All About The 80s: Tubular Television

by Leslie

It’s here! (And at My Grimm Reality) All About The 80s Week! And we’re kicking it off with Tubular Television.

What were you watching on televison in the 80s?

I was 4 going on 5 in 1980. I spent most of the decade playing, rather than watching television and didn’t have the longest attention span. So, it only seems fitting that I show you five commercials from the 80s that left a permanent scar on the face of pop culture. Even if you didn’t see them in the 80s, chances are, you’re familiar with these gems or at least the catchphrases they produced.

“Where’s The Beef?”

Wendy’s “Fluffy Bun” commercial took television by storm in 1984 and earned 82 year old Clara Pellar celebrity status for her delivery of that famous line, “Where’s the beef?”

The Clapper

This invention of convenience came to us from the same minds that thought up the Chia Pet. I think that says it all.

LifeCall

The year was 1989 when we first heard the words, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” and elderly emergencies became amusing. The phrase garnered so much attention that LifeCall registered it as a trademark in the early 90s.

Milk

Before we “Got Milk” we had “It does the body good.” Here’s one of my favorites from the late 80s.

This Is Your Brain On Drugs

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America was founded in 1986, but most of us found out about them through the “This Is Your Brain On Drugs” public service announcements broadcast in 1987.

Can’t get enough 80s commercials? Be sure to visit GIANT Magazine’s 50 Greatest Commercials of the 80s.

Don’t let the day end before you click over to My Grimm Reality for the top 20 television shows of the 80s!

Our friends Josh and Faith are playing along, too. Be sure to check them out!

Do you want to play, too? Let us know about your 80s post this week and we’ll link you up!

Posted in Mommy's Stuff, Videos, Lists |

Comments

6 Cool Kids Came To Play

Ruth on January 30, 2007 7:25 pm
Great, now for the rest of the night I am going to be humming ‘Clap on…Clap off…clap on, clap off…the clapper…’AAHHH!! Ha, i am going to have to go back in my memory bank to see what I can remember…
Daddy Forever on January 30, 2007 11:03 pm
Can’t believe some of those are from the 80’s. I still see the drugs, clapper, and lifecall ads from time to time. Where’s the beef - that was funny! I’m so use to the new milk tag line, I forgot about the “it does the body good” slogan. I think I like the old slogan better than “got milk?”
Faith on January 31, 2007 1:37 am
I love this! Great idea for doing commercials
Faith on January 31, 2007 1:44 am
Well that was dumb, I hit the comment button before I was done. I think secretly, deep down I’m a blonde.

Most of these I never saw as a kid, guess I wasn’t huge on the commercials. My attention span was probably too short to actually sit still through them. I do recognize them because of their popularity though.

I now have both the clapper song and the this is your brain on drugs thing fighting for space in my head.

Thanks for the earworm
kelley on January 31, 2007 11:40 am
Wow…for a moment there, it felt like I was watching TV in my parents’ bedroom, sipping a glass of Tang. I remember all of those like they aired yesterday!
Mommy the Maid on January 31, 2007 3:50 pm
I remember those! THat was one of my favorite Milk commercials too.