IGA "Mickey Mouse Party" Ad – Sept. 10, 1953

Although The Walt Disney Company currently acknowledges November 18th as the birthday of its beloved character and company mascot Mickey Mouse, there was a time when his birthday bounced all over the calendar.

Why? Well, as explained on the company website, for many years his birthday was simply moved to tie in with some promotional campaign of one of the company's many licensees. Thus, the famous rodent's natal day was celebrated over the years on a variety of dates, from September to late December. Finally, in 1978 the corporation decided to go with the premiere date of Steamboat Willie, the Mouse's first onscreen appearance: November 18, 1928.

But back in 1953, September was still his birthday month, and that's the idea behind the ad above for the IGA grocery store chain with a 'Mickey Mouse Party' theme. It appeared in the Lorain Journal on September 10, 1953. (According to the Walt Disney Archives website, 1953 was celebrated as Mickey's 25th birthday.)

Anyway, the ad includes a nice illustration of Mickey atop his cake (yuck), surrounded by Goofy, Pluto Pup, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck Bongo the Bear.

Bongo? Why not Donald Duck, arguably a more popular cartoon star than Mickey?

Did Mickey plot to keep his animated, web-footed rival from drawing attention away from him on his special day? Did Donald's position as spokesduck for his namesake citrus juices (and appearance in other grocery chain ads) prevent him from being in the ad? Or was Mickey simply worried about getting feathers on his cake?

I suppose the question could be directed to Donald Duck, if someone ran into him at one of the many Disney theme parks. But we probably wouldn't be able to understand the unintelligible quacking of the irascible waterfowl anyway – so I guess we'll never know.