FREE MONSTERS - Premiums & Give-A-Ways

[aura of foreboding]

Not surprising. They look horrible, and not in a good way.

That about sums it up.  It was the one time I was truly disappointed seeing the Universal Monsters on something. 

[Monsters For Sale]

Well, if you didn't like that one, you won't like this one either.

This 32 oz. cup uses the same Universal styleguide images as the 16 oz. Ponderosa cup.  But this one features only Frankenstein and his Bride.  You can see more clearly that the yellow around Frank's electrodes is supposed to be sparks.  Bride is holding clamps to his connectors.

This is another example of a cup that must have had very limited distribution.  It was produced by Pepsi with "Mr. Hero", a sub sandwich shop with quite a few outlets, but only in Ohio.

Unlike the Ponderosa cup, this one does NOT glow in the dark.

[aura of foreboding]

To my knowledge, those were only used for the one Pepsi promotion, so they weren't style guide per se, just specially-made designs that Universal approved. 

[Monsters For Sale]

To my knowledge, those were only used for the one Pepsi promotion, so they weren't style guide per se, just specially-made designs that Universal approved.

Do you know what year?

[aura of foreboding]

Do you know what year?

I am not certain of the exact year, unfortunately, but it is mid-90s.  I do know, however, that this same art was used on the Pepsi boxes and could have also been on cups/plastics distributed at Pepsi-owned and Pepsi-serving chains. 

[Monsters For Sale]

Here is glow-in-the-dark 32 oz. cup that features a variation on that "art"work:




Unlike the others, Frankenstein and Bride are leaning away from each other and the images are colored like a cartoon, and not airbrushed.  Bride is still reaching over Frank's shoulders and attaching clamps to his electrodes.

Oddly, this cup has no markings at all - none.

[horrorhunter]

Here is glow-in-the-dark 32 oz. cup that features a variation on that "art"work:




Unlike the others, Frankenstein and Bride are leaning away from each other and the images are colored like a cartoon, and not airbrushed.  Bride is still reaching over Frank's shoulders and attaching clamps to his electrodes.

Oddly, this cup has no markings at all - none.

This is an improvement. Those Ponderosa cups are wretched.

[aura of foreboding]

      This is an improvement.

I'm not even convinced this other cup is licensed.  It definitely has a "convenience store" look to it. 

[horrorhunter]

I'm not even convinced this other cup is licensed.  It definitely has a "convenience store" look to it.

I was commenting on the art, not the licensing. Since it has no markings it probably is unlicensed.

[aura of foreboding]

     I was commenting on the art, not the licensing. Since it has no markings it probably is unlicensed.

I know.  I was simply pointing out that the art was probably the product of an unlicensed interpretation of the Monsters as opposed to the inferior "licensed" Pepsi product.

[Monsters For Sale]

I know.  I was simply pointing out that the art was probably the product of an unlicensed interpretation of the Monsters as opposed to the inferior "licensed" Pepsi product.

Something that occurs way too often.

[horrorhunter]

I know.  I was simply pointing out that the art was probably the product of an unlicensed interpretation of the Monsters as opposed to the inferior "licensed" Pepsi product.

Good point. Shows how awful the original is when the knockoff is clearly better. I don't think I've ever seen a monster item which is as unattractive as those Ponderosa cups. Is it just me, or does everyone think they suck?

[aura of foreboding]

It's not just you.  They are deplorable.  Thankfully, these limited-run designs were only around for a short time. 

[Monsters For Sale]

     Good point. Shows how awful the original is when the knockoff is clearly better. I don't think I've ever seen a monster item which is as unattractive as those Ponderosa cups. Is it just me, or does everyone think they suck?

An the pictures are not out of focus.  The printing is really that bad.

The Universal logo is almost unreadable.  It took me quite a while to realize it mentioned both Hollywood & Florida.

[Hepcat]

Bride is still reaching over Frank's shoulders and attaching clamps to his electrodes.

Frank getting a good charge out of his bride is a cute concept though.