Fads & toys


Cabbage Patch Doll

Cabbage Patch Doll

“It’s not the toy business today. It’s the entertainment business. We no longer invent single hot products. We invent a whole family of products.” Arnold Greenberg, Cabbage Patch Kids manufacturer, 1985

The 1980s was the decade of conspicuous consumption and ‘must have’ products – for kids and adults alike. Cashed up parents were easy targets for marketing techniques that made Rubik’s Cubes, Sylvanian Families and Strawberry Shortcake dolls essential items for Generation X kids. Merchandising spin offs from television and movies expanded the ‘must have’ mix. This section of the exhibition looks at a few of these quintessentially 80s items.


A SELECTION OF OBJECTS ON DISPLAY IN THE EXHIBITION

2003/111/52 Toy train, A9760 Toy and packaging, imitation Rubik2003/111/15 Playing cards, Rugby League swap cardsBarbie and the Rockers dollBarbie and Ken dolls, Barbie and the Roc92/107-67 Badge, smiley face, Australia,87/767 Holographic badge & spectacles wiSoft toy, Puggle in a bag


Exhibition Partners Media Partners Exhibition Supporters
JCDecaux SHARP
TV1 The Sun-Herald 702 ABC Sydney
Accor Hotels