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The
first commercial shown on TV in Britain Viewers saw a tube of toothpaste embedded in a block of ice and a woman called Meg Smith brushing her teeth in the approved manner, "up and down and round the gums". The immaculate tones of Alex Macintosh delivered the newly-minted slogan: "It's tingling fresh. It's fresh as ice. It's Gibbs SR toothpaste." The commercial owed its prime placing to chance. The Gibbs advertisement had come first in a lottery drawn with 23 other advertisements, including those for Guinness, Surf, National Benzole, Brown & Polson Custard and Summer County Margarine. |
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Murray Mints, Murray Mints, the too-good-to-hurry mints. Why make haste? When you can taste the hint of mint in Murray Mints (1955). Jingle was recorded by The Stargazers. Cliff Adams and the Stargazers appeared on Sunday Night at the London Palladium about three months after the start of commercial television. They took a chance and ended their act on what they called their 'latest recording'. They came on in bearskins and re-enacted the commercial on the stage. Then they pulled off the bearskins and inside them they had packets of Murray Mints which they threw to the audience. It caused a sensation, and showed the power that commercials had, even within three months. |
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Rice Krispies - Snap, Crackle and Pop (1955) |
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Don't
forget the Fruit Gums Mum!
(1956)
The authorities later forced Rowntrees to change the slogan because of unfair pressure on mums. They cleverly came up with "don't forget the fruit gums, chum" instead. (The actor was Denis Gilmore ) |
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You're
never alone with a Strand (1959). This jingle was
again written by Cliff Adams. The actor was Terence
Brooks who looked like Frank Sinatra, standing on a
street in London, wearing a trench coat, with a hat on
the back of his head, stopping to light a cigarette. This
was followed by the theme tune. As soon as the commercial
went on the air, enquiries started coming in, people
ringing up and asking if there was a record of the music
available. So Cliff Adams quickly went to a studio and
recorded "The Lonely Man Theme". The released
record contained no vocals and nothing was mentioned
about cigarettes, just the musical theme. It is known
that another version was recorded including some vocals
but this was never released.
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Rael-Brook Shirts - Written by Johnny
Johnston, the theme was devised when he met Harry
Raelbrook who was just starting up his shirt business. 'I
want to advertise on television and I want a jingle. I
make shirts.' he said. Johnny said 'What's so special
about your shirts?'. He said 'You don't have to iron
them.' So Johnny sat at his piano and played and sang these seven words - 'Rael-Brook Toplin, the shirt you don't iron'.... repeated three times and then again in a changed key. Harry was delighted and said 'That's what I want, don't change anything', and they never did! |
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Altogether now! "Coates comes up from Somerset, where the cider apples grow.....!" |
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Butlins - still going strong today! |
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Brooke Bond PG Tips starred the Brooke Bond chimps (1956). The first of these adverts was set in an elegant country house and showed an immaculately dressed 'boy' and 'girl' sitting at a Regency table and drinking tea from a silver service in dainty china cups. The voiceover came from Peter Sellers. |
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"Never go without a Capstan" |
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Joe, the tongue-tied Esso Blue paraffin salesman who called himself the 'Esso Blee Dooler'. Joe was created in 1958 when paraffin was a relatively common household fuel, but its use steadily declined over the years, as did Joe. |
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Cadum for Madam, toilet soap introduced into the UK by Colgate-Palmolive in 1955 from France where it had been an established brand since 1907. |
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"Go
to Work on an Egg!" When the British Egg Marketing Board launched the ‘Go to Work on an Egg' ads, no-one could have anticipated just how famous they would become. Watch the ads and find out for yourself. The 1950s ads starred Tony Hancock, the legendary comedian, and the ‘Go to work on an egg’ slogan is attributed to Fay Weldon, although she claims she was just the manager of the team who created the famous line. Tony Hancock is probably most famous for Hancock's Half Hour which kicked off in November 1954, becoming a British institution for almost two decades. You can now see Hancock in action, along with Patricia Hayes and Pat Coombs - eight of the ads from the original Go to Work on an Egg campaign are available to watch. Click on the link above! |
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This OXO advert pre-dates the Katie and Philip series which was to follow on in the late 1950s (see below) |
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OXO - Katie was launched as a TV advertising feature in October 1958, with the actress Mary Holland (at first on Sunday evening, in three sequential episodes). In 1960 a stouter husband replaced the willowy orginal. |
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Animated
commercial with the ever memorable theme: Oh the Esso sign means happy motoring, The Esso sign means happy motoring, The Esso sign means happy motoring, Call at the Esso sign, For Esso Extra! |
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All the family
love Carnation 'Cos it’s double rich, All the family love Carnation! Because Carnation makes even the simplest dishes taste wonderful, like this rice pudding made with one part double-rich Carnation to three parts water. It’s extra creamy, and to pamper the palate, pour Carnation over the pudding too. It’s delicious! Double rich, Carnation! |
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Mothers Pride is over 70 years old, first appearing in the north in 1936 and a national brand by 1956. Originally sold wrapped in wax paper, it progressed with technology to introduce the now-familiar plastic bread bag - although Mothers Pride Scottish Plain can still be bought in wax-wrapped bags. |
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Ribena was advertised as the blackcurrant health drink. An animated cartoon. which would be very un-PC now. |
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Get that Lovely,
Lively, Lyril feeling! No action here, just a series of still images. It was the catchy line above which was memorable. |
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Dairy Box was a Rowntree brand. This Dairy Box ad features a dancing character called Judy. |
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The Daz White Knights travelled around the country offering £5 and £10 prizes to those housewives who had stocked up with Daz washing powder. |
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The British Insurance Association commercials featured Fred and his family. "Get the full strength of the insurance companies around you!" |
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"Phensic is better for headaches than Aspirin alone" |
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Black Magic Chocolates from Rowntrees |
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Horlicks (malted milk hot drink) commercial featuring John Slater |
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Sarongster girdles 'At The Palladium' commercial |
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It all began a long, long time ago when Rowntree opened a tea and coffee shop in York in 1725. The Rowntree confectionery line gained popularity and in 1948 they launched the Polo Mint. It was similar to the Lifesavers that could be found in America and the British Navy Sweets but Rowntree attacked this problem with gusto and an aggressive marketing strategy and have since become known for their slogan and the shape of their mints, especially in the UK. |
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The roll call of commercials with straplines that have entered the common parlance is almost endless: 'Go to work on an egg'; 'Milk's gotta a lotta bottle'; and enjoy the freedom of your car - 'Go well, go Shell'. |
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Which do you prefer? Margarine is said to be better for you, but butter is so delicious! So it's a difficult choice to make: do we think about our health and pocketbook and eat margarine, or do we enjoy the guilty flavour of real butter? |
1959 saw the soap powder war hot up
as the White Tide Man faced Mrs. Bradshaw. White Tide was claimed
to 'get your clothes clean. Not only clean but deep-down clean'
while Surf featured Mrs. Bradshaw with her pile of washing who
would declare 'Hold it up to the light. Not a stain and shining
bright!'. We could be 
