Press pack for Smash Hits magazine, containing small gifts, magazines and advertising information.

Press pack consisting of:
Three sheets of cartridge paper stapled together in the top left corner, one in fluorescent pink, one in blue and one in green. Printed in black with information promoting Smash Hits magazine
Single sheet of paper printed with advertising information for Smash Hits magazine.
Colour magazine featuring David Bowie on the front cover and The Police on the back.
Colour magazine featuring Billy Idol on the front cover and Squeeze on the back.
Toy watch made from green plastic. The black fascia is lenticular and reads 6:59 in orange at one angle, and 7:00 at another. Still in its original plastic bag.
Cut out sticker with the smash hits logo printed seven times, three in fluorescent pink, four in fluorescent green, on a white background.
Three brooches in plated metal, formed to spell the word 'Darling' in a handwritten font.
Green plastic whistle with green latex balloon attached.
Synthetic rubber ball, transparent with inside swirl of blue, yellow, red and white.
Green plastic scissors with metal rivet.
Metal backed pin badge with white paper printed with the Smash Hits logo in alternating green and pink, covered with plastic laminate.
Red plastic whistle with paper horn, printed with zigzag stripes in different colours.
Transparent fluorescent peach plastic hollow pistol, with a white plastic trigger and a stopper at the back, and blue tubing inside. Designed to be filled with water which is shot when the trigger is pulled.
Light turquoise colour plastic roller ball pen ith dark green end, indicating the colour of the ink inside. Printed with silver typography
Clear transparent plastic folder with green transparent edging and pockets inside, with metal and plastic 'zip' closing, printed with fluorescent peach writing across the middle and Smash Hits logo in the bottom left corner of the front. Holds objects S.973:2 to 18-2010 inside.

Given by Mark Ellen

This press kit was produced in 1979 to promote the advertising space in the Smash Hits music paper.

Smash Hits magazine, as a print format, ran from 1978 to 2006, and was famous for its irreverent humour and for printing the lyrics to Top 20 songs. It was aimed at a younger music fan, from teenager to young adults, as opposed to the "serious" music journalism of the NME, Record Mirror and Melody Maker. The contents of this promotional folder illustrate the droll nature of the magazine, featuring badges, a plastic water pistol, plastic watch, paper horn and other throwaway items, as well as two copies of the actual magazine.

During its peak in the 1980s, Smash Hits launched the careers of many journalists working in news journalism in 2010. Between 1982 and 1984, the assistant editor was Neil Tennant, who would leave to become a major pop star as one half of The Pet Shop Boys. Although the magazine format no longer exists, the name still survives in a digital radio channel and website.

S.973:1 to 18-2010