Florescent orange text on a black background

On December 20, 1978, the science-fiction thriller Invasion of the Body Snatchers, based on the 1956 film of the same name, was released. The film, starring big names like Donald Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy, and Jeff Goldblum, was about a health inspector's discovery that aliens were replacing humans with emotionless duplicates. To ensure that it would be a box-office hit, buttons, posters, and other paraphernalia were distributed in the months before the film's release. The advertisements paid off and the film was a hit with audiences, and continues to be considered one of the best film remakes in movie history.

Black-and-white centered photograph of Inspector Clouseau (portrayed by Peter Sellers) holding a magnifying glass surrounded by white text on a black background.

Movie theaters that showed the 1975 movie The Return of the Pink Panther featuring Inspector Jacques Clouseau had promotional posters that advertised "If you want a FREE Clouseau Button, ask an attendant! while they last."

Created by Blake Edwards, Inspector Clouseau is a character who has been portrayed in 11 Pink Panther movies by such actors as Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin, Roger Moore, and Steve Martin. The character has also appeared in several animated TV versions of The Pink Panther.

Brown outlined text on a yellow background

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a story by George Lucas. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones series and a prequel to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. After arriving in North India, Indiana Jones, played by actor Harrison Ford, is asked by desperate villagers to find a mystical stone and rescue their children from a cult practicing child slavery, black magic, and ritual human sacrifice in honor of the goddess Kali. 

The film was financially successful when release, but was met with mixed reviews which criticized its violence, later contributing to a PG-13 rating. The film was the subject of controversy due to its portrayal of India and Hinduism. Perhaps the most favorable part of the film was the addition of the eleven-year-old sidekick, Short Round, played by actor Jonathan Ke Quan, whose one-liners and facial expressions were popular with fans of the Indiana Jones franchise.

Illustration of a white ghost with a red "no" symbol over it on a black background with white text

Ghostbusters is a 1984 supernatural comedy film that was directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film features three parapsychologists, played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis, who start a ghost-catching business. It was nominated for two Oscars at the 57th Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Original Song. A sequel called Ghostbusters II was produced in 1989. A remake was released in 2016.

Black and white photograph of Benji the dog with black text

Benji is the name of a fictional dog that has starred in at least 7 movies and a TV show. The first movie titled "Benji" introduces us to Benji, the loveable stray dog who helps whomever he can. In the first movie Benji befriends two children named Paul and Cindy. Despite their parents not letting them adopt Benji, he attempts to rescue them from the two people who kidnapped them. Eventually the children are rescued.

"Benji" was a box office success, grossing over $45 million despite it's budget of under $1 million.

Color illustration of Huckleberry Hound with red bow tie and American flag top hat. Red, blue, and white stripes are behind the illustration with one blue on each side of the illustration. The words "Huckleberry Hound" are listed above the illustration and the words "for President" below in red capital letters. The illustration and words are over a yellow background. 

Huckleberry "Huck" Hound is a blue cartoon dog with a Southern drawl and a homey, agreeable personality. He first appeared in the 1957 TV series The Huckleberry Hound Show created by the legendary animation studio Hanna-Barbera.  Most of Huck’s adventures had him unsuccessfully trying out various jobs, however, he usually came out on top, either through persistence or luck.  Part of Huck’s routine was to turn to the TV audience and make comments and asides throughout the show.

In 1960, Kellogg's, Huck’s exclusive sponsor, with the Screen Gems production company, developed a promotional presidential election campaign for the hound to grow the TV audience and increase revenue. Buttons, picket signs, balloons, comic books and even a record album were just some of the campaign memorabilia produced featuring Huck. Well-attended election rallies were held for him across the country at shopping malls, TV stations, baseball games and even state fairs. But as was the standard in 1960’s television, the promotional campaign was never a part of the actual TV show for fear of any episodes becoming ‘dated’ and deemed un-syndicatable.

By the next US election year, Huckleberry Hound’s popularity had been surpassed by Yogi Bear’s (another of Hanna-Barbera’s cartoons) so he was replaced by Yogi on the 1964 presidential ticket.

Illustration of Huckleberry hound on a yellow background with blue text

Huckleberry "Huck" Hound is a blue cartoon dog with a Southern drawl and a homey, agreeable personality. He first appeared in the 1957 TV series The Huckleberry Hound Show created by the legendary animation studio Hanna-Barbera.  Most of Huck’s adventures had him unsuccessfully trying out various jobs, however, he usually came out on top, either through persistence or luck.  Part of Huck’s routine was to turn to the TV audience and make comments and asides throughout the show.

In 1960, Kellogg's, Huck’s exclusive sponsor, with the Screen Gems production company, developed a promotional presidential election campaign for the hound to grow the TV audience and increase revenue. Buttons, picket signs, balloons, comic books and even a record album were just some of the campaign memorabilia produced featuring Huck. Well-attended election rallies were held for him across the country at shopping malls, TV stations, baseball games and even state fairs. But as was the standard in 1960’s television, the promotional campaign was never a part of the actual TV show for fear of any episodes becoming ‘dated’ and deemed un-syndicatable.

By the next US election year, Huckleberry Hound’s popularity had been surpassed by Yogi Bear’s (another of  Hanna-Barbera’s cartoons) so he was replaced by Yogi on the 1964 presidential ticket.

Howdy Doody's face and the text, "It's Howdy Doody Time!" are depicted using yellow, black, and blue over a white background.

Howdy Doody is a pioneering American children's television program that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir. The show was televised on NBC from 1947 to 1960. The character Howdy Doody (the face featured on the design), was brainstormed by Bob Smith during his days as a radio announcer on WNBC. Smith brought the character to television on the show Puppet Playhouse, and the great reception for the character eventually demanded a show of its own.

Illustration of the character Horse on a purple background with yellow text

Horse is a character that appears in the Rocky and Bullwinkle comic books, movie, and the TV show, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, from the 1960s. He is the character Dudley Do-Right’s horse, ironically named Horse. He more often than not, helps Dudley Do-Right successfully save the damsel in distress, and defeat his nemesis

Illustration of a green and yellow gremlin with the words "keep smiling..." above it in small white letters. The button has a black background surrounding the illustration with the word "Gremlins" in white capital letters at the top of the button.  

Stripe is the gremlin leader of the antagonist gremlins from the 1984 film Gremlins. He is three feet tall and is one of the smartest and deadliest gremlins in the film. Gremlins was directed by Joe Dante and produced by Steven Spielberg and is categorized as an American horror comedy. After it was seen as too scary for children, Spielberg urged the Motion Picture Association of America to create the PG-13 rating.