Pack-in flyer

The besotted Ultra Magnus has chosen YOU.

In the frenzied days of Generation One's early success, Hasbro found that they could promote the toyline and sell toys even when kids were at home, via pack-in flyers.

The first five years of Generation One included numerous such flyers, in a variety of sizes, though advertising a fairly limited number of toys. Early fliers advertised the Powerdashers, Time Warrior, and Omnibots. Later brochures added Reflector, membership in the S.T.A.R.S. fan club, videotapes of various G1 cartoon episodes, and toys from the first two years of the toy line which were no longer available in stores.

In more recent years, pack-in flyers have been replaced with CD-ROMs and DVDs, which contain cartoon episodes and various interactive features, as well as a variety of other pack-in bonuses such as stickers and collector cards.

In addition to pack-in flyers and other media, many Transformers toys come with catalogs featuring other toys in the current line.

Generation One

1984

• "Reinforcements from Cybertron!"

1985

• "The battle is far from over!"
• "Earthlings: THE S.T.A.R.S. need your help now!"
• Can One Boy, Alone, Hold Back the Evil Decepticons?
• Look Inside for a Special Offer!

1986

• "Decipher the Decepticon" Sweepstakes (4 different posters)
• You Have Been Chosen.
• "Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all?"
• Inside...a Transformer Not Sold in Any Store!

Iron-on patches were also included with the combiner limbs and 1986 Mini Vehicles, promoting the Prizes in Disguise contest.

1987

• Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction
• Start Your Own Decoy Collection

1988

• The Autobots Are Under Attack!

Generation 2

• Some toys in the Generation 2 line came with a multi-fold card which featured the toy's bio and tech spec inside, and a pop-up version of the character art on the outside.

Beast Wars

1996

• The two-pack of Basic-sized Megatron and Optimus Primal came with a thrilling mini-comic saga entitled "Optimus Primal vs Megatron!".

1997

• The Japanese editions of Beast Wars toys each came with a collector's card (alternately labeled a "DESTRON CARD" or "CYBERTRON CARD") featuring a faction symbol on one side, and character art, a bio and specs on the other.

2006

The Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toys each came with a DVD containing an episode of Beast Wars.

• "Equal Measures" with Cheetor
• "A Better Mousetrap" with Rattrap.
• "The Spark" with Rhinox.
• "Spider's Game" with Predacon Tarantulus.
• "Possession" with Waspinator or Optimus Primal vs. Megatron.
• "Code of Hero" with Dinobot.

2007

The Beast Wars Telemocha Series toys each came with a DVD containing a Japanese-dubbed episode of Beast Wars and a commercial for the toyline, along with advertisements for the 2007 movie. The toys also came with a collector's card with show-based character art on one side, and toy photos, bio and specs on the other.

• "Super Lifeform Transformers Appear" and "The Dramatic End of the Destrons" with DX Convoy.
• "Debt of the Destron" with Convoy.
• "Cheetas's Crisis" with Rhinox.
• "Operation: Time Bomb Transfer" with Megatron.
• "Convoy Gone" with Cheetas.
• "The Sky-Mountains Explode" with Waspitor.
• "The Solitary Warrior, Tigatron" with Tigatron.
• "Spider Woman's Kick" with Wolfang.
• "New Weapons of Terror!" with Dinobot.
• "Murderous Virus" with Black Widow.
• "Goodbye, Rattle!?" with Cohrada.
• "The Falcon Warrior, Airazor" with Gimlet.
• "Floating Island Death Match, Part 1" and "Floating Island Death Match, Part 2" with DX Megatron.
• "Around and Around the Jungle" with Archadis.
• "The Immortality of Starscream" with Motorarm.

Beast Wars II

• Toys from the Beast Wars II line each came with a collector's card featuring a rendering of the character on a photographic background on one side, and a toy photo, bio and tech specs on the other.

Beast Wars Neo

• The Beast Wars Neo toys each came with a collector's card featuring character art on one side, and toy photos, a bio and specs on the other.

Universe

• The Transformers: Universe CD-ROM was included with select Universe and Armada toys.

Armada

• Armada toys came with a glossy, single-sided, playing card-sized collector's card featuring character art by Dreamwave.
• Micron Legend toys came with a collector's card featuring package art on one side and toy photos, bios and tech specs on the other.

Heroes of Cybertron

• Toys in the Heroes of Cybertron line each came with collector's card with the character's package art on one side, and a bio and tech specs on the other.

Energon

• Toys from the Energon franchise included a playing-card sized collector's card, with character art on one side, and tri-lingual tech spec ratings on the other.

Cybertron

• Transformers: Cybertron "Hidden" DVD, included with select Cybertron toys. Cybertron also included peel-off stickers along with a game piece for the "Get Your Key to Cybertron" instant win game.