The Best 1970's TV Commercials

Growing up in the 1960's and '70's was a different world than it is now.  Somehow it seems life was simpler.  We did not need as much to have fun.  We may have been poor, but all we really needed was a couple of sticks to have a good time.  Imagination was how we played.  There were no video games, no internet, no cell phones. 

Commercials on TV were different also.  They probably will seem simplistect and silly today, but they were TV! back then.  TV was the best.  We were not allowed to watch it all day, usually a little in the evenings with the family was all we got.  If you were lucky, you got to watch an hour or two Saturday mornings.  Then it was, "go outside and play". 

When I was growing up each of the kids got to pick one show a week to watch.  I always picked "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom".  The only other show I ever picked was "Born Free".  I can remember the commercials back then.  I don't think there were as many as now, but things are different when you are a kid.  You remember differently than as an adult.

These were some of my favorite commercials growing up.  My friends and I could sing the songs and act them out.  Quoting these commercials showed how clever you were.  Often our senses of humor revolved around some of these.

The Oscar Meyer Bologna commercial was a great favorite. It taught us to spell bologna. (I just sang that song twice!) I doubt if I could spell bologna today if I had not learned this song as a child. Funny how some things just stay with you through life!

Slinky's, Slinky's, for fun they are wonderful toys!  Slinky's are still wonderful.  They walk down steps!  The pull toys shown were so much fun.  The front would come with you and later the end would catch up.  They held hours of endless fascination for myself and my sisters and brother!

The Frito Bandito...I still occasionally sing this song! I knew the Frito Bandito song before I ever ate a Frito chip. (Chips were bad for you back then.) The Frito Bandito was like that Lucky Rabbit for Lucky Charms, always stealing the Fritos. However, the Frito Bandito stole them at gunpoint. Probably not the most politically correct thing today!

I want you to notice a few things about this commercial.  First the butcher knows his customer.  This is back in the day when you went to the butcher's to get your meat.  The butcher knew everyone in the neighborhood.  I am not really sure if vegetarians existed back then. 

Second, notice that the chicken he is selling is whole.  Yes, people cut up their own meat back then.  What a novel concept!  If you go to the supermarket today, you will notice you can often get a whole chicken for $0.99 a pound.  You will pay about $2.40 a pound to have it cut for you.  Believe me when I say chicken is not that hard to cut up!

Mikey hates everything! Hey, Mikey, he likes it! I bet Mikes everywhere hated this commercial. If your name was Mike, we always wanted you to try it. We always said you would hate it. And we always were amazed that "Mikey, he liked it!" Sorry Mike! This is another one I still occasionally use.

Does anyone out there know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?  As far as I know, "the world may never know"!  I'm with Mr. Turtle, I always bite.  Has anyone ever gotten to the center without biting!  This is one of life's great unsolved mysteries.  Please help!

Please, don't squeeze the Charmin.  They knew that this commercial would make us all want to squeeze the Charmin!  We squeezed and we bought.  I still love Charmin.  Must be something I developed early in life.