Cranium, Inc. the Toy Industry Association. Cranium, Inc. Cranium, Inc. was a toy and board game developer. The company was founded in 1998 by two former Microsoft executives, Richard Tait and Whit Alexander. They co-developed the "Cranium" board game. After realizing that he always won at the game "Pictionary", but lost more than frequently at the game "Scrabble", Tait decided to make a game where everyone could win at something. Drawing inspiration from the HBDI thinking styles assessment they completed at Microsoft, Tait and Alexander aimed to create a "Whole Brain" game. Taking certain aspects of other favorite games, "Cranium" requires players
Cranium, Inc. partnered with Barnes & Noble to have their games sold at their locations. "Cranium" became the first game sold at the bookstore chain. In 1998, Cranium, Inc. had only spent $15,000, a relatively low figure, on marketing and advertising. While most other games advertised on TV, Cranium, Inc. advertised "Cranium" on the radio. Radio jocks would ask its listeners "Cranium"s trivia questions and winners got the game for free. Also, Cranium, Inc. made partnerships where Cranium questions were featured on Delta Song Airlines napkins, Dr. Pepper bottles at KFC, and on packages of Land O' Lakes butter. Bill Furlong, Cranium,