A Juke Box Bank That DOESN'T Play Music

American Merchandising Company had a litany of wacko products they made comic book ads for during the Golden Age. One of which was the handy office tool-turned kids' toy in the Simplex portable typewriter. However, there were other totally pointless commodities like the Juke Box Bank. Going for $1.98 back in the 40s, it would run for about $24.95 by today's market. The ad ran in comic books make it seem like this is the Holy Grail of novelty items, but the only thing it really does is light up its idiotic slogan, "It's Wise To Be Thrifty" whenever you deposit a coin in it. The bank comes with a battery and bulb to activate this little feature, but a replacement for each part probably wasn't that easy for the average kid back then whose entire life would be focused on this useless item. The way the ad makes this thing out to be, just because it lights up and gives you a single piece of advice whenever you stick in a nickel in it that everyone in the neighborhood will stop what they're doing to come and gawk at this electronic miracle. While listening to juke boxes at the corner soda fountain was an often-romanticized slice of Americana, the dribbling morons who came up with this campaign were seriously overestimating how something like a small chunk of plastic lighting up would mesmerize any clueless customers. The main pitch is that people will stupidly just give you money to keep to witness you put it in your bank, whereas most folks would be wise enough to tell you to use your own darned money since it's your bank. The need to make money doesn't begin with swindling gullible yokels out of their hard cash just to watch your ridiculous toy glow in the dark. That's like forking over moola just to watch someone else have a good time.