Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cereal 1989 Instant Win Playmates Toys Promotion Box Comprehensive Layout Drawing

This original advertising comprehensive layout drawing was used as a design blueprint for the back of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cereal box in 1989 to promote a Playmates Toys instant giveaway.

Hand-inked by Hinkle and Company for CheckMark, the in-house agency at Ralston Purina, the comp depicts such kid-coveted prizes as a Michaelangelo plush doll, Bebop and Rocksteady action figures, the Turtle Blimp and Cheapskate play vehicles, and a Raphael Turtle Battle Fun Dress-up Set. During the contest, 100 lucky winners could take home a complete set of Ninja Turtle toys.

The bottom of the artwork features three prototype trading card images, the final versions of which were handled by Mirage Studios artists. Other than the photostat logos, these pasted-in illustrations are also hand-drawn. As you may have noticed, though, there is an error with the first example: Raphael is portrayed holding a nunchaku instead of his trademark sai.