At the beginning of this year there was a large advertising exhibition in the Amsterdam Beurs van Berlage. Missed? Don't worry, because on YouTube you can watch the best commercials from back then at home. And of course we are not talking about Petje Pitamientje or that nasty man who told Jumbo his last Rolo and then put him in his own grinding mouth.
Of course, the classics site has the classics that everyone knows. Such as the golden old one with which the first Fiat Panda was put on the market. "With the Fiat Panda you make fun of everyone." Who doesn't remember this one? That red cookie tin with which you could outsmart big cars at the pump and could ridicule campers with a blown-away tent on the campsite thanks to the folding rear seat. I had completely forgotten how annoying that man behind the wheel was again.
But they are actually much more fun than those long forgotten films. Such as that for the Opel B-Kadett sedan. Without wanting to hurt anyone, but at least it wasn't the Rüsselheimer with the most glamor. But the advertising agency saw no problem at all. The best-selling car in the Netherlands at that time is driving around a beautiful swimming pool in what looks like southern Europe where an equally beautiful woman is doing her jobs. And of course behind the wheel of the Kadett is the style-technical counterpart of the prince on the white horse. Totally wrong, but very nice.
Foreign commercials can also be good for a smile. Because what the hell did the advertisers think when they watched Grace Jones on French TV in the mid-eighties Citroën CX at prices? I don't know how you are, but I think Grace is pretty scary. Now Citrofiles have always been fairly artistic types, but even then someone who does something strange behind the wheel of a car does not immediately seem a reason to buy one.
Really very funny is a British commercial for the Audi 100. Again a swimming pool. What would it mean to those advertisers? But this time a story about three families. Two German and one British, all en route to Marbella. The clous is at the end, so I won't tell. But it's worth a chuckle.
And then of course there are also cases in the advertising country verkeerd afgelopen. Such as the British Leyland advertising showing the latest versions of the Triumph Spitfire and MG B are recommended. Have fun in the sun, is the theme of the commercial. Then again. The then almost two decades old MG has received its ugly black plastic bumpers and the steering wheel is made of black plastic. You become completely sad with the adhesive strip that 'adorns' its beautiful round rear fender. The cars shine as it should in the perfect world that is advertising, but even through all the cheerfulness you can see that this will probably be the last summer for the small British sports cars.
Panda: httpv: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = sY8o14n7Fdc
Opel: httpv: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = hSPh2gFjdwQ
Citroën: httpv: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = kdT9oURGtTc & feature = related
Audi: httpv: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = M5zP-qbb7tU & feature = related
British Leyland: httpv: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = eczGcdT2c_M