Rock Radio Scrapbook

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Subject: DOUG THOMPSON'S CANADIAN COMMERCIAL MONTAGE
Station: N/A
Dates: 1960s and '70s
Time: 20:05

The CHUMingbirds
(l-r: Mike Darow, Bob McAdorey, Gary Ferrier, John Spragge)
{Picture courtesy Doug Thompson)

(Description by Doug Thompson)

And the memories…keep on comin’. The commercial is the lifeblood of private radio. Some commercial jingles stay in your head for a lifetime.

It’s true. I can sing commercial jingles verbatim that I heard over 40 years ago and I’ll bet you can too (if you’re that old, that is.)

This montage, which runs ever so slightly over 20 minutes, contains 31 commercials and jingles, all of which aired in Canada during the 1960’s and 1970’s. It starts with the classic Dominion Stores jingle, possibly the second most famous melody right after the Hockey Night In Canada theme. Legendary announcer Joel Aldred was the longtime pitchman for Rothman’s cigarettes (2:07). Henry Ramer, one of Canada’s great character actors and a top voice over talent, can be heard in the Ontario commercial at 2:53.

The CHUMingbirds (Garry Ferrier, Bob McAdorey, John Spragge and Mike Darow) were all CHUM Toronto announcers (although Ferrier worked mainly in the copy department and only did fill-in air shifts. He also wrote this jingle.) Garry had a hit in 1964 with “Ringo Deer” and in ’65, was back on the charts as Race Marbles, “Like A Dribbling Fram.” The 4 CHUM staffers had a singing group on the side, performing at the CNE and at various functions in Toronto. They also did jingles occasionally and Country Style Donuts at 4:32 was one example.

There are celebrities galore in this montage. Ronnie & The Daytona’s singing for Colonel Sanders at 6:25 is followed by 90 seconds of The Guess Who ‘Shakin’ All Over’ for Coke. Then at 16:45, there’s David Clayton-Thomas and The Shays singing their hearts out for Wildroot Formula 3.

The anti-drug jingle heard at 11:10 (‘Do You Know What You’re Doing?’) became so popular that it was released as a 45rpm full length version. The singer/songwriter is Terry Bush (who, along with Doug Riley as The Butterfingers) created another commercial-to-hit record with “Baby Ruth” in 1965.

That’s Robert Goulet, who was raised in Edmonton, singing the du Maurier jingle at 13:00 and anyone who grew up in the 60’s will recognize Joanie Sommers voice on the Pepsi jingle. Joanie was born in Buffalo, New York before moving to Venice, California with her family at the age of 14. I’ll bet you’ve NEVER heard a Pepsi jingle like this – a 60-second commercial about Toronto. This one’s from the early 1960’s.

The singer of the Pledge jingle at 17:41 is Bill Misener, who was once a member of The Paupers and later produced Keith Hampshire’s hits, “Daytime Night-Time,” “First Cut Is The Deepest” (both 1973) and “Big Time Operator” (1974).

Not all great Canadian ads were created in Canada. The Sheriff Flavour Buds campaign (15:17) was created for Toronto ad agency Vickers & Benson by Chicago’s Ken Nordine, who’s most famous for his ‘Word Jazz’ LPS and radio programs. The Coke spot at 18:24 was created for Coca-Cola Canada by Mel Blanc Productions Hollywood. Blanc was the voice of Warner Bros. cartoon characters Bugs Bunny, Sylvester The Cat, Yosemite Sam, Pepe Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, Foghorn Leghorn, Daffy Duck and many others and in the 60’s, formed an advertising production company. You can hear Mel himself singing ‘Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola’ in a deep raspy voice close to the end of this spot just before Petula Clark sings the ‘real’ Coke jingle. The male actor, by the way, is Jesse White, who was the original Maytag repair man on TV for years and worked regularly with Stan Freberg.

So, hit the play button (below) and see how many of these commercials and jingles YOU remember. If you’re too young to have heard them originally, welcome to the golden age of radio commercials.

Enjoy Doug Thompson's Canadian Radio Commercial Montage here.

(The Doug Thompson Collection)

Produced by Doug Thompson

More from Doug Thompson's Production Corner here!

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