remember this ad?

I seem to be in an ad watch frenzy at the moment. Listening to the radio this morning I heard an ad for Andrews air conditioning. I wasn’t paying too much attention until I heard the pay-off line anytime, any place, anywhere. Now call me old-fashioned but that line surely belongs to the Martini brand from their brilliant ads from the 70’s. Remember all those jet-setting locations, power boats and beautiful people all slurping this sophisicated latin aperitif? I can just about remember the refrain:

Anytime, any place, anywhere
There’s a wonderful drink you can share

It’s the bright taste, the right taste
That’s….. Martini

Ah a classic and I bet I won’t be chirping on about Andrews air conditioning in 30 years time. Bloody plagiarists. But whatever happened to the product? I’m sure it’s still available but it’s just invisible. This got me thinking about other ads and brands that were high profile but have also vanished. Even in the drinks industry I can think of Cinzano and those glorious ads with Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins – would you like a Cinzano? No thanks, I’ve just had one…! Brilliant. But who on earth asks for one now? Campari is still around I guess but no longer supported by iconic advertising that actually launched the careers of some of its actors. Do you remember the cartoon gallic guy imploring us to ‘Do ‘ave a Dubonnet’? And what about that other French guy who really did make a lot of women melt as he explained the subtle taste of Cointreau with its ‘arronges rripened in the sun’. Even more prosaic drinks brands like Mackeson, Watneys, Double Diamond have just disappeared along with their ads. Will we never again hear Joseph Locke singing the immortal line ‘If you aim to get your whistle wet, go for a Bullseye Brown’ or the brummie guy telling us ‘for beer at home choose Davenport’s’.

Of course it’s not just alcohol brands that faded away. I can remember names from the mobile industry that have just gone. Who remembers the Roamer phone, or Excel or even Cellnet…? Very sad. Any brands/ads that you can recall affectionately that are no longer around?

pp