Hasbro’s First Attempt at Adult Play-Doh Smelled Like ‘Mom Jeans.’ Here’s Its New Plan.

The toy company’s fix includes a brand-new name and zero traditional advertising, with 200 creators doing the selling instead. By Jonathan Small | edited by Dan Bova | Jul 16, 2026 Hasbro tried selling Play-Doh to adults once before with scents literally named “mom jeans” and “overpriced latte.” It was a disaster. Now the 102-year-old toy company is trying again with Blooms by Play-Doh, a new line that guides adults through turning putty into floral arrangements, the Wall Street Journal reports. The earlier attempt, 2020’s Grown-Up Scents line, failed because it looked too much like the kids’ version despite different branding, said Hasbro CMO Jason Bunge, who admitted the company had struggled to “age up” with its own fan base. This time, Hasbro built an entirely new brand name and is skipping traditional ads in favor of 200 influencers. “Paid media doesn’t work for us anymore,” Bunge said, noting Hasbro recently brought its media buying in-house. The move is part of a broader turnaround: Hasbro’s most recent quarter posted 13% revenue growth to $1 billion, driven largely by “Magic: The Gathering,” even as core toy sales stayed flat. Hasbro tried selling Play-Doh to adults once before with scents literally named “mom jeans” and “overpriced latte.” It was a disaster. Now the 102-year-old toy company is trying again with Blooms by Play-Doh, a new line that guides adults through turning putty into floral arrangements, the Wall Street Journal reports. The earlier attempt, 2020’s Grown-Up Scents line, failed because it looked too much like the kids’ version despite different branding, said Hasbro CMO Jason Bunge, who admitted the company had struggled to “age up” with its own fan base. This time, Hasbro built an entirely new brand name and is skipping traditional ads in favor of 200 influencers. “Paid media doesn’t work for us anymore,” Bunge said, noting Hasbro recently brought its media buying in-house. The move is part of a broader turnaround: Hasbro’s most recent quarter posted 13% revenue growth to $1 billion, driven largely by “Magic: The Gathering,” even as core toy sales stayed flat. Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he... Read more