My Little Pony Toys - Icons of the 1980’s
Thursday, April 16th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
In 2008 My Little Pony toys celebrated 25 wonderful years of whimsicality and celebrity status. Conceived and made by Hasbro, My Little Pony toys have brought magical fun to millions of little girls worldwide over several decades, and they are still around today bringing enjoyment to kids and adult collectors alike.
These rainbow coloured, cute little pony toys have a long and varied history but the ponies’ intrinsic characters remain the same – whimsical and wonderful, just as Hasbro intended and portrayed with some very powerful marketing strategies.
Most little girls would love to own a pony and My Little Pony toys are a substtiute for the real thing. Especially for little girls born in the 1970’s, growing up in the 80’s, as My Little Pony toys inspired pretty much a whole generation. Those little girls who played with the first ponies are now adults who still adore My Little Pony toys and these have become very collectable.
Of course My Little Pony toys continued to be hugely popular after this first generation of children grew up but their shapes and designs changed, and copycat products came onto the market to compete with them. When they were first launched in 1983, before any competition hit the market, My Little Pony toys did so well that they even outsold Barbie at one point.
The launch of My Little Pony toys came shortly after My Pretty Pony toys, their closely related American predecessor that had been released in 1981. My Pretty Pony was produced by Romper Room under the licence of Hasbro, although Hasbro later obtained the patent. My Pretty Pony was larger in size than the My Little Pony that followed, and her colouring was more earthy in tone than the pastel, unrealistic colours of My Little Pony.
The first generation of My Little Pony toys ran from 1983 to 1995 (1992 in the US) and there were initially only six little ponies. The original ponies were all Earth ponies, they had no wings or horns like later Unicorn or Pegasus ponies. Each pony had a soft, silky mane and tail, and its own individual symbol markings on its behind. Each little pony came with a ribbon and a comb for grooming them.
One of the first My Little Ponies was released with the Grooming Parlour (Pretty Parlour in the US) in 1983. The Grooming Parlour was a blue plastic rectangular case, which opened into a parlour where you could groom your little pony. It came with a comb, ribbons, hats, a bridle, a saddle and nametags to display under a pony placed on the centre stage. It also had a tabby cat included with a pink basket that it could sit in, strapped to the pony’s back.
My Little Pony toys changed thier appearance slightly over time but they retained their pastel colours and individual symbols on their sides. Following the Earth ponies originally, Unicorns and Pegasus ponies became available, and baby ponies were made as three models, earth, Unicorns and Pegasus. The early baby ponies were similar in looks to their mothers but slightly smaller and in softer colours. Later babies were given more distinctive identities of their own.
In 1997 (1999 in the US and globally in 2003) the My Little Pony brand was re-launched by Hasbro, and enjoyed a huge revival in popularity (although for many they had never really gone away as My Little Pony toys were lasting icons representing childhood dreams). These second generation ponies were created in completely new poses. They were smaller and slimmer than the original first generation of ponies, with longer legs, jewel eyes and turning heads. They were mostly Earth ponies although there were a few unicorns, but no Pegasus ponies and just two baby ponies.
The Generation 2 My Little Pony toys ceased to be manufactured in 2003 and the new generation, the current one, was released. The third generation of ponies includes the re-release of some of the original generation ponies, but standing in different poses and with shiny bodies instead of matte, and matte symbols on their flanks.
Between 2003 and 2005 only Earth ponies were made, then in 2005 only Pegasus ponies, and then in 2006 only Unicorn ponies were made. In 2008 Hasbro reduced its My Little Pony toys down to just seven ponies and from now no new ponies will be created, although some older generation models may be released.
Whatever happens in the future of My Little Pony toys, they will always retain their charm and appeal to millions of little girls and adults worldwide and they are sure to have a long, magical life ahead. Their playfulness and whimsical nature will remain for generations of little girls to enjoy, and their iconic status will hopefully stand the test of time.
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