Naperville Business Lawyer Discusses the New Female-Focused Monopoly Game

As a business owner and a business law attorney, I recognize that it is extremely important for successful companies to continue to look for ways in which they can connect with potential customers. I also believe that business owners should have a strong awareness of the current social and economic conditions of the areas where they operate. Perhaps that is why the recent announcement of a new product from Hasbro caught my attention in the way that it did. According to the toymaker, a new version of a classic board game will soon be available that is designed to encourage and empower young women to become entrepreneurs.

An Update to a Cultural Icon

Monopoly has been one of the most recognizable board games in the world for many years. Since its release by Parker Brothers in 1935, millions of copies of the game have been sold. Today, you can find many different versions of Monopoly on store shelves, including licensed tie-ins to major film franchises and localized versions such as Chicago-Opoly with Northern Illinois locations replacing the standard Atlantic City properties.

In recent years, Hasbro—the company that bought Parker Brothers in 1991—has released updated versions of the game with features such as increased dollar amounts, electronic banking, and others. This week, however, the toymaker made national headlines when it announced that the newest version of Monopoly will be the first in the game’s history “where women make more than men.”

A New Approach

The new version is called Ms. Monopoly, and its cover features a new mascot—also a first for the franchise. The Ms. Monopoly character is a “self-made investment guru” who is a hip young woman wearing a t-shirt under a blazer. She is meant to be the niece of the top hat-wearing Rich Uncle Pennybags who has been the game’s mascot for decades.

The main character is not the only thing that is different. In accordance with the game’s aim of empowering women, female players start the game with $1900, which is $400 more than their male opponents get. While men collect $200 each time they pass “GO,” women collect $240, intentionally inverting the gender wage gap that has long been a point of contention and controversy.

The original Monopoly game focuses on real estate investments, but Ms. Monopoly allows players to invest in innovations and inventions made by influential women. Bulletproof bests, chocolate chip cookies, and solar heating are just a few examples. The game also replaces the traditional railroad properties with ride-sharing investments.

According to Jen Boswinkel, a senior official at Hasbro Gaming, the game is meant to highlight a topic that today’s children might not know much about yet. “It’s giving [female empowerment] some relevancy to everyone playing it that everybody gets a turn, and this time, women get an advantage at the start,” she said. Boswinkel added that families could easily amend their house rules to allow all players to get the same amount of money while still having important conversations about women’s roles in business.

The game is expected to be available at retailers later this month.

Call a DuPage County Business Law Attorney

If you have an idea for a product or a service that could help you demonstrate your company’s commitment to your community, contact an experienced Naperville business law attorney for help. Attorney Denice A. Gierach and the rest of the team at the Gierach Law Firm are equipped to provide the guidance and representation you need in any business-related legal matter. Call 630-756-1160 to schedule a confidential consultation today.

Sources:

USA Today

CNN Business