There were quite a few promotions involving Patterson Blick Instant Picture Books.
Two promotional books not included in the numbered series were produced for the RSPCA — "British Wild Life" & "Pet Care". They will get their own pages eventually…
We know of six other promotions, some in more detail than others:
- Instant Picture Books Competition
- 'Football' SPECIAL EDITION exclusive to CO-OP customers for Christmas 1969
- Kellogg's Favourites: Two FREE Instant Picture Books
- Fashion Through the Ages: "Specially Presented with Fry's Chocolate Cream"
- Olympic Action Replay Offer [1976]
- Sovereigns of England: Crosse & Blackwell Pasta Offer, Queen's Silver Jubilee [1977]
Instant Picture Books Competition
This advert ran in several comics in July 1968 (this example is from "Look and Learn" No.341, 27th July 1968). It's just possible that it represents the first appearance of Patterson Blick Instant Picture Books; read on…
The first eight PBIPBs are illustrated —
1: Monsters to Caveman
2: Carriages to Cars
3: Zoo Life
4: Fashion through the Ages
5: Ballet
6: Air Travel
7: Migratory Birds
8: Farms and Food.
The closing date for the competition — to win bikes, radios, & stationery — is 31st October 1968. It gives an address for Patterson Blick which is in Beckenham, & is therefore more likely to be for the marketing company than for Patterson Blick themselves.
"TO ENTER: send to the publishers of INSTANT PICTURE BOOKS a postcard, on which you have completed an original picture using the rub-down illustrations from any INSTANT PICTURE BOOKS…
…"You must be under the age of 14 years and cannot send in more than two entries…
…"Closing date for the competition will be 31st October 1968."
This means the first two batches of four titles must have been printed by 27th July 1968 at the latest. Unless they were initially silkscreen but then rapidly replaced with gravure reprints, they must have been gravure printed — since all the surviving copies I've seen are gravure.
'Football' SPECIAL EDITION exclusive to CO-OP customers for Christmas 1969
The "special" feature of this edition of the Football PBIPB (No.24) is a little piece of yellow paper stapled into the centre.
I haven't seen one of these Co-Op editions myself to check, but it's just possible that they were not originally numbered "No.24". The reason for supposing that this may have been the case is that the transfer sheet serial number is GK27, putting it at the end of the run of PBIPBs Nos.17-20, GK23-GK26. Nos.21-23 came later, with the serial numbers GK46-48; in between came the six Yellow Super Action Transfers & the first twelve Mini-Toons.
So it could be that this book was republished as part of the numbered series of books once the Co-Op promotion was over.
"This 'Football' Instant Picture Book is a SPECIAL EDITION which is exclusive to CO-OP customers for Christmas 1969
For other Patterson Blick INSTANT PICTURE BOOKS visit your Stationer, Bookseller or Toyshop."
When asked about this & the following Kellogg's promotion, Dennis Knight reported that they produced two of the biggest cheques that Patterson Blick had ever seen.
Kellogg's Favourites: Two FREE Instant Picture Books
This ad (from "TV21 and Joe 90" No.35, 23rd May 1970) reads:
"FREE from Kellogg's 2 Super Instant Picture Books Worth 7/10d You'll have lots of fun with these instant picture books. The author has finished all the words, but the artist has left some pictures incomplete so you'll be able to complete these yourself with the rub-on transfers we've provided.
"Choose your books from these four.
"Get your two FREE instant picture books by sending Kellogg's 6 packet tops from any of these Kellogg's favourites: Ricicles, Sugar Smacks, Coco Krispies, Sugar Stars or Puffa Puffa Rice. Start collecting the special packs now!"
The books are PBIPBs Nos. 17 to 20, GK23 to GK26, & they contain a green paper leaflet loosely inserted branding them as Kellogg's:
"This Instant Picture Book is one of FOUR 'Special Editions' which have been published at the request of Kellogg's
"These books are: Dancing — Pond Life — Outer Space — Stories for Younger Children
"For other Patterson Blick Instant Picture Books Visit your stationer, Bookseller or Toyshop."
(List of the 1st 16 PBIPB titles)
"Kellogg Company of Great Britain, Ltd."
Needless to say, apart from the insert, there is nothing distinctive about the "Kellogg's" PBIPBs!
Here's one of the cereal packets:
Fashion Through the Ages: "Specially Presented with Fry's Chocolate Cream"
I know nothing about this promotion, other than it involved a nasty sticker (worded as above) slapped on the front of the "Fashion Through the Ages" PBIPB. I've seen a tiny photo, but I can't show it here since I haven't obtained permission.
Olympic Action Replay Offer [1976]
"On each Olympic Action Replay you'll find an Action Transfer symbol. When you've collected 12 symbols, send them to us and we'll give you an Olympic Book for only 10p. (It normally costs 24p.) It's got 16 pages, lots of coloured pictures, and it tells you all about the Olympic Games. With more transfers for you to rub down! So hurry. Start collecting your symbols now."
For more details & scans, see our Olympic Action Replay page.
Sovereigns of England: Crosse & Blackwell Pasta Offer, Queen's Silver Jubilee [1977]
We don't have the ad, or the label featuring the offer; but we DO have the letter that came with the PBIPB when you'd won it:
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