Pillow People: A Kids Nighttime Friend
The ancestor of today’s Pillow Pets, Pillow People arere introduced in 1986. With the merchandising trade in full swing, Pillow People proved there was room in the market for regular, non-television or movie-based toys. The standard-sized pillows had a cartoon character printed on them. Each had attached legs, hands, and arms, and occasionally hair or a hat depending on their theme. They weren’t technically toys; most Pillow People sold in home décor departments instead of the toy aisle, but kids didn’t care. Pillow people earned its producer Spring Industries and PSE Marketing $120 million over its initial run. The pillows didn’t escape the merchandising craze for long; Pillow People became a line of bedding, figurines, books, and a Christmas television special. Pillow People had a resurgence in the mid-1990s when Best Brands re-issued six of the characters, and again in 2022 with another limited re-issue.