The above ad for the band WAR appeared in the August, 1974 issue of Ebony magazine. 11 million records sold at that point? Not too shabby.
WAR did not release a new LP in ’74, but their single “Ballero,” issued that year (from ’72’s WAR Live) hit #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Let’s have a listen and watch the Soul Train dancers do their thing.
*Time for more “Buried Treasure” commercials that appeared on the Bionic Disco YouTube channel but not here on the website.*
From 1971, we have spots for Fab “Lemon Freshened” detergent and Schlitz beer. From 1976, it’s the Polaroid SX-70 camera (with Candice Bergen) and United Airlines. Please enjoy responsibly.
FAB DETERGENT COMMERCIAL (1971)
Fab laundry detergent commercial featuring a football-playing child and his mother. Spot aired August 1971.
SCHLITZ BEER ‘TREASURE DIVE’ COMMERCIAL (1971)
Schlitz beer commercial featuring a team diving for sunken treasures. Spot aired January1971 (produced in 1970).
POLAROID SX-70 COMMERCIAL (CANDICE BERGEN, 1976)
Polaroid SX-70 Alpha 1 camera commercial featuring actor Candice Bergen (‘Murphy Brown’). Spot aired December 1976.
UNITED AIRLINES ‘THE BOSS’ COMMERCIAL (1976)
United Airlines commercial in ‘The Boss’ campaign. Spot aired November 1976.
Two spots from ’76 and two from ’77 on display in today’s batch. Starting off with Pillsbury Figurines (starring Carla Borelli), then a CBS promo for Rhoda and the premiere of short-lived sitcom On Our Own. Following that, we have Banquet pot pies and Ford Maverick. Play on!
PILLSBURY FIGURINES COMMERCIAL (1977)
Pillsbury Figurines commercial starring Carla Borelli and featuring a ‘Sweet Revenge’ song. Spot aired August 1977.
‘RHODA’/’ON OUR OWN’ PROMO (CBS, 1977)
CBS comedy TV series promo for Rhoda (Valerie Harper) and the premiere of the On Our Own (Bess Armstrong, Lynnie Greene). Spot aired October 1977.
BANQUET POT PIES COMMERCIAL (1976)
Banquet chicken, beef, and turkey pot pies commercial. Spot aired March 1976.
FORD MAVERICK ‘CALIFORNIA’ COMMERCIAL (1976)
Ford Maverick car commercial featuring a family traveling to California. Spot aired July 1976.
You may notice that the site looks somewhat different compared to the last time you checked in. In order to fix a long-time error with comments not showing properly I’ve changed the site theme. Thankfully, the problem is now fixed – so, comment away!
Today, on Music for Monday, we’re celebrating the life of David Bowie. Here’s a video put together by the Dutch TopPop show comprising footage of Bowie visiting their studio in the fall of 1977. The tune is “Sound And Vision” which appeared on the Low LP in early ’77. “Sound And Vision” hit #69 on the US Hot 100 and #3 in the UK.
DAVID BOWIE, ‘SOUND AND VISION’ (BEHIND-THE-SCENES AT TOPPOP, 1977)
This time around on Ancient Advertising Adventures you’ll find an assortment of early seventies commercials. Start off with Romper Room’s Sherlock toy from 1974 and move on to a Chuck Wagon spot with the famed animated wagon from ’73. Following that, pour out a bowl of Fortified Oat Flakes and mash up the empty box in a Kenmore trash compactor. It deodorizes!
Have a great weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday.
‘SHERLOCK’ RIDING TOY COMMERCIAL (ROMPER ROOM, 1974)
Hasbro-Romper Room Sherlock riding dog toy commercial featuring a sing-a-long song. Spot aired in 1974.
CHUCK WAGON DOG FOOD COMMERCIAL (1973)
Chuck Wagon dog food commercial featuring the animated wagon mascot and a live-action wagon driver. Spot aired September 1973.
POST FORTIFIED OAT FLAKES CEREAL COMMERCIAL (MID-1970S)
Post Fortified Oat Flakes “High Nutrition” Cereal commercial starring the Welch Family. Spot aired in the early to mid-1970s (best guess 1973-75).
SEARS KENMORE TRASH COMPACTOR COMMERCIAL (1972)
Sears Kenmore Compactor trash compactor commercial featuring neighbors Harry & Sam and a week’s worth of garbage. Spot aired October 1972.
Joe Simon’s “Your Time To Cry” originally appeared on The Sounds Of Simon LP in early 1971. The song was written by Simon, Raeford Gerald, and Dock Price Jr. and produced by John Richbourg and Simon.
“Your Time To Cry” hit #40 on the US Hot 100 and #3 on Billboard‘s R&B chart and, as you can see in the ad above, #1 on the Cash Box R&B chart. This emotional break-up song with soaring backing vocals is well worth a listen. Spin it below.
