Ah! Bisto Collecting the Bisto Kids Price Guide – The collecting of Advertising Memorabilia has become very popular and successful companies have always had mascots and promotional figures and in this feature and price guide we take a look at the famous Bisto Kids. Well famous for certain more mature generations, as the Bisto Kids disappeared from advertising in 1996.
For those that do not know (I am assuming noone who has actually got this far into this feature) Bisto are mostly famous for their gravy which first appeared in 1908. The name Bisto comes from its inventors Messrs Roberts & Patterson as it “Browns, Seasons and Thickens in One”.
The Bisto Kids first appeared in 1919 and were the creation of illustrator Will Owen. They appeared in newspapers and soon became popular, and later in many TV adverts. The Bisto Kids were a boy and girl in ragged clothes, who would be illustrated catching the wonderful smell of Bisto on the breeze and exhale longingly, “Ah, Bisto!”
Created by the famous cartoonist Wilf Owen, their cast-off, cut down clothes and endearing mischievousness were an instant hit. By the 1920’s and 1930’s the kids were almost cult figures. (BBC Feature Lunch Lesson Six – Brand management)
There is considerable interest and high prices in the actual period advertising featuring Bisto.
A large Bisto shop counter tin featuring the Bisto Kids. This tin sold for £380 at Chippenham Auction Rooms, Nov 21.
Related
The Bisto web site
