Above are two marvelously elaborate one-minute TV spots for Shasta Colas. Both are period pieces that reference silent comedy filmmaking –and both are elaborately conceived (especially the first) and beautifully executed. Which is quite the opposite of the product they’re shilling for. Shasta was (and still is) a quite dreadful
Over the past couple of days we’ve discussed the iconic Burger King jingle ‘Hold The Pickle Hold The Lettuce’. Having beaten that dead horse to death again, let’s move onto another iconic advertising jingle for a crappy product. Above is the ‘Wouldn’t You Like To Be A Pepper Too’ ear
What do Ann Miller, Roy Scheider and Bing Crosby all have in common? The answer: commercials in the 70s! While Ann and Bing were very much known and recognizable, Scheider appears to have been just an everyday lucky actor who got a much sought-after gig doing a Folger’s Coffee commercial–I
Why did television stations used to sign off in the wee morning hours? Couldn’t they get anyone to work the overnight shift? Aren’t TV stations supposed to be like hotels–they never close? At least the sign offs were dramatic and interesting. Dig the above 1970 sign-off from KHJ-TV, Channel 9,