Bananagrams, Inc., maker of the hit word tile game BANANAGRAMS®, is thrilled to introduce BANANAGRAMS® Signature Edition, featuring special packaging and deluxe components with all the fun and excitement of the original game. The release of the Signature Edition helps mark Bananagrams, Inc.’s 15th anniversary.
“When my family and I started on this adventure, sitting at our dining table more than fifteen years ago, we had no idea where it would take us” said Rena Nathanson, CEO & Co-Inventor, Bananagrams, Inc. “Three generations that loved to laugh and play invented a silly game that has now become a legacy, and we are thrilled to share this very special Signature version with Bananafans and brand newbies alike!”
“We have been lucky enough to have met Mike, Kathy, and the rest of the GPI team many years ago, basically at the very, very beginning,” continued Rena. “They helped guide us in many ways in the manufacturing process, and we are very grateful for that. Mike and the team have since become extended family, and we know and are very confident in the fact that they have our best interest at heart as well as the interest and future of our Bananagrams products.”
“One of the hallmarks of the culture at Bananagrams that has always impressed me is their unwavering focus on creating a high quality experience,” said Mike Fisher, President of GPI. “It is obvious in everything they do. Their focus is on providing their constituents (consumers and retail partners alike) with an experience that is very satisfying, from the gameplay to the quality of the products themselves and to their customer service touchpoints. And I think it’s also always been about projecting the family focus of their organization onto their customers and distribution partners.”
It’s not uncommon to see posts on Twitter and Instagram where BANANAGRAMS® is played by movie and tv show casts on set, used to make marriage proposals special, or even utilized for creative Halloween costumes. When asked about how seeing people post on social media to share the magical experiences they have playing BANANAGRAMS® makes her feel, Rena explains, “I know that my father would be absolutely thrilled to see how Bananagrams has seeped into the crevices of popular culture. We always get such a thrill when we see our fans share the love. We have been very fortunate that our fandom has grown organically, out of true love, and not through paid promotions. That is a fact we are very proud of. On our Wish List, that we have not achieved yet, is an appearance on Family Guy! That would truly make my father smile, wherever he might be!”
Many of the GPI staff remember Rena’s father, Abe, and he has a special place in our hearts. When asked about Abe, Mike reminisced, “Aside from being just an immensely interesting person to talk to, for me, Abe had always been one to expect excellence from everyone he worked with. He was a taskmaster, a font of creativity, thoroughly curious, and genuinely interested in what you’d have to say. He always looked for opportunities to have fun with whatever it was that he was doing. His enthusiasm for life, for enjoyment, for a chance to create something that someone else found entertaining, and of course for success in business was infectious. He was that person in the room that you wanted to be around. And who he was as a person has permeated every aspect of the Bananagrams organization.”
“Working with Abe Nathanson was indeed a pleasure and an honor,” continued Kathy Kary, who has been Bananagrams GPI Project Manager for the last 16 years. “He was among the most creative, intelligent, enthusiastic, and funny people I have ever met. Early in my career at GPI, I started working with Abe and I learned so much from him. I am sure Abe is looking down on Rena and the Bananagrams Bunch and is proud of how much the company has grown and prospered over the past 16 years.”
“It means very much to me that they had the opportunity to work with my father and get to know him both professionally and personally!”said Rena about working closely with her GPI team. “I have received advice and support on many occasions from them, and am very proud to call Mike and Kathy friends above all.”
Kathy summed it up with, “Congratulations to Rena and the Bananagrams Bunch for all your success! What a pleasure to watch the company expand and flourish. It has been so much fun to grow with the Bananagrams Bunch! Cheers to Signature Bananagrams and to Abe!”
The entire GPI staff echoes Kathy’s sentiments: CONGRATULATIONS Bananagrams and thank you for allowing GPI to be a small part of your story.