Because I have too much free time on my hands these evening, I was musing over the number of phrases cooked up by ad-men (to make people insecure enough to buy stuff) that have crept into the general vernacular.
Off-hand, most of the ones I recall are for old, old products:
“Five O’Clock Shadow” – courtesy of Gem Razor Company, manufacturer of “The razor that keeps your face socially acceptable around the clock!”
“Ring around the collar” – Whisk detergent
“B.O.” – Right Guard? Not sure about the product, but I remember hearing the ads. (In old radio shows.) “Do you have ‘B.O.?’ Your friends won’t tell you!” (With the hand-wringing girls cryptically referring to so-and-so’s “B.O.”, while he overhears cluelessly wonders what they might be talking about.)
“Static Cling” – “Bounce”
“Greasy Kid Stuff” – Vitalis. This contemptuous term decimated the makassar industry in short order.
Can anyone think of any others? I’m sure there must be dozens aimed at women that are slipping my mind.