FurReal
Product typeRobotic pets
OwnerHasbro
CountryUnited States
Introduced2002 (2002)
MarketsFurby

FurReal Friends (later furReal in 2017) is a toy brand division of Hasbro and formerly of Tiger Electronics and Dreamright Toys[1] created in 2002 focusing on robotic pets.[2] FurReal toys widely vary in style and size, depicting different domesticated animals, wild animals, and legendary creatures as robotic toys. They are usually small enough to be held, but have been manufactured large enough for children to sit on.[2] Each furReal robotic toy moves to a degree.

Two slogans were "They love you for real, furReal Friends"[3] and, for 2013, "My best friends are FurReal Friends". In 2017, "Make every day magical" was used on Hasbro's furReal webpage.[4]

Products

FurReal are animatronic replications of creatures and animals, and are marketed as an alternative to live pets. The toys seek to emulate the behaviors of common pets, including horses, cats, rabbits and dogs.[1] Toys designed to represent wildlife include elephants, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and bears.[1] There are also models of extinct animals such as dinosaurs,[5] and mythical creatures like unicorns[6] and dragons.[7]

The toys come with an "adoption certificate," that can be filled in with the owner's name and the name of the furReal "pet."[8][9]

The first furReal Friend was simply called "Cat,"[2] and was referred to as female in her 2003 instruction manual. She had sensors in her head, right cheek, left cheek, shoulders, back, and tail. Cat would mimic sleeping and could be woken up by having the top of her head scratched. If not played with or petted for three to five minutes, she would shut down.[10]

Over the years, the toys became more complex and could accomplish a variety of actions. As of 2023, furReal toys' features can include mimicking eating, sleeping, urinating and defecating, as well as walking, grooming, playing music, making sounds and lighting up.[11]

Notable Models

In 2006, was Butterscotch Pony: an animatronic pony large enough for small children to sit on. A halter, brush, and toy carrot were included. When sat upon, Butterscotch would "move her head up and down, blink her eyes, and twitch her ears while making soft sounds," according to the toy's manual.[12] Butterscotch was designed with an assortment of sound effects that mimicked those of live horses. It was followed in 2007 by a second animatronic pony named S'mores[13] of slightly higher quality and with more sound effects.

Zambi, a robotic baby elephant, was intended for charitable sales in 2009.[14] The instruction manual thanked the buyer for "adopting" the special edition toy, which also came with a bracelet.[15] Purchases of Zambi supported a charitable fund called Project Zambi, which aimed to benefit children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.[15][16] The Project Zambi Celebrity Charity Auction, in collaboration with eBay, auctioned off Zambi elephant toys signed by celebrities. The event took place over 10 days, beginning on October 5, 2009. Jaden and Willow Smith were celebrity ambassadors for the fund.[17]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Top 10 FurReal Friends of 2019 - Video Review". wiki.ezvid.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Frank Green (19 December 2002). "No-toy story: Must-have goodies mostly not there". sandiegouniontribune.com/. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2019-03-10. Retrieved 19 Sep 2023.
  3. ↑ "FurReal friends". newboy.com. NewBoy. 2014. Archived from the original on 2020-01-20. Retrieved 19 Sep 2023.
  4. ↑ "FurReal". hasbro.com. Hasbro. Archived from the original on 2017-02-19. Retrieved 19 Sep 2023.
  5. ↑ "furReal Munchin' Rex". hasbro.com. Hasbro. 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  6. ↑ "FurReal". furreal.hasbro.com. Hasbro. Archived from the original on 2022-03-15. Retrieved 19 Sep 2023.
  7. ↑ "FIND YOUR FURREAL FRIEND INSIDE THE FURREAL FRIEND PET STORE!". hasbro.com. Hasbro. 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-02-25. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  8. ↑ Hasbro (2004). "Hasbro FurReal Friends Adoption Certificate 2004". archive.org. Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  9. ↑ Hasbro (2009). "Hasbro FurReal Friends Adoption Certificate 2009". archive.org. Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  10. ↑ Hasbro (2003). "Hasbro FurReal Friends Cat 66492 Instruction Manual 2003". archive.org. Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  11. ↑ Hasbro (20 Sep 2023). "MEET THE MUST-HAVE FURREAL PETS". hasbro.com. Hasbo. Archived from the original on 2023-09-20. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  12. ↑ Hasbro (2006). "Hasbro FurReal Friends Butterscotch Pony 76471 user manual". archive.org. Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  13. ↑ Hasbro (2007). "S'mores Pony FurReal Friends (77422)" (PDF). instructions.hasbro.com. Hasbro. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  14. ↑ "FurReal Zambi Elephant". furrealzambi.co.uk/. Electronic Pets Ltd. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-10-17. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  15. 1 2 Hasbro (2009). "Hasbro FurReal Friends Zambi the Baby Elephant 91345/913440900 Instruction Manual 2009". archive.org. Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  16. ↑ "Project Zambi". projectzambi.org. Hasbro. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-11-16. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
  17. ↑ In Touch Staff (5 Feb 2014). "Jaden and Willow Smith support Project Zambi". intouchweekly.com. In Touch. Retrieved 20 Sep 2023.
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