UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

This commercial, M.U.S.C.L.E. Invasion Update, was clearly designed to air as a second part/episode of the Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things commercial.

As stated in the Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things entry, this commercial was documented as airing in September 1985 and likely shown simultaneously as the Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things commercial. The goal was likely to purchase advertising time on television relatively close to each other which allowed the two commercials to work in conjunction. It seems very likely that both of these commercials, and other advertising, started in late 1985.

The M.U.S.C.L.E. commercials have clearly used Kinnikuman sculpts, similar to the Mattel Catalogs. These nearly interchangeable figures would have provided a seemingly perfect stand-in for the M.U.S.C.L.E. product which allowed for completion by the necessary date. It is almost impossible to identify all of the Kinnikuman sculpts used in the commercials due to film quality alone. However, based on the pictures below it is clear that some Kinnikuman sculpts were used. The 6-armed figure appears to have been a popular choice with the creators of the commercials because it can distinctly be seen in both “Invasion” commercials.

Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things Kinnikuman Examples:

M.U.S.C.L.E. Invasion Update Kinnikuman Examples:

While Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things took a monster movie/newsreel approach to the commercial, this commercial took the M.U.S.C.L.E. brand in a new direction. While the newsreel intro and the reporter/narrator remained, the B-movie monsters were replaced with wrestling. There appears to be an attempt to capture the feeling of old time wrestling movies, as seen here:

– Videos Posted on YouTube By GoldenAge2008.

The switch from monsters to wrestling only seems to make sense because the ancillary M.U.S.C.L.E. products are wrestling related. The script simply crowbars wrestling into the scenario. Again, the reporter from the Invasion of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Things commercial starts the commercial, but he is replaced with a new Ring-Side Sports Reporter.

– Videos Posted on PhotBucket By Gilgar.

M.U.S.C.L.E. Invasion Update Script:

Reporter:
M.U.S.C.L.E Invasion Update: Scientists discover M.U.S.C.L.E. things have come to wrestle.
America’s only hope – the Battlin’ Belt and the Wrestling Ring.

Ring-Side Sports Reporter:
He moves left, he’s hooked one – into the Battlin’ Belt it goes.
He’s got another.
Folks, this Wrestling Ring may save the world.
One more to go – he’s got ‘em! His Battlin’ Belt is full!
Hard Knockin’ Rockin’ Ring, Battlin’ Belt, and M.U.S.C.L.E. figure sets each sold separately – new from Mattel!
Can you save the world?

The Battlin’ Belt that is featured in the commercial shows the containers as clear plastic. This same clarity is seen in both the photographs on the Battlin’ Belt box and in the Mattel catalogs. It is unclear if Mattel moved away from the clear plastic to a darker color, or if plastic deterioration is the cause of the no longer crystal clear containers.

It is difficult to say if this commercial, paired with the other, were actually effective. Collectors often reference their enjoyment of the ambiguity of the M.U.S.C.L.E. brand and the quality and variance of the figures. Suggesting these commercials played a large role in the success of M.U.S.C.L.E. would likely be a misattribution of success.

However, the ambiguity of the M.U.S.C.L.E. brand that most collectors seem to appreciate now and as children may have been influenced by these commercials. Because both Mattel and the advertising agency seemed to struggle with the core message, it allowed children to take away the message that connected to them personally.

For example, there is not a consistent end tagline for both commercials. In this commercial the end tagline is, “Can you save the world?” While the other commercial asked, “How many can you capture?” Neither of these taglines appeared on any of the M.U.S.C.L.E products, which seems like a squandered opportunity.

Ultimately it seems that both the advertising agency and Mattel were uncomfortable committing to either genre (monsters or wrestling). This lack of clear vision for the advertising seems to be another example of M.U.S.C.L.E.’s secondary status within Mattel as a flanker brand. While this secondary status likely doomed the M.U.S.C.L.E. brand it may have been the reason that children gravitated to the toy. In a time of heavy tie-ins between cartoons and toys M.U.S.C.L.E. accidentally broke the mold by not perfectly defining both the genre of the brand and the identity and persona of each figure.