University of M.U.S.C.L.E.

Advertising is a constantly evolving beast. There is always a new method to sell goods: celebrity spokespeople, product placements, viral marketing campaigns, etc. One of the simplest promotions is to incentivize a product. If you buy this, then you get that. Perhaps the most widely recognizable example of this is Cracker Jack. If you buy a box of Cracker Jack, then you get a prize inside of the box. The cereal industry masterfully used this practice from the late fifties through the late eighties. Modern offers more often require a customer to mail-in to receive their prize.

During M.U.S.C.L.E.’s release Mattel partnered with Nestle Quik to run a similar promotion. While an official answer has not been uncovered, several sources suggested that Mattel would have likely gone to Nestle with their promotional idea. The focal point of the promotion was inside of a Nestle Quik can a customer would receive a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure. The advertising was not limited to only the tin can. There was also the printed advertisement, which appeared in children’s magazines, and the promotional tube, which was given to schoolchildren.

The printed advertisement is probably the most recognizable, or at least most accessible, remnant from the Nestle/M.U.S.C.L.E. connection. Like the M.U.S.C.L.E. Pre-Pack the printed advertisement, and the Nestle Quik tin, feature original M.U.S.C.L.E. art.

The advertisement featured a background grid of 48 M.U.S.C.L.E. characters. The majority of the figures were obscured by a central cartoon featuring Muscleman seemingly beating-up Terri-Bull. The majority of the 48 cells are covered, but several characters can be seen multiple times. Figures #38, #153, #204, and #209 are the only figures that clearly appear once in the advertisement.

Quik Ad

Eight figures are clearly repeated in the advertisement and have been color coded for easier matching:

• Gray – #19
• Green – #179
• Brown – #157
• Magenta – #50
• Purple – #74
• Blue – #99
• Red – #1
• Black – #169

Color Coded

• Yellow – #2
  • The horn of Terri-Bull has been slightly extended in the picture at the top of the page.
• White – #27
  • The two bottom arms on the right and left side of the higher picture have been removed

The repetition of characters is likely due to the Nestle Quik tin being the original source for the art. The background grid from the tin was simply repeated and altered very slightly to allow for an easy, low-cost solution to the need for a print advertisement.

The advertisement also suggests there are 233 figures to collect. This is the figure count from the poster, which excludes SC, the ring figures, and any potential Super Rare figures.

The copyright of the advertisement says Nestle Foods Corporation 1986. This suggests that the advertisement did not print until 1986, which gives some specificity to the time of this promotion. Further pinpointing of the promotion can take place because the advertisement appeared in the Spring 1986 issue of Go-Bots magazine.

Go-Bots Cover

The advertisement likely appeared in more magazines and possibly comic books, however it has yet to be found in any other magazines or comics. The window for the advertisement appearing should be very late 1985 through very early 1987. Below is a list of comics and magazines confirmed to not have the advertisement:

• DC Comics – Green Arrow (1985-1988)

If the Nestle Quik M.U.S.C.L.E. advertisement is found in any publications, please email the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..

If the advertisement is the most recognizable and/or accessible, then the Nestle Quik tin canister is the most revered remnant from the Nestle/M.U.S.C.L.E. connection. The front appears to follow the format Nestle used with all their promotions – a regular front, with a splash showcasing the prize/promotion in the bottom corner. The splash appears to be 100% new M.U.S.C.L.E. art that was not seen on anything else.

Front

Front - Left

The back of the Nestle Quik tin is likely the original version of the grid of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. This was likely stretched and slightly changed to produce the print advertisement. Here there are only single pictures of figures #1, #2, #19, #27, #38, #50, #74, #99, #153, #157, #169, #204, and #209.

Back - Left

Back

Back - Right

Inside of the tin was the catalyst for the entire promotion, the M.U.S.C.L.E. figure. There is no indication anywhere that special or promotion figures were released in the tins. And based on all the known sealed examples, no special figures were released. The tins simply contained regular, individually wrapped M.U.S.C.L.E. figures on a white cardboard backer.

Inside

Tin w/ Original Figure

Close-Up

Below are additional Nestle Quik figures that remained sealed in their original packaging. These samples were discovered without the Nestle Quik tin.

Full Collection

Figure #3

Figure #6

Figure #15

Figure #20

Figure #21

Figure #38

Figure #41

Figure #53

Figure #60

Figure #64

Figure #93

Figure #98

Figure #122

Figure #137

Figure #152

Figure #186

Figure #199

Figure #229

The promotional tube is the most mysterious part of the promotion. The only known example of this piece is from the collection of Darrin Vindiola, and the picture is courtesy of his website – The MUSCLE Preservation Society. Based on his account, he was given the tube at a public elementary school with ten figures inside. There have been corroborating reports from other collectors, but little information regarding these tubes has every surfaced.

Nestle Tube

M.U.S.C.L.E. also had television advertising (Advertising & Promotion 400), but nothing connected to the Nestle Quik promotion has ever been uncovered.