Heinz Soups : Tomato (No 1)

1956
Sound
1m

This very early TV ad offers horticulture, a recipe and a cartoon, all wrapped up with a catchy jingle.

There are a number of clues that this ad comes from the very earliest days of commercial television. It packs a lot into 60 seconds, and almost seems to be three ads in one. The sponsor and their advertising agency Young & Rubicam are not quite sure of the right approach to their audience - or perhaps even who that audience is - so they throw in a bit of everything.

This three-part commercial, built around illustrating tomato varieties, a recipe and a cartoon, may have also been shown as separate shorter parts. Feel free to try cracking a couple of eggs into your soup to poach, but it does seem a bit like your lunch is staring at you...

Commercial Television

The launch of ITV on 22 September 1955 brought advertising to the small screen. Commercial television spread rapidly across the country, inviting the salesperson into every living room.

This collection shows how some advertisers struggled to find the right voice and formats for the new medium, while others hit the ground running. Look out for rare examples of the shortlived 'admags' - banned in 1962 for blurring the distinction between programmes and adverts.