Buzz
If a boy-targeted doll from your toy company doesn't become a global sensation, you might find solace in knowing it indirectly inspired a horror movie franchise. This was the fate of My Buddy, a large doll launched by Hasbro in 1985. Although it didn't dominate sales, it played a role in shaping the iconic red-haired killer doll Chucky in Don Mancini and Tom Holland's 1988 film Child’s Play.
In 1985, toy stores were overflowing with some of the most memorable toys of the era. Coleco’s Cabbage Patch Kids were a massive success, generating $540 million in sales the previous year. Meanwhile, Mattel’s Masters of the Universe was a smash hit, with action figures and related products outselling the Cabbage Patch line.
My Buddy, however, aimed to blur the gender boundaries set by other major toy brands. While Cabbage Patch dolls were a hit with young girls, boys were drawn to the muscular, sword-swinging figures of the He-Man series. With My Buddy, Hasbro sought to create a new niche: a doll specifically designed for boys.
The concept wasn't entirely new to the market. Since the early 1900s, boys had been playing with dolls, regardless of whether the toys were specifically marketed to them. However, these dolls typically represented adult figures. As manufacturers shifted focus to infant-like dolls, boys' interest in such toys began to wane.
Hasbro changed the game in 1964 with the launch of G.I. Joe, a series of 12-inch military action figures designed to appeal to boys in the same way Mattel’s Barbie captivated girls. While G.I. Joe later transitioned to smaller, plastic designs in the 1980s, the notion of boys engaging with plush toys remained intriguing. My Buddy, standing at a sturdy 23 inches, was significantly larger than Cabbage Patch dolls, a feature Hasbro hoped would attract young boys.
My Buddy was envisioned as a rugged companion for active boys, accompanying them on Big Wheels adventures, treehouse climbs, and even impromptu games of touch football. Dressed in tough overalls, the doll was built to withstand rough and tumble outdoor escapades.
“My Buddy is marketed as macho,” Stephen Schwartz, Hasbro's senior vice president of marketing, explained to The Boston Globe in 1985. “It’s a softer kind of macho, but macho nonetheless. Our ads show boys climbing trees and riding bikes. We avoided portraying it as a gentle, delicate doll meant for girls.”
Enthusiastic about its prospects, Hasbro supported My Buddy with a memorable advertising campaign, highlighted by a catchy jingle.
Unlike toys with intricate backstories, My Buddy lacked any independent personality. His sole purpose was to be a loyal companion for his young owner. Hasbro’s marketing made this clear: “A little boy’s best pal! Tough yet huggable, rugged yet gentle.”
In a fiercely competitive toy market, the $25 My Buddy performed admirably in 1985. While Cabbage Patch Kids dominated, Hasbro secured four spots in the top 10 bestsellers: Transformers, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, and My Buddy, which claimed the eighth position.
This success, however, was short-lived. While boys didn’t seem to mind playing with dolls, some adults questioned My Buddy’s appeal in the traditionally action-oriented boys' toy market. Bevis Hillier of the Los Angeles Times described My Buddy as “a peculiar mix of charm and toughness, with his overalls, freckles, and wide-eyed stare.” Hillier doubted boys would enjoy dressing the doll in old baby clothes.
My Buddy and his spin-offs, including Kid Sister, lingered on shelves for a few years before fading away. The boys' doll market eventually shifted to Wrestling Buddies, WWE-themed plush toys that encouraged rough play. My Buddy, with his gentle nature, didn’t inspire such aggression. Despite Hasbro’s ambitions, My Buddy didn’t break gender barriers. Similarly, Mattel’s She-Ra, a female-focused He-Man spin-off, and My Pet Monster, a plush toy for boys, also failed to gain traction.
Playskool, a Hasbro subsidiary, continued producing My Buddy into the 1990s. Today, the doll is primarily remembered as the inspiration for Chucky, the infamous killer doll from the Child’s Play series.
Although My Buddy never achieved iconic status outside its influence on horror films, it hinted at the evolving strategies toy companies use to target consumers by gender. In 2017, American Girl introduced its first male doll, Logan. Shortly after, Mattel launched advertisements showing boys playing with Barbie Dream Houses and girls with Hot Wheels. While My Buddy wasn’t a blockbuster, its efforts to challenge enduring gender stereotypes in the toy industry were remarkably forward-thinking.
