by Michael Lyons
November. The month that brings us the kick-off to the Holiday Season, or for the many who have already put up and decorated their Christmas tree, it is the Holiday Season.
A Hollywood tradition that began forty or so years ago, was the release of a big studio family film, usually animated, just before Thanksgiving weekend. In the 80s and 90s, these films came with a tremendous amount of marketing behind them so that no one (especially kids) would forget that they were "coming soon to a theater near you!"
A big part of this hype machine was a partnership with some of the biggest names in the fast food industry.
These once publicity props that were a "bonus" to a meal are now so fondly remembered by generations who search for these once discarded pieces of their childhood on e-Bay, garage sales, and collector shows to rekindle the flame of warm nostalgia.
Here are just a few of these fast-food memories:
Many of these family films coinciding with the Christmas season allowed for some appropriately themed holiday offerings-
In 1985, McDonald's helped promote the super-hero-like origin story, Santa Claus: The Movie with Happy Meals that offered storybooks and reindeer ornaments that were free with the purchase of McDonald's gift certificates. The film itself also included an extended sequence that took place in a McDonald's during a not-so-subtle moment of product placement.
One year later, Steven Spielberg and Don Bluth's hit animated film An American Tail also partnered with McDonald's for stocking featuring the film's main character, Fievel, the mouse, as a giveaway with the purchase of McDonald's gift certificates.
McDonald's gift certificates continued from 1987 through 1990, with a partnership with Disney that saw ornaments as a gift with the purchase of the certificates. There was...
...Jaq and Gus, when Cinderella was re-issued in 1987...
...Oliver and Dodger from 1988's Oliver & Company...
...Flounder and Sebastian from 1989's The Little Mermaid...
...and Bernard and Bianca from 1990's The Rescuers Down Under.
The timing was perfect for the now holiday classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, from Disney and Tim Burton, and these watches which were offered at Burger King in 1993.
There were also plenty of others not connected with the holiday seasons, providing creative promotions unlike any others
In 1992, Burger King offered Aladdin cups that would change the image when a cold beverage was poured into them.
Back at McDonald's in 1996, Disney offered no less than 101 Happy Meal toys to promote the live-action re-make of 101 Dalmatians...
...and "connectible" Space Jam toys in '96, as well!
There were also plenty of creative toys with meals during the 90s, thanks to Disney, such as these Burger King Beauty and the Beast Kids Meal toys from 1991.
Disney's fast-food promotional model was also followed by a number of other studios who released animated films to compete during the renaissance of the 1990's, such as...
All Dogs Go to Heaven toys at Wendy's in 1989...
...The Pagemaster at Pizza Hut in 1994...
...also in 1994, The Swan Princess at Sizzler...
...and Balto, at Hardee's in 1995 (yes, that image of the Hardee's sign like the Northern Lights on the Horizon is from the TV commercial).
And so, there is a quick "drive-thru" down fast food holiday promotion memory lane. All from a time when movies, and eating habits, were much different, but there are no calories in memories...so enjoy!
For more of my articles, podcasts and books, head over to Words From Lyons!
