Wednesday 9 December 2015

Advent 9

TV adverts, 1983

Billed as 'Christmas Adverts', and certainly featuring the kind of booze, chocs, aftershave and gifts associated with Christmas shopping. Some familiar faces and voices are to be found.

But except for Woolworths and arguably Quality Street, which have a 'parade' or 'pantomime' theme, absolutely no Christmas styling - no snow, no snowmen, no Christmas music, no Father Christmas .. and, apart from Woolworths and Debenhams, it's all about advertising for products and brands, not supermarkets, department stores etc.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzzxZRXJPQg

Highlights include:

Spy themed Black Magic with the proper centres, not the soft pap of today
Baileys, where the woman behaves oddly
Quality Street in a decent sized tin, probably four times larger than now
Pint and a Castella - first sighting of a cigar ad this advent
Bisodol for the huge pace of 1983 life; hmm; when you went home you went off the radar
Mel Smith advertising Terry's chocolates
Braun Independent, the excitement of gas
Timex watches
BT with a precursor to the internet 'network' adverts featuring the short lived and missed K7 box
Debenhams toy sale
SKOL lager, voiced by Tom Baker
Old Spice
Martini, featuring the Martini Girl on her roller skates. An Italian drink sold by a vision of America
Hugh Laurie in a Kestrel Lager advert sketch
Joe Brown and an all-star cast sell Woolworths, through the familiar song and dance style routine.

I think I'm right in saying that Woolworths is the only one that's gone.

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