By 1959 America was watching Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Perry Mason and Father Knows Best. Gas was 30 cents a gallon, a stamp was 4 cents and the minimum wage was 1.00 per hour. It was a time when an entire family would sit around their small black and white television set and watch their favorite program together. When one of these Barbie commercials came on the air, all little girls dreamed about was to own just one of these beautiful dolls and maybe even one of their amazing outfits! The first commercial for Barbie aired on the Mickey Mouse Club in 1959. Barbie was the very first toy to be marketed on television in the United States directly to children, which they did by sponsoring children's television shows. Before that, the first toy to be in advertised on television was on April 30th, 1952 and it was Mr. Potato Head.
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At one time I had links for many of the commercials, but changes don't allow that anymore. You will now have to go to U-tube and search for them on your own. It's sure fun to watch them!