In the early 1980’s, with a hit on their hands in Strawberry Shortcake, Kenner approached American Greetings about reimagining the Teddy Bear so they could take a bite out of the plush market.
What American Greetings came up with was not only a reimagining of the Teddy Bear but Care Bears were a full out assault on the marketplace in the United States with every kind of merchandise imaginable.
My preschool did a parade back in like 1982-83 where we dressed up as the Care Bears and rode on a trailer pulled by a farm tractor. The entire preschool was a whopping 9-10 kids so there was enough Care Bears to go around. I was good luck bear. Care Bear stare.