Back in the 80's, it was common practice for movie studios to promote their films with printed press kits. These would often contain all sorts of material including information on the film, stills on glossy paper, cast information and more. Nowadays this is mostly done via electronic press kits including high quality images and press releases. Recently two press kits went up on ebay for the 1986 The Transformers: The Movie theatrical film. One was going for over $800 while another went for considerably less. While the $800+ auction featured some awesome material and a folder in very good condition, I decided to purchase the folder from the auction with a much rougher looking folder. Why? Well cost was definitely a factor, but also the one I purchased simply had more material in it. It also included a full size movie poster!
The gallery below features all the materials that came with this press kit. Much of it is self explanatory, but what I found really interesting is how the studio suggested so many different ways to engage potential viewers. It is not just a kit to promote the movie, but also the Transformers brand overall. Enjoy the scans and a look into the early days of Transformers marketing!
