Then and Now: Mr. Potato Head

Most things change; it is a fact of life. For this series of topics 'Then and Now' I will present you all with an icon of modern times contrasted to its 1950's era counterpart. You be the judge of which era did it better.

Today's Icon

Today's icon is a widely acclaimed and beloved symbol of childhood, Mr. Potato Head. It bears the distinction of being the first toy product ever advertised on Television. It came out in 1952 and it was a hit.

In the 50's 

1952's Mr. Potato Head

 You might be surprised to learn that the original Mr. Potato kit, did not include a potato. Children were expected to supply a real potato to which they could stick the variety of body parts. The toy did however include a body with a torso. The charm of this toy was that you could design a human with a potato head.

Nowadays

2014's Mr. Potato Head

 Mr. Potato head has come a long way, but the way has not been long enough that it let him unrecognizable. The main concept has remained; it's still a potato to which you attach things. Today though, it is no longer a real potato, but a plastic one and Mr. Potato Head is no longer necessarily  meant to represent a man with a potato head, but rather a human-like potato. Most people younger than 20 would not even think that this toy existed before the Toy Story movies came out.


Some things change for better, others change for worse. Which did this one?