This is the Sugar Rice Krinkles clown for Post Cereals. How fun and scary he is, just like the commercials of my childhood.
When every child was visually perfect. When every little girl looked like Morgan Brittany, even if she wasn't. When advertisers weren't afraid to be daring with children, unlike today's media promoters who condescend to them. Let me tell you, back then, and especially now, if anyone was to condescend to me, they would have to deal with me, pronto. You want to see a bitch? You would, should you ever condescend.
But I know my girls would never do that. I am talking about the working nuts out there who think a career promotion is going to define their lives. It will not. In the end, it could ruin them.
I am getting off the track here; I was talking about creative TV children's commercials. We need more innovation like back in my childhood, with scary clowns, talking animals-real ones, not animated--and sophisticated material directed at children who are more perceptive than the adults behind the crap being merchandised out think they are.
I just love the Sugar Krinkles Clown. I don't know who played him but hats off to that actor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get with it, Madison Avenue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG I do not remember that maniacal-looking clown!!!
ReplyDeleteYou won't believe it, but I've had this exact commercial on my iPod for many years! Yes, I'm very odd, and yes, this was one of the most inexplicable cereal commercials ever shown. It goes on seemingly forever, with the clown extolling the virtues of pure tooth rotting sugar disguised as harmless knockoff rice krispies.
ReplyDeleteViewed today, the most striking element of this ad (besides the disturbing clown) is the almost leisurely presentation compared to today's pathetic TV ads. Back in the heyday of early TV, shows would only have one or two "sponsors" who would be announced at the opening and closing and then maybe run two ad breaks during the show. Since they weren't competing with other companies in the same ad break, they could take their time and either make clever elaborate mini stories or simply drone on at length about the product.
Funny how things change: back then such TV commercials were considered the bane of existence, looking back from today we'd give anything to see them again vs the nonstop parade of tediously hyperactive drug ads, law firm trawling and political pieties we're subjected to now.
When was the last time we saw a TV commercial for an actual product we might buy at the supermarket? I miss Madge and Josephine and all those clever toy and car commercials. Ah, well, TV itself ain't what it used to be: "real" companies don't see any point in advertising when a "hit" show today is lucky to attract 800,000 viewers, vs an audience in the tens of millions from the '50s thru the '80s.
Victoria, Oh, I do, and others as well. Clowns were creepy and fun at the same time. Remember this was before Stephen King and "IT." Today's commercials cannot hold a candle to the old ones!
ReplyDeleteMy Dear, Your comments succinctly answered my questions about why there are no creative or artistic TV ads anymore. Yes, I long for the banality of yesterday. Better than the crap being aired today. Are today's kids even aware?
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