A Memorable TV Ad from the 70s

Bournemouth, England
April 14, 2019 1:51am CST
I sometimes think about an advert that appeared on TV and billboards here in the UK when I was about eleven (1971). It showed a small boy reaching up to a table to put butter on a loaf of bread while his parents looked proudly on. As I remember it, the ad wasn't placed by a bakery firm but by some bread marketing organisation. And then came the slogan: "Six slices a day is the well-balanced way". Now let's just look at that, shall we? First of all, 'well-balanced' in what way? In attitudes? By not falling over? Presumably they were referring to food intake. But not all bread is the same. You wouldn't have easily found seeded or sourdough loaves here back then but did they mean white or wholemeal? And what size: large or small, thick, medium or thin-sliced, crusts left on or cut off? Where did that figure of six slices come from? Why not five or seven? And if that small boy had three siblings, could that family of six really eat 252 slices of bread between them, week in, week out, to maintain their balance? If one of them missed a day, could they actually manage to scoff a dozen bits the day after that to make up the total? Anyone wanting to run such an campaign in 2019 might well have to provide some scientific data to back up their claims. The resulting ad would be beautifully-filmed, feature a 'perfect'-looking family - and no-one would remember it in five months' time, let alone nearly fifty years later. Are there any ads from years ago that you still look back on fondly? (I've got go. For some reason I suddenly fancy a sandwich).
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1 response
• Preston, England
14 Apr 19
that is funny. I can imagine even a nuclear family going through about ten sliced bread loaves a week. My curent doctor's order's diet says I can have 2 slices a day
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• Bournemouth, England
14 Apr 19
I know you wrote about how carbs were previously such a major part of your diet. Mine too, so I feel for you. It must take a lot of deliberation to decide what to put on that stingy 2-slice ration.
• Preston, England
14 Apr 19
@asfarasiknow sometimes I don't have them at all. Most often use them with soups
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