Goo Goo Ga Ga......Some 60's Camp....

It's been a bit since I posted some spots, for a variety of reasons, one of was a trip to the good ole USA. I lucked out at a record store with some strange and weird records (which I usually go for and often use on my weekly salute to the wacky warped and weird at www.cheezepleeze.com) but this site benefits here too, with some ET's. (or electrical transcriptions) of commericals of the 1960s.

The Term Electrical Transcription goes back to the late 1920s-early 30s method of recording radio programs ahead of time for air. Most went out live, but some did get recorded to a technology that failed to put sound to motion picture, but grew into the main format for recording for radio for decades. the 16 inch transcription disc was the father of the "LP" record perfected in 1948 by Columbia. The Transcription also played at 33 1/3, had a 15 min capacity on each side (LP's ran 15-20 minutes usually) and instead of using a "microgroove" stylus that the LP used, it used a 78 style needle. Keep in mind, this is all before tape was perfected by the Germans in the 1930s, adopted by the americans in the post world War II period of the late 1940s, and put into widespread use in the mid 1950s. Until Then the ET Ruled the radio airwaves with radio programs, recorded music, and also, commericals.

As the technology changed radio with the Broadcast Tape Cartridge in 1959 (the father of the 8 track, but that's another story!) so did the ET. it reduced to the equilvalent of the 12 inch LP record. It was still a practical way to get recorded material out to stations, be it full programs or commericals. Once it got to the station, it was often rerecorded to cartridge for actual air, and the disc put on the shelf and kept on hand until it was outdated. Eventually, reels of tape, then CDs and now mp3's would eventually replace the ET, but thanks to that format we have some material to post today on the jetsam. Over time, I will post all of the ET formatted spots I found in the US, but let's start off with one.





From 1966, an incredibly dated and influenced by the Folk craze of just a few years previous, comes this series of spots for Gerber Baby Foods, a company who's been around for at least since 1928, when the actual baby was introduced. Agghenanged as they are on the one sided disc:

Agency: D'Arcy Advertising Company, NYC

Gerber Products Company
Gerber Baby Foods
From ET # 2354
03/28/1966

Baby Specialists GF-10





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High Meat Dinners GF-3




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Strained and Junior Foods GF-7







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Rice Cereal GF-8




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Variety GF-9

Lifestyles of those Schillin for Mufflers.......

I can't help but wonder what ad agency came up with combining how much you can save by using Meineke's muffler and brake services with how you can live like "Life Styles of the Rich and Famous" host Robin Leach, or the wealthy people he profiles on his syndicated TV show from 1984-1995. For that matter, who convinced Robin's agent to do these so-so radio spots for Mieneke doing the famous line "you're not going to pay a lot for this muffer" with a guy who comes off like he lights cigars with 100 dollar bills? If the guy gave a flying F*** about the cost of pretty much anything is really not my idea of a great way to promote how you can save money by going to meineke, as we all know you're not going to save enough to go to dizzy world on vacation, but I suppose commericals tend have a bit of a license to embellish and exaggerate just a bit now don't they?

From 1992, here's 6, count em, 6 60 spots with Robin Leach proving he may sorta live like the Rich and Famous, but even if mufflers come a callin, Money talks.

Meineke Mufflers Feat. Robin Leach
Producer and Agency Unknown
REEL ONE
(1) Family :60
(2) Fisherman :60
(3) Gourmands :60




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REEL TWO
(1) Airplane GEN 1 :60
(2) Auction GEN 2 :60





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REEL THREE
(1) Nobody/Canada Mp3 :60