Tonka toys turns 75 years old this year

Just after World War II, three Minnesotans who wanted to manufacture garden tools founded Mound Metalcraft in the basement of a local schoolhouse. In 1947, they acquired a competing company and inherited a toy steam shovel in the process. This gave them the idea of making toys. Using pressed steel, they designed a digger and a working “crane and clam.” After selling 37,000 units in the first year, the founders abandoned garden equipment and concentrated on making toys. They also changed the company name to “Tonka,” after nearby Lake Minnetonka

the addition of a new logo created by Erling Eklof, the company began selling metal toys, which soon became the primary business. The logo was based on a University of Minnesota drafting student's sketch by Donald B. Olson, who later became the company's Chief Industrial Engineer. The logo used the Dakota Sioux word tanka, which means "great" or "big".

 In November, 1955, Mound Metalcraft changed its name to Tonka Toys Incorporated. The logo at this time was an oval, showing the Tonka Toys name in red above waves, honoring nearby Lake Minnetonka.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonka

Tonka's success resulting in branching out, adding semis, wreckers, dump trucks, fire trucks, and forklifts. While earning a reputation for durability and realism, Tonka kept up with changes in real-life construction and transportation. 

The company introduced pick-ups in 1955, a Jeep in 1962, and the bright yellow Mighty Dump Truck in 1965. The latter became Tonka’s best-selling toy for the rest of the century. 

The success of these trucks encouraged Tonka to expand its line, which it did with a parade of dump trucks, livestock vans, wreckers, haulers, and fire trucks. Some of these toys were smaller than Tonka's regular line, so they were called Mini Tonkas, while the Mighty Tonka series, which began in 1964,debuted with the Mighty Tonka Dump. At 11 pounds, this was a toy truck to be reckoned with, durable enough for a small child to sit on.

Hasbro acquired the company in 1991.

https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/tonka-trucks/

Shaq is helping with the ad campaign ( I like Shaq, I think he's a blast, and I like Tonka... so, standing ovation for whoever realized what a great idea this was to ask him to be in the marketing!)

the video that DVI made https://www.thedvigroup.com/video-productions/together-we-tonka-commercial  https://www.facebook.com/thedvigroup

the festivities began in March, with the Together We Tonka photo contest. 

Families were invited to share their favorite Tonka photos from the ‘40s to today, and the top 75 will be featured in Tonka’s Big Birthday Bash. (I'd like to post a link to that, but, a fast look around turned up no marketing for Tonka...so, no dice, it would have been epic to see people's old family photo album pictures of kids playing with Tonkas in the 50s and 60s)

Honoring the PAST

Retro Tonka Steel Classic Bulldozer (available now): Made with cold-rolled steel, this sturdy 12.5" long Bulldozer can move dirt and gravel with the articulated blade. Designed to last, it features working treads for realistic construction play.

 Commemorative 1968 Tonka Mighty Dump Truck (available this Summer): Part of a limited series inspired by the earlier years, this special edition celebrates the 1968 Mighty Dump Truck and features a fire red cab, articulated golden dump bed made of cold-rolled steel, original markings, and the commemorative 75th Anniversary badge.

https://www.thetoyinsider.com/tonka-trucks-75-anniversary-celebration/

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tonka-celebrates-75-years-as-an-icon-of-vehicle-play-301490826.html

Tonka collectors facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/2666121113680496/

This post took an hour. It was a struggle, but damn I love the challenge of making a good post that represents my admiration or love for a topic. 

if you want to collect something that is durable, fun, and long lasting... well, you're looking at it

and you can look at one website that is doing something similar to Bring a Trailer, but for Tonka

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/model-cars/tonka