Unforgettable US TV advertisements from the year you were born
A new twist on a memorable ad
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Intel has just launched a TV ad campaign with actor Justin Long comparing PCs and Macs. Sound familiar? The premise – and the actor – have been taken from Apple's iconic Get A Mac campaign from the early 2000s. But this time Long isn't on the side of Apple; he's playing for the Intel-based PCs. The 'attack' ad comes after Apple went from being an Intel customer to a competitor late last year when it started to use its own Mac chips. But Apple can't complain considering its past adverts comparing itself to PCs... Click or scroll through to be reminded how that played out.
The original Apple vs PC ad
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In 2006, after sales of its Mac computers had started to drop, Apple decided to use the power of advertising to change the world's opinion of its brands.The resulting Get A Mac campaign featured casually-dressed Justin Long (pictured right) as the 'Mac', and rather more stuffy-looking comedian John Hodgman as the 'PC'. The funny adverts put human faces and personalities to the two rival computer brands and, unsurprisingly, Apple's Mac always came out top. And that translated to sales, which were up by 39% by the end of the fiscal year. In fact, the campaign was so successful Apple made 66 different versions of the ad, and it ran for three years, which is a pretty long time in the world of advertising. Long has now returned 20 years later in an Intel advert that directly references this iconic campaign, but this time he's on the side of PCs. In one of the new ads he refers to his previous role "I'm a – Justin. Just a real person doing a real comparison between Mac and PC."
Whether it’s for a catchy jingle, a quirky storyline or even a long-fought rivalry, these iconic commercials from the 1940s up until the early 2000s have earned a place in the hearts of many. Click or scroll through to revisit some of the most memorable US TV adverts from the last 80 years.
1946: Tide
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1947: General Motors
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1948: Remington
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1949: Camel
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1950: Gillette
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Gillette was one of the first brands to harness the power of celebrity when it used famous baseball players Roy Campanella, Don Zimmer, and Pee Wee Reese to get people to go out and buy their razors. Each player is shown using one of the three razors in Gillette's Super Speed range: light, regular and heavy. Marketed at $1.29 in the advert, that's the equivalent of $12.20 (£9.30) in today's money.
1951: Cheerios
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1952: Hasbro
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1953: Joy
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1954: RCA Victor
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1955: Band-Aid
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1956: MUM deodorant
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1957: Dove
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1958: Keds
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1959: Barbie
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The iconic Barbie doll didn't rise to fame without a significant amount of advertising. This advert, which aired in 1959 during an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club, might seem dated now but was very much in keeping with its time.
1960: Coppertone Quick Tan
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1961: Coca-Cola
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1962: Slinky
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1963: Green Giant
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1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson
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1965: Pizza Hut
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1966: Volkswagen
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1967: Twice As Nice
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1968: Tootsie Roll
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1969: COVERGIRL
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1970: Budweiser
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1971: Coca-Cola
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Group singing in drink adverts seemed to be a theme in the early 1970s, as this famous Coca-Cola advert shows. "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" are the main lyrics, a spin on New Seeker's I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing. The commercial has become one of the most well-loved – and memorable – in history.
1972: Quaker Oats Life cereal
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1973: Oscar Mayer
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1974: Meow Mix
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1975: Campbell's
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1976: Rolaids
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1977: Xerox
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1978: Trix
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1979: Taco Bell
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1980: Coleco Head to Head Electronic Baseball game
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1981: FedEx
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1982: McDonald's
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1983: Duracell
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1984: Wendy's
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1985: Nintendo
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Who remembers the release of the first ever Nintendo Entertainment System? This ad marks its historic release, enticing viewers with the question: "Will you be the one to witness the birth of the incredible Nintendo Entertainment System?" To today's viewers, it may look dated, but kids from the 1980s will remember the hype.
Discover how Nintendo went from playing cards to Animal Crossing and conquered the world of gaming
1986: California Raisins
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Those who grew up in the 1980s are also sure to remember this quirky commercial for California Raisins. In it, a host of dancing raisins bust some moves to an aptly chosen song, I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. The commercial was wildly popular and even led to a line of merchandise featuring the dancing raisins themselves, as well as a fan club dedicated to the California Raisins created in 1987.
1987: Heinz ketchup
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Friends fans will be pleased to know that Matt LeBlanc had some fun roles before the hit sitcom – like this Heinz ad. In it, he balances a glass ketchup bottle at the top of a building, before heading downstairs, buying a hot dog and holding it out at just the right time for a dollop of ketchup to fall onto it. It's ludicrous, fun and charming ending with the slogan: "Heinz. The best things come to those who wait".
1988: Nike
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Marking the birth of the iconic "Just Do It" slogan, this ad features 80-year-old Walt Stack, a wisened runner who tells us he runs 17 miles every morning. We see him running over a bridge as he says, "People ask me how I keep my teeth from chattering in the winter time... I leave them in my locker". It's the perfect combination of funny and inspiring, and certainly lends weight to the famous slogan.
Now read: From Nike to IKEA, big companies that started small
1989: Energizer
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Energizer made a not-so-subtle dig at competitors Duracell with this ad, which is a parody of Duracell's 1983 'bunnies' commercial. The drum-playing bunnies are back, with the voice-over saying, "For years, you've seen some commercials where one battery outlasts the others, so you may have assumed their battery outlasts even Energizer". On cue a brighter, livelier bunny enters thumping a bigger drum, followed by the warning/slogan: "A word to the wise: Energize".
1990: Mouse Trap
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1991: Pepsi
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1992: Wheaties
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1993: California Milk Processing Board
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1994: IKEA
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IKEA made history in 1994, being the first company to feature a gay couple in a mainstream TV commercial. The couple discuss how they will furnish their new apartment, laughing about their different tastes and commenting on how well-made IKEA's furniture is. The advert ends with the slogan "It's a big country. Someone's got to furnish it", hinting at the universal appeal of their furniture.
1995: Budweiser
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1996: Bagel Bites
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Bagel Bites gained popularity in the 1990s thanks to this ad, featuring a catchy jingle. Altered from The McGuire Sisters' 1957 single Sugartime, the song goes: “Pizza in the morning / Pizza in the evenin' / Pizza at suppertime! / When pizza's on a bagel / You can eat pizza anytime!”
1997: Nike
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Michael Jordan's appeal was also harnessed by Nike in the 1990s, in a fitting collaboration for the basketball player. For Nike, aspiration has always been a big selling point, an image which sports stars such as Jordan helped to maintain. In this advert, the basketball player is seen in action, while his voice-over explains the importance of failure: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
1998: Bop It!
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1999: Budwesier
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Adding to Budweiser's string of memorable commercials, this ad won over viewers with its beloved catchphrase. In it, a group of young men say to each other "Whassup!" at increasing volumes, much to their own delight and amusement. Despite not saying much about the beer itself, the catchy ad has often been called the best beer commercial of all time.
Now read: From Starbucks to Sony, brands that changed their name
2000: EDS
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This witty and ridiculous advert comes from IT company EDS simply trying to explain what it is the company actually does. In it, a group of "cat herders" in the Wild West explain the nature of their nonsensical job. "Herdin' cats... don't let anybody tell you it's easy", says one, while others show the scratches they've got from it. It ends with an off-piste analogy: "In a sense, this is what we do. We bring together information, ideas, and technologies... and make them go where you want".
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