Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Sold!

There really aren't 20 mule teams inside. I looked.
On the Stringam Ranch, electronic media was in its infancy.
We had one TV channel.
And that only came on for a limited number of hours per day.
Mom would park me in front of the TV just shortly before 10 AM, and I would stare at the 'Indian head' test pattern until the National Anthem.
And then, magically, The Friendly Giant would appear.
He read stories and played music.
Just for me.
Of course there were other programs. The Jack Benny Show. Leave it to Beaver. Lassie. The Wonderful World of Disney. Bonanza. Ed Sullivan.
And Woody Woodpecker, that always came on when I was supposed to be gathering the eggs. (But that is another story.)
Each memorable by itself. And each enhanced by the ads woven skilfully between and throughout.
I loved the ads. Those wonderful, amazing ads that, in 30 seconds or less, could convince me that now, thanks to the additive of the month, I could have cleaner wash.
Or whiter teeth.
Or better coffee.
We weren't actually coffee drinkers, but I was sold by the ad that asked, “How do you like your coffee?” and then answered by, “Why, I like my coffee . . . Crisp!”
How convincing were such ditties as, “You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent!”
Or, “J-E-L-L-O!”
I was mesmerized (and yes, I meant to use that word) by the ad featuring several pickles dancing around, singing, “You can tell a Heinz pickle, by its crunch!” and ignoring the jar, who implored them to get back inside before they got eaten up. And, after all of them were eaten, that same jar lamenting, “You can't tell a Heinz pickle nothin'!”
That was hilarious. And if something made me laugh, I had to have it.
We simply couldn't do without it.
Mom had to buy it.
Or make it. Or do it.
The Kraft ads with the smooth-voiced narrator and the wonderful scenes from the perfect Kraft kitchens?
Mmmmm. Mom could do that.
The housewives in the pretty dresses, pearls, pumps and a miniscule apron demonstrating everything from floor wax to cookware?
Well . . . my Mom always wore a dress, and an apron. And I had seen her in pumps and pearls whenever she and Dad went out.
But for some reason, I couldn't get her to combine them when doing housework.
“No, Mom, you have to do it this way! Like on TV!”
Moms are weird.
She did buy boxes of Kellogg's frosted flakes because Tony the Tiger said they were “Grrrrreat!”
She didn't have to worry about Esso, though.
I had a bit of a problem with putting a 'Tiger in my Tank'.
I wasn't quite sure how Tony would feel about that.
She never bought me the tiny, little chuckwagon I so desperately wanted, that drove through the house carrying . . . ummm . . . whatever it carried. I confess, I never really got past watching the minuscule driver and team.
I begged and begged my Mom for the 'Five Pounds Thinner Girdle' or the 'Cross Your Heart Bra' from Playtex.And I couldn't understand why that made her laugh.
Every time.
I also tried to convince her that she needed to be using Ivory Snow for all things 'baby'. And to add the power of the Borax 20-mule team to everything else.
Actually, I just wanted the mule team. I can't tell you how many boxes I opened looking for them.
Mom probably can.
Moving on . . .
We ate Campbell's soup on occasion and I tried to look plump cheeked and shiny like the Campbell's kids.
I also wanted the bowls they ate from.
Because.
She baulked at that.
She did buy me Kraft Peanut Butter.
Oh, occasionally, she tried to substitute some inferior brand that was on sale, but, inevitably that jar of lowly second-rate peanut butter went stale on the shelf.
I had seen the ads.
I chewed Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum because it had better flavour and wanted only Chiquita bananas because the girl had a neat hat and I liked the song.
'Carnation hot chocolate was frothy great – and – so easy to make'. And it went so well with 'Jiffy pop, Jiffy pop the magic treat. As much fun to make as it is to eat!'
Okay, I have to admit it.
Ads worked for me.
It's probably a good thing that we didn't have more channels.
Mom - and me - never would have survived.

21 comments:

  1. You're a Canadian if you can finish this jingle ,"When you eat your smarties, do you eat......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...the red ones last?! And now I have that jingle in my head... :)

      Delete
  2. "...the red ones last?"! It was the songs that got me. My coworkers curse my ability to sing songs from commercials. There are lots of memories in this post, Diane! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Penny!
      I always remember you programming your mother with the Laura Secord pudding song. Right?!

      Delete
  3. Brylcreme, a lidttle dab 'l do ya'....Brylcreme you look so...................... Come on, I know you know it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...debonaire. Brylcreme. The gals 'll all pursure ya. They love to get their fingers in your hair!

      Delete
  4. Oh, you were an ad exec's dream. Good thing you weren't watching those Marlboro Man commercials!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wonder what is going to define today's young-uns. What shared history they will remember...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Actually when the ads came on, I seldom stuck around to watch them because I would be off to the bathroom then grab something to eat, or drink, or both, then be back in the chair when the program resumed. I actually got pretty good at it. I remember cigarette ads: 'Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch.' Or 'Winston tastes good, like YOUR cigarette should.' They were always so glamorous. Makes me wonder why I took up the habit and kept at it for 30 years. My favorites were the car ads: 'See the USA in your Chevrolet,' and 'See the light--' CLICK '--Ford, has a better idea.'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember those! I'm with you now. Mute the ads and find something to do...

      Delete
  7. You were an advertiser's dream alright. I don't remember ever wanting anything I saw on TV, probably because I was reading while the TV was on, so I missed a lot of it. We didn't watch much TV anyway, I think we didn't have one until I was seven.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I remember all these. Those were the days--fewer ads and more memorable.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't remember liking ads until after I was a grown-up - and only the ones that were funny (well, funny in MY mind, anyway!). Gotta say, an ad never, ever made me go buy anything, but some of them sure made me laugh.

    Speaking of laughing, I can just see your mom's reaction to your plea for a girdle or cross-your-heart bra :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is the best ever! I love it!
    Love,
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
  11. From The Friendly Giant to Jiffy Pop, this post was a trip down memory lane! One of your best Diane - I loved it! Thanks for the memories!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I used to the love the chuckwagon too!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I used to the love the chuckwagon too!

    ReplyDelete

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