in the 70s - Music From Commericals of the Seventies

Music From Commericals of the Seventies

This is a list of the popular 70s songs used in commercials during the 70s along with a description of the commercial and what people thought of it.

We also have pages on this topic devoted to the 80s and 90s

ABC using Orleans's "Still The One"
Was used to promote the ABC schedule (circa 1977).
AT&T 00 Info using Pilot's "Magic"
Applebee's using Seduction's "It Takes Two"
Used to promote "Take any two you want".
Buick using Edgar Winter Group's "Frankenstein"
A Buick SUV (what's Buick doing with SYVs) drives out of the castle...and it's Tiger Woods driving it!
Burger King using Van McCoy's "The Hustle"
Used to plug their new chicken sandwiches.
Cadillac using Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll"
The caddy comercials always use Led Zeppelin. When the camera pans inside the car it's quiet, peaceful, when camera pans outside of the car it's Led Zeppelin.
Capital One using Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie"
Chevrolet using Spinners's "I`ll be around"
chevy uses the low riders and the spinners to introduce the new chevy
Clarinex using The Who's ""Overture" Tommy"
Coca Cola using Hilltop Singers's "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"
This was a classic in the early 70's. Coke changed the title to "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke"
Coke using Dottie West 's "Country Sunshine"
Coke Commercial with a car coming down a country road.
Compaq Presario using Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle"
The use of "Cat's in the Cradle" is very clever in this 2003 commercial. Normally, this song gives me goosebumps and makes me teary-eyed. But using it in this ad, it makes me laugh. A mother takes a picture of her little boy, and then plugs the camera into the computer to upload the picture. However, the picture takes eons to upload, and when her son comes into the kitchen, he asks good old mom for her car keys. But, by the time the picture is FINALLY uploaded, the son, now 40 years old, asks mom if there's anything to eat. Yikes!
DiGiorno Pizza using Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff"
A guy jumps to an incredibly lame version of Hot Stuff. It was probably recorded with a $3.98 budget.
Diet Coke using Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby"
A cover version is used in this ad, which has been seen in the UK.
Diet Coke using LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade"
This has been aired in the UK.
Diet Coke using Brothers Johnson's "Strawberry Letter 23"
the girl is on a train and she opens the bottle and the rest is just the best memory hit you could imagine
Ford Vehicles using Queen's "We Will Rock You"
The Fox And The Hound Video using Queen's "You're My Best Friend"
This commercial has only been on the air a couple of times but I have noticed that they used Queen's song You're my best friend.
Gatorade using The Monks's "Monk Time"
An absurd 60's garage band's song is used in the current Is It In You? campaign.
Geico Direct Insurance using Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch"
A woman has a good old time with the Geico gecko.
General Motors using The Ides of March's "Vehicle"
GM's new cars for the 2002 year are shown. Curiously, it runs the second verse of Vehicle ("...I'll take you to Hollywood.")
General Motors using Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band"
HR BLOCK using BEATLES's "Taxman"
ORWELLIAN MEN IN SUOITS WITH BRIEFCASES OMINOUSLY STALKING THE STARK, DARK CITY PRIOR TO APRIL 15TH
Hanes Her Way using King Harvest's ""dancing In The Moonlight""
I believe this commercial aired around late 2001 or early 2002. Hanes Her Way wanted to change the usual look of their underware by making them look like something out of Victoria's Secret. The commercial had a woman jumping on a trampoline in the middle of the night doing back flips. I thought it was a very creative :-)
Heinz Ketchup using Carly Simon's "Anticipation"
As the ketchup slowly pours out of the bottle, you hear the song "Anticipation." To this day I refer to the song as the "Heinz Ketchup" song.
Honda Motorcycles using Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"
Hydro 1 using The Who's "I Can See For Miles"
Is NOTHING sacred anymore?
Hyundai cars using Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick"
Ian Anderson re-recorded the first bit of TaaB for the commerical. No vocals - just the catchy flute.
Kellogg's Special K Red Berries using Brothers Johnson's "Strawberry Letter #23"
Makes sense, doesn't it?
Kodak using The Sandpipers's "Come Saturday Morning"
Commerical featured a grandad and small grandson on a day out. The ad was for kodak film.
Levis Jeans using Bellamy Brothers's "Let Your Love Flow"
Great
Microsoft using Rolling Stones's "Start Me Up"
Mitsubishi using Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly"
Mountain Dew using Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"
The commercial spoofs the video for the song, and the song's lyrics have been changed to sing the praises of Mountain Dew. The four singers grab cans of Dew that have been flying through the air and no one can catch them except for the singers.
The NFL using Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle"
A father is teaching his son about football. Love that Joe Namath Fu Manchu (complete with Jets uniform) mustache!
Nestle Toll House Cookies using KC And The Sunshine Band's "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty""
Instead of "Shake Your Booty", it says "Bake Bake Bake...Bake Bake Bake...Toll House Cookies."
Nike using John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band's "Instant Karma"
Commerical starts with black woman track athlete running on a running track. As the the camera zooms on the woman's shoes we can see she is wearing Nike shoes with the "swoosh". Commerical ends with Nike trademark and the song chrous "And we all shine on . ."
Nike using Nick Drake's "Know"
Drake's repeating/hypnotic guitar riff used to sell athletic shoes.
Nissan Maxima using The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Lost respect for the Who after this commercial aired."
Nissan Pathfinder using Heart's "Barracuda"
The Pathfinder slides own like a slalom skier as Barracuda plays.
Nissan Pathfinder using The Who's "Baba O'Reilly"
Pathfinders playing polo...I wonder if the next Who song for Nissan will be "Goin' Mobile"
Nortel Networks using John Lennon's "Come Together"
I can't think of a better way to describe this horrible imitation except AWEFUL and it doesn't even sound a damned thing like him.
Novell Networks using David Bowie's "Changes"
Two goldfish who live in separate bowls try to kiss one another.
Office Depot using Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Takin' Care of Business"
Paine Webber Financial Services using O'Jays's "For The Love of Money"
People are aboard a train...in the middle The "Money - Money - Money - Money - Money ... MONEY!" is heard (the only part used in the ad).
Pantene Pro-V shampoo using Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing"
Can we get something more original?
Pepsi using Village People's "YMCA"
This was used during Super Bowl 1997. Instead of saying Y-M-C-A, the polar bears would go P-E-P-S-I
Pepsi One using Hues Corporation's "Rock the Boat"
It takes place on a boat rocking and rolling on the sea. There are a bunch of people sitting on a table with alternating cans of Coke and Pepsi One. As the boat rolls from side to side, the pop cans slide, and the people take a swig of what's in the can in front of them.
Pepsi-Cola using Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing"
A man ogles a bunch of bathing-suited women in an ad, and he joins them in what appears to be a hot tub. You Sexy Thing plays - and then stops - when the man is faced with the real world. Debuted at Super Bowl XXXV.
Petsmart using Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move"
Holy cow, when I was little Carole King's album Tapestry was a touchstone of an era. Now one of its songs is being used to sell pet care? Gross!
Phillips/Magnavox using Beatles?'s "Have To Admit It's Getting Better?"
I'm ashamed that I can't be positive about the artist/title but I'm pretty sure. Aired '99/00 in North America
Radio Shack using Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On"
Cover version all but ruined Marvin Gaye's masterpiece. I wonder how many people associate it now with Teri Hatcher than Gaye.
Sony Camcorders using Crosby Stills Nash and Young's "Carry On"
This is actually a GREAT commercial. Sony got a female vocalist (I think Alana Davis) to cover the song, and she did a wonderful job... the song goes on "that's when I knew you were really gone" while this millionaire old guy signs off a 20 million dollar (US) check for a trip into space on a Soyuz, they show him riding the train to Astrograd cosmodrome, then practicing in the Russians' neutral buoyancy pool - and as Alana goes into the crescendo "caaarrry onnn.. love is coming, love is coming to us all" and we see the guy in the space capsule, then he's in the Space Station taking pictures through a porthole window and the voice over goes "When they ask you where all the money went, show them the pictures." Wonderful commercial, I'm very glad I taped it when recording programs.
Taco Bell using Village People's "Macho Man"
Some guy munching nachos and the song's lyrics changed to "Nacho, Nacho Man"
UPS using Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good To Me"
Walsh appears in this one, singing a revamped (and lame) version of the song about Dale Jarrett. Runs during NASCAR races (as the Thorogood and Charlie Daniels versions).
UPS using Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
Daniels appears in this one, singing a revamped version of the song which mentions Dale Jarrett. Runs during NASCAR races.
Viagara using Queen's "We Are The Champions"
Visa Check Card using Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You"
At a Pittsburgh Steelers game, this song comes on over the intercom. The song is supposed to be "Who Let the Dogs Out?" by the Baha Men but the guy in charge of the music is trying to buy a copy of it with a check and the clerk is demanding to see some I. D. The clerk says, "I don't care whose stadium security you work for! I got to see some I. D.!"
Volkswagon Cabrio using Nick Drake's "Pink Moon"
A group of kids driving at night through the forest looking at the moon. They stop for a second and look at a party they were thinking about going to and then keep driving. Drake's beautiful song plays in the background. This song made Drake popular, something he had never been while he was alive.
Weiners using Oscar Mayer's "Oscar Mayer"
Need the wav or MP3 of the orginal song in 1963. Not the one that has B.O.L.O.G.N.A in it. The tune is " I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner. That is what I really want to be. Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner... Everyone would be in love with me". I have this song by the adult girls who sing it. Looking for the one that the little boy sings. Thanks!!
West Virginia Lottery using Village People's "YMCA"
When the West Virginia lottery added two more drawings of its "Cash 25" game to the week, they used a song set to the tune of "YMCA" sung by lottery balls to promote the added drawings.
Who Wants To Be a Millionaire using Chic's "Le Freak"
Highlights of contestants going ape when they won.
Yamaha motorcycles using The Spinners's "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"
A couple of motorcycle-riding guys are at a diner, and they - and several more people - look outside, and they see a Yamaha with a slogan above saying, "Fall in Love on $1 a Day."