Now available: 2009 DVDs
Click a link above to watch a 2-minute video of what's on the 2009 DVDs. Details are in the ClassicTVAds Storefront.
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King of Pop, Dead at 50 (June 25)...the true king of pop, rock, and roll...
 Like him or hate him, he was a musical genius, dead at age 50, the same day that Farrah Fawcett died.
Even though this clip has nothing to do with ClassicTVAds, it is in Tubetown on our parent site, RoadOde.com, and we felt that on this dark day, we should honor Jackson's music.
This is the exact moment that Jackson was crowned The King Of Pop. It happened in 1989.
time 0:22 size 550 kb aired 1993
General Motors (1966) (April 27)GM...mark of excellence.
 It would have been difficult to anticipate, back in 1966, that this giant of a manufacturing company would be declaring bankruptcy. But it appears inevitable at this point.
"Free trade" has destroyed the manufacturing base in the United States, and if people are celebrating the demise of GM and other manufacturers, they ought to think twice about that. Without a manufacturing base, there can be no manufacturing of goods, especially the kinds of goods the US needs to keep its profitable and bloody war machine going strong.
time 0:32 size 857 kb aired 1966
Every Litter Bit Hurts (1964) (April 30)Don't grown-ups know better...
 Very brief public service announcement; part of the Keep America Beautiful campaign, in the 1960s.
This was one of the most successful public service campaigns, helping to significantly reduce litter in communities throughout the United States.
time 0:11 size 297 kb aired 1964
Bellaire Cigarettes (195?) (May 9)Smoke twice as refreshed, because the filter's recessed...
 We're not sure of the date on this one, too, and on second thought, it is probably from the early 1960s rather than the 1950s.
Exceptionally corny nautical theme, with the usual array of trendy young adults puffing their way into disease.
time 1:02 size 1.52 mb aired 195?
Scotties Tissues (196?) (May 9)Magic oval box...
 It wasn't just a rectangular piece of cardboard with an oval hole in it, it was a magical one.
This stunning piece of engineering-design allowed you to take one or one dozen tissues at the same time.
time 1:02 size 1.54 mb aired 196?
Plymouth for 1969 (1968) (April 30)Just look what Plymouth's up to now...
 Fury, Belvedere, Valiant, Barracuda...all Plymouth models that disappeared, but were very popular in their days. Even the train system, Penn Central, is gone.
This ad had a catchy jingle, playing off a mid-60s pop hit by Spanky and Our Gang, Sunday Will Never Be the Same.
time 1:00 size 1.5 mb aired 1968
Avon (with Katie Couric look-alike?) (1972) (April 25)Sometimes the Avon lady comes at the wrong time...
 ...and maybe sometimes the Avon lady comes in the wrong year.
We couldn't help but notice the strong similarity of this woman to Katie Couric. But...it couldn't be Katie, because according to online sources, she would have been only 14 or 15 in 1972 (born in 1957, according to Wikipedia and just about all other sources). Katie wouldn't allow fibs about her age, would she?
Not only does this young lady look like Katie, but she sure sounds like her, too. Could it be that we have the air date wrong? It was during a Bob Hope Special, which aired January 17, 1972.
You be the judge. Please drop us a line if you've ever seen Katie's birth certificate.
time 0:33 size 858 kb aired 1972
Fab Detergent (1955) (April 23)Use FAB (use Fab in your washing machine)...
 (The horrible audio quality was improved in this clip May 25.)
Totally '50s ad with early, slow rock-n-roll beat. Starts out on a very strange note, though.
time 1:02 size 1.56 mb aired 1955
Sanka (1960) (March 15)N - E - W - S...we've got news for you!
 When you think of old Sanka ads, you think of Snooze-R-Rama.
This one sure broke the mold. It's a playful, upbeat, mini-musical that is very, very retro. A favorite here at ClassicTVAds.
time 1:02 size 1.54 mb aired 1960
Aunt Jemima (Harriet Nelson) (1955) (March 15)Make mine buckwheat, mom...
 This ad, we're sure, was intended to conjour mental images of the Old South and Gone With the Wind, complete with Mammy on the box of pancake mix.
In hindsight, we can certainly see why they changed the image of Aunt Jemima. The insulting "fat, smiling, po' but happy" negro image held up by the rich white woman was unbelievably stereotypical and racist.
time 0:40 size 991 kb aired 1955
Fresca (197?) (January 22)Don't be left out in the warm...
 Fresca received saturation marketing when it was introduced by the Coca-Cola Company. Ads everywhere, commercials on every network. The accent was on freshness and coldness, in a diet drink.
When it was introduced in the early 1960s, it (along with other diet drinks) contained an artificial sweetener called cyclamates, which was later found to cause cancer in rats. Yum.
time 1:02 size 1.584 mb aired 197?
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HelloClassicTVAds: Just commercials...really old ones, and a section devoted to a favorite Wizard of Oz star, Margaret Hamilton.
 This site is designed for high-speed internet access only; 56k modems will not have a pleasant experience here.
If you are viewing the site through a proxy and/or firewall server, you may see broken images. ClassicTVAds and its parent site, RoadOde, are configured to prevent bandwidth theft. The broken image problem is a known consequence of these measures; nothing anybody can do about it. The videos on both sites, however, should still play properly.
Commonly asked questionsQ. I get a bunch of raw code when I try to watch a movie. A. This site was designed for Windows Internet Explorer. Firefox and Netscape users will see raw code when they click on a video. As of March 27, all new videos appearing on the site will have options for Firefox and Netscape users (as you can see elsewhere on this page). Q. Why are all of your images broken? A. You are looking at the site through a proxy and/or firewall server; mechanisms are in place to prevent bandwidth theft from the site, and the broken image problem is a known consequence of this measure. I've experienced it myself, and, yes, it's not pretty. Q. Are your ads for sale? A. No. Q. Do you know where I could find such-and-such an ad? A. In all honesty, no. There are a few commercially available DVDs that contain ads (check Amazon.com); I know of no reliable sources. I don't recommend Web sites that charge admission. Q. Do you have such-and-such an ad? A. Infrequently, I do have an ad somebody is looking for. If that is the case, I'll put it on the site for everybody to see. I do not distribute custom ads on an individual basis. Q. How do I download such-and-such an ad? A. Look in your temporary internet files directory after watching one. Q. The ads don't work; is something wrong with your site? A. I usually know about any problems on the site. If the videos are not working for you, it is usually your configuration, your old browser, your slow connection, or your firewall that is at fault. This site is frequently tested using latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Netscape.
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Universal Healthcare for ALL Americans We here at ClassicTVAds strongly support a public-funded healthcare system for all Americans. We feel the time has come for the killing to stop: health insurance corporations have been granted too much power, too much influence, and they have shamelessly profited off of disease and denial.
The state of the current healthcare system in the US is a world-wide embarrassment. About 100 million people either have no insurance or have too little insurance, because they can't afford the obscenely high premiums. This has to stop, and it has to stop in 2009. Please contact both of your Senators and also your Representative, and demand a clean, simple, and robust public healthcare option.
Gail Storm for Nescafe (June 28)Gail Storm...Died June 27, 2009
 In a span of less than a week, Gail Storm is the fifth celebrity to pass away, the day before Billy Mays died. But unlike Mays, Storm died of natural causes related to old age (she was 87).
Best known for her starring role in the 1952-1955 sitcom, My Little Margie, she was also an accomplished singer, dancer, and ice skater.
Nescafe coffee was a major sponsor of her show.
time 1:01 size 1.6 mb aired 1959
Farrah Fawcett for ultra brite (197?) (May 15)Farrah Fawcett...Died June 25, 2009
 Most people remember Farrah from this commercial, from her role in Charlie's Angels, and from her famous swimsuit poster (just Google "Farrah Fawcett poster").
But it was her appearances in later movies, such as The Burning Bed and Silk Hope, that proved her amazing acting abilities. In The Burning Bed, her role as an abused wife was convincing and poignant. In Silk Hope, she was irresistible as the flighty small-town woman with a shady past and a heart of hope.
Farrah's battle with cancer was told by her and friends in Farrah's Story, which aired on NBC Friday May 15, 2009.
Farrah lost her battle with cancer June 25, 2009. We lost a very, very special lady on that day.
time 0:34 size 893 kb aired 197?
Schick Styler (197?) (May 20)Farrah Fawcett...Died June 25, 2009
 Farrah Fawcett, Shelley Duvall, Angela Cartwright, and their hair, all in one ad.
Child star Angela Cartwright had the smilingest eyes in Hollywood; about the time this ad aired, she was also doing Soft 'n Dri deodorant commercials. Today, she's a photo artist. You can purchase her work and her autograph at her web site (which stopped working after we linked to it here).
time 0:33 size 807 kb aired 197?
Rice Krispies (196?) (revised May 17)I say it's crackle, the crispy sound...
 UPDATED: What was with that pixelization? Sorry about that; we remade this one to fix the problem. Also, we think this is likely a 1960s ad, although we're not sure.
What a catchy jingle in this one, with the trio of Kelloggs' elves at their musical best.
time 1:02 size 1.54 mb aired 196?
Desoto (1958) (April 23)It's got push-button drive and torsion-air ride.
 Not sure what push-button drive was, but some sources on the Web describe it as push-button transmission that was on some Chrysler cars back then.
Note: A visitor to the site says that Chrysler began using push-button automatic transmissions in 1956, and abandoned the design around 1965, in favor of the column-mounted lever. Thanks, Mike!
I have never understood why car dealers and manufacturers use kids--often their own--to sell cars, like in this ad. It probably has something to do with the American tradition called bragging rights.
time 0:33 size 858 kb aired 1958
Lucky Strike (1956) (April 23)Light up a Lucky, it's light-up time...
 L.S./M.F.T...Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco. This was such an important selling point; it was used in practically every Lucky ad.
And when you think of it, it meant absolutely nothing.
time 1:05 size 1.56 mb aired 1956
Wildroot (1964) (March 15)Dissolves in your hands; won't show in your hair.
 Surprising to hear a variation of "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand"...for a hair cream.
Wildroot and Brylcreem were the two big men's hair creams in the '50s and '60s. Both brands utilized sexual attraction and catchy jingles to sell their products.
time 0:33 size 806 kb aired 1964
What the...? (January 22)
Trend Liquid (1957) (March 15)It's your money-saving friend...Trend!
 This one is a laugh-riot, as the smart shopper gleefully dances her way to the liquid detergent aisle.
Yes, boys and girls, back in the 1950s, all of our mothers joyfully danced in the supermarkets...so much money to save, and so many thrilling products from which to choose!
time 1:03 size 1.5 mb aired 1957
Top Job (1963) (March 15)I'll have to wash the whole wall...and I bet it'll streak.
 And in the 1960s, the way to a housekeeper's heart was a product that didn't streak walls.
I don't know about you, but if my brothers and I left that kind of mess on a wall, my mom would've beat the crap out of us and then made us clean it up until it sparkled.
time 1:03 size 1.55 mb aired 1963
Muriel Cigars, Edie Adams & The Hi-Los (1965) (January 26)Why don't you pick one up and smoke it sometime.
 This one gets top honors for being one of the classiest ads ever to appear on this site.
Edie Adams (d. October 2008) was the long-time pitchwoman for Muriel Cigars, as well as sidekick for genius comedian, Ernie Kovacs. Here she performs a song and dance with The Hi-Los, another phenomenal singing group of the '50s and '60s (remember the Hertz jingle?).
NOTE: ClassicTVAds is strongly opposed to smoking all tobacco products. Don't smoke: It may kill you.
time 1:04 size 1.6 mb aired 1965
Bold Detergent (1966) (January 22)Now Millie, don't be silly...
 In the 1960s, when musicals were all the rage, Bold Detergent launched a series of ads that were...mini-musicals.
Looking back, these ads seem like such nonsense. Mostly women singing to other women, stereotypical gender roles...ugh, such schlock, in hindsight. Oh, and BTW: The terrible lip-sync'ing is not CTV's fault...it aired that way.
time 1:02 size 1.53 mb aired 1966
Lustre-Creme Shampoo (1964) (January 22)Wherever you go...whatever you do...
 As the calendar above suggested, you can "up" your fun in life with good grooming...and a memorable jingle.
Lustre-Creme and Halo were the big shampoos of the day...and it looks like Lustre-Creme won out (for awhile anyway).
time 0:32 size 783 kb aired 1964
Softique Beauty Bath Oil (1966) (January 22)Put that rack up all by yourself?
 Lordy, just think how much we've progressed since this sexist piece of Softique aired. Boy, those "women have a soft life." <wince>
Notice what she does with the claw end of the hammer. Ouch!
time 0:32 size 799 kb aired 1966
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Remember these?
 Vam Hair Cream
Actual tube from 1957. Smells horrible. Vam? Vegetable, Animal, Mineral. Comes with pamphlet: The whole Vam story (a Wildroot product).
 Dimension Shampoo & Conditioner
From the early 1980s. Still smells wonderful. Discontinued by Lever Bros. in mid 1980s.
time 0:19 size 457 kb aired 1980s
Ipana Toothpaste
Sometime in the '60s, before ZIP codes. Still smells minty fresh.
Vaseline Cream Hair Tonic
Actual product from the 1950s. It's been a long time since it came in a bottle like this. And this hair tonic smells about as good as Vam, above. We're talking wretched.
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