Advertisement:Original Slinky walks downstairs. America's favorite Action Toys. The TV Toy Sensation.

This mid-1950's store advertising display must have drawn customers like a magnet. A Slinky toy sits on a metal box, covered with Slinky advertising, while a tall back panel shows a smiling boy. A motor inside the unit rocks one side of the Slinky just enough to show the undulating motion, similar to when one tosses the weight of a slinky from hand to hand. That motion is slightly hypnotizing, or at least somewhat fun to repeat. And this advertisement must have hypnotized any child who longed for a Slinky. Along with its catchy television jingle, Slinky was here to stay.