SirPsycho Editorials/Opinion, Holiday Specials aretha franklin, atari, billy mays, colecovision, intellivision, Nintendo, retro commercials, target, Video Games, why did i play this

The 80’s were a much simpler time for video gaming, especially the earlier you go. The same can be said for the advertisements for said video games and their consoles. Since we’re getting so close the holiday that most exemplifies consumerism and capitalism, let’s take a look at what some video game manufacturers and/or retailers aired during commercial breaks and give them a quick analysis.

Atari

These early commercials were just as cliched as other commercials at the time, and as simple as the games they were advertising, maybe a sign of American advertisers and their constant safe bet of mass market appeal.



Oh man, I’m so sorry. I fell asleep watching this because of BOREDOM.



These Atari commercials would be so much more entertaining with Billy Mays. “HI BILLY MAYS HERE AND YOU SHOULD BUY ATARI 2600 VIDEO GAMES! CHECK OUT STAR RAIDERS, SWORDQUEST, MS. PAC-MAN AND OTHERS AT PAY N’SAVE TO GET CRAZY CHRISTMAS DEALS! IF YOU GO SHOPPING TODAY YOU’LL RECEIVE A BOTTLE OF ORANGE GLO FOR FREE!

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!”



We agreed to never speak of this incident again! No seriously I am contractually obligated to never mention ET for the Atari 2600 ever. Screw the contract, this is the most hellish, torturing commercial for any Atari fan that could possibly exist. They should have buried the commercials in the desert with the games! That said its still a boring as hell advert.

Colecovision



Come buy a Colecovision and a bunch of random games from Hills for your lovely Christmas. Also buy Atari and Intellivision games because we love to namedrop and we need to LIQUIDATE EVERYTHING FOR THE HOLIDAYS WHOOOO!

Nintendo

When Nintendo was on the scene the Wild West days of the 70’s and early 80’s was over. There was a new sheriff in town and they weren’t going to let anybody rustle their cattle.



Hi, I’m Target and I paid Aretha Franklin a lot of money to sing a little jingle and appear in this Nintendo commercial. SHOP HERE PLEASE! That said this is much better than the early 80’s fare, Aretha Franklin and her amazing voice keeps my attention and really puts me in the Christmas spirit. I like this one a lot.



Oh man if I was a kid in the late 80’s, instead of being an infant when this commercial came out, I would have made my parents buy so much Pepsi. In fact I should have a new endorsement contract coming out since I ended the other one.

Stay tuned later this week to see what happened when the 90’s came into being.