants so, needless to say, they're all elephants.

Fascinating I know. 😏

[yalelingoz]

Great video. I was aware of the beanie babies, but was at university when the craze hit (too old to care myself, and too young to have kids). Fascinating to know the history of them and the bonus Slinky.

[dudeimbusy]

Unfortunately no amount of help would make Slinky surpass “Log” in total sales or happiness for children.

[rowanwinn]

I never got into the craze, as I was too young and had no allowance, but I spent a large portion of my childhood collecting Beanie Babies from thrift shops and antique stores to play with. They almost always cost me $3 or less, ironically enough.

[craigkoehler]

My dog loves them as toys. He carries them around gently like they are puppies.

[shaddowsdieout]

Betty's success was truly an "in your face" move. Lots of respect.

[orangebpumpkin]

I love slinky’s. I buy them as presents all the time. I love the sound and the simplicity.

[laurenbee]

I used to cherish mine. I have one older one and when I saw this women selling part of her collection at a flea market it brought back happy memories. Some of the new ones are cute but, the older ones are full of childhood nostalgia for me

[_Abjuranax_]

I inherited a large bin of Beanie Babies in 2013. We found only one buyer for them, and it would have cost us more to ship them to him than they were worth. I'm glad that some people found joy and were able to make a profit off of them, but to me they were just one of many problems that I had dispose of.

[CieJe.Alexander]

I remember the 1st time I saw them. It was on a Mickey D's commercial as the Happy Meal prize. And I thought this is gonna be big. Within 3 wks it was all anyone was talking about. My cousin was collecting them.
After 3 mos. I knew this bubble would burst, but my cousin she was talking about buying display cases for each one.
3 yrs later. I was stepping on them in the dark trying to cross to the bathroom when I stayed the night.

Edited: I'd be interested to know. How many fads [items] can you name?

[scarredbby]

I love this channel I get to learn things I didn't know I needed to know until I knew it.

[Will]

We are seeing the same thing today with Funko Pops. Took the beanie babie playbook.