Tag Archives: Cereal

Ghostbusters Cereal Coupons

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On December 14, 2020 Robert Maxwell Barbieri aka Bobby Eighties (Facebook) posted “vintage Ghostbusters scrapbook material.” Once I saw Bobby’s photos I had to ask about sharing his Ghostbusters Cereal (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, October 8, 2014) coupons. After taking close up photos, editing, a new month, year, and a few cosmetic changes (so far) to Ecto-Containment, I’m happy to co-present 37 year old Ghostbusters cereal coupons in color!

Earlier in the twenty teens I had only seen black and white versions. They originally came from newspapers during the 1980s. Most likely shared by Matthew Jordan of Ghostbusters Wiki. I’ve been wanting to see and share these coupons as I believe I remembered from childhood.

Bobby’s coupons go beyond cereal. Premiums, (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, October 20, 2014) Sweepstakes, (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, October 25, 2014) Stay-Puft apparel, and Toys ‘R Us.

Ads and coupons are mostly in chronological order from dates listed.

  • Original black and white ad/coupons from The Modesto Bee. Date: June 18, 1989.
  • Original black and white ad/coupons from The Reading Eagle. Date: November 26, 1989.
Early proof Kraft should have licensed the Stay-Puft brand.

Sources:

Rich Review: Ghostbusters Stay Puft Cereal From Funko

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In 2019 for Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Funko made not 1, but 2 Ghostbusters branded cereals. The first, Ghostbusters Slimer Funko’s. (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, July 16, 2019) The second and probably final Funko’s Ghostbusters cereal was in association with The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Corporation. Well, if it really existed.

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Rich Review: Ghostbusters Slimer Cereal From Funko

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In 1985 Ralston brought us Ghostbusters cereal. (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, October 8, 2014) In 1990 after the Ghostbusters franchise went into a type of slumber, (also personally know to me as “the dark times”) our beloved cereal had disappeared.

Ghostbusters and its fandom would grow, anniversaries would see new merchandise, including things we could eat (GBI Blog Post, February 21, 2016) and drink. (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, June 17, 2016) Sure, Twinkies are snack food. It isn’t breakfast. When would ghostheads be able to have not expired and inexpensive Ghostbusters cereal again?

Enter toy (and cereal maker?) company Funko. In 2018 the Pops! company whom had already made plenty of Ghostbusters figures, (Ecto-Containment Blog Post, December 28, 2014) began producing Funko’s. Cereals based on licensed properties which probably already had a Pop! figure or 22.

The one Funko’s cereal that was missing, Ghostbusters. During a sorta off Ghostbusters anniversary, ghostheads had to maybe eat strange waffles instead.

What a difference a year makes. In 2019 Ghostbusters turned thirty five and decided it had a lot to do for this year and next year. To start a new day off right, it’s time for Funko’s. Ghostbusters. Slimer. Cereal!

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Ghostbusters II Cereal Movie Mystery Sweepstakes: Meet A Real Ghostbuster

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Note: Originally written for Ghostbusters Inc. in 2014 in part with the realism of the Ghostbusters universe.

When GHOSTBUSTERS II™ was headed for theatrical release Ghostbusters Incorporated, Ralston, and then Columbia Pictures mutually agreed to move forward from our Slimer! and The Real Ghostbusters cereal to fully concentrate on GHOSTBUSTERS II.™ With a soon to be blockbuster movie came product and cross promotions. The “sequel” version of our cereal was a natural fit. To be part of the bigger picture it needed more then a large “no ghost” sequel logo. Once it was planned out, the companies were taking a sequel sized gamble. If this didn’t work we couldn’t go back to giving away free gum, stickers, and Diamond Dazzle scopes.

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Ghostbusters Cereal: At A Premium

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GHOSTBUSTERS™ cereal was already pretty awesome. You already loved Ghostbusters, you loved cereal, how could the experience be any better? Two words that went hand in hand with children’s breakfast cereals, Free Stuff. More known by its less fun name, premium. When it comes to cereal and getting stuff their were different ways kids went about it.

  • Its free (once parental unit bought your cereal) when cereal companies put the premium inside the box. If it was a bigger item, it may have been plastic wrapped to the box. As long as a “bad kid” didn’t steal it at a grocery store.
  • Sometimes what the cereal company gave you is part of the cardboard box and you may need adult supervision to cut it/them out. Which was more then fine because we couldn’t imagine Ghostbusters cereal would ever be discontinued. We didn’t even know that word until the future.
  • Sending your lunch money, multiple PoP, (proof of purchase) and maybe mailing supplies.
  • A premium could have been the “get all your hopes up” and “make your dreams come true” by entering the Official Sweepstakes.

The Real Ghostbusters Cereal Glow In The Dark Door Hanger

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This The Real Ghostbusters cereal premium let you know when you were at a grocery store two things: Slimer will upstage the “no ghost” logo whenever he has the chance. More importantly, Ralston lead kids to believe they both needed and wanted a one sided door hanger made out of cardboard. At least it glows in the dark. By way of solar energy! Wow, the cereal industry was ahead of its time.

We gave it little or no thought, (because “why worry?”) how did Ralston make just that one part of the box glow? Was it safe? Was their a hotline our parents could call? I don’t remember or can attest to in front of a jury of my peers how well a box size image of Slimer glowed. I haven’t tried to test a nearly three decade year old cereal box.

Hey Ralston! I’m onto you in my 30s. “Slime zone” with an exclamation point is adult code where the end result is kids cleaning their bedrooms. No wonder this cereal went away. As a kinda consolation, Ralston provided a one sided cardboard “Back Off! I’m A Ghostbuster” badge. To you, this “flip open” I.D badge was important, adults would only play along while you pretended for so long. You knew it was cool and kept it within easy reach by your The Real Ghostbusters stuff.

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Ghostbusters Cereal: A Retrospective

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Note: Originally written for Ghostbusters Inc. in 2014 in part with the realism of the Ghostbusters universe.

With the blockbuster success of GHOSTBUSTERS,™ Ghostbusters Incorporated slowly began to license company trademarks for merchandising. Oddly enough considering what began to make my employers successful products for consumption hadn’t been considered yet. Until a trip to a supermarket by Drs. Stantz and Spengler. The “cereal aisle” was filled with popular characters of the time. C-3PO’s, E.T., Gremlins, Mr. T, G.I Joe, Garfield, Rainbow Brite, and others from a video game console company that may or not have directly ripped us off in years to come. One cereal was missing and it isn’t the obvious one.

After Dr. Stantz accidentally turned a company mascot against humanity the Stay-Puft Corporation almost went out of business. Their business partners had no choice, but to pull remaining stock of all things Stay-Puft, including Ray’s favorite cereal, Mr. Stay-Pufts. A cereal that once contained grains and Mr. Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (Men?) marshmallows which naturally stayed puffy in milk.

Still feeling bad about what happened, my employers were discussing the void in the cereal industry. Winston Zeddemore was skeptical if kids, let alone adults would eat a Ghostbusters™ themed cereal. After Drs. Venkman and Stantz met with Ralston (today Ralston Foods), Dr. Venkman was willing to stake Spengs’ reputation on people starting their days with GHOSTBUSTERS.™

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