Popular American TV Commercials Quiz

Answer: Alka-Seltzer

Alka-Seltzer to the rescue! *AAH!* My parents remember these commercials from black and white TV in the late 50s and early 60s. The good ol' days...back when you didn't talk about your indigestion, you just took some pills for it.

Answer: 7-UP

The old 7-UP ads were referring to caffeine when they said it "never had it, never will." I remember these ads from the 80s, with a large, bald black man from the islands who would laugh jovially and talk about the "un-cola." It was a little frightening. Kind of like, "Ah ha ha...I will put a voodoo curse on you, mon, if you don't drink my un-cola."

Answer: Timex

I remember an old Timex commercial that featured a Timex watch in one of those shark cages underwater...proving not only that these "tough" watches can stand the depths of the sea, but will also keep running after an attack by a hungry great white. (Good to know if you're a marine biologist, eh?)

Answer: Tang

Why the Tang manufacturers thought that calling it the astronauts' drink would help sell their product still blows my mind....I mean, look at the other stuff the astronauts eat - freeze dried ice cream, dehydrated fruit....not the most appetizing stuff out there!

Answer: terrific

This was a lovely product from the 1970s that I'm sure the ad execs really broke a sweat on when thinking up the slogan. "Hmmm...what's a good word to use to describe how your hair smells? Gee, your hair smells like crap? No, that won't work..." (At least it's better than the other infamous 70's hair care product, "PSSSSST" which was billed as shampoo in a can. That's an appealing thought - you will never have to wash your hair again! Just spray it on, and create another layer of coated-on goop!)

Answer: egg

Ah, yes. I always like to be reminded that my food is actually edible, don't you?!

Answer: State Farm Insurance

Now wouldn't that be truly scary? You come home to find your State Farm agent has moved into your house, claiming that it's part of their personal service guarantee? "Hey, man - don't you watch TV? We live where you live....like a good neighbor?!" I wonder if you could still file a medical claim with State Farm if you injured yourself while beating up your agent in a case like this?

Answer: Mentos candies

First and foremost, who in the heck writes these goofy commercials, anyway?! They've got to be foreign, since no one speaks during the ad, and they all dress funny and have an odd sense of humor. ("Ah ha! I caught you sneaking backstage to get into the rock concert, so now I'm going to kick your ass - but wait! What's this? You're eating a Mentos candy? Well, that changes everything!" ) Still, these commercials always make me smile, and they must have impressed enough people out there because the Foo Fighters parodied the ads in one of their music videos.

Answer: Dunkin' Donuts

Gee, I hope that poor man won "employee of the month" at least once, don't you? He was always so darn motivated and happy about his job. I remember these commercials from the early to mid 80's.

Answer: Irish Spring soap

Another commercial from the 80s, this one for Irish Spring featured a lot of incessantly happy Irish folk in really bad corduroy slacks and peasant skirts dancing around town whistling at each other. "Top o' the morning to you, Eileen. Aah...I can smell you from here!" How annoying.

Answer: Mr. Whipple

And let me tell you, that Mr. Whipple was one disgruntled grocery store manager. He did not want you squeezing his toilet tissue, that's for sure! ("Not on my watch, missy!") The other names were: Mr. Hooper, the grocer from Sesame Street, Mr. Roper, the landlord from "Three's Company" and Madge of "You're soaking in it" fame.

Answer: Palmolive dish soap

Just sounds gross to me. Like you wouldn't know it when you went for a manicure that the nail tech had put your hands in dish soap? Madge's customers must not have gotten out much.

Answer: Can you hear me now

Does this guy annoy the rest of you like he does me? I wish he'd film a commercial out here in South Dakota where I live, and drive to the middle of the state where there's nothing but cattle and cornfields, and then he'd know that no one could hear him after all since there's no cell reception!

Answer: Hallmark cards

The ad execs here toyed with the idea of "When you forgot to buy her a card until the last minute and had to pick one up at the convenience store" but they figured it was a bit too wordy, so they had to *settle* on the current slogan.

Answer: 100% Colombian Coffee

Remember these commercials? Remember how Juan never went anywhere without his donkey? Sad, isn't it? Looks like our old buddy Juan is a tad co-dependent. Of course, maybe it's because he's so looped up on caffeine after having 27 cups of Colombian coffee with breakfast that he needs the donkey to lead him around.