The Wheaties cereal box 78 rpm records from the 1950s represent a fascinating intersection of music, marketing, and popular culture. The phenomenon began in 1954 when Wheaties, aiming to captivate young audiences, started featuring cut-out cardboard records on their cereal boxes.
The selections from the initial 1954 line were abridged versions of recordings primarily drawn from the Little Golden Records back catalog, some of which included Mitch Miller & The Sandpipers. Full versions of these songs and additional songs not included in the line-up of Flexi promotional records available on the cereal boxes could be ordered for 25 cents and an order coupon (also included on each Wheaties cereal box) in one of four two-record 78 pm EP 7 inch Red/Orange/Yellow record "albums" organized by theme.
A second series of 1955/6 records featured the voices of beloved Disney characters and were among the first examples of such innovative marketing strategies. Mickey Mouse singing "The Gadget Tree," Chip 'N Dale with "Ten Little Indians," and Donald Duck performing "Donald Duck's Song" were some of the enchanting tunes that children could play on their record players, making these cereal boxes an instant hit.
It certainly helped that Walt Disney had spots showing these cereal box records playing on his nationally carried television program, which fueled demand by children everywhere to get their parents to buy Wheaties cereal boxes with the particular records attached- it was a very fruitful cross-promotion that proved an exceptionally profitable venture for both parties involved.
The collaboration between Wheaties and Disney was a strategic move highlighting the era's fusion of entertainment and product marketing. This partnership offered children a unique collectible with their breakfast and reinforced the cereal's position in the competitive market. Each Wheaties box contained a single-sided 78 RPM card-backed flexi-disc, which could be played on a phonograph. For enthusiasts and collectors, a complete set of these songs was also available through a special mail-in offer, showcasing the music on four red vinyl discs.
Rainbo Records, then a major flexi record production company, manufactured these records. In the 1940s and 1950s, many other companies used Rainbo Records to create flexi records ready for distribution for their various promotional needs.
Selections in this set include:1. Pony Boy
Technological advancements and changing consumer preferences marked the decline of the 78-rpm record format. Starting in 1949, RCA's introduction of the 45-rpm disc overshadowed the older 78-rpm records by the end of the 1950s. However, 78 rpm records were still the norm in the early to mid-1950s for children's records, as many children still had older, pre-1949 models that only had the 78 "standard" rpm speed option, with a corresponding stylus and reproducer.
Sources Cited:https://www.mrbreakfast.com/list.asp?id=5
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-wheaties-became-breakfast-champions-180978246/
https://www.discogs.com/label/414225-Walt-Disneys-Mouseketeer- Record?page=1
https://recordinghistory.org/technology/phonograph-record-technologies-from-the-beginning-almost-to-the-end/rise-fall-and-death-of-the-78/
https://www.snackhistory.com/wheaties/
The selections from the initial 1954 line were abridged versions of recordings primarily drawn from the Little Golden Records back catalog, some of which included Mitch Miller & The Sandpipers. Full versions of these songs and additional songs not included in the line-up of Flexi promotional records available on the cereal boxes could be ordered for 25 cents and an order coupon (also included on each Wheaties cereal box) in one of four two-record 78 pm EP 7 inch Red/Orange/Yellow record "albums" organized by theme.
A second series of 1955/6 records featured the voices of beloved Disney characters and were among the first examples of such innovative marketing strategies. Mickey Mouse singing "The Gadget Tree," Chip 'N Dale with "Ten Little Indians," and Donald Duck performing "Donald Duck's Song" were some of the enchanting tunes that children could play on their record players, making these cereal boxes an instant hit.
It certainly helped that Walt Disney had spots showing these cereal box records playing on his nationally carried television program, which fueled demand by children everywhere to get their parents to buy Wheaties cereal boxes with the particular records attached- it was a very fruitful cross-promotion that proved an exceptionally profitable venture for both parties involved.
The collaboration between Wheaties and Disney was a strategic move highlighting the era's fusion of entertainment and product marketing. This partnership offered children a unique collectible with their breakfast and reinforced the cereal's position in the competitive market. Each Wheaties box contained a single-sided 78 RPM card-backed flexi-disc, which could be played on a phonograph. For enthusiasts and collectors, a complete set of these songs was also available through a special mail-in offer, showcasing the music on four red vinyl discs.
Rainbo Records, then a major flexi record production company, manufactured these records. In the 1940s and 1950s, many other companies used Rainbo Records to create flexi records ready for distribution for their various promotional needs.
Selections in this set include:1. Pony Boy
Full Set
Sources Cited:https://www.mrbreakfast.com/list.asp?id=5
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-wheaties-became-breakfast-champions-180978246/
https://www.discogs.com/label/414225-Walt-Disneys-Mouseketeer- Record?page=1
https://recordinghistory.org/technology/phonograph-record-technologies-from-the-beginning-almost-to-the-end/rise-fall-and-death-of-the-78/
https://www.snackhistory.com/wheaties/
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