Pressman Toy Corporation, which Goliath acquired in 2014, is honouring the value of family playtime with its 100th anniversary celebrations. 

Pressman Toy Corporation, one of the world’s oldest family-owned toy and game companies, is celebrating 100 years of family playtime. Over the past century, the American company has seen great success with many of its best-selling games, including Rummikub and Mastermind. In addition, Pressman has paved the way for empowering women as leaders, especially among other leading companies within the industry. Goliath bought Pressman back in 2014, and today the Pressman portfolio is managed and nurtured by a passionate team of games experts.

Founded in 1922, Pressman expanded from classic games in eye-catching red boxes to focus on product licensing, developing and marketing best-selling games. From humble beginnings working in his father’s novelty store, Jack Pressman ultimately became partner at the North American Toy Company – later to become J. Pressman & Company. Jack proved his leadership ability when the company started to experience demand for one of its products, the Zellopiano, an original toy-size hybrid of a xylophone and a piano.

Another driving force in the company was Jack’s wife, Lynn Pressman. Following Jack’s death, Lynn took over as president in 1959, becoming one of the first female executives of a toy company.

Lynn led the way in advertising toys and games on television, pioneering the development of tie-ins to popular television shows and stars. She was known for her elaborate theme parties and Barnum-style publicity stunts. One of her notable publicity activities centred around building buzz for ‘Names and Faces’ and ‘Things and Places’, two of Pressman’s new memory games. In a nod to the game’s core experience, she arranged for an elephant to appear in front of the Toy Building in Manhattan during the annual Toy Fair.

In 1977, Lynn handed over her role as president to her and Jack’s son, Jim Pressman. Jim took the already successful company and skyrocketed the trajectory of the Pressman brand through the licensing of the home version of the TV show, Wheel of Fortune.

Jim noted: “Within a year, we had shipped 2m units of the standard game, which was enough to make it the No.1 game in the country. It was a historic moment for the company. As president, I went on to license more than a dozen games from TV shows.”

Since that milestone, Pressman has introduced millions of Americans to the joys of innovative game experiences all while promoting global learning with STEM and educational products. The current Pressman collection ranges from licensed products, puzzles and family games to skill-and-action toys and much more.

In 2014, after 37 years, Jim Pressman sold the company to Goliath Group.

“Goliath is proud of Pressman’s 100 years of rich history of creating unmatched game experiences that have provided happiness to so many families over the years,” said Jochanan Golad, CEO of Goliath Group. “Pressman understands the fundamentals that both drive success in the toy industry and touch children’s lives. We look forward to continuing the legacy that can only be measured in smiles.”

Jim Pressman and his wife Donna have written a new book with never-before-shared stories from Pressman’s 100-year legacy. ‘A Century of American Toys & Games: The Story of Pressman Toy’ is out on 29th November from Abbeville Press.

To learn more, visit www.pressmantoy.com.