1967 Primrose Confectionery : Superman Sweet Cigarettes



1967 Primrose Confectionery Co. : Superman Sweet Cigarettes

Superman Sweet Cigarettes were distributed in the UK and Canada by Primrose Confectionery Co., Ltd. of Slough, England. Each box included a mini Superman card that measures approximately 2.5 x 1.35 inches.

The 50-card series is copyrighted 1967 by "National Periodical Publicity Inc.," a typo for National Periodical Publications. The candy boxes are copyrighted 1966. The Primrose Superman series is sometimes categorized as 1968 or 1972 due to multiple print runs. The first printing is on card stock; later printings are on thin paper.

1967 Primrose Confectionery Co. : Superman - #6 - Brainiac's Gremlins

The storyline on the back of each card features Lex Luthor and Brainiac as the protagonists. The artist and writer for this set are not credited.

1967 Primrose Confectionery Co. : Superman - #22 - Luthor Beaten

Cigarette cards were introduced by New York manufacturer Thomas H. Hall in 1877. The cards functioned to keep packs rigid and prevent cigarettes from breaking. Trading cards were commonly packaged with bubble gum following the introduction of Dubble Bubble from Fleer. Cigarette cards were abandoned by most manufacturers due to World War II paper shortages and a perceived link to underage smoking.

1967 Primrose Confectionery Co. : Superman - #47 - Circus Shock

Primrose Confectionery Co., Ltd. was operational from 1960 until 1988. During the late 1970s, Superman Sweet Cigarettes were being distributed throughout Europe and Canada by Bassett's and the Barratt Division. In 1979, Barratt began to phase out candy cigarettes. Superman Sweet Cigarettes were re-branded as Candy Sticks.

1967 Primrose Confectionery Co. : Superman - #10 - Saving the Village

From 1980–1982, The Health Education Council ran an anti-smoking campaign featuring Superman vs. Nick O'Teen, a dastardly villain that encourages children to smoke. Three animated public service announcements were produced by the Richard Williams studio. The cartoons premiered in the UK on Boxing Day in 1980.

An 8-page illustrated story and full-page advertisements appeared in various comic books and magazines. Throughout the campaign, Superman repeated the slogan, "Never say yes to a cigarette." The cost of the operation was more than £3.5 million. Boxes of Superman Sweet Cigarettes remained in stores while the cartoons aired.

Candy cigarettes have been prohibited in many countries including Canada and the United Kingdom. In 1970 and 1991, unsuccessful attempts were made to ban candy cigarettes in the United States. The products remain available in similar packaging, but can not be labeled as cigarettes.

The Health Education Council - Superman vs Nick O'Teen (1982)


Checklist
1 Man V. Plane
2 Superman Acts Fast
3 Monster of the Loch
4 Secret Ray Peril
5 T.V. Trap
6 Robot Terror
7 Forearm Beats...
8 Brainiac's Gremlins
9 Machine Smasher
10 Saving the Village
11 Arrested in Space
12 Bank Robbers Foiled
13 Dummy Superman
14 Space Hitch-Hike
15 Wrong Ray
16 Devil Fish
17 Useless Rockets
18 Speed Boat Flight
19 Atomic Pile-Up
20 Time Shock
21 Space-Car
22 Luthor Beaten
23 Supervision Power
24 Buried Danger
25 Moon Raiders
26 Sky-Scraping
27 Elephant Circus
28 Bam Versus Pow!
29 Astonish Astronaut
30 Dictator's Dilemma
31 Shattered Shark
32 Sky Dive
33 Saving the Pit
34 Rope-Trick Foiled
35 Railroad Hi-Jack
36 Landslide Lorry
37 Sky-Light Jump
38 Racing Scare
39 His Own Medicine
40 Gas Bag Explodes
41 Peril in the Clouds
42 Socking Sewer Rats
43 Space Nightmare
44 Luthor Shock
45 Holding the Bridge
46 Temple Fury
47 Circus Shock
48 Saucer Surprise
49 Jewel Joke
50 Crazy Bike