The eighties were a magical time for unusual toys, but one of the more unusual and popular ones was that doll from the Cabbage Patch. The Cabbage Patch Kids were a phenomenon that caused chaos in toy stores and sent kids running to see which one their parents had gotten them for Christmas that year. As the 90s approached, and they had fallen out of favor, I would find piles of these dolls at flea markets.
On today’s show I want to tell you about the Cabbage Patch Kids. I talk about the company that made the dolls, their inventor, their rise and fall, variations, and much much more. I can’t say I was caught up in the mania at the time like other people, but you couldn’t live through this moment in America without having some memories of it.
I know a lot of people who weren’t alive during their heyday will scratch their heads and wonder, “Why?” The answers are timeless in consumerism. They had food marketing, a limited supply at the holiday season, and the product was just different enough to be interesting. Its a potent formula and always interesting to witness being played out.
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Production Notes
This is episode 11 of the 1st season of the Retroist Podcast.
Thanks for listening to the show and I hope you have a great weekend.
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