Classic British adverts such as the PG Tips chimps, the Tango slapper, and the Smash Martians caught the public's imagination, despite being unethical, potentially dangerous, and somewhat sexist. These iconic campaigns, preserved in the History of Advertising Trust archive, represent a golden age of television advertising that continues to resonate.
Heinz's Aristocratic Tomato Man (1934)
Lloyd Weed of the Maxon Inc advertising agency created the Aristocratic Tomato Man to suggest the superior quality of Heinz's ingredients. The red-faced character, often depicted astride a possibly airborne ketchup bottle, did not make it into the Marvel Comic Universe. A figurine in the History of Advertising Trust archive shows Lord Tomato Man looking as though he has been beaten up by a class enemy.
Pregnant Man by Saatchi & Saatchi (1969)
This Health Education Council ad featured a worried-looking man who had become pregnant. The shocking image aimed to encourage men to use condoms and take their sexual responsibilities seriously. According to the History of Advertising Trust, the ad was brilliant and at the time shocking.
PG Tips Chimps and Mr Shifter (1971)
From 1956, PG Tips exploited chimpanzees to sell tea. In this ad, likely riffing on Laurel and Hardy's 1932 film The Music Box and Bernard Cribbins' 1962 single 'Right Said Fred,' Mr and Junior Shifter are tasked with moving a piano. 'Do you know the piano's on my foot?' asks Junior, to which Mr Shifter replies: 'You hum it, son, I'll play it.'
Hovis Bike Ride by Ridley Scott (1974)
Soundtracked by Dvořák's New World Symphony, Ridley Scott's commercial transformed Gold Hill in Shaftesbury into an enduring symbol of British nostalgia. The image of a baker's boy pushing his bicycle uphill sold more than bread; it presented an idealised vision of community, tradition and home that continues to resonate.
Cadbury's Smash Martians (1973)
The Smash Martians ridiculed Earthlings for preparing mashed potato by hand, creating one of Britain's best-loved advertising campaigns. John Webster's surreal humour and Bob Godfrey's distinctive animation created memorable characters, whose cry 'For mash get Smash' entered popular culture.
Cinzano Mile High Boozers (1979)
The ad features Joan Collins and Leonard Rossiter. After Rossiter pushes the seat recline button, Collins flips backwards, spilling her drink. 'Getting your head down sweetie?' asks Rossiter. 'Jolly good idea.' The punchline was a piece of improvisation from Rossiter, according to the archive.
Levi's 501s Laundromat Man (1985)
Nick Kamen strips to his boxers to wash his 501s in front of an audience to Marvin Gaye's 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine.' The ad caused the world to lose its mind and Levi's shareholders to profit.
Shake 'n' Vac Woman (1980)
Jenny Logan, known as WPC Sally Reed from Dixon of Dock Green, brought the copywriters' concept to life. 'Do the shake 'n' vac / And put the freshness back,' she sang while hoover-dancing, possibly in homage to Morecambe and Wise-era Angela Rippon.
Mrs Oxo (1984)
Lynda Bellingham stars in this paean to sexist norms. She presents a dish slathered in Oxo gravy to her family, including a spouse who reads the paper at the table. When she says 'Remember Preston?' Mike looks wistful, remembering either a dirty weekend in Lancashire or a threesome.
Heat Electric Frank the Talking Tortoise (1990)
Aardman matched claymation animals with voice interviews about central heating. Frank the tortoise says he needs his heating system to be 'easily controllable because I don't have much time. I'm a very busy person.'
Tango Big Orange Fella (1991)
A man drinking a can of pop is slapped by a man in an orange body suit. Football commentator Ray Wilkins provided the voiceover: 'The big orange fella's run in from the left and given him a good old slapping.' The ad was banned after children suffered perforated eardrums from copycat slapping.
Guinness Surfer (1999)
Inspired by Moby Dick, Jonathan Glazer's black-and-white cinematography with crashing waves and white horses embodied Guinness's promise that 'Good things come to those who wait.'
Cadbury Gorilla (2008)
A gorilla playing the drum part of Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight' had little connection with chocolate but became an instant phenomenon. The commercial marked a shift towards entertainment-led branding and revitalised the Cadbury image.
Sony Bravia Balls (2006)
Shot using hundreds of thousands of coloured balls released across San Francisco, the campaign celebrated colour and movement. The advert demonstrated how ambitious practical effects could create an emotionally engaging showcase for new technology.
