DOCTOR WHO 1970s and 1980s merchandise Adverts

Posted on April 21, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Since 1963 Doctor Who has been thrilling TV audiences with its adventures of the time travelling Time Lord and his companions. The show is produced by the BBC and originally aired from 1963 to 1989. 1996 saw a television film but a failure to embark on a new series. Fast forward to 2005 when the series was finally relaunched with Christopher Eccleston taking the role of the (9th) Doctor. The series continues to run to date.

Here’s my collection of Who adverts featuring books, clothing, comics, toys and games and other DW goodies.

Doctor Who Peter Davison T-shirt. Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983. UK.

Doctor Who Summer Special. Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983. UK.

Doctor Who Technical Manual. Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983. UK.

Doctor Who Weekly. Star Wars Weekly. 1980. UK.

Doctor Who Magazine. Star Wars Weekly. 1984. UK.

Doctor Who Weekly. Star Wars Weekly. 1979. UK.

Doctor Who Role Playing Game. Starlog. 1985. US.

UK. Doctor Who The Tenth Season Files Magazine Spotlight. 1986.

Doctor Who pencil case. Spider-man. 1983. UK.

Doctor Who Summer Special. ROTJ. 1984. UK.

Doctor Who merchandise. Starlog. 1985. US.

Doctor Who bestsellers. Starlog. 1984. US.

Doctor Who Weekly. 1980. UK.

Doctor Who Magazine at the London Comic Mart 1984. 1984. UK.

The Time Lord Catalog. Starlog. 1985. US.

Doctor Who Weekly. Star Wars Weekly N° 96. 1979. UK.

Doctor Who Weekly. Star Wars Weekly. 1979. UK.

The Doctor Who Collection. Star Wars. 1986. US.

The Doctor and his many foes – from Starlog 37, 1980.

updated Aug 2018 with new images.

Star Trek toys, film and merchandise ads

Posted on April 4, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry and made its TV series debut in 1966. The Star Trek franchise includes a number of films, spin-off TV series, novels, an animated series, toys, games, comics, video games, and other merchandise sold worldwide.

TVTA is pleased to present a selection of Star Trek print advertising as found in comics, books and magazines.

Mego catalogue 1976 US. Star Trek Assortments.

Star Trek West End Games. US. 1985.

The Sheffield Space Centre. Star Trek merchandise. UK. 1989.

Star Trek The Motion Picture. 1979.

Star Trek the Motion Picture. 1979. France.

Star Trek Greetings Cards. US. 1980.

Star Trek Collector Items. US. 1976.

Star Trek Enterprise Dinky. US. 1976.

Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan. UK. 1982.

France. Judge Dredd 8. 1984. Star Trek II The search for Spock.

France. 1984. Star Trek III The search for Spock.

Star Trek. France. 1980.

Star Trek II Video Game Watch. US. 1983.

Starlog Video Star Trek. US. Starlog 99. 1985.

Star Trek III The Search for Spock. US. 1985.

Star Trek annual N°2. 1986. US.

Star Trek III Starship Combat Game. US. 1985.

Star Trek II official merchandise. USA. Starlog 65. 1982.

Star Trek masks and hobby kits. US. Creepy Mag. 1980.

Star Trek V The Final Frontier. US. 1989.

Star Trek Enterprise water gun. US. The Superhero Book of Goodies. 1977.

Matchbox / AMT Starship Enterprise model. 1979. France.

Star Trek 200th anniversary buckle. Starlog. 1983. US.

Thank you for boldly going with us 🙂

More Star Trek info:

Startrek.com

Star Trek Wikipedia entry

Post updated with new images March 2019

Strawberry Shortcake

Posted on April 3, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Strawberry Shortcake is a character line created by the American Greetings company. The line was originally made for greetings cards, later developing into other products such as dolls, toys, video games, books, a TV series and TV specials, and a film.

Strawberry Shortcake. UK. Hamleys Christmas Book. 1983.

The following two adverts are from Brazil where Charlotte is known as Moranguinho.

Strawberry Shortcake. Brazil. Zé Carioca N° 1693. 1984.

Strawberry Shortcake. Brazil. Chico Bento. 1985.

In France Charlotte is known as Charlotte Aux Fraises.

Strawberry Shortcake. France. Trampline Catalogue. 1980.

Strawberry Shortcake. 1979 Miro-Meccano catalogue page. France.

Further reading: Stawberry Shortcake official site

James Bond 007

Posted on April 2, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

James Bond, codename: 007, is the British Secret Service character created in 1956 by author Ian Fleming. The character has featured in books, film, television, radio, comic strips, toy lines, video games and household merchandise.

TVTA top secret agents have been busy dodging supervillains to gather a world class selection of Bond related print adverts plus a little look at one of the best-selling die cast toys of all time!

Victory Games role playing games

: James Bond Role Playing Game. 1983. US.

: James Bond Role Playing Game. 1984. US.

: James Bond Role Playing Game. 1983. US.

: James Bond Role Playing Game. 1984. US.

James Bond Victory Games. US. Starlog. 1985.

Cereals

James Bond Shredded Wheat prizes. UK. Eagle. 1983.

James Bond Shredded Wheat stickers. UK. Eagle. 1983.

Video Games

James Bond Octopussy video game. Starlog 74. 1983. US.

Starburst Magazine

James Bond. Starburst. 1989. UK.

Film Adverts

Octopussy. Photoplay July 1979. UK.

Moonraker. Film Review July 1979. UK.

Moonraker. Creepy. 1980. US.

Toys

James Bond Corgi Vehicles

The 007 Aston Martin D.B.5 was made as a die cast toy vehicle by Corgi between 1965 and 1969. This award-winning toy featured cool gadgets such as an ejector seat, bulletproof windshield and retractable guns.

Corgi Aston Martin DB5 1995 release. From the collection of TVTA.

Corgi Aston Martin DB5 1995 release boxed. From the collection of TVTA.

1971 Corgi Aston Martin DB5, along with Batmobile and Batboat, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang vehicles. France.

Corgi produced other vehicles for the James Bond line; some of which can be seen below.

Corgi Superheroes. 1982. France.

Corgi James Bond. France. 1977.

Corgi James Bond. France. 1980.

Corgi TV, Film & Cartoon Catalogue, 2004

Scalextric

Scalextric Catalogue 49th Edition. 2008. UK.

Other

James Bond Convention Photoplay. 1983.

Bond Symphonique. 2019. France.

James Bond 007 Spy Cards

You can see the full post on these here

Entry updated January 2021 with new images.

Non-toy ad Tuesday: TIME Magazine (Darth Vader, booze & cigarettes)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Archvillain Darth Vader, cover TIME Magazine, by M. Arisman.

Archvillain Darth Vader, cover TIME Magazine, by Marshall Arisman.

This week’s selection of ads for Non-toy ad Tuesday come from the pages of Time magazine, dated May 19, 1980.

Retailing at $1.25 and featuring a terrific Darth Vader cover by artist Marshall Arisman, the issue contains an article and photographs for the upcoming Star Wars film release of The Empire Strikes Back.

Advert-wise, this issue of Time is loaded (loaded seems like a good adjective) with adverts for cigarettes and alcohol. There are also a good number of ads for hotels, airlines, exotic holiday destinations, cameras and wrist-watches. I’ve included some of my favourites below.

And (just for a bit of fun) how many domestic animals can you spot in the ads? It was only after making my final draft that I noted there are quite a few 🙂