1. Coca‑Cola – Buy the World a Coke
In July 1971, the effervescent “Hilltop” ad featured diverse young people singing on a hillside: “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.” It was conceived after agency creative Bill Backer glimpsed travelers bonding over Coke during an Irish airport layover, inspiring hope and unity as much as product placement. Though some callers found it overly sentimental or cringe at first, the campaign swept hearts: Coke received over 100,000 letters praising the spot, and the jingle became a hit song re‑recorded without brand mentions (“Teach the World to Sing”). It turned soda into a shared emotion, and ad history into pop culture.
2. Life Cereal – Mikey Likes It
The story was about three kids and a bowl of cereal, when Mikey, a notoriously picky three‑year‑old, silently tries the cereal and then gobbles it up, the older brothers erupt: “He likes it!” The storyline is simple, the acting awkward by modern standards, yet it engraved itself into collective memory. It aired from 1972 and ran for over a decade, making it one of the longest‑running ad campaigns in U.S. TV history. Its power lies in modesty: no flashy effects or adult actors, just real kids and a relatable family moment. Mikey’s silence, described as “he hates everything”, adds both charm and mystique. It’s remembered not because it was polished, but because it felt genuine, funny, and oddly comforting.
3. Dr Pepper – Be a Pepper
“Be a Pepper” didn’t just sell soda, it sold belongings. This campaign launched around 1977, featured synchronized dance numbers and the “I’m a Pepper” chant, and became hugely popular through the early 1980s, cementing a distinct identity for brand fans, complete with dance routines and slogans urging you to “join the club.” It leaned hard into cheesy choreography and overly enthusiastic acting, yet the message stuck, turning Dr Pepper into a quirky cultural icon.
4. Palmolive – You’re Soaking In It
This Palmolive spot had a manicurist telling her client she was “soaking her hands in dish soap” as part of a pampering session. The awkward premise, dishwashing liquid doubling as a beauty product, makes practically no sense, yet the tagline echoed on. The acting is stiff, and the situation strange, but strangely compelling. It worked because it confused you in just the right way: the incongruity of luxurious claims on a humble product grabbed attention. You didn’t need logic, you just remembered the phrase. In a pre‑digital era when attention was scarce, that jingle and tagline kept Palmolive top of mind in kitchens, and beauty routines.
5. Alka‑Seltzer – Plop Plop Fizz Fizz
Few jingles are as unforgettable as “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.” Alka‑Seltzer’s 1970s revival made that squeaky‑voiced melody legendary. The visuals often showed people clutching their stomachs or dropping tablets into a glass, simple but oddly theatrical. The contrast of melodrama and everyday discomfort made viewers smile. What made it work was repetition and earworm clarity. Whenever heartburn or indigestion hits, you hear that jingle in your head. The commercials leaned into goofy mischief, strange visuals, over‑emphasis of relief, and even space‑themed speedy characters. It turned a mundane antacid into a cultural memory well into the 21st century.
6. Mr Whipple – Don’t Squeeze the Charmin
Supermarket manager Mr Whipple became a cultural staple by policing shoppers as they sneakily squeezed Charmin toilet paper: “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.” What made it memorable was his own hypocrisy, he’d sneak a squeeze himself when no one was looking. Dick Wilson played Whipple in over 500 ads from the 1960s through the mid‑1980s, making him one of the most recognized ad characters of the era. Though the scenario feels absurd, obsessing over toilet paper softness in grocery aisles, it struck a chord. Whipple’s earnest tone and exaggerated vigilance felt both silly and oddly relatable. It turned a mundane product into a comedic ritual, planting a phrase in pop‑culture that even decades later evokes gentle nostalgia.
7. Burger King – Have It Your Way
Burger King’s 1974 “Have It Your Way” campaign invited you to customize your Whopper: “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce… special orders don’t upset us.” It was a bold appeal in a fast‑food world where McDonald’s served you what you got. That surprising promise, letting customers decide the toppings, became a signature moment for marketing and brand identity. What made it memorable wasn’t the glitzy visuals, it was the idea of control wrapped in a cheerful jingle and smiling actors. The concept of personal choice felt revolutionary then, and the jingle lodged in people’s heads. Years later, the slogan returned as nostalgic branding, proving that the little tune and simple promise had staying power as quirky marketing history.
8. Roto‑Rooter – That’s the Name
Roto‑Rooter’s catchy line “Call Roto‑Rooter, that’s the name, and away go troubles down the drain” traced back to a jingle from 1954, but remained a staple on 1970s TV. The ads featured flooded or clogged household scenes where a homeowner cried out, and then relief arrived via the familiar jingle voice and logo. The charm lay in low‑budget visuals, an off‑key narrator, and a promise that your plumbing problem would vanish if you dialed that name. It’s memorable because it combined everyday dread (flooded floors, stinky drains) with an almost comedic comfort: there’s a fix, and it rhymes. That musical guarantee lodged in pop memory.
9. Shake ’n Bake – “And I Helped!”
In the Shake ’n Bake commercials of the late 1960s–’70s, a Southern‑accented kid proudly says, “And I helped!” after adding the coating to a chicken or pork chop before baking. It was silly, rustic, and, in its awkward way, endearing. The charm came from the infectious energy, the idea of helping with dinner, and the folksy feel of “better than frying” convenience. It felt innocent, even when earnest: the kid’s pride made you smile, and the phrase stuck. It turned a breadcrumbs brand into a glimpse of family life, cementing itself into vintage TV memory.
10. McDonald’s – You Deserve a Break Today
McDonald’s 1971 jingle “You deserve a break today… to McDonald’s!” opened with singing after‑hours janitors praising the cleanliness of the restaurant and then launching into the chorus. The commercial barely mentions food, a bold, memorable focus on ambiance and self‑care instead of burgers and fries. It succeeded by wrapping fast food in operatic harmony and gentle pride. The contrast of men singing about vacuuming and mopping suddenly led to the joyful hook: a break. It felt like a promise of comfort and escape, sold via melody more than menu. That ad helped McDonald’s feel like a mini oasis, very 1970s marketing magic.
This story 10 Cringiest Commercials From 1970s TV That Somehow Worked was first published on Daily FETCH
