How Pogo Skyrocketed to Selling 475,000 Units in a Single Year.

Do you know that the world record for the highest Pogo Stick Jump is about 10ft?

George Hansburg

There is Controversy for who is the Inventor of Pogo Stick. However modern-day Pogo Stick is credited to George Hansburg.

As the Story Goes. George Hansburg got this idea when he was traveling through Burma, where he saw a farmer with a daughter named Pogo, who wanted to go to the temple every day but didn’t have shoes for the long walk through the mud and rocks.

So her father built a jumping stick for her, and that is how the first pogo stick came to being.

1919 George Hansburg he patented the idea.

6 Factors Behind Pogo's Insanely Viral Popularity

  1. Innovative Design and Evolution: The pogo stick’s design evolved it becoming safer, more durable, and capable of higher jumps, which allowed kids use it.
  2. Accessibility and Ease of Use: The Pogo offered a unique form of entertainment, combining physical activity with play & compared to other action sports equipment, pogo sticks are was affordable and easy to use.
  3. Events: Extreme sports also contributed to its jump in sales for the brand, Events such as extreme pogo, or Xpogo, played a significant role in the viral success.
  4. Used By Professional and Entertainers: Circuses started featuring pogo sticks as a central act enhancing their appeal.
  5. Marketing and Branding: Companies like Vurtego, Flybar, and Razor designed for extreme Pogo, cater to a specific audience leading to increased sales in this segment.
  6. Publicity Stunts: The pogo stick was often featured in media where people attempted to break world records for the longest time bouncing or the highest jump.

Using this Pogo Stick was able to sell 475,000 units in a single year.

But All Good Things Must Come to an End.

The Decline of Pogo Sticks By the late 1980s and early 1990s marked a significant shift in children’s entertainment.

Stunt from XPogo Event

Here are the 6 things that led to Pogos Sticks Decline.

  1. Safety Concerns: - Pogo is physically demanding toy and safety concerns arose, and injuries from falls or improper use did not help it case.
  2. Regulations:
    - Stricter safety standards and regulations for children’s toys meant that the Pogo Stick had to undergo redesigns, which have impacted its appeal or functionality.
  3. Economic Factors: - Adapting to safety standards involved a lot of redesign and associated costs which made it less profitable for manufacturers.
  4. Fad Nature of Toy Industry: - The toy industry is known for its cyclical trends, where kids attention spans shifts until a new toys comes along, the made it difficult to sustain long-term growth.
  5. Competition from New Toys and Technology: Especially of video games and digital platforms the preference for indoor play over traditional outdoor activities contributed to declining in interest.

For Many of us Pogo sticks still evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of our childhood, the good news is we can still get them on Amazon.

Subscribe to Beyond Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest Newsletter right to your inbox every week.

By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get access to growth hacks, expert interviews, and evidence-backed advice every week, Exclusive Downloadable Templates and Data Bases.

By clicking Sign Up you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.