Over 900 million pounds of PLAY-DOH compound made since 1956

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Jan. 31, 2006 -- The infinite number of shapes, the rainbow of colors and, of course, the memorable scent -- PLAY-DOH compound from Hasbro, Inc. has been a childhood staple since the early days of rock and roll and the introduction of television. Now 50 years young, and over 900 million pounds later, America's favorite modeling compound, once intended as wallpaper cleaner, continues to captivate the creative minds of millions of children across the globe.

"Few playthings bring back so many memories. From its feel to its memorable scent - there is only one PLAY-DOH compound," said Leigh Anne Cappello, vice president of marketing for Hasbro's creative play brands. "Even in our high-tech world, kids still enjoy rolling out PLAY-DOH snakes, mixing colors and making PLAY-DOH letters. After 50 years, PLAY-DOH remains a childhood rite of passage."

To honor the milestone birthday, Hasbro has planned a year-long 50th "birth-doh" party with opportunities for fans of all ages to join the celebration. The festivities kicked-off this month, giving consumers the chance to win a $50,000 grand prize as part of an instant-win promotion. Game pieces will be found inside eight different PLAY-DOH products (FUZZY PUMPER CRAZY CUTS, FUZZY PET PARLOR, DOGGY DOCTOR, 4-PACK ASSORTMENTS, PARTY PACK IN TUBE, PARTY PACK IN BAG, FUN FACTORY and PLAY-DOH BIRTHDAY PACK BUCKET) or can be obtained with no purchase necessary by request of Hasbro. In addition to the one grand prize, 10 first-prize winners will receive $2,500, and 500 second-prize winners will collect $50 online gift cards. The promotion ends on March 31 and redeeming prizes must be completed by April 28, 2006.

In February at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, Warren Brown, host of the Food Network show Sugar Rush, will "bake" a celebratory "birth-doh" cake, with PLAY-DOH compound as the main ingredient.

New PLAY-DOH birthday-themed product, available throughout the year, will allow kids to turn any time into a special occasion. The PLAY-DOH BIRTHDAY PACK BUCKET helps youngsters create the ultimate party, while the PLAY-DOH 50 COLORS gives children an endless number of creative options with 50 different-colored cans of compound, including six new colors! The birthday-themed products will have an approximate retail value of $9.99 and $12.99, respectively.

Other PLAY-DOH items available this year include the spring release of the FUZZY PUMPER® CRAZY CUTS, an updated version of the wildly popular FUZZY PUMPER BARBER & BEAUTY SHOP playset introduced in 1977 that allowed kids to "cut" and "comb" the boy or girl character's PLAY-DOH hair. The toy will be available for the approximate retail price of $9.99. Available this fall, the PLAY-DOH CREATIVITY CENTER gives "young artists" a fun working space to create, while making mom happy that PLAY-DOH time is contained and easier to clean-up. The CREATIVITY CENTER will be available for an approximate retail price of $29.99. Also, the PLAY-DOH ACTIVITY MATS make clean-up a snap with reusable or disposable easy-to-clean mats made especially for PLAY-DOH play time. The PLAY-DOH ACTIVITY MATS come with six PLAY-DOH colors and will be available this fall for $9.99. Each toy is recommended for kids ages 3 and up.

Also in celebration, the PLAY-DOH Web site, www.playdoh.com, recently re-launched with new features for kids, parents and teachers. On the site, parents and children can browse products and learn fun facts about PLAY-DOH. A new "Fresh Ideas" section supplies step-by-step instruction on how to make PLAY-DOH flowers, a rainbow and many other items, designed for novice and more advanced PLAY-DOH designers artist. "Fresh Ideas" helps transform any PLAY-DOH user into become a master sculptor and creative hero.

PLAY-DOH Through the Years

The story of PLAY-DOH® modeling compound begins in 1956 when scientists at Rainbow Crafts, a Cincinnati soap and cleaning compound company, stumbled upon a new use for the unique dough-like cleaning product. The company realized this product's potential as a child's modeling compound; and thus, the original, reusable PLAY-DOH compound was born. Throughout the ensuing decades, the new toy celebrated many milestones.

One year after its introduction, three colors - blue, yellow and red - were added to the PLAY-DOH line. Later in 1958, the three colors and the original white were packaged as a 4-Pack. The 4-Pack still remains one of the brand's best sellers today.

PLAY-DOH compound made additional strides in the 1960s and 1970s. In the '60s, two-ounce mini PLAY-DOH cans and the FUN FACTORY playset were introduced. Also in the '60s, PLAY-DOH compound expanded its distribution overseas. Then, in the 1970s, the all-time favorite FUZZY PUMPER BARBER AND BEAUTY SHOP playset was added to the line, while the brand hit a milestone with the 500th millionth can of PLAY-DOH compound sold.

The next two decades brought even more PLAY-DOH compound fun. The Rainbow 8-Pack, that included four bright colors and the original four, hit shelves in the 1980s. In 1986, the packaging changed from a cardboard container to a tightly sealed, easy-to-open plastic container. The new container ensured a longer life span for the product. The '90s gave kids Sparkling PLAY-DOH compound and Glow-in-the-Dark modeling clay. Also, gold- and silver-colored PLAY-DOH compound, along with PLAY-DOH moldable soap were introduced for the 40th birthday of the brand in 1996.

About HASBRO, Inc.

Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the United States, its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.