How showbags began at the Sydney Royal Easter Show

The beloved Sydney Royal Easter Show showbag had simple beginnings. One unverified story has it that in 1906 bread rolls were thrown out to a crowd and the subsequent spike in sales at the stall gave other commercial exhibitors the idea of handing out free samples. As early as 1909, it seems, vendors began putting give-away products into bags, and the “sample bag” was born.​

It was a Sydney Royal Easter Show innovation that gradually spread to agricultural shows around the nation, helping cement the Show’s reputation as a leader in consumer trends and entertainment. By 1922 some companies imposed nominal charges of threepence or sixpence to help defray costs, particularly as it became more common to add small trinkets and toys.​

Businesses spent big on their displays, sometimes building working models of their manufacturing process on the Showground to entice visitors. Arnotts biscuits, Minties and cigarettes all rolled off mini production lines in front of Showgoers’ eyes, while costumed attendants distributed sample bags. The expense was worth it because these early showbags created an unforgettable hands-on experience with brands.​

Showbags and advertising at the Sydney Royal Easter Show

For decades, showtime was primetime when it came to advertising in New South Wales. No other event or medium was so effective in reaching so many people as the Sydney Royal Easter Show.​

By the early 1930s the population of New South Wales was around 2.5 million, and Show attendance figures invariably climbed well over the half million. On those numbers, exhibitors were putting their products in front of one in five people in the state, and with sample bags their wares went directly into people’s hands to create a personal interaction with brands.​

It was an ideal way to launch a new product line. In 1932, for example, Australian firm Kolynos offered a bag which included specially prepared samples of their new dental plate cleaning powder and headache tablets, with “sufficient supply of each to ensure a thorough trial”. Around the same time, Peak Frean biscuit company included a new crisp bread for slimmers in their bag – Vita Weat, destined to become a pantry staple in many Australian homes.​

During the 1930s the price of some sample bags climbed to one shilling, but plenty were still free – enough at least to sustain three runaway boys who, in 1932, hid on the Showground for a week, sleeping in a cattle stall and feasting on giveaways.​

Showbag trends: from Mickey Mouse to modern favourites

The contents of showbags have always reflected the social trends of their times, and as far back as the 1930s, icons of popular culture have been enlisted to add extra appeal to offerings. The Pick-Me-Up Condiment Company (PMU) was onto a winner when it included a photo of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in its 1936 sample bag.​

Mickey Mouse was perhaps the first global superstar. Internationally, nearly half a billion people had seen the most recent Mickey Mouse movie, and licensing offices set up around the world sold his image for use on every conceivable item from watches to china plates, clothes and hot water bottles – to cans of PMU’s baked beans and spaghetti.​

As the twentieth century rolled on and television was introduced, the showbag lost some of its pure advertising punch, but it hardly mattered. Companies were still willing to provide showbags at a small loss, just for the good‑will and brand love they brought. The showbag had become a treasured product in its own right and themed showbags emerged that had nothing to do with manufacturing and everything to do with the zeitgeist.​

Dedicated to the latest popular toys, TV shows, movies and music stars, fads and fashions, these themed bags proliferate today at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, from superhero staples to influencer-inspired trends.​

Why Sydney Royal Easter Show showbags blend nostalgia and new trends

The Show is a split personality event – as much about nostalgia as it is about the latest thing – and perhaps nothing so perfectly embodies these opposite traits as the beloved showbag. Where kids once pored over newspaper lift‑outs to weigh up their showtime choices, now they study online showbag guides on phones and tablets. But each generation faces the same tricky decisions: stick with old favourites or lash out on the new.​

Freddo v Frozen? Hubba Bubba v bubble tea? The dilemmas might change shape, but the thrill of choosing a showbag remains the same at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. And guess who’s still making an appearance with a bag of her own? None other than Mickey Mouse’s partner Minnie. Perhaps the squeaky pair don’t have quite the same commercial clout they once did, but just like the Show, we still love them.​