Snorks
Hanna-Barbera was on a roll in the 80s with the introduction of the Snorks. Snorks were tiny underwater creatures that lived in Snorkland. They have round heads capped with a tubular snorkel that helps them move rapidly through the water. But each Snork was easily identifiable; they were distinct colors, with different facial features, and wore different clothes. Each Snork embodied their own personality traits. The show ran for four years, and in the grand tradition of their successors, the Smurfs, were heavily marketed as toys and other gear. The figurines were collectable and tradeable. They were on sleeping bags, notebooks, bedding, and T-shirts, and just the right form to become plush toys. The success of Star Wars, Smurfs, and Snorks proved that in the 80s, toys, television, and movies were almost indistinguishable. Even the greeting card industry was getting in on the “cute and marketable character” game.