Blog Archives

Mastercard with Commercial Icons

It’s actual title is simply “Icons” but I think the title of this article best defines what this commercial is about. There’s plenty of Mastercard commercials both gimmicky and non-gimmicky a like. This is just a small portion of the gimmick filled Mastercard commercials. And it’s one of their most unique ones or in this case a dozen mascots all together at once, an occasion you don’t normally see on TV. Since it’s at least 8 years old, it’s more than worthy to be an Adverisement Time Forgot.

The commercial starts with an over head shot of a dinner table featuring mascots you’d likely to have seen in your own local grocery store. The following mascots include from left to right: Gordon’s Fisherman, Count Chocula, Charlie the Tuna, Mr. Peanut, Pillsbury Doughboy, Jolly Green Giant, Chef Boyardee, Vlastic Stork, & Morton’s Umbrella Girl. In the background is the Jolly Green Giant who is visible only from a window since he’s obviously too big to be inside the house. I wonder if he receives his meals through that window, by the door, or by the roof like in the final scene of Disney’s Fun & Fancy Free where Willie the Giant opens Edgar Bergan’s house(other version was Ludwig Von Drake’s house) and asked where he can find a mouse(Mickey). Anyways we hear the friendly Mastercard announcer say “Broccolli: $1.79” where we see a bowl of broccoli being passed over in front of Mr. Peanut who is as silent as he was from his first commercials. We see a brief shot of Chef Boyardee observing his meal and the choices for sides, I always forget how to spell his name in the past cause the commercial from the 90’s always pronounce his name as “Chef Bo-Ar-De”. The next shot shows Charlie the Tuna holding up a casserole dish asking everyone with “Casserole? Anyone?” I’m surprised he didn’t try to cook himself after all those years of wanting to be caught by fishing men only to be denied cause he’s not the type of tuna to be packaged in Starkist Tuna cans. The announcer then says “Tuna: $3.69” where we see Charlie giving Count Chocula a serving of casserole. While the Gordon’s Fisherman is seen passing a plate of meatloaf in front of the Count who seems be interested in having a slice of it. We hear someone ask the Count “How’s Frankenberry?” Yeah how is he and how come he’s not invited to the party like all these other mascots? I’m sure they have plenty of chairs for more guests since the house their in is big enough to hold Count Chocula’s whole gang. The announcer then says: “Crescent rolls: $2.39” where we see the Umbrella Girl who we recognize from Morton’s salt poking the Pillsbury Dough Boy with enjoyment. I bet they did use Morton Salt to make those crescent rolls since that’s the biggest salt company around. After that we see a shot of the Vlastic Stork in a deep conversation with everyone with the announcer saying “Getting everyone together for dinner: priceless”. With the stock ending his sentence with “…we certainly are in a pickle” with everyone laughing from what ever he just said earlier. Next we see Charlie carrying all the dishes to the kitchen with the announcer saying his closure line “There are some things money can’t buy” with Charlie saying “I’m stuff to the gills” and hands them to Mr. Clean who’ll do the dishes, I guess he had dinner earlier than everyone else. And the ad concludes with an animated version of the Mastercard logo turning into the regular logo with the announcer saying “With everything else there’s debit Mastercard, accepted at your grocery market”.

Probably my favorite Mastercard commercial to date. I’m crazy about crossovers and this ad would fit into my best crossover ads list. It even raises some questions like whose house is it that they’re dining in? None of them look like they could live there unless they’re watching it over while the actual homeowners are outta town. Or is it like in one of those old “Midnight at the Book store” cartoon short films where at the struck of midnight all the illustrations come to life. Which ever case it maybe, the idea of the commercial is the most clever idea Mastercard has come up with. The ad aired back in 2005 for the Superbowl so it’s one of those one shot commercials that sometimes spawn into a whole series like the Budweiser Frog commercials. Almost all of the characters you see in this ad were in at least one ad of their own. Even the umbrella girl from Morton’s Salt was in at least one ad believe it or not, but we’ll talk about that ad another occasion. There’s also plenty of other unique Superbowl ads out there that I’ll one day when I come around to them.

Since I didn’t do an article last week I decided to publish the next article which you can view upon after watching this article’s commercial below.

Posted in Advertise of the Week

Sprout

Mar 14

Posted by emasterslake

When I grow up, i'll be just like the Green Giant.

When it comes to vegetables the one thing that comes to our minds is the colossal Jolly Green Giant. But beside him there was another character in his commercials named Sprout. Like the green Giant, except he’s smaller and talks more than the Giant himself. Since the Green Giant commercials still advertise with their own trademark mascot, I won’t be doing an article on him since he’s no where close to be forgotten. Unlike his friend Sprout who tragically hasn’t been in a commercial for many years now. For this week, I would love to talk about the history and impact Sprout had to offer when it comes to advertising vegetables.

The Giant is proud to have someone to teach about vegetables.

Sprout first appeared in the Green Giant commercials back in 1973. He is the giant’s apprentice who helps tend the crops within the valley. Curious and enthusiastic, Sprout represents the voice of the consumers who buy vegetables and learns everything from the Giant’s wisdom on vegetables. Every commercial takes place at the Green Giant valley, which is always being watched by the giant observing his crops being harvest into frozen food. Sprout would always be seen either learning something new about plants or helping out the farmers who are the same height as he is. Along with advertising the product whether it’s canned corn or peas, they cover everything the Green Giant valley has to offer. The commercials always conclude with the Giant’s “Ho Ho Ho” quote or sometimes Sprout would say it along with him. By 1989, the character was excluded from the commercials perhaps Sprout finished his internship at the valley and moved on to grow up to be a giant of his own farm. While to this day the Green Giant still watches over his valley in the most recent commercials.

Over the years Sprout became a likeable character even after he became excluded from advertising. Those who remembered him have created various collectables, spawning merchandise from bobble heads to keychains. I was age 1 when Sprout was no longer on TV ads so I have no memories of him as a kid. My first exposure to Sprout was when I bought a Sprout Keychain which I recalled my parents told me who he was cause I had no knowledge of there being a companion for Green Giant all those years ago. As of today you can find a considerable amount of Sprout merchandise at either those collectables stores that have items representing TV shows ranging from 1950s to 1980s(really cool stores to go to). So Sprout is seen at certain areas of America it’s just it’s unlikely Green Giant company will bring him back, unless there’s plenty of fan support.

For next week, I’ll be doing another McDonald’s article which isn’t 100% nutritious unless you order the meals that have the less calories. Until then check out whatever commercials I found on Sprout.