The 1997 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog aimed to excite readers about the newest slate of action figures and other toys. As Hasbro toured the country, they handed out a catalog filled with their newest selection of toys to dealers, vendors, and retailers. At the time, these catalogs were Hasbro’s best means of promoting their newest products to the stores. After witnessing the exciting new toys, representatives used these catalogs to order shipments of products to fill their shelves.
Now that Hasbro had full ownership of Kenner and their rich IPs, they could cash in on the newest wave of Star Wars mania rolling through the nation. Not only were the Special Editions of the Original Trilogy hitting theaters in 1997, but fans also knew that a prequel trilogy was on the way. So, Hasbro heavily emphasized Star Wars in this Catalog.
Beyond the excitement of Star Wars’ return to theaters, another blockbuster also loomed in 1997, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. As Kenner made the first series of Jurassic Park toys, Hasbro now had the chance to cash in with the sequel.
Furthermore, Beast Wars Transformers hit store shelves in 1996, ushering in a new era of Transformers action. With the backing of Mainframe Entertainment’s cartoon, the new line gained a new generation of fans. So, Hasbro continued to add to the line in 1997.
Otherwise, Hasbro promoted its other brands, such as G.I. Joe, MicroVerse, and VOR-Tech, so Hasbro continued to have a strong presence at the 1997 Toy Fairs.
Wheeljack’s Lab proudly presents high-definition scans of the 1997 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog featuring Beast Wars, Jurassic Park, and more.
Explore the pages of the 1997 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog
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About Our Hasbro Catalog Scans
To promote their upcoming slate of products, Hasbro handed out catalogs to attendees of toy fairs and other events. Each catalog was filled with information about their newest toys, even ones still in development. Thus, they often provided the first looks at action figures, playsets, vehicles, and more from their lines. Therefore, they have become valuable and rare collector’s items.
These Hasbro Toy Fair Catalogs featured toys from their beloved lines. For instance, the company was responsible for one of the most popular action figures of all time: G.I. Joe. They also partnered with Takara to bring the Transformers to the Western market. The company also dipped into the fantastical worlds of Air Raiders, Inhumanoids, and Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light. After Hasbro acquired Kenner, they also became the home of toy lines like Jurassic Park and Star Wars.
Hasbro used in-production prototypes in their images, as these catalogs were prepared before the lines were released. This meant that the featured toys often differed from the retail releases. Moreover, toys sometimes appeared only on these catalog pages, as they were canceled or never hit retail store shelves.
While Hasbro only handed these booklets out to trade professionals, we have now made them available to all. You can explore the toys featured in these catalogs with our Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog Scans. This is a rare treat since catalogs like these have become increasingly difficult to locate with each passing year.