Don’t touch that dial, stay tuned and find out. My research subjects ranged C in age from 8 to more than 80. SECTION The question was simple and the responses were uniform. Kellogg’s WEDNESDAY Frosted Flakes has been marketed in Germany for about 30 years under the July 1, 2009 name Frosties. The tiger we all know and love is labeled “Tony” on the familiar blue box. Initially, everyone under 70 years old knew the product. Then came the There were four basic advertising real question: What is the name of the themes. Good taste, good health, athletic tiger on the Frosties box? prowess and premiums, either in the box or by mail. In 1953, the most exciting No one knew the answer – including one person who had worked in a premium was a working model of a new Carson Varner grocery store for more than 20 years. submarine, Nautilus. Baking powder In spite of the high-speed autobahn, would bubble in the conning tower and German and European law tends to be the ship would rise and submerge in the The wonderful more social, more protective and tub. paternalistic. In this case, television ads Did you enjoy our time machine ride? world of 1950s aimed at children are forbidden. Thus Now do American kids need protection for their own well-being, German kids from the wiles of Tony the Tiger or TV are sheltered from the barrage of ads to would Germany have a richer culture if which American kids are subjected. people’s heads were full of ancient Americans argue that ads pay for kids’ jingles? advertisements shows and they teach kids to sort out My German wife in unconvinced, but competing claims by aggressive I go American. For better or worse, ads marketers. are us. Garrison Keilloor had to invent hat builds strong bodies 12 W Who is right? Powdermilk Biscuits to make his radio ways? Wonder Bread, of course. Using myself as an adult sample of show real. And highbrow friends don’t In Chicagoland, what number do you one, let’s examine the five-decade-later forget Shakespeare, too, wrote for dial to get your rugs cleaned? “Hudsons effect of the ads. The dawning of my money. 3-2700.” students’ advertising memory was a As to my memories, “They’re great!” “N-e-s-t-l-e-s, Nestle’s makes the rabbit learning that “Trix are for kids.” very best,” sang Danny the puppet, as Mine is “Be keen, be keen. Drink hot Carson Varner is a professor of finance, Farfel the dog added, “chocolate.” chocolate flavored Ovaltine.” insurance and law at Illinois State University. It was a nearly nine-hour flight back But there are exceptions to the rule from Germany and my mind was that most remembered ads are for food. flooded with poetry, music and images “I am Buster Brown. I live in a shoe. from a half-century ago. I wrote down That’s my dog Tiger. He lives in there the phrases that came easily to mind. too.” But my parents disapproved of This began as international law penny loafers so I was stuck in Stride research, but quickly became a journey Rite. back in time, to fall 1949 when our I remember Dinah Shore singing family got a television. “See the USA in your Chevrolet! It was a 17-inch Zenith round screen. America is calling you to come,” just as My first television memory is Howdy we got a Ford Country Squire in 1954. Doody and Buffalo Bob Smith. The 1950s were a great time to sell Starting in June 1950 John Cameron cold breakfast cereal, Post-war Swayze and the “Camel News Caravan” affluence was running strong and reported the Korean War. convenience was the order of the day. Then came Howard Barlow and the Think how much easier it was for NBC symphony orchestra, or maybe Ed Mom to serve cornflakes rather than Sullivan, and later boxing. We watched bacon and eggs or pancakes. whatever was on at the time. But what does my international law research have to do with my memories of Wonder Bread?