“Making Good Now On Order IOUs” in 1978

I recently shared a 1977 newspaper article about Kenner’s Star Wars “Early Bird Kit,” and in the interest of seeing what happened next I thought you may enjoy this piece from 1978. The March 9, 1978, issue of The Evening Independent gives us an excellent follow up on the Kenner “Early Bird Kit” promotion, notifying readers of the success of the unusual product.

Shipments to certificate holders — there were “several hundred thousand,” according to Kenner president Bernard Loomis — began in mid-January. And retailers began getting the toys in early February.

It’s unlikely that we’ll ever see this type of promotion in stores again, and Kenner even acknowledged that way back in 1978; the article reports:

“We treated it as a unique merchandising idea,” Kenner’s John Beck said. “Chances are, it will never be done again.”

Related articles

• 9 Star Wars Toys That Were Canceled Before Anybody Could Buy Them (io9.com)
• Santa’s Anti-Rambo and He-Man in 1986 (battlegrip.com)
• 1966: “You Can’t Build a Business on Fads.” (battlegrip.com)