Timeless Jingles: A Journey through Childhood Memories
In the fabric of our childhood memories, jingles hold a significant place. They are not just catchy tunes that stick to our brains but powerful tools that evoke nostalgia. Today, we explore some of the most iconic and memorable jingles from the 1950s that still linger in the minds of many, like the jingle for Fizzies carbonated soda flavor tablets.
Functional Jingles: Fizzies and Andy Devine
The jingle from Fizzies is a prime example of how straightforward and effective these marketing tools can be. The catchy tune goes: "Fizzies, they sparkle, they bubble as quick as a wink, you’ve got yourself a deliciously tasting quick refreshing drink… Fizzies." This jingle was so repetitive and insistent that it became burned into the minds of many who watched it on their black-and-white TV sets in the 1950s.
Amid these jingles, Andy Devine from the TV show Wild Bill Hickock stood out. He and radio and movie personality Phil Harris sang the jingles that children like myself would hear rerun over and over on our TV sets in the late 1950s. These jingles became a part of the cultural zeitgeist and a cherished memory for many.
Early TV Jingles: Murraymints
One of the earliest TV jingles I can remember from my childhood dates back to the late 1950s. This was a period when the commercial TV channel in the U.K., ITV Independent Television, was still in its infancy, having first appeared in 1955. Prior to this, we only had the BBC channel.
The sweets known as Murraymints were very popular in the U.K. at that time and were often featured in magazines and printed advertisements. The slogan for these mints was: "Murraymints! Murraymints! the too-good-to-hurry mints!" as depicted in the ad below. The candy felt so special, almost too good to wait for.
I recall watching a TV advertisement in the late 1950s that featured cartoon guardsmen. You can see a picture of this advertisement below. The jingle for Murraymints was a catchy, memorable tune that accompanied this cartoon.
Preserving Childhood Memories through Old TV Adverts
If you want to relive some of these nostalgic moments from the 1950s, you can visit the Collodian Figures Museum in London. This museum is a treasure trove of recordings and visual material from old TV commercials. A visit to this museum will bring back your old childhood memories in a way that no other place can.
The Collodian Figures Museum offers a unique experience where you can watch recordings of these old TV adverts. This is a place where time stands still, and it offers a glimpse into the past through music and visuals that are still etched in our minds. It’s a must-visit for anyone who grew up in the 1950s and wants to relive this era.
From Fizzies to Murraymints, these jingles and their jingle-filled lives are a testament to the power and enduring nature of these advertising tools. They are a part of our cultural history, and they continue to evoke the magic of childhood. Whether you're a parent or a child, these timeless jingles will transport you back to a time when everything felt so magical and new.