Friday, September 21, 2007

Classic Toy Commercials

Admittedly, this game was less challenging when played alone

While searching for classic rock music on You Tube, I stumbled across this montage of old commercials from the early 70's. The montage included some of my favorite toys such as SST Racers, Slip N Slide and Smash Up Derby. Both SST and Smash Up Derby had cars that you ran a "T" stick through a big wheel and pull. They would make a whining sound before you put them on the ground to roll. I really liked the Smash Up Derby except I kept losing the little choke able parts after they crashed. It's not included here, but Rock 'em Sock'em robots with the plastic boxers whose glass jaw would cause their heads to pop up was awesome too. There was another clip of an Action Jackson doll with the working parachute, I used to throw that thing in the air all day long. All of these commercials brought back memories of children's games designed for people to interact with each other directly. I know people playing videogames now have interlinked headsets to speak to each other but it's not the same. It's the great irony of communications technology, the more it advances the more isolated people are from each other. That's not an original sentiment, but it's still true.

Seeing these commercials bring back memories of youth, watching tv at home, watching tv at relatives houses, watching tv while sitting on orange shag carpeting...a lot of tv watching. It's amazing how suggestive tv commercials can be to a young child, 'cause after viewing these commercials I found part of me still wants a Water Wiggle. Yes, the adult me realizes it's a plastic cup with a smiley face attached to a garden hose that's wasting a lot of water. But Mommy, I still want it. Pleaasseee. I'll be goOoOod :) I-want-a-Wa-ter-Wi-ggle! Now! :(

One of my first jobs was working in a toy store. If you ever want to reminisce about how bratty you may have been as a child, just go to a store for a while and watch kids throw tantrums and literally get dragged out. It's a lot of fun to see (provided it's not your kid being dragged out) and you can ponder your animal instinct to gather useless crap. Water Wiggle, you enlighten me! And that makes you the latest Flashback!




Toy Commercials from the '70's

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