Way Back Wednesday for July 2, 2008, These words from our Sponsor
Welcome to the July 2, 2008 Edition of “Way Back Wednesday“, “These Words from Our Sponsor” edition. We will be revisiting the land of the 80’s, big hair, and toy marketing for the Generation X group. (Those born between 1965 and 1982). This was a huge time of both technological advances such as Cell phones, and the birth of more and more interactive toys. Toys and TV became synced up so that if you watched it, someone would build a toy. Commercials also worked on your heart strings. They tried to give you that warm and fuzzy feeling such as our first two entries this week.
“Peeper”, Bell Telephone 1982
This commercial for the Bell Telephone system was to remind you how with the Bell system you could “reach out and touch someone”. Bell was broken up by the United States in 1984.
“Birthday’s” Kleenex (1984)
Kleenex in the 80’s tugged our heart strings. I swear some of these commercials were only geared to make you cry…and use Kleenex. Kleenex has been making tissues and toilet paper since 1924.
Then there are the all famous toys commercials.
Teddy Ruxpin (1985)
This cuddly animatronic bear was introduced by WOW toys in 1985. He was a bear with an animated face, which would talk and tell stories via a cassette deck in his back. With the fold of WOW Toys the bear was made by Playschool from 1991 until 1996. He was then reintroduced twice. In 1996 by YES toys, and in 2005 by Backpack toys, and the current version uses digital cards, as opposed to the old fashioned cassette deck. A’int technology grand!
WWF Action Figures (1984)
With the rise in popularity of “Sports Entertainment” in the 80’s the WWF (now WWE), introduced action figures to promote the wrestling brand. The industry is much more adult oriented today, and the characters much left colorful. Oh Yeah!
And finally, one of the best commercials of the 80’s. Wendy started a series of commercials asking “Where’s the beef?” using an elderly lady named Clara Peller. She was 81 at the time. She was fired by Wendy’s in 1985 after appearing in a Prego ad, claiming, she “Found the Beef”. So without any further Adou:
“Fluffy Bun”, Wendy’s 1984
And that is the Way Back Wednesday for July 2, 2008, “These words from our Sponsor” Edition. Join us next week for another “Way Back Wednesday”
~Aslan
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