Gund is a Canadian-owned manufacturer of plush stuffed animals. The company is based in
Edison, New Jersey
Edison is a township located in Middlesex County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated in Central New Jersey within the core of the state's Raritan Valley region, Edison is a commercial hub, home to Menlo Park Mall and Little India. It ...
, and distributes throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, Japan, Australia, and South America. Gund is currently run by third generation family owner Bruce Raiffe whose grandfather Jacob Swedlin purchased the company from the original founder (Adolph Gund) in 1925. Their slogan is “Gotta Getta Gund”.
The company is best known for its line of
Teddy bear
A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy b ...
s, and holds or has held licensing agreements with companies such as
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...
,
Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter.
A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' in 1902, and subs ...
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Koganei, Tokyo."Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14. It is best known for its animated feature films, and h ...
,
Hello Kitty
, also known by her full name , is a fictional Character (arts), character created by Yuko Shimizu, currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi, and owned by the Japanese company Sanrio. Sanrio depicts Hello Kitty as an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphi ...
,
PAW Patrol
''PAW Patrol'' is a Canadian computer-animated children's television series, children's television series created by Keith Chapman. It is produced by Spin Master, Spin Master Entertainment, with animation provided by Guru Studio. In Canada, the ...
, and Toca Boca. It has won multiple awards during its 120+ years and was also the face of a
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
stamp. Gund is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey and currently a division of Spin Master, which acquired the company from
Enesco
Enesco (Enesco, LLC) is an American company specializing in the sales and distribution of giftware. The company was known as an industry leader as it carried the Precious Moments porcelain figurine line of products during the 1970s, 1980s, and 19 ...
in March 2018. In the 1980s, China became one of Gund's primary sources for stuffed toys.
History
1898–1925: Formation through retirement of Adolf Gund
Gund was founded in 1898 by Adolf Gund. He was born in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and resided in Norwalk, Connecticut before settling in New York City. He started Gund as a small toy and novelty company which was incorporated under the name Gund Manufacturing Company in 1910. In the early years, Gund used GEE as the company slogan in advertising on product labels. Gund produced its first products in loft factories around New York City. It moved from location to location as it expanded, starting off on
Third Avenue
Third Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, as well as in the center portion of the Bronx. Its southern end is at Astor Place and St. Mark's Place. It transitions into Cooper Square ...
and eventually moving to Ninth Street by 1922. The moves were all prompted by the need for larger manufacturing quarters.
In the early 1900s, Gund received numerous patents that introduced various mechanisms into plush toys. Once such patent was for what was described as a "springing dog." The design called for a mechanism to be placed inside the stuffed animal which would cause it to jump, "bringing it to life." Another patent was for a walking mechanism which allowed the plush to walk. One of the company's most notable patents was for a "ride-on duck" which was a duck for children to ride on. It had wheels that operated a working duck bill which moved up and down as the wheels turned. The ride-on duck was produced by Gund for approximately 10 years commencing in 1912. Gund also secured many other patents for toys such as the wind-up walking plush, dancing toys, and walking toys.
Gund created many of the industry standards in its early years, including safety standards and the manufacturing processes for toys. It continued to market its products under the moniker GEE up until the late 1920s, as evidenced in various advertisements in '' Playthings'' and other toy magazines. The company was eventually sold when Adolf Gund retired in 1925.
1925–1968: New ownership and expansion
During the early years of the company, Adolf Gund was the mentor to Jacob Swedlin, a Russian immigrant who came to the United States in 1907. Gund taught Swedlin to become a cutter and pattern maker, teaching him the ins and outs of the company. When Gund retired in 1925, he sold the company to Swedlin for $1,500. Swedlin brought his brothers Abe and John on board with the company, which began rapid expansion. Jacob oversaw design and production, Abe acted as the chief financial officer, and John ran sales and promotions.
Some of the most notable Gund products in the 1930s included its line of Easter Bunnies which continue to be one of its most popular products. It also introduced "puppy purses," a stuffed animal dog that doubled as a purse. Gund also became the first licensor of cartoon characters, producing plush toy versions of
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.Mickey Mouse,
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in 1919 by Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer during the silent film era. An anthropomorphic black cat with white eyes, a black body, and a giant grin, he was one of the most recognized cartoon characte ...
, and
Tigger
Tigger is a fictional character, an anthropomorphic stuffed tiger. He was originally introduced in the 1928 story collection '' The House at Pooh Corner'', the sequel to the 1926 book ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' by A. A. Milne. Like other Pooh char ...
. Its relationship with The Walt Disney Company began in 1947 and contributed to expansion of Gund. The deal with Disney allowed Gund to supply every major toy retailer in the United States with licensed Disney merchandise.
In the 1940s, Gund received trade mark registrations for two versions of its logos, both of which can be seen on its products during that time. One of the logos was a lower-case "g" with bunny ears which became synonymous with the company and its products. The popularity of the logo sparked the creation of a new plush character known as "Gundy." Gundy became the company mascot and grew into merchandising that included the "Gund Club."
During World War II in the early 1940s, Gund did not manufacture its products according to prior demand. To support the war effort, Gund only offered its products on a quota allotment. It also produced a doll in an army uniform as its way to encourage the purchase of war bonds. After the war, Gund began rapid expansion, releasing new products, including many new Disney characters in conjunction with the opening of Disneyland in California in 1955. It moved into a new manufacturing center in Brooklyn in 1957, a location that would produce its toys until 1974.
1969–1990: Further expansion and the Raiffe family
By 1969, Gund had become dependent on its licensing agreement with Disney for the majority of its business. Herbert Raiffe, the son-in-law of John Swedlin, became the company president in 1969 after Swedlin's passing. Raiffe began moving Gund away from its licensing agreements and shifted the focus to internal design. The company launched new products that included the "Bag Full of Laughs," a sound mechanism placed in a fabric sack and sewn into a plush.
During the 1970s, Gund expanded its product line by releasing toys and plush popular in other countries. This included beanies and Gonk toys. In 1972, Gund was able to expand again thanks to Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, two panda bears gifted to the United States from China as part of that country's
panda diplomacy
Panda diplomacy is the practice of sending giant pandas from China to other countries as a tool of diplomacy. From 1941 to 1984, China gifted pandas to other countries. After a change in policy in 1984, pandas were leased instead of gifted.
Im ...
efforts. The plush industry had a huge demand for panda stuffed animals, with Gund leading the way with manufacturing and distribution. Raiffe was credited by publications such as
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
for Gund marketing efforts of the bears.
The 1980s brought about one of Gund's most prominent branding campaigns, known as "Gotta Getta Gund." The campaign is credited as making Gund one of the most recognized toy companies in the United States. During this decade, Gund also expanded its offering of stuffed bears, releasing its collectible series of bears called the Signature Collection. Each bear was signed by Rita Raiffe, Gund's Director of Design, and sold in limited quantities. In 1986 it released 60 new items, the most ever since the company was formed.
1990–2014: 100th anniversary and postage stamp
In 1990, Gund appeared before a US Senate committee to lobby for extending most favoured nation (MFN) status to China, stating "the MFN duty status that China has enjoyed enabled China to become one of Gund's primary sources for stuffed toys".
In 1993, Bruce Raiffe became President of Gund. Prior to that time he served as the company's Marketing Director and later Vice President.
Gund celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998. As part of the celebration, Gund auctioned off a 100th anniversary bear which raised $100,000 for four children's charities. The bear was one-of-a-kind and purchased by Yoshihiro Sekiguchi who placed it in one of three
Teddy bear museum
A teddy bear museum is a museum about teddy bears. There are many teddy bear museums around the world.
The world's first Teddy Bear Museum was based in Petersfield, Hampshire, England. It was founded by Judy Sparrow in 1984, and housed a collecti ...
s he owned in Japan. It was the 100th anniversary of the
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
"teddy bear" that brought about Gund's next milestone. In 2002, the
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
used a 1948 teddy bear of Gund to grace a 37 cent stamp in honor of the event.
Gund entered into a licensing agreement with
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...
in 2003.
2008–present: Purchase by Enesco and beyond
Gund was purchased by
Enesco
Enesco (Enesco, LLC) is an American company specializing in the sales and distribution of giftware. The company was known as an industry leader as it carried the Precious Moments porcelain figurine line of products during the 1970s, 1980s, and 19 ...
, the giftware manufacturer best known for its line of Precious Moments figurines. Gund joined Enesco's other recently purchased brands which included Boyds Bears, Our Name is Mud, philoSphie's and Jubilee Art. Bruce Raiffe remained with the company on a consultant type basis, but returned in 2011 when he was again appointed president of Gund.
Gund continued to take on new licensing agreements after being purchased by Enesco. One of the most notable was that for the Uglydolls line of plush toys, which it signed in 2012. The same year it signed an agreement for '' Boo, the World's Cutest Dog''. It also added ''
Grumpy Cat
Tardar Sauce (April 4, 2012 – May 14, 2019), nicknamed Grumpy Cat, was an American Internet celebrity cat. She was known for her permanently "grumpy" facial appearance, which was caused by an underbite and feline dwarfism. She came to promi ...
'' in 2013 and '' Pusheen'' in 2014.
Gund went through rebranding in late 2015. It included a redesigned logo that reflects its signature plush toys. This new identity system was designed by a NYC-based digital branding agency Cynda Media Lab, and it received several national and international design awards, including 2016 Communication Arts Design Annual Award, 2017 HOW Logo Design Award, 2017 iF Design Award, and 2017 A'Design Award. It also released more than 200 new items as part of its 2016 campaign. It was in late 2015 that Enesco was purchased by private equity fund Balmoral Funds.
Gund's most recent campaign is for a charitable cause that involves "giving huggable joy to children in need," and incorporating social media with the hashtag #howdoyouhug.
Products
Gund is the manufacturer of plush stuffed animals. It sells over 1500 products including Gund, Baby Gund, Gund Bears, Gund Snuffles teddy bears, and Gund Holiday. Gund is known for under-stuffing their products to make them softer than competing teddy bears. One of Gund's most popular bears is Snuffles, a plush the company launched in 1981. Snuffles was one of the first plushes to contain soft stuffing, which began a trend in the industry. "Snuffles has been a beloved Gund teddy bear for over 30 years, with its popular crescent moon design." Some of Gund's popular products include Philbin, Peek-a-boo bear, Spunky, My First Teddy, and Sesame Street Elmo. GUND also makes Pusheen Plushies available at Pusheen.com.
Awards and recognition
Gund has received numerous awards throughout the company history, including multiple Tillywig awards and American International Toy Fair awards.
* 2016 Tillywig Award: Sleepy Seas Soothing Turtle
* 2016 Top Fun Tillywig Award: Flappy the Elephant
* 2016 Top Fun Tillywig Award: Rock A Bye Bear
* 2015 TOBY Industry Choice Award: Big Boe
* 2015 TOBY Industry Choice Award: Roswel
* 2015 TOBY People's Choice Award: Big Boe
* 2014 TOBY Industry Choice Award: Cannoli Cream