What was the name of Kenner’s mail-in offer that let children order a Star Wars figure in 1978?

Kenner’s mail-in offer was called the Early Bird Certificate Package.

Kenner had secured the Star Wars toy license but could not manufacture enough figures before the 1977 Christmas season. Instead of leaving store shelves empty, the company sold a package containing a certificate, display materials and a promise of figures to be mailed later.

Children could send the certificate to Kenner and receive figures after production began. The promotion turned a supply problem into a memorable piece of Star Wars merchandise and gave the company time to complete its toy line.

The offer is sometimes called the Early Bird Kit, a common shorthand for the same promotion. The formal product name was the Early Bird Certificate Package. It is remembered as one of the earliest major examples of a mail-in collectible strategy for a film toy line.