The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
BOXING CLEVER
When Star Wars hit cinema screens in 1977 no one was prepared for its success – including toy producer Kenner.
Far from today’s slick multimedia marketing effort, the company was forced to rush out what was essentially an empty box in time for Christmas, amid a clamour for all things galactic.
The bungle went down as one of the greatest movie spin-off opportunities ever missed, with plastic figures of Han Solo, Chewbacca and the rest not hitting shelves until the following year.
In a bid to plug the festive gap, Kenner sold a cardboard box as a placeholder and a promise of toys to come. Nonetheless, the Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package became the most coveted empty box in the history of retail.
It included a cardboard backdrop that featured a lineup of painted renderings of a dozen characters including C-3PO, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. This would serve as a diorama where the first 12 action figures could be placed and displayed after they became available.
The package came with a redemption certificate to get an early bird delivery of four figures – Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 and Chewbacca – and a promise they would arrive by mail between February and June 1978.
It also included a membership card for the Star Wars Fan Club and stickers of R2-D2, C-3PO, the film’s logo and one with the now-famous phrase May the Force be with you.