FEATURED CONTENT 100 Years of Hasbro!

Tim Kilpin, President of Toys, Licensing & Entertainment at Hasbro, takes us on a journey through the company’s first 100 years.

Interviewee: Tim Kilpin |

Interviewer: Nick Truss

Where was the company founded, and by whom?

Hasbro has been creating memories for generations of children and their families through the wonder of storytelling and imaginative play since it was founded in 1923 by the Hassenfeld brothers, Henry and Hillel. The business continued to be run by another set of brothers, Stephen and Alan, along with their father, Merrillvisionaries who believed in doing good things and making the world a better place. From Mr. Potato Head and My Little Pony, to Monopoly and Play-Doh, Hasbro and its iconic brands have brought joy to countless fans, families, and children around the world.

Was Hasbro always in the business of toys? What were some of their first products?

Hasbro had humble beginnings, having first started by selling textile remnants, then later expanding to manufacture pencil boxes and school supplies. In 1928, Hasbro’s product offerings broadened to include paint sets and wax crayons. It wasn’t until the 1940s when Hasbro launched its first toys, nurse and doctor kits. Then in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was created, and from there, the iconic character revolutionized the toy industry for decades to come. Shortly after Mr. Potato Head’s launch, Hasbro introduced the first action figure nearly 60 years ago with G.I. Joe, which became the “American icon.” e success of Transformers in entertainment and our ability to reimagine storylines and attract allnew audiences have also allowed the brand to bolt o the screen and into endless other formats, like LBE, publishing, fashion, digital gaming and so much more. From the live action Michael Bay-helmed lms to the rst Bumblebee-led movie and this year’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts spectacle, the saga has a strong content pipeline to continue delivering action and entertainment to fans for the next 40 years and beyond. Looking ahead to 2024, we’ll be dropping a second season of the beloved kids’ series Transformers: Earthspark and releasing the franchise’s origin story and rst-ever CG-animated lm, Transformers One.

Several of Hasbro’s iconic brands have not only persisted, but thrived in media and pop culture, and are celebrating milestone anniversaries next year, including Candy Land and Clue’s 75th, NERF’s 55th, Connect Four and Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th, Guess Who and Trivial Pursuit’s 45th, Transformers’ 40th, Peppa Pig’s 20th and others! The company is also home to My Little Pony, which is currently celebrating 40 years of friendship this year, and touting offerings for fans and families across nearly all consumer touchpoints including toys & games, entertainment, location based entertainment (LBE), fashion, home goods, digital gaming, books and so much more.

When did Hasbro begin looking to partner with and license other toy talent?

In 1954, Hasbro hit it big by signing a major licensing agreement with Disney to develop toys based on the company’s beloved characters and storylines. In 1977, Hasbro was tasked with developing toys for Star Wars, in line with the franchise’s first movie. Then, in 2006, the company was brought on by Marvel to create products based on the captivating superhero universe.

Today, Hasbro licenses The Walt Disney Company’s most treasured franchises: Star Wars, Marvel and Indiana Jones. From action figures to roleplay toys, collectibles and more, these action brands leap off the screen and into the hands of consumers to further brand connection through the magic of Hasbro and its special gift developing expansive product lines.

When did Stephen and Alan really get involved with the company?

Together, Stephen and Alan Hassenfeld stepped up to take the reins of the family business in the 1970s and helped transform Hasbro into the largest toy manufacturer in the world. During this time, with Stephen serving as chief executive officer and Alan as president, the siblings turned Hasbro into a billiondollar company and the global powerhouse that it is today.

What were some of the most important and formative milestones for Hasbro over this past century?

In addition to introducing some of the world’s most iconic brands with Transformers, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, Monopoly, NERF and many more, Hasbro’s strategic acquisitions and additions of IP like Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and Peppa Pig has bolstered the company’s portfolio. Today, many of these franchises are bucketed under Hasbro’s “Fewer, Bigger” strategy of investing in successful properties.

Beyond Hasbro’s bread and butter in the creation of innovative toys and games, the company’s licensing business signi cantly furthers these brands’ reach through wide-ranging categories across LBE, publishing, promotions, and so much more. With theme parks, live shows, comic books, podcasts, apparel, accessories and boundless other formats, Hasbro has the capabilities of reaching fans of all ages, all around the globe, in thrilling news ways.

With several anniversaries next year, Hasbro is going all out to honor the history and debut newness for its priority brands.

Tell us about some of Hasbro’s proudest moments.

With 100 years of history, there’s a lot to be proud of. One feat that has been especially gratifying has been to see the global success and demand for our brands in entertainment, namely Transformers. e franchise has transcended initial expectations as a toy brand to become the Hollywood juggernaut it is recognized as today, igniting passionate fan bases of all ages across the globe through lms, TV series and streaming content.

Beyond the “more than meets the eye” content we’ve delivered all these years, we’ve stayed true to our roots in bringing fans the best play experiences with innovative toy lines, such as our Transformers: Rise of the Beasts line with the Command & Convert Animatronic Optimus Primal, e trajectory of Transformers heading into its 40th anniversary shows no signs of slowing down, as we aim to continue enchanting multi-generational audiences with even more entertainment, toys, in-person experiences and more so they can create memories that will last a lifetime.

Beast-Mode Bumblebee and 2-in-1 Mask Assortment, along with the Transformers: Earthspark collection with the 1-Step Flip Changer and Tacticon Action Figures, plus so much more. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with industry leaders to expand the Transformers product portfolio, such as with Robosen Robotics which o ers state-of-the-art robots and Segway-Ninebot through advanced short-distance vehicles.

Bringing Transformers to life through immersive inperson experiences has also been a means of connecting with consumers on a more engaging level. Coming to China later this year is Shanghai’s co-branded Transformers & My Little Pony Playlodge, which features branded hotel rooms, play activities, dining and more. Also in the region is the recently launched Transformers: e Ark restaurant in Hong Kong, which o ers an elevated dining experience within a beautifully designed space. For fans in LATAM, the Hasbro City o ers action-packed attractions and immersive play themed to Hasbro’s iconic brands, including Transformers VR and Energon Climb experiences and Optimus Prime Tower and Transformers: Energy Surge rides.

What does the next 100 years look like for Hasbro?

Hasbro is home to the world’s most valuable vault of toy IPs, and it is our intent to continue bringing to life the brands and characters that our fans love in new, engaging and, most importantly, fun ways. To make good on this promise, we put our fans at the center of everything we do. With newness landing on shelves, across screens and in-person, we’re delivering the products, entertainment and experiences that matter most to our multigenerational and global fanbase.

As we continue to strengthen our o erings with all-new products, such as the NERF Pro and NERF Elite Jr. lines, and relaunches of beloved brands like Furby and Twister, we’re innovating for not only the consumer of today, but the fans of tomorrow. at’s why we’re committed to growing our current brands while developing and launching exciting new global franchises that will bring Hasbro to new heights.

Simply, our mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. For the next century and beyond, we plan to do just that.