Q: What do you do with nineteen Bburago adverts from 1988?

Posted on September 29, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

A: Post them up at The Vintage Toy Advertiser!

Bburago was founded by brothers Mario, Ugo, and Martino Besana in 1976. Hailing from the town of Burago in their native Italy, they combined the letter “B” of Burago with the initial “B” of their family surname to create Bburago. You can see my original post for Bburago here In the meantime, here are nineteen brand new ads fresh from 1988 editions of French Pif Gadget, including two special ads showing what the store display boxes would have looked like back in the day.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

Late-Sunday 1980s blast from the past.

Posted on September 25, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

What to do on a lazy late-Sunday afternoon? Could satisfy your soccer needs with Tomy Super Cup Football or Subbuteo; get into shape with Music Tone; finish your homework with the Masters of the Universe calculator pen; try and win that Raleigh Burner BMX; or just go and meet the mighty MR T. Decisions, decisions…

France. PIf Gadget. 1988.

UK. Eagle. 1984.

UK. Eagle. 1983.

Manta Force

Posted on September 23, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Manta Force was a toy line based on the theme of futuristic space battle. In the UK the line was produced by Bluebird PLC from 1987. The British comic Eagle ran a regular storyline based on the MANTA characters and settings. Manta is the acronym for Multiple-Air-Naval-Terrain-Assault Force.

This 1988 French advert by Habourdin International features the awesome gigantic Manta Force space ship that included 20 space soldiers and 10 vehicles.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

Voltron Force ad by Neil D Vokes

Posted on September 21, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

I discovered some great info today on this excellent and colourful 1986 UK advert for Voltron Force. After posting it on Twitter I was contacted by the artist Neil D Vokes, who told me,

“I drew this ad (with Rich Rankin) while doing the pencils on Comico’s Robotech Masters series – was paid a pretty penny for it too.”

Wow, that’s so cool to hear from one of the actual artists involved in the toy advertising process, and it’s made my day. Here’s the ad.

UK. Hex. 1986.

1986 Matchbox catalogue page featuring Volton Force toy.

It Must Be Matchbox. 1986.

Voltron hip-hop Sprite promo. 1999. US.

Annuals adverts

Posted on September 18, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Annuals are hardback anthologies published once a year, usually in time for the Christmas market. Annuals consist of multi comic stories, either new or republished, featuring characters normally seen in their weekly or monthly editions. Puzzle pages, features, profiles, facts and content not always seen in regular format may also feature in annuals. Below is a selection of annual adverts featuring some of the biggest names from TV and comics.

Popular annuals of 1984. UK. Return Of The Jedi. 1984.

Star Trek et Warlord annuals. Blue Beetle. 1986. US.

Advert for the 1985 Battle Action Force annual. UK. Eagle. 1984.

UK. 2000 AD. 44. 1977. Advert for the 1978 edition 2000 AD annual.

Advert for the 1983 Eagle annual. Eagle. 1982.

Advert for the 1984 Eagle annual. Eagle. 1983.

Speed Annual 1981 advert. Speed 20th September. 1980.

Speed Annual 1981 advert.

Annual Hit Parade. 1980. UK.

Post updated July 2020.

The Dukes of Hazzard

Posted on September 17, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

The Dukes of Hazzard is a popular American television series that ran from 1979 to 1985. The show centred around the ‘Duke Boys’ – cousins Bo and Luke Duke – who drove around Hazzard County in their iconic customised car known as the General Lee. Other Dukes included female cousin Daisy and family patriarch Uncle Jesse. Opposing the Dukes were County Commissioner Boss Hogg and his Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. Almost 150 episodes were broadcast during its original run as well as spin-offs, films, toys, video games and a wide range of other merchandise.

UK. Hamleys Christmas Book. 1983

The Dukes of Hazzard Challenge. Ertl. UK advert, 1983. Note the artist’s impression of the General Lee.

UK. Eagle. 1983. This advert appears to show an actual model of the General Lee and is a variant of the one above which shows an artist's impression.

The Dukes of Hazzard Challenge. Ertl. UK. Eagle. 1983. This advert appears to show an actual model of the General Lee and is a variant of the one above which shows an artist’s impression.

Airfix catalogue page 1983

Dukes of Hazzard Snapfix kits by Airfix from the French edition Airfix catalogue 1983.

TV thrills! Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider and The Fall Guy sets. Airfix. 1984.

Corgi TV, Film & Cartoon Catalogue, 2004

Corgi TV, Film & Cartoon Catalogue. 2004. UK.

Action Force figures from the 1980s

Posted on September 13, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Action Force was a line of 3 3/4 inch action figures produced by the UK Palitoy company. The figures followed on from Palitoy’s success with their Action Man 12 inch line and were sold throughout Europe during the early 1980s.

UK. Eagle. 1983.

UK. Eagle. 1984.

Battle Action Force. Eagle N°156. 1985.

UK. Eagle. 1984.

Battle Action Force. Eagle N°155. 1985.

Battle Action Force. Eagle and Scream! N°138. 1984.

Action Force mini comic. Eagle N°23 July 1983.

UK. Hamleys Christmas Book. 1983.

Denmark. 1988.

Action Force stickers. Denmark.

French Action Force figures by Miro-Meccano

The advert below is for a 1984 Miro-Meccano competition to win a trip to a real submarine!

France. Pif Gadget. 1984.

Miro-Meccano held the French license for Action Force toys. Below are three more French ads, the first a ‘breakfast scene’ in which an imaginative schoolchild thinks Action Force figures are ‘attacking’ breakfast – the miniature troops even going so far as to believe that the cup of hot chocolate is a flying saucer! Check out that barricade of sugar cubes! This is followed by two adverts with promotional offers for Milky Way chocolate.

France. PIf Gadget. 1983.

Post updated August 2019 with new ads.

The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Showcasing 20th century print advertising and pop culture curiosities. Specialities: toys, fashion, comics, movies, vinyl records and art. One of the most comprehensive archives you'll find on the net. Established 2011.

Monthly Archives: September 2016

Q: What do you do with nineteen Bburago adverts from 1988?

A: Post them up at The Vintage Toy Advertiser!

Late-Sunday 1980s blast from the past.

Manta Force

Voltron Force ad by Neil D Vokes

Annuals adverts

The Dukes of Hazzard

Action Force figures from the 1980s

French Action Force figures by Miro-Meccano