Weebles is a range of children's roly-poly toys that was introduced in 1971[1] by the US toy company Hasbro and currently marketed under their Playskool brand. They are egg-shaped, so tipping one causes a weight located at the bottom-center to be raised. Once released, the Weeble is restored by gravity to an upright position. Weebles have been designed with a variety of shapes, including some designed to look like people or animals.
The catchphrase "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down" was used in advertising during their rise in popularity in the 1970s and during successive relaunches in the early 2000s. The line was coined by advertising executive J. Mitchell Reed in his Madison Ave Office.[2]
In the United Kingdom, Weebles were manufactured and marketed by Airfix under licence from 1973 until Airfix's collapse in 1981.[3]
In 2023, PlayMonster acquired an international licence from Hasbro to manufacture and sell Weebles.[4][5]
- ^ Muir, John Kenneth (2016-06-26). "45 Years Later: Weebles Wobble but They Don't Fall Down". Flashbak. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ^ Gurley, R. J. (2023-07-09). "Weebles Wobble But They Don't…". Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ^ Ward, Arthur (2013). The Other Side Of Airfix: Sixty Years of Toys, Games & Crafts. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-2231-3. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "PlayMonster weebles and wobbles into new licenses". Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ^ Hartsock, Bug (2023-03-28). "PlayMonster and Hasbro Expand Partnership, Relaunch Weebles". The Toy Book. Retrieved 2024-07-11.