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Supermarket Philately

Introduction

This display looks at the changes in advertising between 1971 and 2001 relating to the Royal Mail and its products in the U.K. whether it is stamps or other philatelic products.

Stamps combined with commercial advertising go back as far as the 19th century but with the introduction of large scale manufacture and distribution the influence of advertising and sales promotions on the production of specialist philatelic items for the general public can be seen to have increased in recent years.

Stamps are not the only product produced but the presentation of stamps has become a large part of the promotion and consequently of philatelic interest.

Initially presentation packs were used and then specially designed folders or booklets together with, in some cases the standard first day cover, which has often been favoured by Kellogg's. Each company normally found the presentation most to its liking and sympathetic to its product.

The connections between advertising and philately can be divided into sections.

1. The promotion on a non-Royal Mail product gave offers which had philatelic interest i.e. presentation packs, booklets (either stamps booklets or specially designed booklets or packs), postnotes, postal orders, postcards and stamps.

2. The promotion on a Royal Mail product such as a stamp booklet or leaflet required proof of purchase of stamp booklets or other philatelic purchase. This gave a non-philatelic item as the offer, such as postcards, a recipe or garden booklet, chocolates or even cakes.

3. Specialised philatelic items produced or approved by Royal Mail for individual company promotions or longer term sale i.e. W.H.Smith's stamp booklets; Boots birthday cards and Woolworth's gift cards with additional stamp included; Marks & Spencer's birthday cards with a printed stamp impression on the envelope and Sainsbury's Christmas padded CD prepaid envelopes.

4. In 2000 Royal Mail intended to sell stamps self-service style and for this a trial at took place at Wembley in 1998. Products were pre-packed and sold in packs containing cylinder blocks, gutter blocks, quarter sheets and first day covers all available from hanging sales racks The packs were picked up and priced at a check-out and Supermarket Philately had arrived.


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Frame 1

1. The promotion gave offers with philatelic interest
  1. Introduction and 1971 Heinz Soup Offer
  2. See sheet 1
  3. 1971 Heinz Soup Offer
  4. See sheet 3
  5. 1980-81 Cadbury's Chocolate Biscuit Promotion
  6. See sheet 5
  7. 1980 Kellogg's Corn Flakes Offer
  8. 1980 Kellogg's Corn Flakes Offer
  9. 1981 Unilever Cleaning Products Promotion
  10. 1981 Cadbury Typhoo Offer
  11. 1983 Milk Marketing Board - Fresh Cream Promotion
  12. 1983 Milk Marketing Board - Fresh Cream Promotion
  13. 1983 Milk Marketing Board - Fresh Cream Promotion
  14. 1983 Milk Marketing Board - Fresh Cream Promotion
  15. 1983 Woman's Realm Offer
  16. 1984-85 Wall's British Bacon Promotion
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Frame 2

1. The promotion gave offers with philatelic interest (cont)
  1. 1983 Bird's Eye Frozen Food Offer
  2. 1983 Bird's Eye Frozen Food Offer
  3. 1984 Rowntree's KitKat Promotion
  4. 1984 Rowntree's KitKat Promotion
  5. 1984 Kellogg's Rice Krispies Promotion
  6. See sheet 21
  7. 1984 Kraft Dairylea Offer
  8. See sheet 23
  9. 1984 PG Tips - Persil Promotion
  10. See sheet 25
  11. 1985 Cadbury's Smash Promotion
  12. 1985 Cadbury's Smash Promotion
  13. 1985 Typhoo Offer
  14. 1985 Nestlé Nescafé Promotions
  15. 1985 Nestlé Nescafé Promotions
  16. 1985 Maxwell House Promotion
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Frame 3

1. The promotion gave offers with philatelic interest (cont)
  1. 1986-87 Brooke Bond D Promotion
  2. 1987 Persil Promotions
  3. 1987 Bold Promotion
  4. 1987 Bold Promotion
  5. 1988 Bold Promotion
  6. 1988 Bold Promotion
  7. 1988 Nescafé Christmas Stamps Promotion
  8. 1988 Nescafé Christmas Stamps Promotion
  9. 1990 Nescafé
  10. See sheet 41
  11. 1990 Spillers Kattomeat Promotion
  12. 1990 Spillers Kattomeat Promotion
  13. 1990 Branston Pickle Promotion
  14. 1990 Branston Pickle Promotion
  15. 1990 Quick Brew Promotion
  16. 1990 Quick Brew Promotion
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Frame 4

2. The promotion on a Royal Mail product gave a non-philatelic item
  1. 1982 Postcard Offer
  2. 1982 Postcard Offer
  3. 1983 Birthday Box Offer
  4. 1983 Birthday Box Offer
  5. 1984 Postal Cassette Offer
  6. 1984 Postal Cassette Offer
  7. 1985 "Write Now!" Letter-pack
  8. 1985 "Write Now!" Letter-pack
  9. 1985 Fan Letters Stationery Offer
  10. 1985 Fan Letters Stationery Offer
  11. 1985 Christmas Stamp Promotional Pack
  12. 1985 Christmas Stamp Promotional Pack
  13. 1986 Richard Scarry Book Offer
  14. 1986 Richard Scarry Book Offer
  15. 1986 National Gallery Cards
  16. 1986 National Gallery Cards
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Frame 5

2. The promotion on a Royal Mail product gave a non-philatelic item (cont)
  1. 1987 Ideas For Your Garden
  2. 1987 The Jolly Postman Offer
  3. 1988 Recipe Cards Offer
  4. 1988 Recipe Cards Offer
  5. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  6. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  7. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  8. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  9. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  10. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  11. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  12. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  13. 1991 Post-A-Photo Offer
  14. 1991 Stamp Booklet Promotion - Bear Offer
  15. 1992 Kellogg's Bran Flakes Promotion - Letter-writing Kit
  16. 1992 Kellogg's Bran Flakes Promotion - Letter-writing Kit
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Frame 6

2. The promotion on a Royal Mail product gave a non-philatelic item (cont)
  1. 1995 Thornton's "Sun Chocolates" Offer
  2. 1995 Thornton's "Sun Chocolates" Offer
  3. 1995 Thornton's "Sun Chocolates" Offer
  4. 1995 Parcelforce Datapost Promotion - Free Teddy Bear
  5. 1995 Benjy Bear and Harry Hedgehog Offer
  6. 1995 Benjy Bear and Harry Hedgehog Offer
  7. 1995 Benjy Bear and Harry Hedgehog Offer
  8. 1996 Walt Disney World Promotion
  9. 1996 Walt Disney World Promotion
  10. 1996 Booklet Promotion - Miniature Cake Offer
  11. 1996 Booklet Promotion - Miniature Cake Offer
  12. 1996 Booklet Promotion - Miniature Cake Offer
  13. 1994 "STAMPERS" Booklets
  14. 1994 "STAMPERS" Booklets
  15. 1998 Booklet Promotion - "Create a Card"
  16. 1998 Booklet Promotion - "Create a Card"
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Frame 7

3. The item with the promotional offer is restricted to being sent or sold from only the outlets of the company making the offer
  1. 1981 Reader's Digest Offer
  2. 1981 Reader's Digest Offer
  3. Drive Publications Ltd (AA)
  4. Marshall Ward "Spring Tonic" Promotion
  5. 1994 W H Smith "Kite" Booklet Promotion
  6. 1994 W H Smith "Kite" Booklet Promotion
  7. 1995 W H Smith "Stationery" Offer
  8. 1995 W H Smith AA/OS Leisure Guides
  9. 1995 Sainsbury's Booklet
  10. See sheet 105
  11. ASDA Promotions
  12. See sheet 107
  13. 1995 Trial Pack
  14. 1996 Marks & Spencer Packs
  15. 1995 National Trust Trial Packs
  16. 1995 National Trust Trial Packs
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Frame 8

3. The item with the promotional offer is restricted to being sent or sold from only the outlets of the company making the offer (cont)
  1. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  2. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  3. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  4. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  5. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  6. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  7. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  8. 1997 Marks and Spencer Birthday Cards
  9. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  10. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  11. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  12. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  13. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  14. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  15. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
  16. 1994-98 Boots Birthday Card Promotion
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Frame 9

3. The item with the promotional offer is restricted to being sent or sold from only the outlets of the company making the offer (cont)
  1. 1998-2000 Woolworth's Promotion
  2. See sheet 129
  3. 1998-2000 Woolworth's Promotion
  4. See sheet 131
  5. 1998-2000 Woolworth's Promotion
  6. See sheet 133
  7. 2001 Sainsbury's CD Packs
  8. See sheet 135
4. The products are now philatelic items produced by Royal Mail, sold from hanging racks and paid at a check-out
  1. Birdpex '98 Packs
  2. Birdpex '98 Packs
  3. Birdpex '98 Packs
  4. Birdpex '98 Packs
  5. Birdpex '98 Packs
  6. Stamp Show 2000
  7. See sheet 142
  8. 1998 Comedians Issue Quarter Sheets
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Frame 10

4. The products are now philatelic items produced by Royal Mail, sold from hanging racks and paid at a check-out (cont)
  1. 1998 Comedians Issue Quarter Sheets
  2. 1998 Comedians Issue Quarter Sheets
  3. 1998 Comedians Issue Quarter Sheets
  4. 1998 Comedians Issue Quarter Sheets