Mega Brands

Mega Brands, Inc., formerly Mega Bloks, Inc., is a Canadian children's toy company currently owned by Mattel. Mega Bloks is the name of their most popular product, a line of construction set toys, with other brands including Mega Puzzles, Board Dudes and Rose Art. Mega Brands, Inc. distributes a range of toys, puzzles, and craft-based products.

History

In 1967, Victor Bertrand and his wife Rita founded the company as Ritvik Toys, Inc. (a portmanteau word based on a combination of Rita and Victor). Ritvik was amalgamated with Ritvik Holdings Inc. on June 30, 1998. On March 19, 2002, the name was changed from Ritvik Holdings Inc. to Mega Bloks, Inc. Currently, the founders' sons Vic Bertrand Jr. and Marc Bertrand are CIO and CEO, respectively.

In 1991, the company decided to start producing LEGO compatible bricks under the brand Mega Bloks.

On June 15, 2006, following the acquisition of several brand names not associated with construction brick toys, the company again changed its name, this time from Mega Bloks, Inc. to Mega Brands, Inc.

Mega

Mega or MEGA may refer to:

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SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. The series chronicles the adventures and endeavors of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The series' popularity has made it a media franchise, as well as the highest rated series to ever air on Nickelodeon, and the most distributed property of MTV Networks. The media franchise has generated $8 billion in merchandising revenue for Nickelodeon.

Many of the ideas for the series originated in an unpublished educational comic book titled The Intertidal Zone, which Hillenburg created in 1989. He began developing SpongeBob SquarePants into a television series in 1996 upon the cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life, and turned to Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on that series, to voice the titular character. SpongeBob was originally going to be named SpongeBoy, and the series was to be called SpongeBoy Ahoy!, but these were both changed, as the name was already trademarked.

Krusty Krab

The Krusty Krab is a fictional fast food restaurant in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It was founded by Mr. Krabs (who is also the owner), and is famous for its Krabby Patty burgers. The restaurant was first seen in the pilot episode "Help Wanted" and has since become a common setting in the series. Aside from SpongeBob SquarePants, the Krusty Krab has also appeared in the show's two film adaptations, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015), and in other related media.

Role in SpongeBob SquarePants

The Krusty Krab is a restaurant that sells various fast food products at extraordinarily high prices, including the popular Krabby Patty burgers. The Krusty Krab took its name from the Rusty Krab, a retirement home in Bikini Bottom acquired by Mr. Krabs and converted into a restaurant. However, another episode claims that it got its name from a pirate ship named the Krusty Krab, which Mr. Krabs also owned. The Krusty Krab is one of the most successful restaurants in Bikini Bottom. The Krabby Patty formula is a closely guarded trade secret, and rival restaurateur Plankton's futile attempts at acquiring the secret formula (as well as the often absurd lengths Mr. Krabs will go to protect it) is a major recurring theme throughout the series. The Krusty Krab usually attracts customers from Bikini Bottom because of the Krabby Patty's renowned taste and the fact that Plankton's restaurant, the Chum Bucket, has a menu consisting of mostly inedible chum. Because of this lack of viable competition, Mr. Krabs is free to engage in price gouging, which he usually does. It was noted that the Krusty Krab is clean and disease-free. The characters of SpongeBob SquarePants and Squidward Tentacles work at the restaurant as fry cook and cashier, respectively; Patrick Star works at the Krusty Krab in some occasions.

Barbie

Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.

Barbie is the figurehead of a brand of Mattel dolls and accessories, including other family members and collectible dolls. Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle.

History

Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.