Commercial Break 4

This week, I journey back to the golden age of British television advertising in the 1970s. Those wonderful commercial breaks were filled with jingles we can still sing today and catchphrases that became part of our everyday language. The 70s were simpler times with no mobile phones or social media, where computers existed largely only in TV shows with their big cabinets, whirring tape spools, and banks of flashing lights doing nothing in particular.

From the chocolate treats like Finger of Fudge "It's just enough to give your kids a treat and just enough until it's time to eat" and Marathon bars with their "new lighter centre, smooth super chocolate, golden caramel, peanuts," to Birds Eye Chips with Rodney Bewes lamenting his local chippy being replaced by a multi-storey car park. I reminisce about those ever-present chip pans filled with Spry Crisp N'Dry, always ready for action in our kitchens – presumably reusing the fat made economic sense and only added to the flavour!

The beloved PG Tips chimps make an appearance with their "Mr. Shifter tea commercial "I've shifted more pianos than you've had dinners", bringing back memories of the posters I had on my bedroom wall and the tea card albums my Auntie Elsie collected for me. We explore sophisticated drinks like Campari with Lorraine Chase's iconic "Luton Airport" advert, and household products like Jif "cleans right through to the shine", Electrolux vacuums with their "sight suction channels," and the unforgettable Shake n' Vac with its earworm jingle "Do the shake and vac and put the freshness back."

Personal grooming features prominently with Head & Shoulders, Harmony hairspray "You are the only one that knows for sure", and those remarkable aftershave commercials for Mandate with Sacha Distel and Hai Karate complete with self-defence instructions!. 

Then finally we all go on holiday with adverts from Pontins, a family of four for just £42 plus VAT! and British Airways with their "massive savings" that still cost enough for a house deposit in 1977! No wonder my family never ventured beyond the UK.

What was your favourite advert from the 1970s? Which commercial jingle can you still sing word for word today?

And I know you're still singing the shake and vac one!

Take care,

Oliver

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