1938 Toys & Bicycles Trade Journal

Toys and Bicycles, an extremely rare 104 page toy trade journal full of pictures, ads, and articles on the latest toys. Dated February 1938. With the general release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs occurring in the very same month, it's not surprising that we would start to see a few pages related to the film, mainly photos of Snow White store window displays.

Front cover with illustrations of characters. Note the Kay Kamen imprint. He was the major driving force behind the early Snow White merchandising.

A few sample pages:

• Doll display window at Wanamaker's department store in New York City.

• Display windows at F.A.O. Schwarz toy store and S.H. Kress five & dime in New York.

• The Seiberling rubber dolls.

Original mailing envelop.

Thanks to William Stillman for letting us know about this one.

1938 Jingle Club - Advertising & Merchandising Book

To encourage bread companies to get on board with the Snow White Jingle Club promotion of 1938, Disney's marketing expert Kay Kamen prepared a guide book, Advertising and Merchandising Campaign for Bakers. Softcover, 42 black and white pages. Measures 8.5" x 11".

According to Hake's...

This highly detailed book is filled with many photos and illustrations thoroughly detailing this special promotion. Among the items shown are specialty packaging for baked goods, metal lunch kits, signs, window streamers, buttons, masks, costumes, animated displays, clothing, etc., as well as much information on the Jingle Club and its related premiums.

Front cover.

Ads and hand bills for Snow White Bread and the Jingle Club.

Balloons, Buttons, and Masks. These promotional items were used by bread companies (and other businesses too) for special events and give-aways. The button was to be worn by routemen and sales clerks.

An Snow White banner is seen on the side of the pretty awesome bread truck.

Lightweight sweaters and caps to be worn by the bread salesmen and clerks. They were produced by the Norwich Knitting Company in Norwich, New York.

Images via Hakes.

This is a fantastic book with many rare items. Unfortunately, we only get to see these seven pages that were posted online for a Hake's auction back in 2007. If there are any serious collectors out there who might be willing to provide scans of this important and informative piece of Snow White memorabilia, please contact us. We'd love to share this book in-full with other enthusiasts.

1938 Snow White Jingle Club - Contest Book

The 1938 Snow White Jingle Club was one of numerous advertising campaigns dreamed up by Disney's marketing team led by Kay Kamen. It was a promotional tie-in for primarily bread companies. When consumers visited their neighborhood grocery store, they'd see a large banner (earlier post) encouraging kids to join the Snow White Jingle Club.

To become a member, they had to mail in an application postcard with the child's name, address, age, birthday, and the grocer's info. Printed on the reverse side was the name and city of the local bread company sponsor; this particular one came from Wausau, Wisconsin. Card measures 5.5" x 3.5".

This one came from Beck's Bakery in Medford, Oregon.

Another example from the Atlanta Baking Company. Black & white graphics.

In return for sending in their postcards, children would receive a Jingle Club membership button (previous post) and a 16-page book. Full-color front cover, black and white illustrations inside. Measures 5.5" x 4".

Original mailing envelopes. This next one came from Olson's Bakery in Los Angeles.

On the back cover of the book, we learn about the Snow White Jingle Contest, plus the name of the local bakery sponsor.

Additional book images via Hake's Americana and Collectibles + Heritage Auctions.

This is how the contest worked: Inside the book are 24 illustrations (two per page). Each is accompanied by a four-line stanza but with the last verse left blank.

When parents brought home a loaf of Snow White bread from the store, inside the package would be a paper card (3.75" x 2") with an illustration identical to one found in the book, except it was in full-color. It also had the entire four-line jingle. See these cards in the next Archive entry.

To partake in the contest, the child was required to collect all 24 cards, then on the pages provided in the back of the book, fill in the last line to each jingle. The completed "last line page" could then be taken back to the store to win a Snow White prize.

A framed picture of a Snow White character (earlier post) appears to be the main prize that participants received for completing the Jingle Contest. Yet, other items like balloons, buttons, and masks were also available for use by the sponsoring bakery or laundry company. See more examples of these promotional materials in the Kay Kamen "Advertising and Merchandising" book (upcoming Archive entry).

1938 Snow White Jingle Club - Pin Back Buttons

This "member" pin-back button was a give-away item in the Snow White Jingle Club promotional bread campaign, "© 1938 W.D. Ent." Measures 1.25" across.

The reverse side has a backpaper illustration of Mickey Mouse extending a friendly hand. Imprinted with "Walt Disney Enterprises - Kay Kamen Ltd." Kay Kamen is noted as Disney's "sole representative" during this period.

A second, less common button was also issued. Same size, no illustration. Manufactured by Western Badge Company as indicated on the backpaper.

For the collector, it's important to be aware that a near-identical reproduction of the first button has also been released into the market. Same dimensions and illustration, except the lines appear fatter with a loss of detail. Some areas are filled in completely, as seen in the dwarf on the right. Note his nose and fingers. The copyright imprint also reads, "© 1938 W. Disney" instead of "W.D. Ent". Plus on the reverse side, there is no backpaper.

Comparison of original button and the reproduction.

Image via Hake's Americana and Collectibles and Irish Stew Antiques,

Snow White "Toy Town" Ad

The 1938 "Toy Town" campaign (detailed in an earlier post) was the brainchild of marketing wiz Kay Kamen. Toy departments within stores were transformed for the holidays, and Disney products featured prominently on shelves.

This newspaper advertisement for a 5 and 10 store in Ochlochnee, Georgia uses a full-page illustration of Snow White and the Prince, the Seven Dwarfs, Old Witch and forest animals to promote this "in-house" toy extravaganza. The "parade" down the page also includes Donald, Mickey, Goofy and even Santa Claus. Measures 11.5" x 17.5". The Seven Dwarfs Fruit Drops pictured in the lower right can be seen in another Archive entry.

Details...

Images via Heritage Auctions.

A full-color version of this ad was used on the cover of another department store catalog.

Snow White Post Toasties Cut-Outs

The year is 1934, and we're in the thick of the Great Depression. This, however, does not stop marketing wizard Kay Kamen from closing a sweet deal with General Foods. The cereal maker has agreed to pay the whopping sum of one million dollars to the Disney boys--revenue they will need as they start the ball rolling on their first feature-length film! That's a million 1934 dollars--a whole lotta money--and this just for one year of rights to place Mickey Mouse cut-outs on the backs of Post Toasties corn flake boxes. Children's cereal marketing would never be the same again.

The cut-outs were an immediate success. The cereal boxes would cost the parents about 12 cents each and after they were emptied, the kids had something to play with.

This rare paper sign (17"x24") promoting the debut of Disney cut-outs dates from 1934. Features early renditions of Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto. Sold for $1,075.25 (USD) September 2010.

General Foods Post Toasties would continue to employ Mickey Mouse and other Disney character cut-outs through 1941. Each box usually featured two to four cut-outs on the back and one along the side panel. It was around the 1937 release of the film that Snow White first appeared on Post Toasties.

Eight oz. box measures 8.5” tall, from 1938 series.

The Snow White Post Toasties Cut-Outs:

Two Post Toasties Side Panels.

Images via Hake's Americana and Collectibles.

The set of eight 1937-38 Post Toasties Cut-Outs sold for $95.60 in July of 2009.