Pitfall Pouch

[Klove]

I just spoke with Jan Marsella and Jim Levy about this piece.

 

Neither of them said it looked familiar at all. I asked them about it possibly being a Cart-Purchase incentive that Activision offered. Both said that it isn't something Activision would have made, sold or gave-away. In-Fact, both of them said it was too cheap looking. That "Activision didn't offer cheap merchandise like it back then." Jan noted that the colors were off on the Activision logo, and at worse, had Activison of done it, they would have at least made the Activision logo "White" in color.

 

Both think it might be a cheap cash-in made by a bootlegger back then or quite possibly an independent Game Store giveaway.

 

Both of them swear that Activision had nothing to do with it.

 

Hmm...

 

- Ken

[grimholtz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3350183364

[grimholtz]

Klove,

Why would a 3rd party ever bother to make such an item? What incentive did they have? Pitfall were off the charts and there was no need to promote it by individual stores.

 

You'll also note that all the logos are correct. The Pitfall! logo has a "TM" next to it, as does the Activision logo. That means only Activision could have made it, or another party who had explicit permission to use their trademarks. And to that I would say: why would Activision give permission to anyone to use their trademarks for a game that hadn't been released yet (I got this the day the cart went on sale), especially one that everyone anticipated would sell so well...?

 

I am convinced it was made by Activision. Are there marketing folks at Activision you could talk to? Wat are Jan Marsella and Jim Levy's roles at Activision?

[grimholtz]

I also wanted to point out, as I did in the original post, that this came with the cart -- for free -- it was not a separate purchase. So I don't see how any company could make money from it...that's another reason I know it's made by Activision.

[gavv]

I also wanted to point out, as I did in the original post, that this came with the cart -- for free -- it was not a separate purchase. So I don't see how any company could make money from it...that's another reason I know it's made by Activision.

 

companies make promotional items for a reason, they're *promoting* ^^. If the store made it themselves, obviously the idea was to keep you buying future items at said store instead of anywhere else ^^, not to 'make money from it' ^^

 

gavv

[Godzilla]

large chains in new york that do huge volume, like the wiz, were known for their own promotional items that related to items they were trying to push in mass quantities. So I could easily see this 'pouch' as a completely illegitimate store made promo item.

[Mock]

The bag is much haevier than we first thought, in fact...it's so heavy it cost $18.00 to ship!!!!!

 

[Godzilla]

good lord where u sending it, lithuania or something? the pictures make it look like its made of cheap nylon. to be heavy itd have to be like burlap or canvas or something

[Mock]

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34056

 

 

for those of you who don't venture into the Ebay forum here at AA very much...here's a little cross-thread action for you.

 

I think it's some major BUSH to charge $18 to ship this POS pouch, but..hey what do I know...lol.

 

Mock

[gavv]

Here's a reply from Bill Kunkel (of Electronic Games & collecting notoreity) when i pointed him to the thread...:

 

 

 

I must confess I've never seen this piece and it's kind of tacky-looking for an actual Activision item. For an example of a comparable press/distributors/big shots type item from that era go to:

 

http://www.gooddealgames.com/articles/Clas..._Treasures.html

 

There you'll see a piece from my old collection -- a Pitfall jacket from Activision's big CES bash, with both front and back visible.

 

I can make a couple of guesses regarding this item:

 

1) It was a cheap, quick giveaway produced at the last second and one or two were distributed to retailers along with the shipment of games. The distributor could then pass them along to their best customers or just keep them.

 

2) It was a piece the retailer did up himself. It has a kind of DIY look to it.

 

I can say pretty much for certain that it was not distributed through the normal promotional channels because I can't imagine how I wouldn't have at least seen it.

 

In the current market, I would put its value (since even Jim Levy says it wasn't an authentic company item) at maybe $10. But remember this type of collectible is still in a very early stage -- up to now, most "collectors" in our area focused on hardware and software rather than the really neat (and much rarer) stuff that the marketing folks gave away.

Rather than introduce myself endlessly, this is Bill Kunkel. The Game Doctor name first appeared in the original EG.

_________________

[Godzilla]

Here's a reply from Bill Kunkel (of Electronic Games & collecting notoreity) when i pointed him to the thread...:

 

 

 

I must confess I've never seen this piece and it's kind of tacky-looking for an actual Activision item. For an example of a comparable press/distributors/big shots type item from that era go to:  

 

http://www.gooddealgames.com/articles/Clas..._Treasures.html  

 

There you'll see a piece from my old collection -- a Pitfall jacket from Activision's big CES bash, with both front and back visible.  

 

I can make a couple of guesses regarding this item:  

 

1) It was a cheap, quick giveaway produced at the last second and one or two were distributed to retailers along with the shipment of games. The distributor could then pass them along to their best customers or just keep them.  

 

2) It was a piece the retailer did up himself. It has a kind of DIY look to it.  

 

I can say pretty much for certain that it was not distributed through the normal promotional channels because I can't imagine how I wouldn't have at least seen it.  

 

In the current market, I would put its value (since even Jim Levy says it wasn't an authentic company item) at maybe $10. But remember this type of collectible is still in a very early stage -- up to now, most "collectors" in our area focused on hardware and software rather than the really neat (and much rarer) stuff that the marketing folks gave away.

Rather than introduce myself endlessly, this is Bill Kunkel. The Game Doctor name first appeared in the original EG.

_________________

 

HOLY SH*T

 

wow :-) Just want you to know I lived for your game doctor column. I remember one issue showing star ship in the window in an antique shop and you talking about games as collectible and another where you were talking about what we now know is the odyssey 2. You probably started a lot of kids (me included) down the collecting road. Glad I did, cause the stuff was a lot cheaper back then :-)

 

Just wanted to say thanks, and great stuff.

[gavv]

he hangs out and contributes on the forum over at www.retrogamingradio.com

 

 

gavv

[Godzilla]

kewl thanks for the tip :-)

[grimholtz]

Collection of all known Piitfall! Pouch photos: http://atariage.com/forums/gallery/album/1334-pitfall-pouch-photos/

 

 

Copying from http://johnfreeborn.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/video-game-honor-badges-in-my-hands

in case the site or that post ever goes down

 

 

 

The response to my post about the video game honor badges was surprising. People have been touched by this image, and many didn’t even know such a thing existed. One man, Brian, IMd me soon thereafter and informed me that he still had his patches, and he would bring them over so I could get a closer look. Not only did he have 6 gorgeous patches, he also had an official Activision Pitfall Pouch! Who knew such a thing could live. The bag is in great condition, his mom sewed the patches on, and they are looking good. I can’t believe this has survived in such great shape. Any one else out there have something this sweet? Brain claims he’ll sell for $1,000,000.

Edited February 8, 2015 by grimholtz

[+cvga]

Thanks. What did your Pitfall Pouch sell for back in 2003?

[Jinks]

A great way to be punched in the pouch was to be seen holding the pitfall pouch.

[Miss 2600]

Thanks. What did your Pitfall Pouch sell for back in 2003?

 

I remember this. It sold for $35.57, but the seller wanted a ridiculous amount for shipping to cover his travel expense to the post office, time from work, etc. Got a little ugly, but I think it was finally resolved.

[timdu]

2600 Connection staff writer Scott Stilphen was able to ask David Crane about the Pitfall pouch and got confirmation that this is an authentic Activision item:

" It was not sturdy like a backpack, but instead was made of nylon (like parachute material). I believe it was made to pack inside the "Treasure Chest" promo that went to the press mailing list."

[Miss 2600]

 

2600 Connection staff writer Scott Stilphen was able to ask David Crane about the Pitfall pouch and got confirmation that this is an authentic Activision item:

" It was not sturdy like a backpack, but instead was made of nylon (like parachute material). I believe it was made to pack inside the "Treasure Chest" promo that went to the press mailing list."

 

 

Wonder if there is a photo of that treasure chest promo online.

[JayAre]

Just wanted to update this thread.  A while back, I was able to buy one of these backpacks.  I was recently talking about it with a friend who's also a collector and who owned one of these at one point.  Several years ago, he bought one from the original owner and asked him how he had acquired it.  The seller told him that he bought his copy of Pitfall at a Lionel Playworld store in Miami.  The copy he bought was the only one that he saw that came with the backpack.  The backpack was folded and was on the back of the box, and everything was wrapped in plastic.  He bought this copy thinking it was a free Pitfall jacket.

 

Looks like this confirms what the OP was saying about how he acquired it.  Apparently, retailers were sent the backpack, and at least some of them eventually passed them on to customers as a pack-in with the game.

 

I was looking at the one that I purchased, and on the inside, there's a small manufacturer's label.  It was made by a company called Bel Aire Products Co., 82 Lincoln Street, Akron OH, 44308; (216)253-3116.  Since there's been some discussion as to whether Activision was behind the production of this item, I called Bel Aire Products to see if I could get any information.  But the number was disconnected.  I did an online search and found a company with the same name at a different address in Akron.  I called, and the employee told me that the original owners sold the company to the current owners many years ago, but that they didn't have any records going that far back.  Oh, well, it was worth a shot.

[JayAre]

I recently bought some Activision promo items/merch. from a former Activision employee.  One of the items was the Pitfall Pouch.  Since there's been some discussion in this thread as to whether Activision was responsible for manufacturing the item or if it was a third party, I asked this former employee what she remembers about it.  She told me that Activision gave one of these backpacks to every employee.  She went on to say that whenever the company released a game, employees would usually receive a copy of the game along with whatever promotional item was associated with it.  As the years went by and the company grew, and then the eventual crash occurred, the company slowly did away with this practice.  Since Activision distributed this backpack to its employees, it would seem to me that the company was involved in the production of the item.

 

One other note about the backpack.  In a 1994 issue of Digital Press, the staff wrote the following about it:

 

"I obtained this at a local store which sold an assortment of items, including electronics.  This was a free bonus to the first 100 customers who purchased 2600 Pitfall!.  It's a thin green polyester knapsack with the words "Pitfall Pouch Activision" written in yellow.  Since this was the only store giving it away in my area, I don't know how rare it is, or if it was part of a national promotion."

 

Hopefully this info. provides some clarification.

[Rom Hunter]

12 hours ago, JayAre said:

I recently bought some Activision promo items/merch. from a former Activision employee.  One of the items was the Pitfall Pouch.  Since there's been some discussion in this thread as to whether Activision was responsible for manufacturing the item or if it was a third party, I asked this former employee what she remembers about it.  She told me that Activision gave one of these backpacks to every employee.  She went on to say that whenever the company released a game, employees would usually receive a copy of the game along with whatever promotional item was associated with it.  As the years went by and the company grew, and then the eventual crash occurred, the company slowly did away with this practice.  Since Activision distributed this backpack to its employees, it would seem to me that the company was involved in the production of the item.

 

One other note about the backpack.  In a 1994 issue of Digital Press, the staff wrote the following about it:

 

"I obtained this at a local store which sold an assortment of items, including electronics.  This was a free bonus to the first 100 customers who purchased 2600 Pitfall!.  It's a thin green polyester knapsack with the words "Pitfall Pouch Activision" written in yellow.  Since this was the only store giving it away in my area, I don't know how rare it is, or if it was part of a national promotion."

 

Hopefully this info. provides some clarification.

The DP comment sounds most logical to me.



 

[Bonfire Collectables]

So I just found this same pouch/backpack and this message board is the most information I have found on it. So weird.