Chia Petsare American styledterracottafigurinesused to sproutchia,where the chiasproutsgrow within a couple of weeks to resemble the animal's fur or hair.[1][2]Moistened chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) are applied to a grooved terracotta figurine.[2]
 | |
| Product type | Terracottafigurine |
|---|---|
| Owner | Joseph Enterprises |
| Produced by | Mexico China |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1977 |
| Markets | International |
| Tagline | Watch It Grow! |
| Website | chia.com |
 | |
| An alligator Chia Pet | |
The Chia Pet was marketed and popularized by Joseph Pedott.[3]Pedott first learned about "something called the Chia Pet" being imported from Oaxaca, Mexico, when he attended a housewares show in Chicago in 1977. Negotiating the rights from importer Walter Houston, Pedott began marketing Chia Pets in the US.[1]
The first Chia Pet was created on September 8, 1977.[4][5]A trademark registration was filed on Monday, October 17, 1977.[6]They were produced by Pedott'sSan Francisco-based company,Joseph Enterprises, Inc.,[1]which was purchased by National Entertainment Collectibles Association in 2018.[7]They achieved popularity in the 1980s following the 1982 release of aram,the first widely distributed Chia Pet.[5]Originally made in Mexico, Chia Pets are now produced in China.[1]
Thecatchphrasesung in theTV commercialas the plant grows intime lapseis "Ch-ch-ch-chia!" This catchphrase originated at an agency brainstorming meeting, where one of the individuals present pretended to stutter the product name.[1]As of 2019, approximately 15 million Chia Pets were sold annually with most sales during the holiday season.[1][2]In 2000, a Chia Pet was included inside a New York Times time capsule to be opened in the year 3000.[1]
A range of generic animals has been produced, including a turtle, pig, puppy, kitten, frog, andhippopotamus.Cartooncharactershave also been licensed, includingGarfield,Scooby-Doo,Looney Tunes,Shrek,The Simpsons,andSpongeBob.[4]Additionally, there are Chia Pets depicting real people, includingBarack ObamaandBob Ross.[4]
References
- ^abcdefgEdwards, Owen (2007-12-01)."Chia Pet".Smithsonian Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-04-27.Retrieved2020-08-24.
- ^abc"An American Icon: the Chia Pet".Chia.com.Archived fromthe originalon June 25, 2020.
- ^Traub, Alex (2023-06-30)."Joseph Pedott, 91, Dies; Made Chia Pets an 'as Seen on TV' Sensation".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2023-07-04.
- ^abc"Chia Products".Chia.com.Archived fromthe originalon August 9, 2011.Retrieved2012-01-10.
- ^ab"Green Space: It's beginning to look a lot like Chia, everywhere you go".The MetroWest Daily News.Framingham, MA. December 11, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon March 25, 2012.Retrieved2012-01-10.
- ^CHIA PET – Reviews & Brand Information – Encap Products Company Mt. Prospect, IL – Serial Number: 73144986.Socialmedia.trademarkia.com. Retrieved on 2012-01-10.
- ^Pizzutillo, Rich (2018-02-16)."Hillside's NECA buys creators of Chia Pet, Clapper".ROI-NJ.Retrieved2023-07-04.
External links
