Welcome to TVTA’s vintage assortment of TMNT merchandise ads showing toys, video games and household goods!
Named after Italian Renaissance painters Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Rapheal, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are four anthropomorphic friends trained in the art of Ninjutsu (not to be confused with the Teenage Figural Ninja Symbolists Dali, Duchamp, Miro and Ernst – who battled underworld criminals while painting strange landscapes).
The Ninja Turtles originated in a 1984 American comic. An animated TV series came in 1987 followed by further series and feature films. Playmates Toys are responsible for the original toy figures and later Bandai. The turtles also appeared in a number of video game titles as well as promotions for merchandise ranging from dental care to breakfast cereal.
US. Groo. 1989.
US. Groo. 1989.
Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles Nintendo. Denmark. 1991. Image supplied by Jaltesorensen.
Gameboy. Denmark. 1991. Image supplied by Jaltesorensen.
US. Groo. 1990.
Ninja or Hero? Censored in Europe
Due to strict censorship policies in some European countries, the name “Ninja” had to be replaced with “Hero” because of the violent associations of the word “ninja”. This meant that products sold in these countries had to be undergo packaging and advertising changes. By 2003 these censorship policies ceased and our four friends could once again become “ninjas”
Denmark. 1990. Image supplied by Jaltesorenson.
Denmark. 1992. Image supplied by Jaltesorenson.
Denmark. 1990. Image supplied by Jaltesorenson.
Denmark. 1991. Image supplied by Jaltesorenson.
France. Pif Gadget. 1991.
Hawk & Dove N°11. 1990. US.
France. Tortues BD. 1991.
US. Nth Man. 1989.
Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles Turtle Power and Turtles to the Rescue sets. Scalextric catalogue, 1989, UK.
Thanks for looking 🙂
Cowabunga! Great TMHT ads, these are brilliant fun 🙂
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Cheers Paul! I want that toothbrush set!! 🙂
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I love old video game ads! Always over the top and not focusing on the game itself but what the license is.
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Lol you’re right. A lot of those ads are well OTT along with the bragging between the companies!
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Check out Bebop’s head twisted upwards on the Danish toy ad! How did that get signed off for publication??
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Good spot. Can only imagine the photo set designer/photographer assumed that was the way the figure went, or was having a laugh hoping no one would notice.
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Oh my gosh! I remember so many of these ads! And I remember playing that Konami game which I totally forgot about when I did my post on growing up with the Turtles (hmm, now I may have to write a follow-up sometime 🙂 ). I remember eating that cereal too…although I can’t say I really remember liking it but, oh well, it was the Turtles! I am feeling all kinds of nostalgic with this. That ad with the big Krang toy makes me want to dig our old Turtle toys out of the closet they’re in at my parents house and setup a big battle right now!!!!
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