Recently, we at NERDSociety.com have been contacted by representatives of Hess about helping with getting the Hess Toy Truck into the National Toy Hall of Fame; this was an issue that could not be ignored, for the Hess Toy Truck is an icon and it must be a part of this kind of history.  As many of us writers are fans and collectors of toys, the Hess Truck was a no brainer, it has to be a part of the National toy Hall of Fame.

So please, dear reader, continue on with the interview and read why this is such an important goal that we as collectors and enthusiasts must accomplish.

NERDSOCIETY:  Can you tell our readers about the HESS Toy Truck and how it came to be from inception to the present?

HESS:  The Hess Toy Truck was introduced by company founder Leon Hess in 1964 as a way to thank loyal customers. His vision was to provide a fun, high-quality and affordable toy for families during the holiday season. Since its creation, the Hess Toy Truck has grabbed and held the attention of kids, adults and collectors alike. Over the years, the unwavering quality, workmanship and varied designs are factors that increased the popularity of the toys, with so many families making it part of their annual holiday traditions. Now, 50 years later, the Hess Toy Truck joins a very elite group of toys that have garnered the affection of so many generations for five decades.

NS:   With the goal to get the HESS Toy Truck into the National Toy Hall of Fame, can you tell our readers why you feel that this is something the company feels so strongly about?

HESS:  The Toy Hall of Fame is all about classic toys, and the Hess Toy Truck is truly the definition of a classic toy. It is a beloved part of millions of childhood memories, bridges multiple generations, and has become a highly valued collectable – truly an icon in toy circles. The quality, workmanship, and durability of the Hess toy truck are legendary, and the varied designs and toy pairings foster hours and hours of free, creative play for children. Talk to anyone about their Hess Toy Truck and you will hear stories full of imaginary adventures or memories steeped in nostalgia. The Hess Toy Truck is a toy that once owned, is fondly remembered forever.

NS:  What do you feel the educational value of the HESS Toy Truck is? And how do you feel it meets all the criteria for a spot in the National Toy Hall of Fame?

HESS:  The non-restrictive nature of the Hess Toy Truck fosters free, imaginative play, allowing children to discover areas of interest on their own. With trucks, planes, boats and spaceships all part of the Hess Toy Truck collection, a child’s pretend opportunities are endless! The varied designs and high quality workmanship of each model toy exposes children to innovative thinking, fostering the child’s creativity.

NS:  There is certainly a popularity that the HESS Toy Truck possesses between children at holiday time and even adults who collect them; what are your thoughts on these facts?

HESS:  The Hess Toy Truck is special. The uniqueness of each model coupled with the fact that it is an extremely highly guarded secret creates great excitement and anticipation before it is revealed each year. It is well recognized as an icon, appearing in the national broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and in distinctive holiday TV commercials every year with the lyrics, “The Hess Truck’s back and it’s better than ever…”. Children write us letters and send hand drawn pictures of their toy trucks; families send or post photos of their collections or share personal stories of how integral the truck is to their holiday traditions. Some local fire companies enthusiastically turn their fire engines into life size Hess Toy Trucks for their annual Santa Patrols, to the delight of children. We, at Hess, love and admire the toy truck community. What started as a thank you has really taken on a new significance as a cherished part of the family for five decades.

NS:  With the HESS Toy Truck obviously being a grand item for ANY toy hall of fame, what are some steps in which the company has to go through in order to get the National Toy Hall of Fame to consider it and finally make it so—this question pertains directly to the company’s efforts, not the criteria of the National Toy Hall of Fame?

HESS:  When we looked at the criteria for a toy to be considered for induction to the National Toy Hall of Fame, we immediately recognized beyond all measure that the Hess Toy Truck belongs there. We also found out that the nomination process is publicly-driven, and that we needed to get a message out to encourage all Hess Toy Truck fans, people like your readers that share a passion for the Hess Toy Truck, to start sending nominations to the National Toy Hall of Fame. So far, we’ve reached out to our network of toy truck friends, social media fans, bloggers, and various communities in a grass roots effort to rally in support of this goal. The more nominations we get, the better our chances, so we are on a mission to get many more nominations, before the deadline of July 31st. For your readers that haven’t nominated the Hess Toy Truck yet, we’re asking them to submit a nomination by filling out this form on the National Toy Hall of Fame website. We want to build a positive groundswell of momentum with a flood of nominations to make the choice an easy one for the selection committee!

NS:  As a fan and semi-collector of HESS Toy Trucks, I find them to be amazing…always wanting the new one during the holiday season—but never getting it as a child. I inherited my Dad’s collection. Have you personally had any direct interest in the HESS Truck from child to adulthood?

HESS:  I was introduced to Hess Toy Trucks in 1974 when my father brought one home one evening for his first grandson. It was my nephew’s very first truck. He continued to buy one for him for a number of years, and we kept the tradition up even as my nephew grew into an adult. I remember thinking him “too old” to want a truck anymore but not so! Now he has two young boys of his own, and every year they look forward to getting their Hess Truck and displaying all of theirs with the “old trucks” that their Dad has.

NS:  What are some plans the company has if and when the HESS Toy Truck becomes part of the National Toy Hall of Fame?

HESS:  Induction into the National Toy Hall of fame is a considerable honor to be proud of, a pride that would be shared with all of those that made the effort to help get the Hess Toy Truck this distinctive recognition. For induction to happen this year would be perfect timing – – the icing on the cake for our 50th anniversary celebration.

NS:  Upon induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame; would the company consider an exact remake of the first Toy Truck from the 60’s? IE: metal parts and proper paint, with a slight difference in the usual consumer price regardless of the metal used in creation?

HESS:  You know us well enough to know we’ll never divulge our plans for a toy truck! But for clarification, Hess Toy Trucks have always been made from plastic. There are no metal or diecast Hess Toy Trucks.

NS: WOW!  I’m red in the face, I really thought the first few originals were made out of metal?  Oops!

NS:  If not an exact remake of the original, would the company consider a special edition of the HESS Toy Truck with badges of it being part of the National Toy Hall of Fame? What would the design be closest to—OR, feel free to spoil the whole thing, we want to know!?

HESS:  For questions 8 and 9 – We can’t share any details yet about what surprises are in store for Hess Toy Truck fans in 2014 – but we promise there will be some exciting announcements coming soon in honor of our 50th Anniversary! Fans can stay on top of the news by liking our Facebook page or visiting our website, www.hesstoytruck.com.

NS:  Are there any last words you would like to tell our readers about the HESS Toy Truck and the goal to make it part of the National Toy Hall of Fame?

HESS:  It can only happen if you take action!

NERDSociety.com would like to thank Denny Moynihan, the Director of Communications for Hess, for taking the time to interview with us.  We at NERDSociety.com are taking a strong interest in helping Hess to get their awesome toy truck into the National Toy Hall of Fame; and we wish them the best of luck in the process.  Please, dear reader, help Hess and NERDSociety.com to get this great, cherished toy into the hall of fame; just take a few minutes out of your day to nominate it by following the link above.

Thank you,

Paladin, Editor-In-Chief of NERDSociety.com and the whole team.

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