Ty Teenie Beanie Babies

1997 McDonalds promotion - USA

The first Teenie Beanie Baby, Happy Meal promotion at McDonalds was originally planned to run from April 11 through May 15, 1997 (five-week period). The Teenie Beanie Babies were individually packaged in small plastic bags and given to customers who purchased a Happy Meal. There were 10 different Teenie Beanie Baby animals. Two new Teenie Beanies were projected to be introduced at the beginning of each week. The order of the introductions was to be Patti, Pinky, Chops, Chocolate, Goldie, Speedy, Seamore, Snort, Quacks and Liz. McDonalds had ordered 100 million of the toys for this promotion (10 million of each animal).

Most styles of the Teenie Beanie Babies sold out during the first day they were available. Many collectors bought dozens of Happy Meals to get the Teenie Beanie Babies and just threw away the Happy Meal contents. On April 20, McDonalds issued a public announcement explaining they had run out of the Teenie Beanie Babies three weeks earlier than expected and the promotion would end on April 25. McDonalds also ran nationwide radio, television and full page newspaper ads apologizing for running out of the Teenie Beanies.

Ty Inc., did not make or distribute the Teenie Beanie Babies. McDonalds contracted with two different companies to have the Teenie Beanie Babies made under license from Ty Inc. One of the companies was Simon Marketing Inc. in Los Angeles, California, which made Chops, Chocolate, Pinky Seamore and Speedy. The other company was MB Sales in Westmont, Illionis, which made Goldie, Lizz, Pattie, Quacks and Snort.

The 1997 Teenie Beanie Baby promotion was accompanied by similarly themed Happy Meal bags, McDonalds signs and other McDonalds items.

1997 Teenie Beanie Baby bags

1997 Teenie Beanie Baby Tush Tags

The tush taga on Teenie Beanie Babies made by Simon Marketing have red printing on the side with the logo and black printing on the other side. The tush tags on Teenie Beanie Babies made by MB Sales can have red printing on the logo side and black printing oh the other side, or black printing on both sides. Some of the tush tags also have code numbers stamped on them. The codes are for production bag and tag numbering sequences.

Tush tags for the 1997 Teenie Beanie Babies produced for Canada are larger than the USA version tags. The Teenies produced for Canada also have an additional (Canadian customs) tush tag printed in black and white in English and French.