# What are Your Earliest Memories of TV Commercials? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2006, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856 "2006-05-08T07:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/41 "2006-05-08T22:20:05Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Bucky, maybe? “Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, with Ipana toothpaste”. . Dang, I think that was it, yes. Not sure, but it kinda tingled some memory cells to life. I think that was it. Uh, him. Or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/42 "2006-05-08T22:20:51Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > Now I remember this one because one of my teachers said it was grammatically incorrect. It should be “… **as** a cigarette should.” …which led to their later ad campaign, “What do you want, good grammar or good taste?” ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/43 "2006-05-08T22:22:49Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > **Liveonaplane,** I remember that toothpaste and asking my Dad how it worked. He said there were separate compartments for the red and white. We got some but we never took a used tube apart. I think there was “Stripe” in in the name but I’m getting myself confused with Fruit Stripe gum commercials with the cartoon zebra when I try to think about it. Well, as far as the name goes, maybe there are some things mankind was not meant to remember. 😃 Sure wish now I could remember the name, though. Oh, well. And thank you for reviving some pretty neat memories! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/44 "2006-05-08T22:29:18Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > **Dorjan,** That was Imperial margerine. Parkay had the plastic tub with the lid that opened like a mouth and said, “Par-kaaay!” > > I remember some margerine commercial where the actors were highly offended at the thought of using butter instead of it. A French chef says, “Buttaire, she burns!” I always think of that when I see a recipe using real butter. The first reminds me of a story about a funeral procession in Spain, where at one point the widow, overcome with grief, flung herself on the coffin and wailed\*"¿Porqué? ¿Porqué?"\* The lid of the coffin flipped open and a voice from within replied “Butter!” The second reminds me of a commercial for Jell-o French Vanilla pudding, pitched by a stereotype Frenchman (probably in a horizontally striped shirt; don’t remember if he wore a beret) with an _ootrrrrageous_ accent. The commercial ended with “Of course, eet ees not _really_ from Fronce, but zen…neezaire am I!” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/45 "2006-05-08T22:32:56Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Well, as far as the name goes, maybe there are some things mankind was not meant to remember. 😃 > > Sure wish now I could remember the name, though. Oh, well. And thank you for reviving some pretty neat memories! [Stripe toothpaste](http://www.zeigermann.com/cartoonist/images/2003/12/20/stripe-old-coll.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/46 "2006-05-08T22:43:23Z")
Remember the bears in the Hamm’s beer ads? “From the land of sky blue wa-a-ters, wa-a-ters, Hamm’s - the beer refreshing”. The Hamm’s beer signs with the waterfalls were mesmerizing, to a little kid. Enjoli! Dijon Warlock, thanks! Dijon – hmmmm, what was that Grey Poupon mustard ad? I remember the hoity toity voice touting the stuff, but nothing else. We bought the stuff and always had to mimic the voice. “Mom, pass the Grey _Poupon_, please!” And we weren’t even thinking “poop on”. But now I am. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/47 "2006-05-08T22:49:10Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > It’s been around that long? We’ve only been getting them for the last couple of years. I was just about to say, since moving here to Seattle, I’ve been hearing that little jingle… only with “800” in front of it, and creepy animated flooring men: “800 588 2300, Empire!” _Bwomp noise_ “_Today_!” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/48 "2006-05-08T22:53:42Z")
Carter’s Little Liver Pills. Geritol. The Bufferin ad with the cartoon of A’s (for aspirin) staying in the stomach while the B’s (for Bufferin) got through. Wild Root Cream Oil (hair tonic). This Nestle’s Quik ad. [http://www.tvacres.com/dogs\_hounds\_farfel.htm](http://www.tvacres.com/dogs_hounds_farfel.htm) > [@](#): > > In one of the classic 1950s commercials for Nestle’s chocolate candy, Jimmy Nelson remarked “Time to recharge with delicious Nestle’s Quik.” After the little jingle of “N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle’s tastes the very best,” Farfel in an extended yawn delivered the closing line “CH-A-A-A-W-CLIT.” The distinctive snapping shut of Farfel’s jaws after saying “CH-A-A-AW-CLIT” initially happened by accident during rehearsals for the Nestle’s commercials when Nelson’s sweaty hands caused his finger to slip inside the puppet. Luckily, the folks at Nestles liked it and the rest is history. Hamm’s commercial during baseball games (I was an adult before I realized a certain line was “lofty balsams”). Also during baseball games, the Gillette Blue Blades ads with Sparky the cartoon parrot. Here are 8 commercials from 1948 (a bit before my time) here [http://www.archive.org/details/ClassicT1948](http://www.archive.org/details/ClassicT1948) I remember what is probably a later version of the Band-aid commercial. The Gillette ad is different from the one I remember. The Dodge ad (last one) is fascinating. Not the earliest: A Grape-Nuts ad during the Andy Griffith Show done by Andy and Don in character. In addition to Grape-Nuts as part of a healthy lifestyle, Barney persuades Andy to do deep knee bends while repeating “A Grape-Nuts Breakfast fills you up, not out”. Meanwhile Barney eats the cereal. Laurence Olivier speaking for Polaroid cameras, which were not shown in the UK by contract terms he insisted on. A little searching will turn up well-known American actors (including George Clooney and Julia Roberts) who do ads not shown in the US. Not TV, but I was reminded of it recently: a radio ad for a Chicago car dealer, Z Frank Chevrolet. It was a deep-voiced man speaking in typical ad verse to a jazzy accompaniment. The man was Thurl Ravenscroft. I didn’t realize it was him until I found the commercial on a website devoted to him when I searched for his material when he died a while back (decades after last hearing the commercial). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/49 "2006-05-08T23:06:57Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > Now I remember this one because one of my teachers said it was grammatically incorrect. It should be “… **as** a cigarette should.” And just before they banned cigarette ads, Winston’s jingle was “What do you want? Good grammar or good taste?” Whereupon Robert Klein replied, “On TV, you’re lucky to get either.” “Baseball and Ballentine. Baseball and Ballentine.” (Probably only rememberd in the NYC area) Bert and Harry Piels. “My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer.” (Also, NYC.) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/50 "2006-05-08T23:21:45Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > _All the animals in the zoo are jumping up and down for you, > hoping you will be sure to plan a trip to the zoo as fast as you can._ > > [something something] \*storybooks you turn on with a key > tell you all about the \*[something] \*animals you see. > > Storybooks and zoo keys together guide you through. > A world of new adventure awaits you at the zoo.\* Are you from Portland (Oregon)? Or did a lot of zoos use that jingle? From the same town, Grandma’s Cookies: (Something like this) Go buy Grandma’s cookies, Try them right away, You’ll love Grandma’s cookies, You’ll eat them every day. Yum yum yum yum They’re so tasty Better be hasty, Try Grandma’s at your grocer’s Today! Buy my earliest TV commercial memory is: “The Friday Night Fights are on the air! Brought to you by Gillette”. Then there was a jingle which I don’t actually remember right now but I’m sure it will come back to me soon. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/51 "2006-05-08T23:33:51Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > > > 588-2300, Empire! > > It’s been around that long? We’ve only been getting them for the last couple of years. They’re nationwide now, with the same flooring men and essentially the same jingle, but have been around Chicago since at least the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/52 "2006-05-08T23:47:04Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > [Stripe toothpaste](http://www.zeigermann.com/cartoonist/images/2003/12/20/stripe-old-coll.jpg). Hot damn! That is it! Oops. Sorry. I meant to say hot dang. Got carried away. But I can sleep now. Stripe toothpaste. Oh, wow. Count on the SDMB, comes thru every time!!! (hey, there’s a jungle for ya.) Thanks, **Biffy the Elephant**. You tha Doper. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/53 "2006-05-09T01:08:28Z")
Zippy Alka-Seltzer Jolly Green Giant Carling Black Label Beer - “Mabel, Black Label, Carling Black Label Beer” The aspirin bit with the 3 different pain causing squares inside the head ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/54 "2006-05-09T01:48:27Z")
Jim Henson doing coffee commercials in the 1950’s on Washington TV. I can sing Blatz Beer Commercials from the early 1950’s. I can also sing the Mott’s singing apples song: “The finest apples in apple land, make Mott’s apple juice just grand.” Bucky Beaver: “Brusha, brusha, brusha, with the new Ipana, and the brand new flavor, it’s dandy for your teeeeeth.” Fresh-up Freddie and 7-up. Bess Myerson and ads. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/55 "2006-05-09T02:21:36Z")
Bess Myerson – she did appliance ads, didn’t she? Is she the one who couldn’t open the door on the Frigidaire, on live TV? Or was that Betty Furness? ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/56 "2006-05-09T02:37:10Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Bess Myerson – she did appliance ads, didn’t she? Is she the one who couldn’t open the door on the Frigidaire, on live TV? Or was that Betty Furness? I’m pretty sure that was Betty Furness 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/57 "2006-05-09T04:05:30Z")
> [@Roderick Femm](#): > > Are you from Portland (Oregon)? Or did a lot of zoos use that jingle? Philadelphia. I’ll bet all the city zoos that had those zoo-key dealies used it. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/58 "2006-05-09T10:58:44Z")
**Anacin** –Mother, _please_, I’d rather do it myself. **Shake and Bake** –“and _ah_ helped.” **Salem Cigarettes** –“You can take Salem out of the country…but…you can’t take the country out of Sa-lem.” **Crispy Critters** –“The one and only cereal that comes in the shape of animals.” **Fruit Stripe Gum** –“Yipes! Stripes! Fruit Stripe gum” **Dial Soap** –“Aren’t you glad you use Dial…don’t you wish everybody did?” ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/59 "2006-05-09T15:15:23Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Lucky Charms never had only three marshmallows; it started out with four: pink hearts, orange stars, yellow moons, and pink clovers. (I was going to be all cutesy and color the text, but the yellow always comes out illegible, even when bolded.) D’oh! True, only with **GREEN** clovers. But you knew that. > [@](#): > > AuntiePam: One limousine pulls up beside another, the back window rolls down, and the sandwich-making tycoon asks: “Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon?” 'cause it’s the mustard of the filthy rich, I guess. Every limo glove compartment should have a jar. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856/60 "2006-05-09T16:22:06Z")
> [@Dijon Warlock](#): > > D’oh! True, only with **GREEN** clovers. My turn: d’oh! :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-earliest-memories-of-tv-commercials/355856.md?page=4)