Sunday, July 5, 2015

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.




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).

Saturday, July 4, 2015

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.

Friday, July 3, 2015

1938 Snow White Jingle Club - Poster

A large Snow White Jingle Club banner from 1938, designed for display at grocery stores. Screen printed on cloth. Measures 58.5" x 35.5". It was part of a bread promotion that included a booklet and pin-back buttons.

Image via Heritage Auctions.


In the early 1990s, six of these banners were discovered in a distribution warehouse in Ohio--quite possibly never having ever been used in stores. See a similar banner (sans text and book graphics) in an earlier Archive entry.

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On June 6, 2013, the Antique Roadshow did an appraisal on the same style of banner except that it also included the text "Snow White Bread" in the lower right corner.

Screen capture via the Antique Roadshow.

You can watch the segment on the Antique Roadshow site.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

1938 Old King Cole 'Snow White' Displays

A complete set of Snow White composition displays is currently up for auction at Hakes (Auction #215; Item 1867). They're copyrighted 1938 by Old King Cole Inc., the premiere manufacturer of Disney store displays in the day. The collection includes Snow and the dwarfs plus two fiberboard-backed painted cottages.

Each of the figures is two-dimensional with the original wood framework and Old King Cole label attached on the back. Intended for store windows or wall display, small braces could be easily added for floor display as well. The character name for each is recessed into design. Snow White measures 39.625" tall x 13.5" wide. The dwarfs are approximately 24" x 20.5".













The two cottages match in style to the Old King Cole displays but are unmarked. The larger measures 53" x 39.75", the smaller is 39.625" x 39.5".

Old King Cole images and information via Hakes.


Disney Old King Cole displays are among the most sought after Disneyana of any era. According to Hakes, this is the only complete Snow White set in this style known to exist. There is another display set, but it features totally different designs for the characters.

Pictured in the 1987 Brian Sibley and Richard Hollis Snow White book: The Making of a Classic Film, p.73, these Old King Cole figures are shown in a 1938 theatre display. Note also the papier mâché head on top.

Page 73, copyright 1987 Brian Sibley and Richard Hollis.


The figures were also on display, along with the papier mâché heads, in the courtyard of the Cathay Circle Theatre during the 1937 world premiere. (See earlier Archive entry for more pics.)

Art Exhibit photo courtesy of the David Lesjak Collection via Vintage Disney Collectibles.


Special thanks to William Stillman for his generous assistance with this post.