23 Classic Commercials Boomers and Gen-Xers Remember
Television ads once shaped culture, weaving jingles and slogans into the fabric of daily life. Before streaming skipped over them, these marketing gems became shared memories across America.
Let’s stroll through nostalgia and revisit the TV spots that Boomers and Gen-Xers still recall vividly.
1. Where’s the Beef?
Clara Peller’s gravelly voice demanding “Where’s the beef?” for Wendy’s in 1984 became more than just a hamburger slogan. The 81-year-old’s indignant question about skimpy competitors’ burgers transcended fast food.
My family quoted it constantly at dinner whenever portions seemed small. The phrase even entered politics when Walter Mondale used it against Gary Hart in a presidential debate!
The commercial’s success boosted Wendy’s sales by 31% and gave America its favorite food-related catchphrase.
2. The Energizer Bunny
Nothing symbolized unstoppable persistence quite like that pink mechanical rabbit banging his drum across TV screens. Launched in 1989, the Energizer Bunny initially mocked rival Duracell’s battery commercials before creating its own iconic legacy.
The drum-beating bunny would interrupt fake advertisements and keep going… and going… and going. Everyone I knew had that tagline stuck in their heads!
The campaign was so successful that “Energizer Bunny” entered our vocabulary as shorthand for anything that continues relentlessly.
3. I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up!
Mrs. Fletcher’s dramatic declaration transformed a serious product into an unexpected comedy goldmine. The 1989 LifeCall medical alert commercial featured an elderly woman who had fallen, pressing her emergency button while delivering the line with theatrical flair.
My friends and I mimicked it constantly. The phrase became such a pop culture phenomenon that it was parodied on Saturday Night Live and referenced in countless movies. Despite becoming a punchline, the commercial successfully highlighted a real concern for seniors living alone.
4. Mikey Likes It!
Little Mikey, the skeptical kid who surprised everyone by enjoying Life cereal, created breakfast commercial history in 1972. Two brothers push a bowl toward their finicky younger brother, assuming he’ll hate it.
“He won’t eat it. He hates everything!” they whisper. Then comes the magical moment as Mikey digs in enthusiastically, prompting the iconic “He likes it! Hey Mikey!” The commercial ran for an astonishing 12 years, becoming the longest-running TV spot at that time.
5. Time to Make the Donuts
Fred the Baker’s bleary-eyed dedication to fresh donuts made Dunkin’ Donuts’ 1980s commercials instantly relatable to anyone who’d ever dragged themselves to work. Actor Michael Vale perfectly captured workday exhaustion with his signature “Time to make the donuts” mutter.
One brilliant commercial showed him passing himself coming home as he was heading out – the ultimate symbol of non-stop work. My dad, who started work at 5am, would quote this line every morning. The campaign ran for 15 years, making Fred one of advertising’s most beloved characters.
6. Ancient Chinese Secret, Huh?
Calgon’s 1970s laundry detergent commercial played on cultural stereotypes while delivering one of TV’s most quoted lines. A customer marvels at how a Chinese laundry owner gets clothes so clean, asking about his “ancient Chinese secret.”
His wife hilariously interrupts: “Ancient Chinese secret, huh?” before revealing it’s just Calgon. Growing up in my household, this became our go-to phrase whenever someone was being mysterious about anything!
While cringe-worthy by today’s standards, the commercial’s catchphrase embedded itself in pop culture for decades.
7. Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz
Alka-Seltzer’s musical remedy for overindulgence became a bathroom cabinet earworm for generations. The jingle’s genius simplicity – “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!” – perfectly mimicked the sound of their product hitting water.
Created in 1976, the catchy tune was so effective that sales skyrocketed when they suggested using two tablets instead of one. Talk about brilliant marketing disguised as helpful advice! The melody remains instantly recognizable nearly 50 years later.
8. The Crying Native American
Few public service announcements packed the emotional punch of the 1971 anti-pollution ad featuring Iron Eyes Cody. The image of a Native American man with a tear rolling down his cheek as he surveyed America’s littered landscape became environmental shorthand.
“People start pollution. People can stop it.” The message was simple yet devastating. I remember my elementary school teacher showing us this commercial before our playground cleanup day.
Though later controversial when Cody’s Italian heritage was revealed, the “Crying Indian” campaign increased awareness of environmental issues and reduced litter by an estimated 88%.
9. Mean Joe Greene’s Coke
Coca-Cola transformed the intimidating image of football star “Mean” Joe Greene with 60 seconds of unexpected tenderness in 1979. The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, limping down a stadium tunnel, encounters a young fan who offers his Coke.
After gulping it down, Greene’s transformation from gruff to grateful culminates in tossing the kid his jersey with the unforgettable “Hey kid, catch!”
My little league coach showed us this commercial to teach sportsmanship. The ad was so beloved it won a Clio Award and was later parodied by countless brands.
10. Clap On, Clap Off
The Clapper’s commercial jingle wormed its way into our collective consciousness with its brilliantly simple call-and-response format. “Clap on! Clap off! The Clapper!” advertised a sound-activated switch that let you control lights without getting up.
My grandparents actually owned one, and visiting cousins would spend hours clapping lights on and off. The device became the ultimate symbol of 1980s convenience technology and lazy living.
11. Fly the Friendly Skies
United Airlines’ commercials featuring Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” epitomized the glamour of air travel before it became a cramped, fee-riddled ordeal. Their 1970s and 80s spots showcased smiling flight attendants, spacious cabins, and actual meals served on real plates.
My first flight as a kid never matched the commercial’s promise! The soaring music and “Fly the Friendly Skies” tagline created an aspirational vision of travel that feels almost laughable today.
12. Ring Around the Collar
Wisk detergent turned laundry shame into a national conversation with their ruthlessly effective “Ring around the collar!” campaign. The commercials featured embarrassed housewives whose husbands’ shirt collars betrayed their inadequate washing skills.
The sing-song taunt of “Ring around the collar!” from judgmental onlookers created a problem many hadn’t realized they had. My mom actually checked my dad’s shirts after seeing these ads!
While cringe-worthy in its gender dynamics, the campaign was marketing genius – convincing an entire generation that collar stains were a social catastrophe only Wisk could prevent.
13. Lonely Maytag Repairman
The Maytag Repairman – the loneliest guy in town because their appliances never needed fixing – created one of advertising’s most enduring characters. Actor Jesse White originated the blue-uniformed role in 1967, sitting by a silent phone in an empty repair shop.
The brilliant concept flipped the script on repair services by celebrating their absence. The campaign ran for over 50 years with only four different actors playing the role. Talk about job security – both for the character and the actors who portrayed him!
14. How Many Licks to the Center of a Tootsie Pop?
The animated owl who couldn’t resist biting into a Tootsie Pop created childhood’s most debated candy question. “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?” the boy asks. The owl demonstrates: “One… two… three!” *CRUNCH*
“Three,” declares the owl, having failed the challenge entirely. First airing in 1970, this commercial ran for decades virtually unchanged, making it one of the most recognized candy advertisements ever. The world may never know the true answer!
15. Oscar Mayer Bologna Song
Little kids spelling processed meat became marketing magic when Oscar Mayer launched their bologna commercial in 1973. The freckle-faced boy fishing on a dock sang: “My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R. My bologna has a second name, it’s M-A-Y-E-R.”
I still can’t spell bologna without singing this jingle! The commercial’s authentic feel, using real kids instead of child actors, made it relatable to families everywhere.
The campaign was so successful that Oscar Mayer followed it with an equally catchy hot dog jingle, creating a processed meat musical empire.
16. Madge, You’re Soaking In It
Palmolive dish soap convinced women their hands deserved beauty treatment with their iconic salon ambush commercials. Manicurist Madge (actress Jan Miner) would casually inform clients they were soaking their fingers in dish detergent, not a beauty treatment.
“Palmolive softens hands while you do dishes!” she’d reveal with a wink. The shocked reactions became a commercial staple for 27 years! Miner played Madge from 1966 to 1992, making her one of the longest-running commercial characters ever.
17. Chiffon Margarine: It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature
Mother Nature herself became a vengeful product spokesperson in Chiffon’s unforgettable margarine commercials from the 1970s. Dressed in a white gown with daisy crown, actress Dena Dietrich tasted what she thought was butter, only to be told it was Chiffon margarine.
“It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!” she’d declare as thunder crashed and lightning flashed. The campaign brilliantly positioned Chiffon as tasting identical to butter while being healthier – a claim we now know was questionable at best.
18. Calgon, Take Me Away!
Calgon’s “Take me away!” ads offered stressed moms a bath-time retreat from chaos. My mother shouted it while escaping to the tub.
Predating self-care trends, it made a simple bath feel vital, turning a product into a mental health haven.
19. Shake N’ Bake: And I Helped!
General Foods struck advertising gold with their Shake N’ Bake commercials featuring excited children proclaiming “And I helped!” after assisting mom with dinner preparation. The product promised fried chicken taste without frying, but the commercials sold family bonding.
Little kids in aprons shaking chicken pieces in the coating bag created an irresistible image of cooking as fun family time. I desperately wanted to help make this after seeing the ads!
The campaign ran through the 1980s, making “And I helped!” a catchphrase that perfectly captured children’s enthusiastic but minimal contributions to household tasks.
20. Mr. Whipple: Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin
Grocery store manager Mr. Whipple fought a losing battle against customers who couldn’t resist squeezing Charmin toilet paper in one of advertising’s longest-running campaigns.
Actor Dick Wilson’s flustered reprimands – “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin!” – while secretly indulging himself became a cultural touchstone.
Running from 1964 to 1985, the campaign produced over 500 commercials. A 1978 survey found Mr. Whipple was recognized by more Americans than the President – proving toilet paper could create bigger celebrities than politics.
21. Taster’s Choice Soap Opera
Taster’s Choice coffee transformed instant coffee commercials into must-see TV with their groundbreaking romantic mini-series ads. Beginning in 1990, viewers followed the flirtation between neighbors Anthony Head and Sharon Maughan as they bonded over increasingly intimate cups of coffee.
Each 30-second installment advanced their relationship, creating the world’s first commercial soap opera. The campaign ran for seven years with 12 episodes, including a marriage proposal and love triangle. Instant coffee had never seemed so passionate or appointment-worthy!
22. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
In the 1990s, Fabio’s campy “I can’t believe it’s not butter!” delivery, toast in hand, turned margarine into comedy. My roommates mimicked him at breakfast.
Leaning into his heartthrob absurdity, the ads used humor to highlight the product’s butter-like taste.
23. Coca-Cola Hilltop: I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke
Coca-Cola’s 1971 “Hilltop” commercial featuring a multicultural group of young people singing “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” represented advertising’s most ambitious attempt at selling harmony along with soda. The diverse singers on an Italian hillside offered a Coke to the world as a symbol of unity.
The commercial was so popular that the song was re-recorded without Coca-Cola references and became a radio hit. The ad’s cultural impact was so enduring that it featured prominently in the series finale of Mad Men in 2015.