Terry Bros Harvard Case
Rev. July 3,1985
Terry Brothers (A)
Terry Brothers Terry Brothers manufactured and sold a broad line of toys and games including highly popular board games under such trademarks as "Monopoly," "Clue," and "Risk," children's games such as "Peter Rabbit," and "Winnie the Pooh," and card games such as "Rook." In addition, Terry Brothers produced action games, "Nerf" toys and balls, electronic toys and strategy games for older children and adults. In 1978 Terry Brothers produced over 75 toy and game items and reached sales of just over $82 million. The company was the seventh-largest game and toy company in the United States following Mattel, Fisher-Price, Milton-Bradley, Kenner, Hasbro, and Ideal. The company was generally regarded as an industry leader with respect to product quality, product innovation, and financial performance. It took Terry Brothers 95 years to reach its leadership position in the industry. The company was founded in 1883 by George Augustus Terry (then a high school boy) who invented, developed, and sold a board game called "Banking." The game was a success and before he graduated from high school George Terry brought out an additional successful board game called "Famous Men." As an adult, Mr. Terry continued to develop new games, and keyed each new addition to his product line to topical subjects of the day. The Spanish-American War period, for example, spurred the development of "Military Game," "War in Cuba," "The Siege of Havana," and "Hold the Fort." The excitement of the Yukon gold rush led to the introduction of "Klondike." Between 1900 and the Great Depression of the 1930s, Mr. Terry introduced puzzles and board games, invented ping-pong and popularized Mah-Jongg. By 1932 Terry Brothers reached $500,000 annually. In 1933 Charles Darrow, an unemployed heating engineer, invented a real estate board game for his own diversion that ultimately had a major impact on Terry Brothers. Terry Brothers purchased the rights to the game in
Terry Brothers (A)
Terry Brothers Terry Brothers manufactured and sold a broad line of toys and games including highly popular board games under such trademarks as "Monopoly," "Clue," and "Risk," children's games such as "Peter Rabbit," and "Winnie the Pooh," and card games such as "Rook." In addition, Terry Brothers produced action games, "Nerf" toys and balls, electronic toys and strategy games for older children and adults. In 1978 Terry Brothers produced over 75 toy and game items and reached sales of just over $82 million. The company was the seventh-largest game and toy company in the United States following Mattel, Fisher-Price, Milton-Bradley, Kenner, Hasbro, and Ideal. The company was generally regarded as an industry leader with respect to product quality, product innovation, and financial performance. It took Terry Brothers 95 years to reach its leadership position in the industry. The company was founded in 1883 by George Augustus Terry (then a high school boy) who invented, developed, and sold a board game called "Banking." The game was a success and before he graduated from high school George Terry brought out an additional successful board game called "Famous Men." As an adult, Mr. Terry continued to develop new games, and keyed each new addition to his product line to topical subjects of the day. The Spanish-American War period, for example, spurred the development of "Military Game," "War in Cuba," "The Siege of Havana," and "Hold the Fort." The excitement of the Yukon gold rush led to the introduction of "Klondike." Between 1900 and the Great Depression of the 1930s, Mr. Terry introduced puzzles and board games, invented ping-pong and popularized Mah-Jongg. By 1932 Terry Brothers reached $500,000 annually. In 1933 Charles Darrow, an unemployed heating engineer, invented a real estate board game for his own diversion that ultimately had a major impact on Terry Brothers. Terry Brothers purchased the rights to the game in