Circus Clown - Airway Edwards Coffee - Safeway Grocery Store Promotional Mask (1950's)

This bright and cheerful Circus Clown mask was issued in the 1950s as a Safeway grocery store giveaway tied to Airway/Edwards Coffee promotions. At a time when supermarkets used free premiums to attract families, paper masks like this were slipped into shopping bags or handed to children as a reward for tagging along on grocery trips.

The design reflects mid-century America’s fascination with the circus—big-top clowns with painted faces, jaunty hats, and bold colors were instantly recognizable. This particular lithographed mask, with its red polka-dot cheeks, oversized grin, and cone hat with pom-pom, captures the classic “happy clown” style of the era.

On the reverse, the mask is stamped with the Safeway branding, linking it directly to the chain’s in-house promotions. Masks like this not only entertained children but also cemented brand loyalty by creating positive, playful associations with a routine grocery purchase.

Historical Context:

Airway Coffee (a Safeway brand) was roasted in-store in the 1930s–40s before becoming Edwards Coffee. Promotional masks kept the brand visible beyond the store shelves.

The circus theme connected to popular culture of the time—Barnum & Bailey and traveling carnivals still drew massive audiences in the 1950s.

Grocery store giveaways like this are far scarcer today than national promotions (such as cereal masks) because they were regional, disposable, and rarely saved.

Details:

Date: 1950s
Sponsor: Safeway Grocery Stores / Airway & Edwards Coffee
Character: Circus Clown
Size: approx. 8" x 10"
Medium: Lithographed paperboard with cut eyeholes