From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oobi (toy)
Oobi (toy)
Oobi was a toy, invented by Larry Reiner and test-mar- West Coast and the Northeast, and has been described as
keted by Parker Brothers in 1971[1], that was intended to the toy company’s "wildest failure".[4]
pass a message to a recipient relying on "the kindness of
strangers"[2] as transport.
Physically, an Oobi is a bright orange oblong spheroid
References
with a slit, an addressing area, and big painted-on eyes. [1] Philip E. Orbanes, The Game Makers: The Story of
They were sold in packs of three. The original purchaser Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit,
was to write an address on the address area, place a fold- Harvard Business School Press, 2003, ISBN
ed message inside, and leave the toy somewhere public to 978-1591392699
be found. Instructions to the finder were written on the [2] Oobiland’s picture of the 3-pack
Oobi’s top: "I’m oobi. I contain a message to another hu- [3] Oobiland’s top view of an oobi.
man being. Please further my journey an inch, a foot, or [4] Parker Brothers, 90 Years of Fun: The History of the
a mile. Add a note, if you wish. Then help me to the next Parker Brothers, 1973
nice person like yourself! I’m on my way to ... Please don’t
confine me to a mailbox."[3]
In spite of television advertisements and its slogan
External links
"oobi means love" it never caught on during trials on the • Oobiland, an unofficial Oobi history website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oobi_(toy)&oldid=362306338"
Categories:
• Toys of the 1970s
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