It’s amazing how a simple smell can take you back in time.

Want proof?

Head to the store, buy a package of Play-Doh, and open up a can.

Close your eyes and take a whiff.

I’m betting that fragrance time-travels you back to childhood to a happy place where you’re surrounded by a menagerie of Play-Doh creations… Dinosaurs. Airplanes. Foods.  All colors, sizes, and shapes.

That special “Play-Doh” aroma has captured millions, billions since it first hit store shelves in 1956.

Originally created and marketed as wallpaper cleaner, a savvy family member and nursery school teacher discovered that children LOVED playing with the nontoxic goop. This revelation led to a major shift in business strategy.

Now owned by Hasbro, Play-Doh has sold more than 3 BILLION cans worldwide. And the product line has grown to include Play-Doh Touch, Play-Doh Shape & Learn, even Doh-Vinci – an arts and crafts kit that replaces paint with you-know-what.

There’s an urban legend that claims if you took all the cans ever sold and rolled out a snake, it would stretch around the world 300 times.

When first introduced, Play-Doh only came in white but quickly branched out to include the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. Today you can find colors like Purple Paradise, Rose Red, and many more, including glittery and metallic versions.

Of course, after repeated usage and blendings, it turns into the all-too-familiar brown beige we all recognize as the signal to buy a new box.

What gives Play-Doh that endearing aroma is a secret blend of flour, salt, borax, and mineral oil.  Not only does this scent recapture childhood, it’s led Hasbro to introduce a 50th anniversary, limited edition cologne.

Play-Doh represents the best in boundless creativity and innovation – they literally turned wallpaper cleaner into imagination and fun.

It takes similar imagination to craft a financial plan that secures your future regardless of how the market winds blow. But that’s a challenge we find fun. Give us a call at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online to set up your free portfolio review today.

Regards,
Dan Cuprill, CFP®