Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

[fanoofez]

I'm not sure of the best place to put this, but I'll try here first...

Around, what I assume must have been the very early 1970s, Ready Brek (and I'm 99% certain of this because I recall the fine dust that used to cover any gifts they put in the packet!) gave away coloured plastic ridged strips. The idea (from memory) is that you attached the end to the box itself and then ran your fingernail down it and you'd get a few seconds of speech, with the box acting like an amplifier. I've got a feeling it was also suggested that you pulled the strip through a slit in the box and the edge of the cardboard itself would "play" the strip.

I've only been able to find a couple of people on the internet who have any recollection of this, but I've not seen any pictures of the strips themselves, the box or any print adverts associated with it.

Does anyone recall this at all?

[Heather74]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Think this might be what you are looking for https://forums.doyouremember.co.uk/t...eal+tape+sound

[Twocky61]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Ready Brek; the instant porridge to keep you warm on the way to school lol

[George 1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Speaking of Ready Brek, back in around 1990 we found two packs of Ready Brek in a cupboard, and it wasn't a kitchen cupboard either - it was an upstairs one! They were around ten years old!

We couldn't find a Best Before date on them, but there was an offer on the back for a Matchbox-sized red double decker bus with the Ready Brek logo on the side, and the offer's closing date was on 29th February 1980. We did actually send off for the bus as I remember finding that as well in a small box. I think that 1979 was the Year of the Playbus or something, and the offer was to mark that event.

We went to a local park in around 1990 and fed the cereal to some of the pigeons. Not my idea, in case anyone from the RSPB is reading this, but it was my family's!

[Richard1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I remember Ready Eddy was the Ready Brek mascot in the late 1980s. The ads had a re-sing of the Toy Dolls version of Nellie The Elephant.

There was an offer for an Eddy glove puppet, which one my friends sent off for.

[catflap]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Nuts to Ready Brek. I ate loads of it and never developed one of those personal force fields they had in the adverts.

[battyrat]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I know a lot of kids that tried, lol.

OP, I do remember the strips you are talking about but cannot remember where we got them. I expect it was a freebie from cereals of off a comic. As a kid we never had Ready Brek mum always preferred porridge.

[Richard1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

My Mum was also reluctant to buy Ready Brek, as she could buy oats for porridge & baking as well.

Ironically she & my Dad eat Oat So Simple a lot these days.

[Hair Bear]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I think there were 4 tapes available in Ready Brek. I know one was Churchill saying 'Some Chicken, some neck', I think one was Chamberlain saying 'I have it here', the others I have no idea!

[George 1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Nuts to Ready Brek. I ate loads of it and never developed one of those personal force fields they had in the adverts.

The orange glow that appeared when kids walked down the street to school or to do their paper round of a cold winter or late autumn's morning in the 1980s adverts almost made them look as if they had some electrical discharge or something coming out of them, as if they had some electric shock or some force from up above set upon them! I bet that a lot of kids found the adverts rather scary back then.

[battyrat]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

A lot of kids were into super hero's as much back then as they are now. Especially Superman.How many kids want super powers, and how many made them selves sick on ready break trying to get them.

I'd be more worried about a few dim parents taking the adverts for granted and stuffing their kids full of the stuff then sending them to school in poor clothing no coat in winter.(we see a lot of this around the area I live these days).

[Twocky61]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I preferred proper porridge just like that served in prisons (UK) lol

[Arran]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I preferred proper porridge just like that served in prisons (UK) lol

Do they still serve porridge in prisons or is it all a myth?

[George 1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

Do they still serve porridge in prisons or is it all a myth?

Probably one of the reasons why Goldilocks went on a spree of breaking and entering...

[George 1978]

Re: Ready Brek - Early 1970s? Plastic "Speech" Strips

I preferred proper porridge just like that served in prisons (UK) lol

And there's me thinking that prisons seems to be a lot like hotels these days.

Ooh, I could murder for a bowl... Please excuse my turn of phrase...