Advertising & Promotion 300: M.U.S.C.L.E. and Nestle Quik Update


Advertising & Promotion 300 had not seen a significant update since April 2013. Then, roughly a month ago, Peter Hernández provided the next great update. Now Marie Soulet-Messina has more to add to the story.

On April 9th, 2014 she submitted a comment to Advertising & Promotion 300:

I was the one that originally contacted the M.U.S.C.L.E. preservation society about my nestle promo tube. I contacted Darrin and sent him pictures of my tube, one of the ones he showcased with my name in photo credits (maiden name). I still have the tube and I’m interested in selling the item.

The Comments section has received some outrageous claims in the past, so with great trepidation she was emailed with some questions. The most important, “do you have a picture?”

Below is what she sent:

Marie’s Tube

Peter’s Tubes

It is interesting that Marie’s tube is much brighter and whiter than Peter’s two tubes.

Did Nestle use different cardboard?

Is it simply deterioration?

Deterioration seems the most logical answer, but the list of questions without definitive answers for the Nestle Tube continues to grow.

The only additional information she was able to add was:

I originally got the tube as a child in the 80’s, in Rio Piedras Puerto Rico. I went to my friend’s school for an event, and the Nestle people were giving away the tubes with a few figures in them.

Two things are immediately interesting: (1) another tube from Puerto Rico; and (2) it was received at school – but not her school.

Given that there may be less than five of these tubes currently in collections, the fact that they continue to originate from Puerto Rico is fascinating. What was Nestle and Mattel’s plan?

It is also interesting that the Tube was at school, but not Marie’s own school.

I can only speak from my personal experience. I was in elementary school when this promotion originally took place. Going to other schools when I was in elementary school was very rare. I can’t think of a single trip – besides to the junior high as we prepared to change schools.

With that personal lens, I am left to think that the promotion took place aside from normal school hours or was part of a “district” wide event/campaign. But what would that have been?

And why was Nestle/Mattel there?

More information continues to simply fuel new questions. What do you think?

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