Monday 22 August 2011

That's Inflation for you....


The other day I was listening to the BBC Friday Night Comedy Podcast which featured Peter Hook interviewing John Cooper Clarke. It sounded like a couple of whiny old Mancy blokes sat in the pub boasting about who could sound most like a pissed Liam Gallagher but it was very entertaining.

The highlight for me came when they talked about singing old adverts (as you do) and broke into a version of the old carpet cleaning advert:

Music!One Thousand and One, One Thousand and One
Gets rid of that workaday frown,
One Thousand and One cleans a big big carpet
For less than half a crown!Music!

Bright action foam (deep cleans!), brings up carpets like new!

Music!One Thousand and One cleans a big big carpet
For less than half a crown!


Half a Crown?!!!

Suddenly I realised that decimalisation only took place in 1971 so this advert which has lodged itself inextricably in my brain actually dates from the late 1960's when 12.5 pence came in an enormous circular ingot of pure silver which could be used to buy enough catapult elastic to reach the moon and back. My little grey cells have been hoarding this nugget for nearly half a Century.

Other people probably remember quotations from Dickens or the Wit and Wisdom of Harold Macmillan but I've chosen to cling on to every syllable and phrasing of - a carpet cleaning advert.

Those 50's and 60's Madmen in their dapper suits would be puffing contentedly on their briars if they had known their little throwaway creations would be cemented in the psyche of viewers and listeners half a Century later. I wonder if the Shake'n'Vac advert will still be hummed in another 30 years time?

Mind you, advertising is supposed to encourage you to buy stuff isn't it? I've never bought a bottle of 1001 in my life, so all that creativity has been a little wasted on me.

I may still succumb to their wiles as I was surprised to learn that 1001 Carpet Cleaner is still available and you can buy a 500ml Bottle of the stuff from Poundland.

That's 8 bright shiny silver Half Crowns to you. Or enough Catapult elastic to reach the outer rings of the planet Saturn.

15 comments:

Z said...

"You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent" is, sadly, one I've remembered for half a century. And yes, I remember the 1001 advert too. I've never bought either.

Dave said...

I appear to have some in the cupboard under the sink. No idea how it got there, as I certainly didn't buy it. I think I must have gained it from the divorce.

Rog said...

Z: "5 wonderful flavours, Punch & Judy Toodle Paste". You can't buy Toodle Paste anymore - I may pitch it to the Dragons.

Dave: Better to be left the Cleaners than taken there....

Pat said...

A N D
R E W S
Andrew's
Andrew's
For inner cleanliness.

Guess the name of my# 1 son.

Rog said...

Hi Pat. Is it Dai?

Martin said...

I remember, long before BOGOF days, my grandmother used to receive the gift of a threepenny bit, secured in an indentation on the lid of lavender household polish.

Saw JCC in 1981. Great performance but totally out of it...him, not me.

Macy said...

Opal fruits
Opal fruits
Made to make your mouth water...

To which jingle younger generations will ask "What's an opal fruit?"

Nota Bene said...

For mash, get Smash!

Sir Bruin said...

I seem to remember that the 1001 advert featured some bloke called Cyril Lord - does that ring any bells?

A million housewives every day, pick up a tin of beans and say
Beanz meanz Heinz

Rosie said...

Have you ever seen your teeth so clean when you brush them well with Windowlene?

Rog said...

Martin: Ah this is turning into a nostalgia fest. Nostalgia is nowhere near what it used to be.

Macy: I know all the latest lingo. I've even run the London Snickers.

Nota: hahahaha! Does anyone use that stuff? Other than for organic Polyfilla?

Sir B: Cyril Lord was the carpet Millionaire - "This is luxury tyou can afford by Cyril Lord". I think he spent his millions on the Shake'nVac lady who worshipped him.

Rosie: You'll get a pane in your tummy!

Rosie said...

I saw right through that one.

Christopher said...

I'm still mullion over that one, Astra Gal...

Does the Esso sign still mean happy motoring?

And does Timex still ticky-ticky away?

And to get away from hairy apes
Do ladies still jump
From fire escapes?
Burma shave

And -

- but I'll write my own post in a day or two

Sir Bruin said...

They asked me how I knew
it was Esso Blue.
I of course replied,
"With cheaper grades one buys,
The smoke gets in your eyes."


How sad am I?

Rog said...

Rosie: Now This is clean.

Christopher: How remiss of me to omit the time I once appeared in an advert.

Sir B: Or Bing