Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Everything else. Find blog posts here for just about anything that takes my fancy.

SonyCard / LoveFilm 2008 Promotional Flyer

This is a jewel case sized flyer that is double-sided with a matte effect advertising the SonyCard Credit Card on one side and the LoveFilm rental service overleaf. It can be assumed this is from 2008 by the list of items being promoted and the expiry date for the LoveFilm offer being 30th January 2009.

The SonyCard side advertises both Visa and MasterCard brand credit cards with the following offers:

  • 0% on balance transfers for 12 months (3% handling fee)
  • 0% on all card purchases for 3 months
  • Receive 4,000 free reward points when you first use your Sony Card (to be redeemed against two Free CDs)
  • Earn 1 reward point for every £1 spent on the card
  • Earn triple reward points for every product purchased from Sony with the card
  • Free music, movies, games and electronics from Sony
  • A 15.9% APR variable rate applies to either card

The CD’s promoted are:

The LoveFilm side advertises a subscription sign-up deal to the rental service. The deal is that the subscriber would get 8 free DVD rentals and a free copy of one of the following films on DVD or Blu-ray to keep:

I am unsure of what item this flyer was originally included with.

Images

Musical Magic (M&Ms)

Artist – Various artists
Release Year – 1996
Record Label –
Michele Compact Discs
Format – CD compilation
Promoting 
– M&Ms chocolate sweets/chocolate candy
Theme – Classical music

This might be one of the only promotional releases that I picked up in 2018 that wasn’t part of a haul, as I have been spending the year buying items to fill out my musical knowledge more than scratch my promotional item itch. As soon as I slid this CD out from a very shaky bookcase in my local charity shop I fell in love with the wonderful 90s aesthetic of the M&M characters and design of this ultimately rather mediocre release. These days we are treated to gaudy looking CGI characters with silly New York style accents but there is something oh so sweet about these little mascots that are seen here on the front of this release.

M&M’s, like many items of confectionery in the UK could be classed as being aimed towards more children, or have a playful nature about them. So why in 1996 Mars (the brand owner) decided to give away a 16 track compilation of classical hits with the sweets I am unsure. Performing a loose search on YouTube of “M&Ms 1996” to retrieve examples of commercials or promotions that were happening at the time returns nothing of the sort; actually it was in this period that Mars began to use CGI voiced characters with those stereotypical New York accents – with no sign of class or pomp in sight. A few cautionary Google searches brings up no results either to explain the thinking behind this kind of promotion.

Normally with many of these releases it makes sense, the music found on the CD works with the demographic or style of the product/brand being promoted. Classical music compilations would normally show up on classy products such as whisky, alcohol or upmarket department stores – not colourful shelled chocolates.

Utterly mind boggling, if anyone has any insight as to why or how this CD came to exist please let me know.

Tracklist

  1. Volograd Symphony Orchestra – Sleeping Beauty Waltz
  2. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – The Toreadors, from Carmen
  3. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Swan Theme, from Swan Lake
  4. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave)
  5. American Philharmonia Orchestra – The Swan, from Carnival of the Animals
  6. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – In The Hall of the Mountain King, from Peer Gynt
  7. Sofia Symphony Orchestra – Radetsky March
  8. American Philarmonia Orchestra – The Aquarium, from Carnival of the Animals
  9. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Light Cavalry Overture
  10. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, from Scheherazade
  11. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
  12. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Dance of the Reed Flutes, from The Nutcracker
  13. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – William Tell Overture (finale)
  14. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – March to the Scaffold, from Symphonie Fantastique
  15. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
  16. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – 1812 Overture (finale)

Gallery

Home-Grown GIFs

I’m a man of my generation (almost) so it probably comes as no surprise to anyone that I would enjoy to communicate with my friends, family and even strangers online through the wonderful medium of GIFs.

I’ve watched over the years gifs turn from simple hand-drawn, low frame, high dither animations to glorious, glossy, almost video like clips from popular TV shows and films. There are plenty of repositories around the world wide web for these invaluable mini-clips that contain thousands if not millions of entries made by themselves, by fans or, surprising enough, the production companies themselves.

However even though there are millions out there, sometimes you just can’t find the one you want. So here we are; in a predicament where you know the GIF you want in your head but it doesn’t exist. Fear not, there are plenty of ways out there to make a GIF for free, some much better than others (quick tip, you don’t need to download any software to achieve this); however even doing so and then uploading it to one of the mega-collections that fuel messaging services such as Facebook, Discord, WhatsApp and Slack, may mean your hard work gets lost in the wash.

For this reason I am reasonably precious about GIFs that I create, so much so that I have also decided to upload them here – somewhere where if I ever reached a million clips I would probably either be a) eternal, b) subject to some kind of mass hack or c) on some strange personal journey to create a business focusing on these tiny digital masterpieces. Also it just makes it easier for me to find them if I end up losing them.

PayMoneyWubby We’re Just Getting Started

H3H3 Joke Police

Charlie (Cr1tikal) Smiles While Watching Fart Porn

PayMoneyWubby is Scared

Carling Premier – Cool Cuts (Carling)

Artist – Various artists, all original recordings
Release Year – 1997
Record Label –
Fastforward Music
Format – CD compilation
Promoting 
– Carling Premier lager
Theme – Cool eighties music

If I recall correctly I ended up with this particular CD as part of one of the many hauls I picked up in 2018. Sadly however I don’t remember which, for I ended up becoming quite swamped in the format this year and so many of these wonderful promotional CD’s sat under my bed gathering dust.

Luckily for all of us a kind Discogs contributor can shed some light in that this CD was given away with Carling Premier lager to promote their Unique Smooth Chill System. This unique system is explained in the short booklet included with the CD as being Smoother and Creamier.

As a compilation the selection here isn’t terrible, however a bit meagre with only 8 tracks; although they are all original recordings.

Tracklist

  1. Gary Numan – Cars (The Premier Mix)
  2. The Human League – Love Action (I Believe In Love)
  3. Heaven 17 – Temptation
  4. Spandau Ballet – Chant No1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)
  5. Re-Flex – The Politics of Dancing
  6. Tubeway Army – Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
  7. Culture Club – Time (Clock of the Heart)
  8. Scritti Politti – Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)

 

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BBC Comedy Video Catalogue (1993)

I found this promotion in Red Dwarf I – The End Byte One (BBC Video, BBCV 4914).

The inlay advertises the following items:

Videos

  • Very Best of Only Fools and Horses – Yuppy Love (BBCV 4855)
  • Very Best of Only Fools and Horses – Tea for Three (BBCV 4849)
  • One Foot In The Grave – Who Will Buy? (BBCV 4833)
  • Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em – The Job Interview (BBCV 4692 / BBCV 4693)
  • Dad’s Army – The Man and the Hour (BBCV 4892)
  • Steptoe and Son – The Piano (BBCV 4602)
  • Fawlty Towers – The Germans (BBCV 4000)
  • Yes, Prime Minister – The Grand Design and The Key (BBCV 4410 / BBCV 4411)
  • The Black-Adder (BBCV 4293 / BBCV 4296)
  • Rab C. Nesbitt – Fitba’ (BBCV 4900)
  • Rab C. Nesbit Live! (BBCV 4881)
  • Victoria Wood – Mens Sana in Thingummy Doodah (BBCV 4843)
  • Harry Enfield – Best of Series 1 (BBCV 4885)
  • Alas Smith & Jones (BBCV 4861)
  • Red Dwarf IV – Dimension Jump (BBCV 4848)
  • Black-Adder II (BBCV 4296 / BBCV 4299)
  • Black-Adder The Third (BBCV 44142 / BBCV 4143)
  • Black-Adder Goes Forth (BBCV 4349 / BBCV 4350)

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BBC Science Fiction Video Catalogue (1993)

I found this promotion in Red Dwarf I – Confidence & Paranoia Byte Two (BBC Video, BBCV 4915).

The inlay advertises the following items:

Videos

  • Blake’s 7 – The Way Back / Spacefall (BBCV 4447)
  • Blake’s 7 – Bounty / Deliverance (BBCV 4469)
  • Blake’s 7 – Voice from the Past / Gambit (BBCV 4663)
  • Red Dwarf IV – Dimension Jump (BBCV 4848)
  • Red Dwarf II – Kryton (BBCV 4749)
  • Red Dwarf III – Timeslides (BBCV 4707)
  • The Making of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy  (BBCV 4895)
  • Starcops – An Instinct for Murder (BBCV 4630)
  • Doomwatch – The Plastic Eaters (BBCV 4477)
  • Doctor Who – The Five Doctors (BBCV 4387)
  • Dr. Who – Image of Ferndahl (BBCV 4941)
  • Dr. Who – Daleks – The Early Years (BBCV 4810)
  • Doctor Who – The Tomb of the Cyberman (BBCV 4772)
  • Dr. Who – The Aztecs (BBCV 4743)
  • Dr. Who – Silver Nemesis (BBCV 4888)
  • Dr. Who – Tom Baker Years (BBCV 4839)
  • Doctor Who – The Troughton Years (BBCV 4609)
  • Doctor Who – The Pertwee Years (BBCV 4756)

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BBC Children’s Video Catalogue 1991

I found this promotion in Captain Pugwash 2 – The Flying Buccaneer (BBC Video, BBCV 4451).

The inlay advertises the following items:

Videos

  • Postman Pat 2 (BBCV 4029)
  • Postman Pat 3 (BBCV 4030)
  • Postman Pat’s Big Video (BBCV 4168)
  • Fireman Sam 2 – Lost Cat (BBCV 4137)
  • Fireman Sam 3 – Sam’s Day Off (BBCV 4197)
  • Fireman Sam 4 – Snow Business (BBCV 4268)
  • Jackanory – Ten in a Bed (BBCV 4236)
  • Barney – Barney Gets into Mischief (BBCV 4272)
  • Fantastic Max 2 – Attack of the Cubic Rubes (BBCV 4315)
  • The Magic Roundabout (BBCV 4278)
  • Camberwick Green 1 – Mickey Murphy (BBCV 4231)
  • Rupert 2 – Rupert and the Runaway Dragon (BBCV 4347)
  • Andy Pandy (BBCV 4205)
  • Watch with Mother (BBCV 4091)
  • Bill and Ben Flowerpot Men (BBCV 4208)
  • The Further Adventures of Superted – Phantom of the Grand Ol’ Orpy (BBCV 4304)
  • Stoppit and Tidyup (BBCV 4207)
  • Watched with Mother – The Next Generation (BBCV 4280)

Gallery

McColl’s Halloween 2018 Product Guide

This is a PDF copy of the McColl’s product guide that was distributed before Halloween 2018.

Below is a break-down of the products that are being advertised:

Page 1 – Halloween Meal Deal £5

  • BirdsEye Field Fresh Mixed Vegetables 340g
  • Aunt Bessie’s Crispy Homestyle Chips 900g
  • BirdsEye 2 Crispy Chicken In Tempura Batter 2pk
  • Walls Vinnetta Vanilla 650ml

Page 2 – Halloween Goods

  • Mr Kipling 8 Fiendish Fancies 8pk – £1
  • Mr Kipling 6 Terrifying Toffee Whirls 6pk – £1
  • McVitie’s Hobnobs 4 Terrifying Toffee Apple Flapjacks 4pk – £1
  • Haribo Scaremix 140g – £1
  • Haribo Tangfastricks 140g – £1
  • Skittles Darkside 10 Fun Size 180g – £1
  • Swizzles Monster Mix 33% Extra Free Monster Value pack 310g – £2
  • Cadbury Heroes Family Bag 278g – £2
  • Fanta Zero Sugar Fruit Twist 12x150ml – £3
  • Fanta Zero Sugar Orange 12x1505ml – £3
  • Small Pumpkins – £1.50
  • Medium Pumpkins – £3

Page 3 – Chilled & Frozen

  • UFit Strawberry Protein Drink 310ml – £1.50
  • UFit Chocolate Protein Drink 310ml – £1.50
  • Wall’s Chicken & Bacon Slice 180g – 2 for £3
  • Wall’s Chicken Tikka Slice 180g – 2 for £3
  • Wall’s Peppered Steak Slice 180g – 2 for £3
  • Dairylea Lunchables Stackers Ham ‘N’ Cheese 83.4g – £1.20
  • Dairylea Lunchables Stackers Chicken ‘N’ Cheese 76.8g – £1.20
  • Peperami Original 22.5g
  • Peperami Hot 22.5g
  • Peperami Firestick 22.5g
  • Peperami Classic Beef 22.5g
  • Cathedral City Mature Cheddar 200g – £2.29
  • Cathedral City Extra Mature Cheddar 200g – £2.89
  • Flora Light 500g – £1.20
  • Flora Original 500g – £1.20
  • Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pizza Speciale 330g – 2 for £5
  • Dr. Oatker Ristorante Pizza Mozzarella 335g – 2 for £5
  • BirdsEye Chicken Curry with Rice 400g – £1.50
  • BirdsEye Beef Lasagne 400g – £1.75
  • Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie
  • Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough
  • Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food

Page 4 – Safeway Products

  • Safeway Seasonal Baby Leaf Salad 100g – £1.29
  • Safeway Salad Tomatoes 6pk – £1
  • Safeway Royal Gala Apples 6pk – £1.89
  • Safeway Large Oranges – £1.99
  • Safeway Carrots 500g – £0.79
  • Safeway Broccoli 335g – £0.79
  • Safeway Closed Cup Mushrooms 300g – £1.09
  • Safeway Cucumber – £0.69

Page 5 – Safeway Products Contd.

  • Safeway Red Leicester 250g – Any 2 for £3.50
  • Safeway British Chicken Mini Breast Fillets 300g – £3
  • Safeway Breaded Ham 5 Slices 120g – Any 2 for £3.50
  • Safeway Free Range Eggs 6 pack – £1.09
  • Safeway Beef Lasagne 400g – Any 2 for £4.50
  • Safeway Spaghetti Bolognese 400g – Any 2 for £4.50
  • Safeway Sweet & Sour Chicken & Egg Fried Rice 450g – Any 2 for £5
  • Kettle Lightly Salted Crisps – 2 for £1.20
  • Kettle Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – 2 for £1.20

Page 6 – Great Value Products

  • Patak’s Mango Chutney 340g – Any 2 for £2
  • Patak’s Tikka Masala Sauce 450g – Any 2 for £2
  • Patak’s Korma Sauce 450g – Any 2 for £2
  • Patak’s 8 Plain Pappadums 72g – Any 2 for £2
  • Tilda Pure Basmati Rice 250g – Any 2 for £2
  • Tilda Pilau Rice 250g – Any 2 for £2
  • Tilda Brown Basmati Rice 250g – Any 2 for £2
  • Nestlé Kit Kat Bites 104g – £1
  • Nestlé Aero Delightful Peppermint Bubles 102g – £1
  • Warburtons 2 Giant Crumpets 2pk – £0.75
  • McVities Digestives Chocfilled Thins Milk Chocolate 130g – £1
  • Fanta Zero Sugar Fruit Twist 12x150ml – £3
  • Fanta Zero Sugar Orange 12x1505ml – £3

Page 7 – Great Value Products Contd

  • Batchelor’s Pasta ‘n’ Sauce Cheese, Leek & Ham 110g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Pasta ‘n’ Sauce Chicken & Mushroom 110g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Pasta ‘n’ Sauce Cheese & Broccoli 110g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Super Noodles Chicken 100g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Super Noodles BBQ Beef 100g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Super Noodles Bacon 100g – Any 2 for £1.50
  • Batchelor’s Super Noodles Cup Chicken 75g – £1
  • Batchelor’s Super Noodles Cup Curry 75g – £1
  • Pot Rice Vegetable Curry 75g – £1
  • Pot Rice Chicken Teriyaki 75g – £1
  • Walkers MAX Strong Hot Chicken Wings 150g – £1
  • Walkers MAX Strong Jalapeño & Cheese 150g – £1
  • McVitie’s Digestives Nibbles Milk Chocolate 120g – £1
  • McVitie’s Digestives Nibbles Caramel 120g – £1
  • Quaker Oat So Simple Golden Syrup 10x30g – £2
  • Quaker Oat So Simple Original 12x27g – £2
  • Flash Ultra Power 500ml – £1.50
  • Flash with Bleach 400ml – £1.50
  • Flash Wipe & Go Lemon 40pk – £1
  • Febreze Air 300ml – £2
  • Fairy Original Lemon 433ml – £1.50
  • Fairy Original 433ml – £1.50
  • McVities Digestives Chocfilled Thins Milk Chocolate 130g – £1
  • McVities Digestives Chocfilled Thins Double Choc 130g – £1

Page 8 – Great Value Beers, Wines & Spirits

  • Gordon’s London Gin and Schweppes Tonic 250ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Gordon’s Pink Gin and Schweppes Tonic 250ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • J. P. Chenet Colombard Chardonnay Wine 187ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Stella Artois 660ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • San Miguel 660ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Beck’s 660ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime 500ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Bulmers Red Berries and Lime 500ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Crabbie’s Original 500ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Blossom Hill 187ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold & Cola 250ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Smirnoff & Cola 250ml – Any 4 for £7 / Any 2 for £4
  • Hardy’s Bankside Chardonnay Wine 75cl – £5
  • Hardy’s Bankside Shiraz Wine 75cl – £5
  • Echo Falls Zesty Tropical Fruit Flavours White Wine 75cl – £5.50
  • Echo Falls Soft Red Berries & Plums Red Wine 75cl – £5.50
  • I ❤ Pinot Grigio 75cl – £6
  • I ❤ Rosé 75cl – £6
  • I ❤ Shiraz 75cl – £6
  • I ❤ Prosecco 75cl – £8
  • Claymore Blended Whisky 70cl – £15
  • Russian Standard Русский Стандарт 70cl – £15.99
  • Gordon’s Pink Gin 70cl – £16
  • Mount Gay Barbados Rum 70cl – £18.49
  • Stella Artois 10x440ml – £11
  • Carling Original Lager 10x440ml – £9
  • Foster’s 10x440ml – £9
  • Strongbow Dark Fruit 10x440ml – £11

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Warner Brothers Family Entertainment Inlay Promotion (1995)

I found this promotion in Thumbelina (013080).

The inlay advertises the following video titles:

  • The Secret Garden
  • Free Willy
  • Dennis
  • 1001 Rabbit Tales
  • Rover Dangerfield
  • Tiny Toons – How I Spent My Vacation
  • Calamity Jane
  • Willy Wonka
  • Curly Sue
  • Lois & Clark
  • The Never Ending Story
  • The Never Ending Story II
  • Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters
  • The Goonies

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Jim Henson Home Video Questionnaire 1993 (MCC 15/11/93)

This is a double-sided card flyer included with The Muppet Christmas Carol on VHS. The card is green in colour and features 10 questions about the purchase of the videocassette. The card also acts as a proof of postage tag.

The form asks for the following information:

    • Did you receive this video cassette as a gift?
    • If purchased, who had the major say in selecting the title
      • Adult
      • Child
      • Other)
    • Who was it for?
      • Self
      • Family
      • Friend
      • Other
    • What is the primary reason you purchased this video cassette
      • Someone asked for it
      • Saw it in store
      • Price
      • Rented before
      • Makes a great gift
      • Saw press advertising
      • I own other films
      • Other
    • How many pre-recorded videos in total have you purchased/recieved
      • 1-5
      • 6-10
      • 11-20
      • 21+
    • How many Jim Henson pre-recorded videos does your house hold own in total?
      • Purchased
        • 1
        • 2
        • 3-5
        • 6-10
        • 10+
      • Recieved
        • 1
        • 2
        • 3-5
        • 6-10
        • 10+
    • Where would you normally purhcase your pre-recorded video cassettes
      • Department Store
      • Supermarket
      • Radio/Electrical Shop
      • Toy Shop
      • Woolworths
      • Direct Mail
      • Hi-Fi Record Shop
      • Video Shop
      • High Street Retailer
      • Bookshop
      • W H Smith
      • Other
    • How did you discover this Feature Film cassette was available for purchase
      • Browsing in store
      • Direct Mail
      • Trailer on video
      • Recommendation by a friend / family
      • Ads in newspapers / magazines
      • Other
    • Please enter the following details about yourself and your household
      • Occupation head of household
      • Number of Children
        • Age of Boy(s)
        • Age of Girl(s)
    • If you do not wish to receive further mail about Jim Henson videos or any further communication from Jim Henson Home Video, please tick the box
    • Name
    • Address
    • Postcode
    • Phone

The questionnaire has the following address:

P.O. Box 9
Freepost
Nelson
Lancs.
BB9 8DP