Rubba Ducks

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Rubba Ducks (founded by Mark Boldt) is an American rubber duck manufacturing company. It is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States.^[1][2]

History[edit]

The idea for the character-based Rubba Ducks was hatched from the founder, Mark Boldt's then 4 year old daughter Savannah in 1996.^[3][2] The company was founded in 1997 with the name The Duck Group, LLC and was first introduced in Boldt's national children's magazine "Surprises." The sales of Rubba Ducks soar in the following year.^[4][5]

It was then launched as Pre- Christmas Rubba Ducks at retail to Spencer's stores in 1999. It had sold through all inventory within two weeks. In 2000, Rubba Duck was sent as samples to the Vice President of Marketing at Toy's R Us for retail consideration who recommended to Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin Donuts to use the Rubba Ducks at their company's rubber duck race. In 2000, Rubba Duck was initially licensed to Commonwealth Toy company. It was the toy everyone was talking about when introduced to market at the North American International Toy Fair in 2001.^[6] Rubba Ducks made even a bigger splash when introduced to the European market in 2003 with a specially designed Ducktoberfest duck for the famous Oktoberfest festival in Munich, Germany.

Description[edit]

It was the first company in the world to introduce characterized ducks. The company introduced over 220 characters with unique names and backstories to collect. ^[3] Since its inception, the company has manufactured personalities from occupations, team sports, life events, seasonal and Original Cheesheads.

Production process[edit]

Rubba Ducks utilizes a roto-molding manufacturing technology offering flexibility and precision to facilitate complex contours and a variety of shapes and sizes. Mark Boldt along with a team of sculptors and tool-makers oversee the development of new resins and the creation of each mold.

Awards and recognition[edit]

In 2013, the original Rubber Duck was introduced to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Rubba Ducks was awarded Dr. Toy's "Best Classic" Award in 2015 in Dr. Toy's best classic products program. Rubba Ducks was awarded the 2016 Family Choice Award, recognizing the best in Children's and parenting products.

Rubba Ducks was mentioned in magazines such as The Washington Post, Detroit Free Press, Asbury Park Press and The Orlando Sentinel. It had also been mentioned in newspapers such as Chicago Tribune, Cincinnati Enquirer, The Arizona Republic, Nashville Tennessean.

The company also generated featured segments on WCBS-TV "CBS Evening News," "Good Day Philadelphia", and placements on CNBC "The Edge," WNBC-TV's "Today in New York Week-End," NBC TV’s “Friends,” ABC TV’s “Judging Amy,” the snydicated “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and HBO’s series “Sex and the City.”

Popularity[edit]

Rubba Ducks have been found year-to-year in the Awards show's gift bags at the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards and the CMA's. Specific duck styles were used as welcome gifts for baby showers of Britney Spears and Tori Spelling and for Paris Hilton's guests at her 2007 Vegas birthday party.

Rubba Ducks in Mass retailers/chains[edit]

• 1999 - Spencer's
• 2001 -2004, Toy's R Us, ^[6] Target Corporation, KayBee Toys, Kmart, Drug Emporium, Snyder's Drug Stores, Hallmark stores, FAO Schwarz
• 2004 – 2009, Gift Specialty Stores (12,000 to 15,000 locations)
• 2010 – 2012, Mass Retailers, Toy's R Us, Walgreens
• 2013 – Present, Gift Specialty Stores (3,000 locations)

Rubba Ducks Custom Ducks[edit]

• 2001 – Rubba Ducks produced 24 unique ducks for Dept 56. 96,000 ducks.
• 2001 – D.Cure Breast Cancer Duck – 200,000 for General Motors
• 2001 – D.Cure Breast Cancer Duck – 25,000 for General Mills/Yoplait.
• 2002 – MGM Mirage – Liberduck, Hero and P.D 25,000 ducks
• 2002 – Pink/KIIS-FM Radio/Target – Baby Pink duck giveaway 5,000 ducks
• 2003 – Octoberfest, Ducktoberfest – 25,000
• 2003 – Duck T, - German Masters/Golf Club Gut Larchenhof 15,000 ducks
• 2004 – Schlicting – Munich Custom Baby Pink & Baby Blue ducks 10,000 ducks
• 2004 – Kaldewei GmbH 20,000 Duckspa’s
• 2004 – Spedicam 20,000 Duckspa & Baby Pink ducks
• 2004 – Ludwig Beck Promotion – Duckspa 5,040 ducks
• 2004 - Douglas Parfumerien - Duckspa 15,000 ducks
• 2004 – Octoberfest, Ducktoberfest and Duckvaria 50,000 ducks
• 2006 – World Cup, Germany – Duckerball 50,000 ducks
• 2007 – Grand Elysee Hotel, Germany – Concierge 5,000 ducks
• 2015 – The BoatHouse, Downtown Disney – Mr & Mrs. Quack Craft, Amphiduck 15,000 ducks
• 2016 – Cheesehead – Dairy Duck, Duckskin, Greenbay Duckskin 15,000 ducks
• 2017 – US Open Erin Hills – Duck T. with Cheesehead 5,000 ducks
• 2017 – Iowa Speedway Nascar#74 Mike Harmon – Ducktona 5,000 ducks

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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