Ta-to (The Clown) - Red Dot Potato Chips Mascot Mask (1940's)

One of the more unusual crossovers between snack food advertising and children’s premiums, this is the official Ta-to the Clown mask, distributed by Red Dot Potato Chips during the 1940s. Ta-to served as the company’s smiling mascot, embodying the cheerful, family-friendly branding common to mid-century snack promotions.

Printed on sturdy paperboard with bold red and black graphics, the mask carries Ta-to’s name prominently across his clown cap—leaving no doubt that this was more than just a generic design, but a true piece of advertising character history. These masks were given as promotional tie-ins, likely slipped into chip boxes or handed out at grocery stores to children.

Due to their ephemeral nature, very few survive today, and most were discarded after play. For collectors of advertising mascots, food promotions, or early clown imagery, this is a rare and quirky piece that bridges the worlds of vintage masks and potato chip history.

Date: 1940s
Maker/Distributor: Red Dot Potato Chips (Ta-to the Clown mascot)
Size: 8" x 10"
Rarity: Scarce; few examples documented in the hobby