Wednesday, October 31, 2007

1953 KRAFT CARAMELS PLASTIC BAG MASKS


“Hey kids, looking for that perfect Halloween costume for Halloween, well look no further because you can get your very own plastic bag to wear over your head!”

What were the ad wizards at Kraft thinking back in 1953 when they came up with this bright idea for a kid’s send-away premium? Can you imagine something like this in today’s market?

As the ad says, “Slips easily over your head,” but the printer must’ve accidentally left off the next line which said, “Not responsible for suffocation.”


A couple of years ago I found this Space Helmet plastic bag mask tucked inside of an old book. I had no clue what it was from and so I ended up selling it in a large advertising premium lot on eBay. Savvy super collector Dan Goodsell won the auction as he had this very ad in his collection, but no masks. Now the Space Helmet is part of his collection.


Last year I found my own newspaper ad and another plastic mask. This time it was Toto the Clown. Who the heck was Toto the Clown? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?


As far as I know, only two masks have surfaced. Hopefully, the Old Witch and the evil looking Pumpkin Head will emerge. Maybe we should start a Kraft Caramels Plastic Bag Mask cult, but for now, there are only two members.

I wonder how many kids turned black & blue in ‘53 before remembering to cut out the eye and mouth holes. I hate to think how many kids forgot the eye and mouth holes. You know this sounds like the beginning of a horror flick. Also, you want to know something else? I think this Halloween blog-a-thon countdown has taken its toll.

Where is that Toto the Clown mask? Must wear the Toto mask!!!!!!!

1 comment:

Dane said...

Sort of like a real-life Silver Shamrock mask. :)