Craig Wolfe, Founder of Celebriducks
Still waiting for Snoop Dogg to mail you close-ups of his cornrows? Craig Wolfe isn’t. In fact, the 56 year-old Founder of CelebriDucks received photos of just about every angle of the rapper, insuring his namesake rubber duck was the perfect likeness. Right down to his famous braids.
Craig went through college like many kids, not really knowing what he wanted to do in life. Then, after falling in love with a vintage Mickey Mouse animation still, he started the company “Name That Toon” in 1986, buying and selling animation art. Sales of commercial animation artwork by big names like Coca-Cola and Budweiser followed, but before long, Craig was working on his next big idea.
Starting with Betty Boop in 1998, and with Craig’s daughter doing all of the original artwork, he began creating his new line of famous duckies under the company name “CelebriDucks”. The real push forward happened in 2002 with the Alan Iverson duck (complete with tattoos), beginning a long and profitable relationship with the world of professional sports.
Never star-struck, Craig routinely turns down invitations to celebrity events, award shows, and even to the Playboy Mansion. Personally, I think visiting the grotto would be awesome. Especially if it was filled with little Snoops.
1. Your CelebriDucks are made with incredible detail. What steps are involved in the manufacturing process from idea to package?
We start with a number of conceptual drawings to capture the look we are going for. Then once approved, we move to the sculpting phase. Once we make revisions there we are ready to make our first wax mold. From there we go to pre-production metal molds leading to the final production molds plus spray mask molds for painting. Then we are finally able to begin production which takes about another week. All told it can take us up to six weeks to two months minimum with each new style. We have spent up to six months and longer on some of them!
2. What is the permission/licensing process like to use celebrity images, and how long does it usually take?
That can really vary. I don’t think it’s ever taken less than a month or two, and sometimes it has taken us up to ten years. It’s quite a process to say the least which is probably why no-one else does what we do.
3. Have you ever walked away from a design because the celebrity involved was too difficult to negotiate with?
It’s more rare, but it has happened. I don’t think it would be appropriate to mention names, but we have left some deals on the table. Most of the times it was just that we were unable to come to a financial agreement suitable to both parties. But there has been a very few times that it just too difficult working with the client. But that really is rare.
4. Do you take baths? If so, who do you take with you?
You know, honestly, I’m a shower person. I kind of like the quickness factor. But I always keep one of our Pink Flamingos in the bathroom for that Kitsch effect.
5. You have certainly carved out your own niche in the world. As a child, what did you dream of growing up to be?
I always knew I wanted to make rubber ducks of celebrities. OK, seriously, people thought I might become a lawyer, but I lacked any interest or real talent for it actually. I graduated college having no idea whatsoever as to what I would be doing. If I didn’t feel passion for something I couldn’t move forward. But when I saw my first original hand-drawn Mickey Mouse drawing, I was captivated and soon thereafter started my animation company.
6. What do you like best about owning your own business?
Oh God, everything. I love the freedom and the creativity of it all. I love choosing to work with wonderful people and having totally flexible hours. You couldn’t put me in a cubicle at this point, not that I haven’t worked in one. But I’ve really come to deeply value the joy of doing something I really love and creating a brand from scratch.
7. Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.
Hmm….well on a practical level, I feel I’m working with people who absolutely complement what I do and I really appreciate having the opportunity to have them in my life. I think as far as a female companion, it would defnitely be someone who “got” me. You know, enjoyed the whimsical and creative nature of what I do. See, I love to create….first it was the animation artwork, then the ducks, and I’m also working in my spare time on an album as I have a studio in my house. So anyone I would spend time with would have to appreciate these kinds of things. And ideally, myself being a Buddhist, they would have to have just a bit of an interest in things other than money, business, etc. But most important, they would have to love chocolate!
8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
My dream would see CelebriDucks established as a major brand with or without my running it. I would definitely see my album being finished. And I like to think there would be more than enough money to help do some good in the world through helping to support non-profit organizations that I want to do more for. And ideally, I would also be perhaps a little wiser.
Craig’s Bio
Craig Wolfe grew up in Millburn, N.J. and later graduated from Hobart William Smith Colleges in upstate New York. Over the years, his company Name That Toon, became the largest publisher of advertising/animation art having established the first ever animation art lines for Coca-Cola, Anheiser Busch, M&M/Mars, Pillsbury, Nike, etc. Over time, he developed CelebriDucks as a side project, creating rubber ducks of those he felt were some of the greatest icons of film, music, history, and sports. Eventually he sold off the animation and the company became all ducks!
At this point, Craig has produced CelebriDucks for the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, NASCAR, NCAA collegiate mascots as well as famous people such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, The Blues Brothers, KISS, Barack Obama, etc. To date he has created over 200 CelebriDucks and pioneered a whole new collectible. Celebriducks have been voted one of the top 100 gifts by Entertainment Weekly, featured on The Tonight Show and CBS Evening Magazine, and featured in hundreds of magazines and newspapers, and on television shows around the world.
Want to get closer to your favorite stars? Bring them in the bathtub! Thanks to single entrepreneur Craig Wolfe, creator of 
