Donald Duncan
Encyclopedia
Donald F. Duncan, Sr. (June 6, 1892 – May 15, 1971) was an American
entrepreneur
and inventor, and founder of the Duncan Toys Company
.
Donald Duncan is most commonly associated with the Yo-Yo
, the commercial success and iconic status they enjoyed during the 20th century in the United States
and the world being largely the result of his marketing
efforts.
Duncan is often miscredited with invention of the Yo-Yo. The name Yo-Yo was a trademark of his company from 1930 until 1965, when the case Donald F. Duncan, Inc. v. Royal Tops Mfg. Co., 343 F.2d 655 (7th Cir. 1965) resulted in a federal court of appeals ruling in favor of the Royal Tops Company, asserting that (the trademark had become a part of common speech
). This ruling has been widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice
by legal historians. If used as a precedent, it would imperil many other similarly successful trademarks such as Frisbee
, Slinky
, and Rollerblade
.
Among the other companies he founded are the Good Humor
mobile frozen treats franchise
and a parking meter
manufacturing company. Most notable among the innovations credited to Duncan is the concept of the premium incentive—a marketing tactic wherein the consumer is encouraged to collect proofs of purchase
and redeem them for rewards, such as small toys or discount coupon
s.
He died in an automobile accident.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and inventor, and founder of the Duncan Toys Company
Duncan Toys Company
The Duncan Toys Company is an American toy manufacturer based in Middlefield, Ohio, best known for its Yo-yo line. The company was founded in 1929 by Donald Duncan. In 1968, it became a division of Flambeau, Inc..- Yo-yo Product Line :...
.
Donald Duncan is most commonly associated with the Yo-Yo
Yo-yo
The yo-yo in its simplest form is an object consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a length of twine looped around the axle, similar to a slender spool...
, the commercial success and iconic status they enjoyed during the 20th century in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the world being largely the result of his marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
efforts.
Duncan is often miscredited with invention of the Yo-Yo. The name Yo-Yo was a trademark of his company from 1930 until 1965, when the case Donald F. Duncan, Inc. v. Royal Tops Mfg. Co., 343 F.2d 655 (7th Cir. 1965) resulted in a federal court of appeals ruling in favor of the Royal Tops Company, asserting that (the trademark had become a part of common speech
Genericized trademark
A genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for, or synonymous with, a general class of product or service, rather than as an indicator of source or affiliation as intended by the trademark's holder...
). This ruling has been widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
by legal historians. If used as a precedent, it would imperil many other similarly successful trademarks such as Frisbee
Frisbee
A flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
, Slinky
Slinky
Slinky or "Lazy Spring" is a toy consisting of a helical spring that stretches and can bounce up and down. It can perform a number of tricks, including traveling down a flight of steps end-over-end as it stretches and re-forms itself with the aid of gravity and its own momentum.-History:The toy was...
, and Rollerblade
Rollerblade
Rollerblade is a brand of inline skates owned by Nordica, part of the Tecnica Group of Trevignano, Treviso, Italy.The company was started by Scott Olsen and Brennan Olson in Minneapolis as Ole's Innovative Sports; when they sold the company, it became Rollerblade, Inc...
.
Among the other companies he founded are the Good Humor
Good Humor
Good Humor is an American brand of ice cream novelties sold from ice cream trucks as well as stores and other retail outlets. Originally, Good Humors were chocolate-coated ice cream bars on a stick, but the line was expanded over the years to include a wide range of novelties...
mobile frozen treats franchise
Ice cream van
An ice cream van or ice cream truck is a commercial vehicle which serves as a travelling retail outlet for ice cream, usually during the summer. Ice cream vans are often seen parked at public events, or near parks, beaches, or other areas where people congregate...
and a parking meter
Parking meter
A parking meter is a device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular place for a limited amount of time. Parking meters can be used by municipalities as a tool for enforcing their integrated on-street parking policy, usually related to their traffic and...
manufacturing company. Most notable among the innovations credited to Duncan is the concept of the premium incentive—a marketing tactic wherein the consumer is encouraged to collect proofs of purchase
Proof of purchase
Proof of purchase is often required for sales promotions and manufacturer rebates as evidence that the customer purchased the product. When multiple purchases are required to redeem these rewards, it is referred to as a premium incentive or collector mechanic.Traditional proof of purchase systems...
and redeem them for rewards, such as small toys or discount coupon
Coupon
In marketing, a coupon is a ticket or document that can be exchanged for a financial discount or rebate when purchasing a product. Customarily, coupons are issued by manufacturers of consumer packaged goods or by retailers, to be used in retail stores as a part of sales promotions...
s.
He died in an automobile accident.
External links
- Duncan history page at the Official Duncan Yo-Yo Website
- Duncan Toys co. History at Funding Universe.com
- Duncan Solutions parking technologies
- Good Humor, now a subsidiary of UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....