About the Luminous Spooks and this Site
About the Luminous Spooks and this Site
The Luminous Spooks were a Sugar Puffs breakfast cereal promotion by Quaker Oats UK in 1965, most likely starting in August of that year. There were eight figures, one given away in each packet. They were semi-flat (bas-relief) less than 2mm in depth, but detailed, and they glowed in the dark, albeit somewhat briefly, after being exposed to light. Five of the figures could be described as Halloween types, but the other three - a suit of armour, a grandfather clock and a ghostly lady - made this something quite special - a haunted house set. As far as I know, there has been nothing quite like them before nor since.
As well as the figures, you could make a '3D' Haunted Manor from the box (really, semi-3D, a bit like the Spooks) and there was a 'spooky story' competition with prizes. The promotion was accompanied by advertisements in comics and, most impressively, a TV advertisement with atmospheric music by Barry Gray and voice-over by David Graham, both of Supermarionation fame!
Did Quaker intend the Spooks as a Halloween promotion? There is no reference to Halloween in the comic ads and the promotion started a little too early for that, although they were available as late as October, according to one of my contacts who remembers them. Perhaps there was an implied link?
Before I started this website, I was frustrated at the almost complete absence of any information about the Luminous Spooks on the internet.
I did come across this web page and so found out that someone else was looking for them too! The owner already knew about the Haunted Manor and had a date for the promotion. I got in touch and from him heard about the comic advert as well. (He suggested collaborating on a web page and although that didn't happen, the seed was sown for this website).
It seems that unfortunately, unlike many cereal give-aways of the time, very few have survived, perhaps because they were considered to be novelties rather than toys. And once the novelty had worn off, they would have likely been binned, as I can confirm - regrettably - in my case!
However, I was sure that others must have remembered them, perhaps even had kept theirs, and I posted a 'wanted item' notice on eBay. I soon heard back from The Phantom Highwayman (see elsewhere!) and with the prospect of pictures, I started a blog around early 2007 to document progress in the search for the Spooks. IIRC the very first image was of the comic advertisement sent by Kim Stevens. After a while the blog was replaced by a website which over time has evolved into what you see now - all thanks to the many people who have got in touch.
I hope you enjoy exploring the site. If you would like your own picture of the Spooks in the Haunted Manor to print out, or would like to make your own from templates, then head over to the downloads page. Perhaps you will even be inspired to make ones to your own designs!
If you remember the Luminous Spooks, or have anything to add (especially to do with the TV advert or cereal packet), then please get in touch - I would love to hear from you!