The 100 Greatest TV Adverts - Part Three (60-41)

By Simon Wright

The television advertisement has been around on our screens for almost 60 years.  They portray all of our favourite products, promoted by either everyday celebrities or just normal everyday members of the British public.

The Sony play-doh advert was a vision of how far the advert has come

Adverts (Sony playdoh pictured) have come a long way since a toothpaste company broadcast the first ever commercial on ITV's opening night back in September 1955.  Some of them can be a real nuisance, especially if they pop up in every single advertising break.

It has been over 13 years since a programme was produced by Channel 4 to find the nation's greatest advert, and there have been some real gems since.  Five years ago, I did a top 60 selection on my YouTube account, and have always noticed the commercials that actually can leave you laughing, amazed or even feeling a bit emotional.

In this five-part series for Viewing Perspectives, here is my updated list of the 100 Greatest TV adverts of all-time.  This part covers numbers 60-41, with all years given a rough reference of when the commercial was either first screened or shown most regularly.

60. R Whites: Secret Lemonade Drinker (1973) 
Comedian Ronnie Corbett is the star in this advert which features a guy sneaking down the stairs in the middle of the night, as his addiction for the taste of R Whites makes him the secret lemonade drinker.  

59. Gamestation: Pre-Owned (2006) 
This commercial must be completely annoying if it reminds you of what your friends did.  Playing the latest shootout craze or racing simulation, you don't want to reminded by your best bud that you could have saved £15/£20 by getting the game pre-owned, but they will remind you anyway.  Understandably, you would get pretty mad, as demonstrated here.  It is a pity Gamestation doesn't exist anymore.

58. VISA: Usain Bolt (2012) 
As a major sponsor of some top competitions, you'd expect VISA to do something special, and they did for the 2012 Olympics.  Starting at the airport, leading Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ends up going on a race around London with the starter of the 100m event, using different types of equipment to get to the Olympic Stadium, along with promotion of the credit card.  This is clever marketing at its absolute finest.

57. 118-118: Got Your Number (2003) 
In 2003, the main switchboard number for helplines changed, with the most popular number being 118-118.  Two guys go for a jog with the 118-118 branding on their vests, receiving popular acclaim on their way from all walks from life.  The theme to the epic 'Rocky' movies is used to complete a cool package.

56. Coca Cola: Teach the World to Sing (1971) 
Filmed on a hill outside the capital of Italy, Coca Cola used a group of young teenagers singing the song 'I'd like to teach the world to sing.'  First aired in July 1971, it became so popular that the song turned into a full-length hit.  The global unity of the singers was highlighted by the bottles of Coke they are holding in a variety of languages, which appeals to Coca Cola's general promotion.  As of today, only Cuba and North Korea don't sell the world's favourite soft drink.

55. Carlsberg: Old Lions (2006) 
In 2006, Carlsberg encouraged some of England's finest players such as Sir Bobby Charlton, Peter Beardsley, Peter Shilton and Stuart Pearce out of retirement to play for the legends team.  The late Sir Bobby Robson manages the team as they show their class in a Sunday League game against a pub team called Dog and Duck.  Afterwards, the legends have a good laugh over a pint of Carlsberg in the local pub.  As the announcer confirms, Carlsberg don't do pub teams, but if they did, they'd probably be the best pub teams in the world.

54. Toshiba: Hello Tosh (1984) 
This advert, first screened in 1984  shows the prominence Toshiba had in the market in those days.  It might not be much to look that, although the slogan 'Hello Tosh, Gotta Toshiba' was one of the best in the 1980s.

53. Cadbury’s Milk Tray: Avalanche (1982) 
This advert is a cracking commercial for Cadbury's Milk Tray, and shows the desire man has to give the woman the ultimate in chocolate tasting.  Skiing in the mountains, he manages to beat a rapidly fast growing avalanche to deliver the chocolate on time and in perfect condition before zooming away again.  A real bit of Swiss timing.

52. Weetabix: Dad’s Day Out (2012) 
Weetabix introduced a new cereal for 2012, called Weetabix 'Golden Syrup.'  Little does the Dad eating know that he is going to be in for an action-packed day out with his cheeky son.  This is a humorous take on a father's grand day out, so never trust the youngsters because they can get upto real mischief.  Worthy of a ranking in the top 100.

51. Budweiser: Frogs (1990s) 
The most original of all the Budweiser commercials is simple and does the job.  Three frogs sit outside a pub that specialises in serving Budweiser, simply repeating the words 'Bud' 'Weis' 'Er.' A bit of extra trivia, the advert was directed by Gore Verbinski, the man behind the first three instalments of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

50. Milkybar: The Milky Bar Kid (1960s onwards) 
Nestle's Milkybar product has been sold around the world for over 80 years and since 1961, the Milkybar kid has been in existence, with a famous jingle to all its commercials.  This version celebrates an anniversary coming up, with the young child who plays the role often blurting out the catchphrase; 'The Milkybars are on me.'  Terry Brooks and Simon Desborough have been among the actors who have played the role in the past.

49. Nescafe Gold Blend: The 1980s Couple (1988) 
One of the finest coffee products around is Nescafe Gold Blend.  Stylish in quality, and taste, it needed a strong campaign to push the beverage forward, and it certainly got that in the late 1980s.  The Gold Blend couple campaign started in 1987 and ran through until 1994, with two people building a romantic relationship over their love for good coffee.  The roles were played by Sharon Maughan (Holby City) and Anthony Stewart Head (Merlin).  This is one of the best examples of serialised advertising to have ever made a significant impact in the UK.  The example below involves a kiss after Head returns from New York, simply saying: "I didn't like the coffee," because he prefers Nescafe.

48. Haribo: The Interrogation (2008) 
This is a cute commercial, showing Haribo is a tasty product to eat for all ages.  The parent refuses to accept the allegation that he ate the last Haribo fried eggs in a specific packet, until his young daughter storms into the room, urging her dad to sign the confession, before giving him the evils.  Eventually, he accepts he finished the sweets off and signs the confession, but it is some interrogation.

47. Bacardi Breezer: Dancing Cat (2001) 
At the start of the century, Bacardi Breezer was one of the most popular drinks to have on a night out.  Sensing their opportunity, Bacardi ran a successful campaign, showing that even animals were getting in on the act.  This particular ad shows a cat resting after a wild night out, having sampled the party atmosphere.  He even has a mark for his troubles, but as the slogan says - 'there is latin spirit in everyone.'

46. Mars: Crazy Goalkeeper (2012) 
Filmed in Milton Keynes and it isn't looking good for England.  Another penalty shootout and defeat is looming again, especially when the main goalkeeper is carried off with a knee injury and can't continue.  Step forward an energised match steward, who is eating a Mars chocolate bar and the results from this are pretty spectacular.  The unknown hero saves a spot-kick from Robin van Persie, then pulls off the 'wobbly legs' and the 'scorpion kick' moves to win the shootout for England, starring Scott Parker, Theo Walcott and Glen Johnson.  Joe Hart has to be careful, as while he is shallowly promoting dandruff commercials, this guy might just steal his number one jersey in goal for England!

45. Shake N’Vac: Dancing Woman (1980) 
Shake N'Vac was first marketed in the late 1970s, but this television campaign was hugely successful in 1980.  Starring actress Jenny Logan, the 30-second ad sees her dancing around her living room to a humorous jingle whilst shaking the powder onto the carpet floor, then vacuum the product to get the right results.  This product has not seen anything like it since, although it is still around in stock today.

44. Yellow Pages: Haircut (2002) 
Irishman James Nesbitt is best known for his tremendous acting on dramas such as Cold Feet, but he was also the main face of Yellow Pages campaign just over a decade ago.  In this advert, he tries to cut his niece's hair, but as a novice - the results are not great.  Blaming it on an unknown hairdresser, we then see Nesbitt enter a salon and blame the haircut on a rather bemused looking worker, who will earn double to sort it out.  There is a great use of sign language too, and started a partnership between Nesbitt and Yellow Pages that would last several years.

43. Sony: Playdoh (2007) 
Full of colour and a real bounce to it, Sony's Playdoh commercial was filmed in the streets of the US and encapsulates the colourful image towards their products.  Rabbits from all different shapes and sizes roll into one giant red rabbit overlooking the town before splitting into different colour squares and eventually an eye.  The product promoted is the new LCD TV from the Bravia range, and it really gets the message across.

42. Pizza Hut: Murray Walker/Damon Hill (1996) 
Legendary Formula One TV commentator Murray Walker is facing his biggest battle yet, and that is with cancer.  The Voice of Motorsport is so excited by his love for the sport, that he continues to commentate in this brilliant Pizza Hut advert with 1996 world champion Damon Hill.  Hill's reaction to when Murray says he finishes second again is priceless, and still - Walker continues his commentary of the entire sequence.  Get well soon Murray, everyone connected with motorsport wishes you a speedy and full recovery.

41. Lego: Kipper (1980) 
Lego has been one of the greatest toys for years and years, and this advert is just top class.  Tommy Cooper provides some excellent narration of the product, which starts with a mouse made out of Lego, and evolves into many different products entirely out of the bricks, including cats, dragons and fire engines.  It ends with a return to the mouse, blowing down an elephant.  This advert is superb from start to finish.  

Categories: Coffee, Frogs, Milkybar, Nescafe, New York

Unpaid internships - Is the system fair?

A couple of years ago, the word 'unpaid internships' was not used massively, but now it has become a common starting point for most graduates.

It has now been just over a week since I had to leave my deputy editor position with Total Football Magazine.  To give a short story, a paid freelancing contract which had been agreed on, fell through due to financial issues.

I had to leave, I had no choice.  I had worked unpaid for six months, and while I was annoyed and disappointed with how it all ended, I have still learnt a lot and will take this into future employment.

An opportunity into the working world

So is the system of unpaid internships a fair one?

In my view, it is not fair at all.  What do they offer to graduates?

Admittedly, they do offer upcoming graduates an opportunity to get into the working world.  You do learn some new and valuable skills while in these positions.

In my role, I learnt a lot more about the editing and subbing process of stories, how to use a CMS (Content Management System) and improving my confidence in adapting to communicating with various press agencies and liaising on press releases – deciding if they were worth being turned into a story for the website I worked on.

There were some stressful times, occasions where I doubted myself but as time went on, I did grow in confidence and I did enjoy it.  Working from home as it was an online position did make it easier too.

There was talk of a paid position and it was frustrating to not get official confirmation, despite repetitive requests.

Perhaps deep down, I knew that this could be the final outcome and sadly, this is what happened.

Many senior people are abusing the system, treating new employees very badly.  Perhaps there were some financial issues but I've believed since my second year at University that honesty is the best way forward.  

On occasion, I didn't think this was always happening but that is just my general feeling.  The  experience of running an online football website wasn’t a complete waste of time for me, but I could have done with some cash. 

It would have been more worthy filing papers and making tea in a tedious office job.  At least you will more than likely get paid for that!

Employment law says it all

The guidelines of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) say:

“If someone is expected to undertake ‘work’ for any organisation, they are entitled to be paid the NMW (National Minimum Wage) – even if there is no written contract in place.

“However, the issue of whether an intern classes as a ‘worker’ is made more complicated by the fact that, in some circumstances, they could instead be classed as ‘volunteers.’  In which case, the NMW legislation does not apply.”

However, there is also a difference between work experience and internships.  Work experience programmes often happen for a fortnight and sometimes could last a month.  

If you apply for this, you know that you will be getting experience but won’t be paid, unless there is an arrangement with travel expenses.

Work experience though does not last six months.  It means in my situation and I’m sure in many others, it is wrong.  The system is quite frankly illegal.  

Graduates are being made to do slave labour basically.  Everyone is aware of the economic meltdown on a worldwide scale, but it doesn't hurt to show some equality here and again.  

The experience is valuable, don’t get me wrong but entry-level staff should be paid after four weeks if an employee wants to keep them on for a longer period of time.  

This isn’t just to write one article per fortnight (which you wouldn’t expect to be paid for), this is if you are doing a minimum six-hour day, five days a week.

Filing papers is tedious but you are likely to be paid for it

Under employment law, people who work and do set tasks, which can be as simple as writing notes, making coffee and typing up letters into a Word document should be entitled to being paid.

Unpaid internships are illegal and there are more cons than pros.  Experience is one thing, slave labour is quite another. 

As I am a 2012 University graduate, think very carefully before applying for these positions.  The chances are there is more likely to be sacrifice rather than gain at the end of it all. 

For me, it is now paid positions or I’m not interested, it is as simple as that.  And I might even return to education if that will help.

My experience was testing, valuable and useful, but I got out at the right time.  

Perhaps this is one avenue that should be looked at in future by the coalition government.  Ban unpaid internships – they are immoral and illegal.  End of story!    

Categories: Coffee, Employment, Experience, Freelance, Graduates, Internship, Skills, Unpaid, Website, Writing

Eight steps to enjoy University

For the first time since 1994, I am not in any kind of full-time education and that is an odd feeling to have.  Honestly, it is something I haven't quite got my head around yet.

A lot of people have just started University and trust me, freshers is the best experience when starting out.  So, from my own experience of three years which saw me finish with a 2:1 degree, here are eight steps to enjoy your first year at University.

This includes feeling happy, being successful and becoming well-liked.  These steps worked for me and it might not work for everyone but some could be useful to take on-board.

1. Never forget your roots

Going away from home for the first time on your own can be a daunting experience.  However, it is essential to never forget your roots.

Always keep in touch with your family, whatever form you feel comfortable.  Taking a photo from home of the family will help in any battle against feeling slightly homesick.

2. 'Ring of Fire'

In my view, this is the best drinking game ever!  You have to do some daft things, like drink the dreaded dirty pint! (I somehow managed to avoid this!)

Build up relationships with everyone you live with, get contact details, go out on the town and enjoy yourself. During 'Freshers Fortnight,' make sure to play this game.

3. Budgeting

Keep a budget, it does help especially with new fees to deal with.

Now this is vital, even if you don't like doing it.  Work out a rough weekly/monthly budget and try not to go over it.  

That's easier said than done for sure and most will get a student account with a nice, chunky overdraft.

However, you don't want to get into a bloody mess and the last thing you should be doing is asking friends for money.  Resist temptation if possible, don't go and spend £100 on designer shoes you don't have if you can't afford it.

Most students will leave University with debt, so don't add to it...

4. Decorate your room at halls

Wherever you stay in first year, it can't be much worse than sleeping and staring at blank, plain walls which can look as dull as dishwater.

So buy some posters, make a mural like I did of your family and friends and turn your place into your own personal space.

Struggles will occur, so when they do, look around the room and make it inspire you.

5. Get into a routine

Whenever timetables get published, I would try and get into some kind of routine plan throughout.  It is better being organised than disorganised at University.

Don't get too distracted by online gaming, Facebook etc.  Set time aside for these luxuries of course but it’s always handy to have a rough idea of getting work done before the last minute.  It really helps being organised.

6. Useful electrical equipment

To get you through first year, you will need to have some useful electrical equipment at your disposal.

Have a decent laptop is essential for any course you study.

First, all students must have a decent laptop to get through first year.

I survived with Windows Vista but Windows 7 is probably the best form of laptop to get.  Also, keep an eye out for Microsoft Office deals which are fully licensed and offer discounts.

I got the full Microsoft Office package in first year for £35, instead of the usual £200 - an 85 per cent student discount deal.

There are torrents of course, but this is a safer option than picking up a virus which could destroy the laptop.

Have plenty of DVD's to watch, get a decent alarm clock and some form of music player.  Listening to music often kept me motivated throughout first year.

7. The good morning wake-up boost

Trust me, 9am lecturers are the worst thing to have and I had that for the first term at Uni on a Monday morning.  The worst possible start!

Early mornings can make you sleepy, see a lack of concentration and dozing off in lectures is seriously not a good idea.

For me, having a coffee in the morning really helped, as it gave me that boost to be far more awake in the mornings.

I never liked coffee until I started Uni but it became a necessity to have.  It is a nice caffeine boost to have first thing in the morning and it usually worked.  

However, having a Red Bull energy drink at 9.30am in the morning is not a good idea.  I know a couple of people who tried this and it didn't give the best results.

8. Enjoy it!

You are going to have some tough days and stressful experiences because everyone does.

Remember though, this is what you want to do for the next three years, so persistence is the key to be ultimately successful.  

Giving it up after six weeks is useless and makes you look like a quitter.  Once you are committed, you should remain committed.

Have a social life of course and get the right balance between working and meeting assignment deadlines, in regards to some wild and much-needed partying.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so embrace and enjoy the University experience.

I wish everyone the best of luck across the country to all first year freshers who are just starting out with the University experience.

Categories: 1994, Caffeine, Coffee, Debt, DVD, Education, Experience, Freshers, Microsoft Office, Monday, Red Bull, Social Life, Student, University, Virus, Windows