THE CEREAL PRIZE PROJECT: GROUP 009
(Ghost Detector, Tony the Tiger Frisbee Flyer, Glowy Signal Things, Garfield Water Picture & Magic Show Trick Booklet)
#034 - Ghost Detector: (Kellogg's, 1989)
Additional Images:
Sealed premium. Instructions.
I'm sure plenty of you have played with a "Fortune Teller Fish" at some point, but if not, they were little, paper-thin red plastic "fish" that contorted in various directions when placed on the palm of one's hand, and a guide on the package explained the different "love levels" as dictated by the fish's position. Like, if was a curved up on one side, you had a crush on someone, or if it was curved inwardly, you were madly in love. The "Ghost Detector" is obviously based on those, and uses the same gimmick -- but this time, it's with supernatural intent. Depending on how the ghoul grooved when settled on your palm, you'd be able to tell if the room you were in was haunted by the souls of the dead.
Of course, this being a toy shoved into a cereal box and meant exclusively for kiddies, the instructions are written in such a way that, barring a defective Ghost Detector, it'd
never suggest that you had ghosts in the room. What's the point of a Ghost Detector that never detects ghosts? Lie to us! We
want ghosts, dammit!
#035 - Tony the Tiger Frisbee Flyer: (Kellogg's, Frosted Flakes, 1989)
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Sealed premium. Came with Nut & Honey Crunch coupon.
I still contend that miniature Frisbees are a fool's game -- they fly way too far, they fly at impossible-to-catch speeds and they're not even big enough to double as a hot dog plate when Maw miscounts heads during her picnic prep session. This didn't keep every cereal ever from offering sixty dozen different miniature Frisbees, including this all-Tony edition from Frosted Flakes. Given away during the summer season of 1989, it was the rare cereal prize that actually inspired kids to go outside. We wouldn't last long out there since miniature Frisbees are so incredibly easy to lose, but the point is, our skin hit sun. Now Kellogg's had at least one self-congratulating bullet point for the pro-social page of their company bible -- they got kids
active, baby.
#036 - Glowy Signal Things: (Kellogg's, 1989)
Additional Images:
Sealed premium.
Though less of an effort than the "Night Scope" from
Group 006, these glowy signal things share the same technology. I guess they're supposed to be vague reflector-style signals for kids on the prowl at dusk. After letting the white sides under the slits soak in some artificial light, you can create a flickering glow effect by continually pressing down on the top of the cardboard. I'd try to explain this better, but the prize isn't interesting enough to warrant the twenty extra seconds it'd take for me to come up with another description. While crappy in execution, I'm betting that the commercial for the things made 'em look totally desirable. Pretty much anything with glow-in-the-dark capabilities looked great in the ads and crappy in the hands.
#037 - Garfield Water Picture: (Kellogg's, 1989)
Additional Images:
Sealed premium. Instructions. Came with (another) Nut & Honey Crunch coupon.
With this one, it's again important to remember what's appealing when you're a child. Sure, the fact that a silly Garfield picture "magically" appears on this blank canvas after dunking the thing in water isn't going to move mountains in your big fat adult head, but to a kid, it really
is magic. I've said this before, a hundred times, but it still fascinates the frig out of me. I don't long for the days when a Garfield Water Picture could be found in a box of Corn Pops -- I just long for a time when a Garfield Water Picture could
make my day.
It's kind of cool, regardless. As you
dip the image into a cup of water, a full color (yet grossly faded) image quickly forms. Finally, you're left with something like
this, and the image disappears once dry, so you can keep performing the trick over and over again until you're fully confident that everyone in your neighborhood's grown completely bored of it. I'm guessing there were four or more total in the Garfield Water Picture set; not really suitable for framing, but how many pictures can you take in the pool without feeling like there's a demerit coming on?
#038 - Magic Show Booklet: (General Mills, various cereals, 1989)
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Sealed premium. Came with two coupons!
Famed magician Dan Witkowski overcame the perils of a wholly unmarketable last name with his legendary knack for tricks, gags, freak-outs and how-could-it-bes. At the very peak of his career, he used his reach and demand in the same way any of you would: He teamed up with General Mills to teach kids the incomparable "floating cup" trick. Hooo yeah. It's the "Magic Show" booklet, the sixth in a series of a six.
I know it's not particularly flashy, but don't hit the discount button just yet. Each several-paged booklet contained instructions on how to do a couple of "easy" magic tricks, but to better tie in it with cereal, each trick was associated with a different General Mills superstar -- there's the Trix Rabbit's
Floating Cup, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bakers'
Number Prediction, Ice Cream Jones'
Magical Projection and more.
I had a couple of these books. Never did do any of the suggested tricks, but that didn't stop me from sitting on our old, plaid, cig-burned couch, re-reading the thing a hundred times over with grand visions of all the tricks I'd be able to perform at the next big family function. It's hard to imagine actually doing the tricks being more fun than
thinking about doing 'em.
--
Matt (6/26/05)
