Television Commercials that can be viewed on line are highlighted in red The records of television commercials produced in this period are incomplete so information about many of the commercials is sometimes sparse. If anyone viewing this list has more information about COI Television Commercials please make contact through our email address that can be found through the Navigation Bar so that the information can be added to the records.
The nature of paid time television commercials produced as part of a campaign was that there were often a number of commercials produced of varying lengths. Therefore this account is of campaigns for which commercials were produced together with such information as there is about individual commercials 1980
Save It Campaign
Save It - Heating The Garden the commercial encourages the public to install cavity wall insulation in their homes to reduce energy consumption and save money. A postman delivers a letter to a house without wall insulation that has a 'fireplace' burning at the side of the house. Save It - Loft Insulation a commercial that featuredDIY expert Barry Bucknall demonstrating how to insulate a loft area..
Save It - Cavity Walls a commercial explaining what needed to be done to insulate a cavity wall. Save It - Heating the Sky
were additional commercials produced as part of the extensive campaign
Fire Prevention Campaign Residential Homesa commercial thatcovered many facets of fire prevention in a variety of locations from modern 'purpose built' child assessment centres to the older, 'adapted' residential homes. Intended for social services and care staff.Production by Consort Films directed by BC Charlton Tea Ladya commercial that was part of the same campaign. No further information 1981
Save it Campaign - Hurdles to Fuel Saving This campaign was another approach to the earlier energy saving campaigns. The approach focused on savings to be found on fuel costs. Hurdles Loft Insulation part of campaign to encourage the public to save energy and reduce the cost of their winter fuel bills. Three men take part in a race, based in a television studio, the aim of which is to obtain loft insulation for their home. Two of the men fail to clear the first and second hurdles and only the third man makes it to the finish to win first prize which is savings on his fuel bills. Closes with the tag line: "Insulate now. The sooner you'll start, the sooner you'll save." Production and direction by Sergeant Ibbetson Hurdles Cavity Wall insulation three men take part in a race with three hurdles in the way, the aim of which is to obtain cavity wall insulation. Two of the men are distracted by the first two hurdles, but the third man overcomes the third and wins first prize: savings on his fuel bills. Closes with tag line: " If you're worried about your fuel bill, insulate now. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll save." Production and direction by Sergeant Ibbetson
Hurdles No 5 Central Heating under a sign of flashing light bulbs stating "winter fuel challenge" 3 women are crouched in a race starting position. They have to race around a track with three hurdles on the way to achieving smaller heating bills. Production and direction by Sergeant Ibbetson NFA ID 668350 Winter Fuel Bills three women take part in a race to achieve small central heating bills, but two of the women are distracted by the first two hurdles. The third woman clears the last hurdle, made up of a giant fuel bill, and wins first prize: savings on her fuel bill. Closes with the tag line: If you're worried about the size of your heating bill, use your heating controls. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll save. Production and direction by Sergeant Ibbetson
1982 Road Safety - Seat Belts Campaign
Seat Belts- Nightmarean additional commercial for this campaign
1983 No record of any commercials in this year which is highly unlikely.
1984
Crime Prevention Campaign
Anti theft - House -Magpies a flock of Magpies invade a house to steal all manner of objects. NFA ID N-5116534
Anti theft - Magpies –Cara commercial showing a flock of Magpies attacking a car. NFA ID 537093
Anti theft - Magpies – locksno further information NFA ID 5116535 Anti theft -Magpie : Neighbourhood Crimewatch no further information
All these commercials were in support of a major anti crime campaign on the part of the Home Office. The message wasto keep the magpies- the thieves - out.
Child Health Safety Campaign
Child Accidents– a commercial drawing attention to the dangers that unsecured medication tablets pose for children.
Drink and Drive Campaign Drink & Drive - Victims no further information
Right To Buy Campaign
Right To Buy was about the controversial new scheme under which tenants could purchase Council House homes at reduced prices.
1985 Aids Campaign Although the first cases of Aids appeared in 1981 the first television commercials in support of a major public awareness campaign by the Department of Health appeared in this year.
Aids- Monolith (click here to view from the BFI)this television commercial featured the famous crashing tomb stone(which was also adapted for cinema) aimed at raising public awareness of the AIDS epidemic Aids – Iceberg (click here to view from the BFI)featured a field of ice and icebergs These were the first of many television commercials produced as part of the campaign to draw attention to the spread of the pandemic. Anti Smoking Campaign
Natural Born Smoker (click here to view from National Archives) portrayed the strange futuristic features of a smoker whose face and skin have evolved because of continual smoking. He now has anatomical features useful for smoking and a resistance to diseases caused by smoking but warns that these evolutionary features have not yet happened. A commercial produced as part of long running campaign to reduce smoking.
Anti Drugs Campaign
Drug Misuse - Dummy no further information
Blood Donor Campaign
Blood From a Stone (click here to view) an appeal for blood donors featuring Rowan Atkinson talking to a stone. Produced by Richard Smith
The period between June 1986 and August 1988 saw the production of 83 television commercials. The existence of this large number of commercials, considerably more than any previous year, only came to light by the discovery of a note by JNR Barran in Film Division of September 1988 to John Hall listing these commercials. What the discovery of this note suggests is that many more commercials had been made in the years stretching back to 1960 than available records show.If anyone has knowledge of these or any othe commercials please let us know through our email address that can be found through the Navigation Bar.
1986 Action for Jobs Campaign
Action for Jobs –Doorsproduced for the Department of Employment no further information
Drugs Misuse Campaign
Drug Misuse -Try it no further information Drug Misuse- Invitationno further information
Both these commercials were produced for the Home Office
Employment “Restart” Campaign
Restart- Enterprise Allowanceno further information Restart- Job Clubno further information
Energy Efficiency Year Campaign - Monergy 1986
Monergy Select Committee Campaignand thethe Department of Energy's “Get More for Your Monergy” campaign. The aim of the campaigns that took place during Energy Efficiency Year, was to raise public and industry awareness of the economic benefits of saving energy. The campaign included television advertising the “Monergy 1986”road-shows, school competitions and educational out-reach schemes; seminars for teachers; publications and exhibitions. The following television commercials were produced
Monergy Cavity Wall Insulation no further information
Monergy Central Heatingno further information
Monergy Draught Strippingno further information
Youth Training Scheme(YTS) Campaign
Youth Training Scheme -Engine:no further information
Youth Training Scheme-Windowno further information
Both these commercials were produced for the Department of Employment
Action for Jobs Campaign Action for Jobs - Opening Doors no further information
Action for Jobs - Programmesno further information Action for Jobs - staircase boyno further information
Action for Jobs- staircase girlno further information
Action for Jobs - Jugglerno further information
Action for Jobs - Deckchairno further information
These six commercialswere produced for the Department of Employment
Action for Jobs Restart Campaign
Restart - Cameo (click here to view) directed by Film Division staff director Janice Kay Restart - Hangar (click here to view)this 90 second commercial was remarkable both for its length and for the scale of its production. It attempted to demonstrate the range of work opportunities available under the scheme. The commercial was shot in a huge disused building on a site once part of a gasworks in Greenwich, later to become the site for the Millenium Dome. Produced by Film Division staff producer Janice Kay.
Drink Drive - Victim produced for the Department of Transport no further information 1987 Job Training Scheme - Campaign
Job Training Scheme - Joking no further information
Job Training Scheme - Just the Same no further information
Job Training Scheme - Employerno further information Job Training Scheme - The Gapno further information Job Training Scheme - Participantno further information Job Training Scheme - Streetno further information
Job Training Scheme- Appearance no further information
These eight commercials were produced for the Department of Employment
Department of Trade and Industry Single Market Campaign DTI – Design DTI- Marketing. DTI Research DTI Single Market Bruce Oldfield DTI Single Market Sir J Egan DTI Single Market Alan Sugar DTI Single Market Sir John Jones DTI Single Market Sophie Mirman DTI Single Market Richard Rogers
These nine commercials were produced for a campaign run by the Department of Trade and Industry in support of "Britain in the European Single Market" campaign. There is no further information about the individual commercials.
Employment Training Scheme Campaign
First Wage (......) no further information Interviewno further information
Both these commercials producedfor the Department of Employment
Crime Prevention Campaign
Car Crime Prevention - Aliens (click here to view) a commercial showing a group of "aliens" attacking a car
1988 Department of Trade and Industry Single Market Campaign Single Market Richard Bransonno further information Department of Health Aids Campaign Aids- Staytelevision and cinema commercial designed to raise public awareness of the danger of contracting AIDS. Following dinner at her home, a young woman invites her male guest to stay for the night
Aids- My Place television commercial warning of the dangers of contracting HIV-Aids
Aids- Condom Factory commercialpromoting the use of condoms to prevent contraction of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Inside a condom factory, where a Mrs Dawson works. Caption reads 'Keep Mrs Dawson busy - use a condom'. Aids - Wax Doll a teenage girl is pressured by her friends into taking heroin at a party. Describes the effects of heroin addiction and the possibility of contracting HIV/AIDS from shared needles. Tagline: 'smack isn't worth it'. Aids Anti Injecting Campaign Alan television commercial (which was also adapted for cinema) aimed at raising public awareness of the AIDS epidemic
Home Office Crime Prevention Campaign
Dreama commercial during whichchildren express the hope that when they grow up the world will be a safer place and there will be fewer crimes.
Department of Employment Youth Training Scheme Campaign
YTS Family Testimonial - J Beveridge no further information
YTS Family Testimonial – Lundyno further information YTS Family Testimonial - Matt Buelsno further information YTS Piccadilly Screenno further information YTS Cinemano further information
Better off at Work (click here to view) Road Safety Drink and Drive Campaign Drink and Drive - Children's Storyno further information
Drink and Drive - Fireman's storyno further information
Drink Drive - Mother's Storyno further information 1989
Department of Work and Pensions
Family Credit (click here to view) commercial explaining the Family Credit scheme Department of the Environment Privatisation of the Water Industry Campaign
Television commercials for the privatisation of an industry were a new departure for Film Division. The commercials were essentially sales brochures to purchase shares in an industry. As such they led to commercials that were sometimes flights of fancy on the part of the advertising agencies.
Handel (click here to view) this commercial was one such. It was an elaborate recreation of the composer Handel’s living space. It imagines him creating his “Water Music” compositions. Hop to It (click here to view)was an equally elaborate creation of scenes with Toad of Toad Hall from “Wind in the Willows”. Toad is encouraged to “hop off” and buy shares in the water industry.
The COI Annual Report for 1989 noted thatthe production of television commercials for the water privatisation campaign was one of the major tasks of the year. Film Division staff expertise and buying power enabled the Department of the Environment to save £300,000 on television production costs alone.
This is an incomplete list of the Television Commercials produced between 1980 and 1989.The lack of descriptions for many of the commercials is due to incomplete records by COI.If any viewers have further information about any commercials not included in this list please write in through "Contact Us".