Ep. 103: Those Characters From Cleveland

Those Characters From Cleveland, which first launched in 1981, was the character development division at American Greetings. Tasked with licensing existing greeting card characters like Holly Hobbie and Strawberry Shortcake into toys and cartoons, they quickly found success by launching new IPs like the Care Bears. But how did a company based in Cleveland, OH make such a large impact on children’s media during the 1980s? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien detail how American Greetings and TCFC took a bottom up approach to IP development. They discuss how TCFC lost an early legal battle over Strawberry Shortcake’s copyright, how TCFC designed the Care Bears to break into the 40% of the plush market held by teddy bears, and how several TCFC franchises loosely connect to the Victorian-inspired consumer aesthetic known as Soft Countriana. Links: Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/those-characters-from-cleveland/ Throughout the Decades - American Greetings History Barbi Sargent and Strawberry Shortcake Barbi Sargent’s design vs Muriel Fahrion’s design Sargent v. American Greetings Corp., 588 F. Supp. 912 (N.D. Ohio 1984) History of the Care Bears by Chris Buchner The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings (w/ Terri Mitchell) The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings (1983) The Care Bears Movie (1985) Cleveland’s Greetings by Clair McNear The Bear Truth by Colleen Smitek The Rise and Fall of Care Bears: Why It Was Cancelled At Its Peak The Calculated History of The Care Bears Potential New Cleveland RTA Rail System Map Artwork: Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears: Best of Friends Sweepstakes 1980s Ad Recorded on 4/23/2026