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They were such a powerful influence....

     Watching TV isn't an everyday thing for me, but when I do get to, I mainly stick to programs I like, instead of constant channel surfing. Since I'm older now, I have less patience with the television, as I did years ago. Thanks to TiVo, I can zip through commercials, on a recorded program. Back when I was a kid, I didn't have such a luxury. I was stuck watching all the commercials.
 
     I can't complain though, for some commercials kept me highly entertained and they still today live within my memories. My favorite commercial back then, was "I've fallen and I can't get up!" That advertisement was for a medical device for the elderly, so they could press a button, if they were in severe need for medical attention. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a pitiful sight to see someone hurt, especially someone helpless, but the acting on those commercials was great!!  They ended up taking the one commercial off the air, where the woman was swaying back and forth at the top of the stairs. She either had an accident or a heart attack, and fell down the stairs. It looked so real! Instead of us getting the message about their product they were trying to sell, we were all too busy laughing at the poor, old woman falling down the steps. That was a classic!
 
     Do you remember the Ayds diet plan? Talk about a bad product name and bad timing!!  This commercial was out in the
late-1970's/early-1980's. I remember the woman's words vividly when she said on the commercial, "The Ayds diet plan really works!!" Ayds chocolate candies were supposed to curb an appetite and help with dieting.  It was still semi-new on the markets, when the AIDS virus came out.  I'm sure the product didn't stay on the shelves long, after that.
 
     I remember this toy that was advertised back in 1980. It was really neat. It was a robot called 2-XL. My niece, Tammy got one for Christmas, and I thought it was so cool.  It had buttons you pushed for multiple choice answers, to questions about trivia, or other educational questions. When they first advertised this toy robot on TV, they made it sound so new wave; so modern technology. The reason why 2X-L didn't last that long was because the toy ran on 8-track tapes. Tiger 2-XL appeared about ten years after the original 2-XL, which ran on cassette tapes, (around the time when CD's were becoming more popular), but I don't think 2-XL or Tiger 2-XL lasted very long on the markets.
 
     Also, Carvel Ice Cream commercials stood out in my mind, because of that gravelly, obnoxious sounding voice the announcer had on the TV advertisements. My friends from school used to call me on the phone and ask if I wanted to buy a "Cookie Puss". "Cookie Puss" was an ice cream cake, Carvel used to advertise. I would impersonate, both the "Cookie Puss" voice and the announcer's voice to friends at school.  I even got a "Cookie Puss" stuffed animal puppet for my 20th birthday. I still have it and it was discovered at a bag check at the Reno airport, here recently. People asked what it was, because it's so unique looking. A female security guard walked over and freaked out. She said she was from the East Coast, originally, and loved "Cookie Puss" and Carvel Ice Cream. I think she wanted the doll, but no-way! It's mine. There are only a few fond memories from my childhood, I like to hold onto.

cookiepuss3.jpg

"You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial. If you grab attention in the first frame with a visual surprise, you stand a better chance of holding the viewer. People screen out a lot of commercials because they open with something dull... When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire." - David Ogilvy