I’m a big fan of fun and crazy marketing, like the great ads you used to find on the back pages of comic books… sea monkeys, submarines, and of course, x-ray glasses.

And companies hand out freebies all the time to promote their products – usually, they’re just junky trinkets that cost next to nothing to manufacture and produce.

But here’s one advertising promotion that was truly exceptional, dreamed up by Chicago ad exec Bruce Baker for the Quaker Oats Company.

Rather than toys, Baker came up with the idea that Quaker should give away plots of land in the gold-rich Yukon territory with every box of Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat.

Now, he wasn’t talking acres, just a deed for a plot of land 1 square inch in size.

Even though management didn’t initially jump at the idea, Baker headed North and crafted a deal whereby Quaker Oats would acquire 19.11 acres of government land about 7 miles up the Yukon River from Dawson City – the price was a chill $1,000.

Quaker Oats quickly established a separate company: “The Great Klondike Big Inch Land Company”. They then divided the 19.11-acre parcel into 21 Million 1-by-1 inch plots. They had a deed printed for every plot – and each deed was numbered, lettered, and embossed with the official seal of “The Great Klondike Big Inch Land Company.”

The advertising campaign launched during the Sargeant Preston Radio Show on January 27th, 1955 – at the same time appearing in nearly 100 newspapers across the country. The campaign was hugely successful, even garnering notice in a Disney comic book where Scrooge McDuck finds a similar coupon in his breakfast, offering a square inch of oil-rich land in Texas.

Because the deeds did not include mineral rights – and were never “formally” registered – they didn’t have any real value. However, they can still bring anywhere from$10 to $40 on eBay and other auction sites.

While having a gold mine certainly has its advantages, we’re not all that lucky. That’s where we come in – to create a solid financial plan. Schedule your free 15-minute call to discuss by calling 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online.

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP®