TWA--THE 'WOUND A LITTLE TIGHT' ADS

In the years prior to the delightfully comedic Peter Sellers TWA ads of the mid 1970s that I posted yesterday (scroll down, Coprenicus), TWA had a different vision of how to present itself to the public. Above is a one-minute 'informercial' ad from 1961 featuring Miss Mary Ann Lynch in a 'day in the life of a stewardess' number. It turns out that the ad is as much for the airline as for Coca-Cola, as Miss Lynch is shown to be brazenly addicted to the soft drink. The narrator sounds like Joe Friday (could it be Jack Webb?) and the grimness of the endeavor is the exact opposite in tone than the Sellers ads.

But things can always get worse and below I've posted proof of that maxim. Here is a flat-out sinister ad from 1971 that could have only sent shudders through prospective TWA flyers. Clearly the ad agency responsible was canned at some point and a new and much hipper group came in with the idea of hiring Sellers. And a good thing too. Even though he was certifiably insane, he served as a much needed warmer/cozier/friendlier antidote to these bizarre-o ads.




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