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And Now A Word From Our Sponsor: TV Ad Cavalcade
Phillip Dampier:
Dr. Pepper is one of those "other" soft drinks (birch beer, grape, RC, Mountain Dew, Squirt, etc.) that spent part of their commercial budget just explaining what the heck the drink was. I think Mountain Dew may have had it the hardest if you were outside of West Virginia - the epicenter of Mountain Dew. Dr. Pepper is most popular in the state of Texas (by far). It was so popular with President Johnson, he had a soda fountain installed in the White House that served nothing else.
When you boil it all down (to play off the first ad in the series), Dr. Pepper is basically a spiced up cherry cola. It's "zing and zow" comes from the stronger syrup used and extra carbonation, not caffeine (which is still there, but not any higher than Coke or Pepsi).
Dr. Pepper narrowcast its ads mostly to teenagers, perhaps even more so than Coca Cola. They aimed for the same demographic Pepsi does.
First, back to the "Now Crowd" with some ad spots from the 1960s. Were your kids dressed in a suit and tie to drink soda?
And as usual with ads from the 1960s, only white people drank Dr. Pepper.... If it isn't sexism that drives me bonkers, it's the fact ads stayed lily white in this country until the 1970s.
In the Style of Ray Conniff....
Classic 1960s Dr. Pepper Ad Campaign
Uploaded by dampier
Phillip Dampier:
More overdressed teens... more wood panelling... more water sports....
1960s Dr. Pepper Commercial
Uploaded by dampier
Phillip Dampier:
While the Watergate burglars were getting caught, the rest of America was listening to their mouth with this song and dance routine. It's the first soda act that brings integration to the soda wars. They are still trying to explain what the heck Dr. Pepper is as we hit 1972....
Dr. Pepper - Listen to Your Mouth!
Uploaded by dampier
Phillip Dampier:
...and anyone else in Texas. Did you know that most theater in northern Texas serve Dr. Pepper? Here's the concessions trailer they showed in most Texas theaters in the 1970s to promote Dr. Pepper, although I don't know how many misty mountains are in Texas.
1970s Dr Pepper theatrical commercial - Texas division
Uploaded by dampier
Phillip Dampier:
It's the mid-1970s and they're still trying to convince people to try a soft drink that some people think is black pepper soda. By the way, 23 flavors? Really?
1970s Dr. Pepper (Burt Young)
Uploaded by dampier
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