The BBOC Gold Membership Kit was the first kit produced by Ty. It was introduced in March of 1998. The idea of the kit was to offer collectors a chance to belong to a club dedicated to their favorite Beanie Babies! Clubs typically bring loyalty to the brand and bring collectors together to share in a common interest! Each kit cost around $9.99 retail in the United States.
Ty Inc. did not produce the kits alone, Ty partnered up with Cyrk Inc in February of 1998. Ty invested $10 million in the company. Cyrk was a promotional marketing company that designed and developed promotional products and programs, such as those used at McDonald's.
The kits were officially introduced on March 21, 1998 on Ty's new website
www.beaniebabyofficialclub.com. The idea was that collectors would buy the kits and in return visit the new website and buy any other promotional items on the site. Items on the site could only be bought by holds of a new club kit.
On December 23, 1998 Ty retired the Clubby I Gold Membership kit! Once the retirement announcement was made members were told that would only have until March 15, 1999 to order the Clubby I Beanie, and that after that it would be out of production!
KIT CONTENTS:
The kit contained the Official Membership Card, which was a gold card resembling a credit card, an Official 4 page Beanie Baby newsletter, a card to send in to Ty to received your official Club Certificate, a Beanie Baby checklist poster, 5 sheets of Beanie Baby stickers, and a door sign.
Those items were packaged up in a small cardboard carrying case that was shrink-wrapped. In addition to the kit a poster was added on the side.
No Beanie came with the kit directly you had to later go to the BBOC website and order what would become known as Clubby I and the Clubby I buddy!
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OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP CLUB:
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