Remembering When Lays Potato Chips Had A Mail Away Figure Offer

We've discussed the Frito-Lay mail away Spirit of Obi-Wan figure here before, but some subjects are evergreen. Back in 1997, if you sent in two UPCs from specially marked bags of Lay's potato chips and a check or money order for $1.99, ninety days later you would receive a translucent POFT2 Obi-Wan figure that was cast out of an Old Spice deodorant stick:


I have no earthly idea what was going on in the 1990's. I think we were collectively cracking under the pressure of the upcoming millennium. After all, this was the decade where Hollywood tried to tell us that David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston were a realistic couple, and we just accepted it. We were all complicit in our silence. Achy Breaky Heart was a Top 40 hit, YOU ANIMALS!

It's no wonder with that backdrop, the Frito-Lay Spirit of Obi-Wan happened. We already had the precedent of 1995's Froot Loops Han Stormtrooper, but you could argue that made a tiny fraction of sense. Prizes have long been associated with breakfast cereal. But a potato chip and action figure promotion is as random as getting a free spiral ham when you buy a set of radial tires.

This brings me to the point of this article. I still remember when my friend told me about the Frito-Lay Spirit of Obi-Wan promotion. I told him to fun off. Only I didn't say "fun.” I thought I was being pranked. We just did our annual April Fools' article yesterday (hope everyone had fun), but the early modern Star Wars line was so bizarre at times that every day was April Fools'.

Postscript: I forgot to mention this when I wrote the article, but the release of the UK Spirit Obi-Wan came in a glossy printed and numbered box. I think it's the only numbered Kenner/Hasbro Star Wars figure to date (but my coffee hasn't kicked in yet).

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