Sob Story 3

I blogged last month about the plethora of Toy Story 3 mail-in promotions and all the great stuff that was up for grabs, but sadly I must report that at least one of those offers has ended prematurely.

Sara Lee bread was offering a free Buzz Lightyear soft lunchbox with the purchase of 5 Sara Lee “Soft & Smooth” loaves of bread, buns or bagels. I mailed in my UPC codes weeks ago and have been checking my mailbox each day, eagerly anticipating the arrival of that squishable sandwich sack.

My pulse skipped a beat today when I spotted a piece of mail addressed from Sara Lee
herself; but my excitement quickly turned to dismay when I realized that a lunchbox could not fit inside a postcard, no matter how pliable it may be. No, as it turns out, I will be forced to brown bag it for a little while longer, at least.

The postcard thanked me for my recent participation in the Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Mealtime is Funtime offer, but regretted to inform me that due to the immense popularity of this free offer, distribution of all available Toy Story merchandise was depleted in record time. I can at least take some solace in knowing that I was part of a record. (I wonder if a representative from Guinness World Records was on hand to make it official). But it was not all bad news.

Sara Lee—the stand up lady that she is—won’t send us latecomers away empty handed. Because Sara Lee values me as a customer, I will be receiving an alternate Toy Story tin lunchbox of comparable market value (which was like $14.99). This may actually turn out to be good thing, because as cool as a light-up, soft lunchbox may be, a tin lunchbox is a classic and the odds of it including a matching thermos just went up 1000-percent.

The lunchbox was the main event of this mail-in promotion, but there was also the option to send away for a plate and cup set or a sectioned plate! The official Sara Lee Toy Story 3 promotion website now lists all items as out of stock, but one has to wonder if the less desirable dinnerware is actually gone forever. If you wish to try your luck, you can still print out the official order from, but don’t delay; who knows how long that link will remain active.

I ran a quick search on eBay to see if anyone had received their Toy Story lunchbox, but I only found one link with an item resembling the lunchbox from the photos. The auction ended without any bidders, so if you absolutely must have your light-up, soft Toy Story 3 lunchbox, it looks like you might be able to grab one for under ten bucks.

Toy Story Mania

The merchandise for the first Toy Story film in 1995 was severely under produced. So much so that it was referenced in Toy Story 2. Tour Guide Barbie notes the blunder of short-sighted retailers failing to stock enough Buzz Lightyear toys for the holiday season. No such mistake was made this time. Toy Story 3 paraphernalia has dominated Toys R Us, Target, Walmart and grocery stores (editor’s note: grocery stores are like the food side of Walmart. Sorry for any confusion.) for several weeks now.

Almost every character in the film is represented in either plastic or plush, depending on their composition on screen. Perennial favorites Buzz and Woody are well represented, but even newcomers such as Buttercup and Lots-o-Huggin’ Bear can be found on store shelves. Some characters, like Dolly or Mr. Pricklepants, will require a bit of leg work to track down, but rest assured, they do exist, and more are likely on the way.

In addition to the stuff you have to straight up pay for, there is a great array of Toy Story collectibles that are only available through participating promotions. Sara Lee “Soft and Smooth” brand bread has a UPC redemption program that allows you to send in 5 UPC codes to receive a Buzz Lightyear soft lunchbox (a $14 value, according to the form). I’m much too old to tote my lunch around in a character lunchbox, but I guess I could use it to store my Pokemon cards or Hot Wheel cars.

Kellogg’s brand cereals also have a great Toy Story promotion that lets you choose your swag. Each of their participating cereals includes a code printed inside the box that represents one “Toy Story 3” point. With four points, you can score yourself an actual Hamm piggybank. For eight codes (the highest point value), you can send away for a USB powered Alien Desk Light (that’s much easier than trying to grab one from a claw machine). There are also options for a movie ticket, concession cash and a Mr. Potato Head t-shirt.

If you happen to have a box of Rice Krispies or Frosted Flakes sitting in your pantry and you don’t intend on sending away for any of the Toy Story 3 merchandise, I will happily accept the donation of any codes you may have to offer.

It’s been a while since I’ve mailed away for anything, so I was impressed to learn that neither Toy Story promotion requires a fee for shipping and/or handling. For the Kellogg’s deal, you don’t even have to buy a stamp. The entire transaction is done through their website. The only downside is that, according to the fine print on the website, I could find myself waiting 60-90 days to receive my loot. That seems like an unusually long delivery time, so I’m hoping a more accurate estimate is closer to 8-12 weeks. Stay tuned!