Adverts

[Idris]

I recently obtained a copy of a publication containing reproductions of toy car adverts from between 1968 and 1972 (here). Included are adverts from Lesney and, since the time period spans the introduction of Superfast, they make interesting reading. A couple of points in particular caught my eye:
- From the pages of "Victor" (28/5/70): "...we're adapting all our existing cars to Superfast. O course you'll still be able to buy our "MATCHBOX" trucks, buses and lorries for your collection.". To me this proves what has been suggested elsewhere, namely that the initial idea was to convert only the cars, but leave everything else as RW.
- Also from Victor (14/3/70) an advert for the new SF45 Ford Group Six. Although the second-type box is illustrated, the car is shown solely as an artist's impression and has wide wheels plus a square no. 7 nose label. In addition, the text reads "...finished in high-gloss racing green...". I can only think that the advert was held back for some reason, only to be released after the model's colour scheme and box artwork had been revised.
- I also noted how rapidly the price of 1-75s climbed during the period. on 29/8/68 it was 2/3, on 17/5/69 and 13/12/69 it was 2/4, on 28/5/70 it was 2/8, but by 3/4/71 it was 15p (3/-). So, over a period of some 30 months, they rose from 27d to 36d - an increase of one third!