Burger King's 1972 "Love" postcards

These psychedelic "love" postcards were given away to kids at Burger King restaurants in 1972. I believe there were a total of six designs, and the cards came in perforated sets. Beyond the winning idea that the postcards touted the important concept of love to Burger King's young customers, I greatly appreciate that postcards themselves — ephemera! — were considered a good giveaway item, rather than the pointless plastic toys that became ubiquitous in the 1980s and 1990s.

It's possible that this postcard giveaway was tied to Valentine's Day, which in my mind doesn't make it any less worthy of applause. There's actually not much information available online about the history of this giveaway item. Maybe I'm overthinking this teeny-tiny corner of fast-food history, but I'd like to know more. Whose idea was this? Who designed the cards? How many were printed? How were they received by the general public? Did anyone actually mail these? (Most of the postcards that survive a half-century later are blank.)

I did come across an interesting read about McDonald's mail-advertisement postcards by Hal Ottaway on PostcardHistory.net. But the history of these colorful Burger King love postcards seems to remain sadly unwritten. If you remember getting, sending or receiving any of these, please let us know in the comments!

Let me end by saying that these postcards clearly fit thematically within our household.