Sunday, June 21, 2015

Empire camper always misadvertised

From left to right are Adam, Music, Bonnie Breck,
Love, Flower, Peace and Soul.
The Hasbro dolls fit the flower child theme of the Volkswagen Camper.
Soul and Bonnie Breck go for a drive
in the Empire Volkswagen Camper.
Empire's Volkswagen Camper from 1975
is the perfect size for the Sunshine Family.
Why is Skipper, not yet a teenager, driving a van?

Oh, does Skipper's outfit hurt my eyes!

Two Stevies (left and right), Stephie,
baby boy with freckles and Little Sweets
are setting up a campsight on the beach.
Despite long-running assumptions in resale information, and even the box's liner notes (DESIGNED TO FIT BARBIE, SKIPPER & ALL OTHER ACTION DOLLS), the 1975 Volkswagen Camper sold by Empire is not for Barbie dolls.

The Camper is pictured in the 1975 Sears Wish Book.  Malibu Barbie stands next to it, and she is clearly taller than the van.  Notice that even the front of the box (my photo, although the glare from the flash is blocking the text) has the names Barbie and Skipper on it.

Instead, the vehicle is sized for 8-inch dolls, but which ones?  The photos on the box are just bizarre.  The girl is 1972 Pose N Play Skipper in her original swimsuit and her skirt is Barbie's Best Buy 7748 Lace and Ruffles from 1974.  I have no idea who the guy is.

Its accessories are very nice.  I especially like the card table, which really looks like one with that checker top!

Mattel's Sunshine Family dolls fit in the Camper perfectly!  But the Volkswagen is a little brightly colored for these earth-toned, eco-friendly little dolls.

The van seems more suited to the groovy hippie Hasbro Love dolls, but they were sold only between 1970 and 1972.  And no action figure would be caught dead in such a gaudy, flower-decaled vehicle!

I have to wonder if Empire already had a van like this made for action figures, and then decided to make a similar version for little girl customers.



No comments: