10 best celebrity computer ads of the 1980s
When geek-culture blog Topless Robot dug up the Prime Computer ads above, from 1980, featuring Tom Baker's classic incarnation of Dr. Who (and his equally classic sidekick, Lalla Ward as Romana), I was shocked to see they were actually great commercials. They're clever, endearing and memorable—even if they do oversell the machine's capabilities by a light year or two. In short, these ads are everything that most vintage computer ads weren't, especially ones that involved celebrities. Click here to check out our picks for the top 10 celebrity computer ads of the 1980s. —Posted by David Griner |
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Published on November 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Sea-Monkeys are back, just as weird as ever
Apparently believing no generation should be denied the joys of brine shrimp, Transcience and marketing shop Gertrude Inc. are reintroducing Sea-Monkeys, those "instant pets" first marketed back in 1957. Press materials promise "an integrated campaign which includes four timeless print ads with classic copywriting and an interactive microsite that ... allows users to customize their own Sea-Monkeys tank and share it with friends through social networking interaction." Translation: Go ahead and SeaMonkeyYourself. For some, whom I'd rather not meet, that's probably a dream come true. (I'd upload my face onto a Sea-Monkey, but Morrissey can do that when he's back from vacation.) Back in the days when these "timeless" print ads ran in comic books, I ordered some Sea-Monkeys, and they sent me a box of what appeared to be dried-up crud. Bottom line: If you want the cachet of being a "pet owner," but couldn't care less if the pets live or die, Sea-Monkeys are the choice for you. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on August 21, 2009 | Permalink
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Jackson hair-on-fire footage finally unveiled
Video footage of one of advertising's seminal moments has finally been leaked 25 years later—that of Michael Jackson's hair catching on fire, due to mistimed pyrotechnics, at a 1984 shoot for a Pepsi ad by BBDO. See the video here, which Us Weekly released exclusively this week. The accident at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. on Jan. 27, 1984, left the pop star with serious burns and allegedly kick-started his addiction to prescription drugs. |
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Published on July 16, 2009 | Permalink
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A little ultraviolence improves any coffee ad
Boing Boing linked to a series of old, excessively violent Wilkins Coffee commercials created by Jim Henson way back in 1957. The spots depict two characters, Wilkins and Wontkins. Wontkins doesn't drink Wilkins coffee, so Wilkins offs him in various violent ways. The spots are short and sweet (the local station only had 10-second slots), and were so successful that they were reshot for five other local coffee companies, the only difference being the product shot. Steve Whitmire, the voice of Kermit since 1990, recently visited the Savannah College of Art and Design and shared with us an interesting story about one of the Wilkins commercials. Apparently, in one of those local markets, the spot where Wontkins gets shot in the head from a mysterious arm that appears to his left aired for the first time on the day JFK was assassinated. Of course, it was pulled after complaints, even though no one could have seen that coming, not by a long shot. —Posted by Rebecca Cullers |
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Published on June 18, 2009 | Permalink
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Tetris: five cheesy ads to celebrate 25 years
It's been 25 years since Alexey Pajitnov, then a 29-year-old artificial intelligence researcher, came up with Tetris while working at the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow. "A quarter of a century later," the Guardian reports, "it has a legitimate claim to being the videogame that has truly conquered the world. In all its forms, Tetris has sold more than 70 million copies around the globe; it has spawned architecture, art and music; it has earned multiple Guinness World Records; and is regularly voted one of the top games of all time." It's also enjoyed its share of goofy ads. Here's five of them. Other brands have gotten Tetris fever over the years, too. For example: these bizarre spots for Honda and Toyota.
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Published on June 2, 2009 | Permalink
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Pepsi Throwback ads resurrect 1970s relics
Here are nine new 15-second spots from TBWA\Chiat\Day that Pepsi unveiled today to promote Pepsi Throwback, its nostalgia beverage featuring '70s product packaging and, to my personal delight, real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. The retro theme extends to the media buy, as the ads are running on Hulu alongside old shows like Hill Street Blues, Battlestar Galactica (the original) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The spots are pretty amusing, showing the Throwback can interacting with artifacts from the '70s. But Pepsi's notion that the '70s are "considered new" because millennials weren't around to experience them the first time ignores the fact that the '70s have been mined for nostalgia for years now. Also worrisome: Three other ads were made in conjunction with the folks at CollegeHumor.com, who wouldn't know funny if it flashed them and took a picture. But at least Pepsi is stepping up and producing ads to fit Hulu's specialty content. That alone makes them look like they have a clue. |
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Published on May 18, 2009 | Permalink
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These 15 home-appliance ads never get old
These 15 great vintage appliance ads might as well be cave paintings now, but there's a timeless, neo-futuristic charm to post-war gadgetry that can't be ignored. It was also the only time in recorded history when people got excited about toasters. Also worth mentioning from the collection are the Kelvinator fridge that looks like an armoire, the Whirlpool automatic washer that looks like a stasis tank, and the Western Electric Picturephone that, come to think of it, still doesn't exist yet. What gives? I want one of those. —Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on April 27, 2009 | Permalink
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Not even sex could save these technologies
For a fun visit to the vaults, check out Brainz.org's compilation of 12 "Dead Technology" Advertisements. What's a little spooky is that if you're over 30, each of these technological wonders has come and gone in your lifetime. Some, like the Walkman and the VCR, were tremendous successes. Others, like Betamax, Laserdiscs and MiniDiscs (the latter shown here with the not-so-subtle tagline, "You know you want it"), never really got off the ground in the U.S. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a strange craving to devour a NeoGeo. Via @JeffreyJDavis. —Posted by David Griner |
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Published on April 22, 2009 | Permalink
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Retro mashups apparently recession-proof
You would think an economic downturn would make people focus on the necessities in life. But why worry about food, shelter and savings when you can throw your money away on pointless retro kitsch? Today, we've got four fine examples of bizarre pop-culture mashups that have evidently struck a chord, at least among bloggers. First, there are bars of soap shaped like classic video-game controllers (price range: $5-$25). Then you've got your Disco Ball Hat, which couldn't possibly be displayed on a more appropriate model than the guy above. No price is listed for that, as is the case with the At-At Walker Boombox, which combines the awesome powers of Star Wars and cassette tapes. But fear not, you can still drop $28 on Jenga: Donkey Kong Collector's Edition. Finally, your Jenga and Donkey Kong collections can live in harmony! |
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Published on February 26, 2009 | Permalink
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Lose weight (and dignity) with the Slim Suit
Ah, the Slim Suit. If you thought people were naive in believing they'd lose weight instantly by cutting back on carbs, you weren't around in the '80s, when people trusted a shiny silver suit to do the trick. That said, the Slim Suit is still in use today, as evidenced by the robust physique of professional wrestler Bobby Dempsey. Laugh all you want at his ignorance, but it's still a step up from the Buddy Rose Blow-Away Diet. Via Cynical-C. —Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on February 24, 2009 | Permalink
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Pet Rocks announce a 2009 comeback tour
Guess which 1970s fad items are back, with a promotional tie-in for Earth Week in April? No, not bongs. Those never went out of fashion, and have enjoyed Olympic-size publicity of late. We're talking Pet Rocks! The press release from I-Star Entertainment promises "Pet Rocks scavenger hunts in six major markets—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C." So, what was annoying and pointless during the Ford administration will be annoying and eco-conscious in the Obama era. Figures. This time around, the rocks have names: Avalanche, Boulder, Chip, Fracture, Granite, Hard Luck, Mica, Pebbles, Rocky, Roller, Stink and Stoner. Click here to see a larger image. (No, Stoner does not come with little gold medals and swimming trunks.) The client plans an ad campaign, and LS Public Relations is leading a publicity push that includes TV appearances, so we'll finally find out if viewers can distinguish between Matt Lauer and a stone. Joking, joking. Actually, I-Star says the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation will benefit from Pet Rock sales, so I guess I'm a cynical jerk for poking fun. That's the kind of guy I am. Just look at my mood ring. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on February 10, 2009 | Permalink
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Prythee, canst thou make that logo bigger?
Bringing it in true old-school fashion, a rare surviving example of a 16th-century design portfolio, of the kind used by Medieval bookbinders to show off their typefaces, has been discovered in England. The Macclesfield Alphabet Book is more than just a prop for ye olde job interviewe. It features 14 different types of decorative alphabets—including anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and foliate alphabets, and two sets of borders in remarkably preserved colors and gold. The British Library is eager to acquire the book, and so far they've raised £340,000 of the £600,000 purchase price from the library of the Earls of Macclesfield. The book's been sitting there since 1750, as it appears the Earls are busy creative-director types who have completely overlooked the portfolio sitting on their desk for the past few centuries. Via Boing Boing. |
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Published on January 28, 2009 | Permalink
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The most awful Super Bowl video in history
It's hard to top Microsoft Songsmith for absolute grating terribleness, but the Southern Food Brokerage definitely holds its own. This retro Super Bowl-themed disaster, based on the Chicago Bears' infamous "Super Bowl Shuffle" from 1985-86, is truly something to behold. I especially like the dedication at the end, as if the participants were island villagers sacrificing themselves to the pride-devouring gods of Nabisco and Del Monte. |
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Published on January 27, 2009 | Permalink
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'The Warriors' trailer makes very little sense
To celebrate my entering the 21st century by subscribing to Netflix, here's the trailer from the first movie on my queue: The Warriors. What? It's a classic, shut up. Anyway, what's interesting about the trailer is that two of the first three gangs pictured (the Boppers and the Hi-Hats) aren't even in the movie beyond the first scene, and the Rogues, who are the cornerstone of the plot, aren't mentioned at all. Still, it's a fun glimpse into a fantasy world where the streets of New York were divided among a series of flashy, color-coordinated gangs. Well, and the Baseball Furies, who aren't much different than your typical Yankee fans, although they fight like Met fans. |
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Published on January 22, 2009 | Permalink
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I'll have a whole load of Pabst Blue Ribbon
This old-school Pabst Blue Ribbon ad has one of the most schizophrenic voiceovers I've ever heard. The poor announcer keeps asking himself, "What'll ya have?" And responding in the same voice. Even the animated couple watching the boxing match sound like him. I can imagine the poor woman whose voice occasionally graces the jingle having to shove her demented partner out of the way so she can get to the microphone. The effect is so unsettling that it's hard to pay attention to the ad itself. Which is a shame, because that self-pouring glass would have caught on if they hadn't been too busy wrestling that announcer into the straitjacket to market it properly. —Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on November 21, 2008 | Permalink
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Frank Zappa's old cough-drops commercialYou'd think advertising would be the last thing to come to mind after putting on a Frank Zappa album, but this old Luden's Cough Drop ad from the 1960s proves otherwise. Zappa supplied the soundtrack, which sounds like someone hyperventilating into a kazoo, and he apparently then got the animator to film 14 hours of footage for his direct-to-video movie Uncle Meat. I'm not sure who got the better end of that deal, because one might not exist. —Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on November 3, 2008 | Permalink
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Vintage airline ads take sexism to the skies
With so much talk of sexism this year, it can be heartening to look back and see how far we've progressed as a nation. I'd recommend starting with Travel + Leisure's collection of 10 funny vintage airline commercials. There's the song-and-dance number about why a businessman should bring his "little cutie" along when he flies United. Then there's the striptease from Braniff International, which believed that "even an airline hostess should look like a girl." Or check out the National Airlines "Go Go Miami" spot, which I admit isn't really sexist so much as it is just plain baffling. Hat tip to Adverganza. —Posted by David Griner |
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Published on September 25, 2008 | Permalink
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The near-perfect world of old fast-food ads
—Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on September 12, 2008 | Permalink
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The painful full-body rug burn was worth it
Another sexy winner from the 1970s: this ad for the Love Rug, which was some sort of fake-animal-skin bed. "As you stroke, it strokes," reads the copy. "It's almost like having another lover there with the two of you." Imagine how nice it must have been for the average guy, after a long day in the Big Zip, to frolick around on the Love Rug. Via Spare Room and Copyranter. |
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Published on September 8, 2008 | Permalink
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Denis Leary's idea of a drunk-driving PSA
This great public-service announcement from a few years back, which aired on British television, features Denis Leary singing a modified version of his popular old song "I'm an Asshole." In terms of classic drunk-driving commercials, it's right up there with the PSA set in the Star Wars cantina. Also worth a viewing: the video for Leary's original song. |
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Published on August 26, 2008 | Permalink
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Muhummad Ali had a thing for cockroaches
—Posted by David Kiefaber |
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Published on August 21, 2008 | Permalink
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