From the Dinky Toys 1971 French catalogue – Gerry and Sylvia Anderson TV show toys; Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, UFO.
Thunderbirds
Lady Penelope’s FAB 1 car from Thunderbirds.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle (SPV) from Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
UFO
SHADO UFO Interceptor vehicle from UFO.
Cover. Dinky Toys catalogue. 1971. France.
“Milk. Where’s your mustache?”
Slogan from the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. Later, “Got milk?” and “Milk. What a surprise!” This clever ad campaign had a fair few celebrities and stars signed up: Conan O’Brien, David Copperfield, Dennis Rodman, Melanie Griffith, Isabella Rossellini, Lauren Bacall, Van Halen, KISS, Britney Spears, Spike Lee, and a whole lot more. I’m very pleased to report I got Sarah Michelle Gellar and Tony Hawk!
IYDKYDG …
IYDKYDG. 1999.
Woah, what the blink is this? “IYDKYDG” ??
Quiz: see if you can you identify this 1999 “IYDKYDG” campaign and the product being promoted from the curious print ads. Clue: it’s a major brand. Award yourself 100 vintage points for the correct answer! Answers at bottom of post.
Is the product…
IYDKYDG. 1999.
IYDKYDG. 1999.
Mind the GAP
Clothing brand GAP was founded in California in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. Gap originally targeted the younger generation when it opened, with its name referring to the “generation gap” of the time (merci, our good mates Wiskeypedia).
Below is a selection of late 1990s GAP adverts.
GAP Technofied. 1999.
JNCO
JNCO Autopilot. 1998.
JNCO (Judge None Choose One) is a California-based clothing company founded in 1985 by Moroccan-born, French-raised brothers Jacques Yaakov Revah and Haim Milo Revah. The brand was popular in the 1990s for its ultra-baggy denim jeans featuring oversize pockets with street-style art, and with a logo designed by local LA graffiti artist Joseph Montalvo, aka Nuke. JNCO’s street look was popular with skateboarding and BMX, as seen on some of the featured adverts below.
JNCO 50 inch bottoms. 1998.
JNCO Futures footwear. 1998.
That’s all for now 90s lovers! Thanks for wearing oversize jeans and drinking milk with us 🙂
Answer to quiz:
The featured product is soft drinks by Coca-Cola. IYDKYDG stands for: If You Don’t Know You Don’t Go. This was one of Coke’s most bizarre and intriguing ad campaigns over the years.
Featuring Rambo action figures by Coleco, Zoids by Tomy, Crossbows and Catapults by Action GT, Robotix by MB, and more – taken from the Autumn Bargains Catalogue, 1986, UK.
Action GT toys and games. Autumn Bargains catalogue. 1986. UK.
Rambo action figures. Tonka toys. BMX Ultra Burner. Autumn Bargains catalogue. 1986. UK.
From Tomy: Merry-Go-Copter; Little Crib Concert; Super Cup Football; Zoids. Autumn Bargains catalogue. 1986. UK.
Robotix and Lego. Autumn Bargains catalogue. 1986. UK.
Thanks for looking 🙂
Collage. Cat brooch from a late 1970s UK toy vending machine.
“O woe, bleak January, bringer of lean times to our editing house. Your wintry rap upon the door of our office does chill our fingers, paws and bones to the bit. The Vintage Toy Advertiser archives… ah, too grim a place to visit upon days such as these… with its hibernating vampires dangling from rafters, and frozen monsters awakening to thaw their claws and teeth in corners where sit our old photocopier and broken down time machines covered in dust. Hark! No post! No post! Our deliveries for new ads and catalogues held up by raging battles above rooftops, between dragons and banshees and mercenary raptor-bots. Grim times for office cats and editors, indeed!”
“What an exciting story,” said Wooof. “Please tell more!”
“Crivens, cat!” I retorted. “This is no tale, this is but a reality! We have no ads nor catalogues to scan… I fear our vintage readers will go hungry this winter. As shall we!”
“Tooting scarpers!” said the cat. “There’s no need to paint such a stark picture. Do you want me to search down the back of the sofa and behind the fridge and such places? There are always a few stray ads to be found.”
“Good thinking,” said I. “I’ll go warm up the scanner.”
“Meow!”
Les Poupées de Lisette. France. 1960.
Congost toys. Spain. 1977.
Primo washing powder toys. France. 1960.
Things were simpler back then. A more innocent time?
TVTA takes a quick peek at some 1940s – 1980s print adverts from Spain, Denmark, France, the US, and the UK, featuring simple toys and ideas.
Willy Wonka’s Magic Jumping Disc. US. 1982. I remember some jumping toys that were sold in the 80s and 90s – they were spring-loaded and you had to moisten a rubber suction cap then press it down onto its base. A few seconds later, the force of the spring would release the cap and the toy would jump. There were multiple variations of these toys featuring novelty animals and things, and I’m wondering if the Willy Wonka Magic Jumping Disc employed a similar method… or was it really Wonka magic at work?
Cube Lube. US. 1982. Cleverly marketed on the back of the Rubik’s Cube craze yet not once mentioning the word ‘Rubik’ – possibly for fear of legal action. Cube Lube was deployed into being as a lubricant to increase your time at solving puzzles like… Rubik’s cube. The ad states the product’s greatness for other toys with moving parts, as well as the benefits for bikes and cycles.
Takara Triple-Flips. US. 1982. Japanese toy company Takara had a number of successful toy hits it was proud to put its name to such as the Japanese license to sell Kenner Star Wars toys for the first Star Wars film; Microman (Transformers); Micronauts; Battle Beasts and Beyblade. Therefore I was surprised to see today’s Takara advert in all its low-tech and simple gadgetry – Triple-Flips – a humble travelling 3-in-1 pocket board game with magnetic playing pieces.
Hostess Cup Cakes. The Flash. US. 1982. I’m always pleased to discover a Hostess advert I haven’t added to my collection yet, and this is my first ad for The Flash! Cup Cakes, Twinkies, and Fruit Pies products were advertised by Hostess in the pages of DC and Marvel comics in single page strips that starred famous superheroes allied with Hostess cakes to take down evil villains. There are hundreds of these quirky, bizarre and sometimes plain weird adverts to be found inside comics throughout the 1970s and 1980s. To date I have 44 in my collection, thanks to The Flash!
Jorvik Viking Centre Eagle comic competition. 1985. UK. Early print advert featuring the Jorvik Viking Centre in York, England. The advert is a prize-winning promotion in conjunction with Eagle comic in 1985. The Jorvik Viking Centre was opened in 1984 as a museum and visitor attraction on the excavated site of what was once the Viking city of Jorvik in the 10th century. The centre is still open to date and is one of the regions most popular visitor attractions.
Stunt Man Hang Glider by Peter Pan Playthings. UK. 1983. Another promotion for the readers of Eagle comic with the chance to win a Stunt Man Hang Glider toy.
Worzel Gummidge. Look-In N°15. 1979. UK. Worzel Gummidge was a massive TV show hit for children back in the 1980s. The title character was played by ex-Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee. Worzel Gummidge was first featured in children’s books in the 1930s and was written by author Barabara Euphan Todd. In 2018 it was announced that the BBC is planning to make a new TV series based on the Barbara Euphan Todd books, with Pirates of the Caribbean actor Mackenzie Crook playing the Scatterbrook Farm scarecrow.
Capsela construction. US. 1982. Snap-together interchangeable parts for building motorised land and water action vehicles.
Tyco Magnum 440. US. 1982. Slot-car racing for use on Tyco and AFX racing tracks.
Bubble Yum Sweepstakes. US. 1982. Some superb prizes on offer in this Bubble Yum bubble gum sweepstakes promotion.
Thanks for looking 🙂
Kenner SSP Racers. 1971. US.
Glow in the Dark Solar Ball. 1985. US.
Aurora Skittle Ball. Weird War Tales N°1. 1971.
Seamonkeys. 1977. US.
Space 1999 model kit by Centuri. 1976. US.
Doctor Who Records and Tapes. 1980. UK.
Sphere sci-fi books. 1989. UK.
Sizzlers Fat Track. 1971. US.
Aurora Powerslicks. 1971. US.
Fleer football cards. 1991. US.
Thanks for looking 🙂
