Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly - S10E05 - It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superheroes in Advertising!

Episode Date: February 4, 2021

This week, we explore superheroes in advertising. Superman was the archetype of the modern superhero and he was the archetype for how superheroes were used in ads. From Supe promoting Kellogg’s commercials in the 1950s to Batman hawking savings bonds to Batgirl advocating equal pay for equal work, stoic superheroes became the ultimate spokes-characters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi, it's Terry O'Reilly. As you may know, we've been producing a lot of bonus episodes while under the influences on hiatus. They're called the Beatleology Interviews, where I talk to people who knew the Beatles, work with them, love them, and the authors who write about them. Well, the Beatleology Interviews have become a hit, so we are spinning it out to be a standalone podcast series. You've already heard conversations with people like actors Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, and Beatles confidant Astrid Kershaw. But coming up, I talk to May Pang, who dated John Lennon in the mid-70s. I talk to double fantasy guitarist Earl Slick, Apple Records creative director John Kosh. I'll be talking to Jan Hayworth,

who designed the Sgt. Pepper album cover. Very cool. And I'll talk to singer Dion, who is one of only five people still alive who were on the Sgt. Pepper cover. And two of those people were Beatles. The stories they tell are amazing. So thank you for making this series such a success. And please do me a favor, follow the Beatleology interviews on your podcast app. You don't even have to be a huge Beatles fan. You just have to love storytelling. Subscribe now and don't miss a single beat. new year new me season is here and honestly we're already over it enter felix the health care company helping canadians take a different approach to weight loss this year weight loss is more than just diet and exercise it can be about tackling genetics hormones metabolism felix

gets it they connect you with licensed healthcare practitioners online who'll create a personalized treatment plan that pairs your healthy lifestyle with a little help and a little extra support. Start your visit today at felix.ca. That's F-E-L-I-X.ca. Whether you're in your running era, Pilates era, or yoga era, dive into Peloton workouts that work with you. From meditating at your kid's game to mastering a strength program, they've got everything you need to keep knocking down your goals. No pressure to be who you're not. Just workouts and classes to strengthen who you are.

So no matter your era, make it your best with Peloton. Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at with Peloton. Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at onepeloton.ca. This is an apostrophe podcast production. We'll be right back. You're in good hands with us. You're under the influence with Terry O'Reilly. As I've mentioned on this show before, insulation played a big part in my advertising career. In the mid-80s, I wrote a series of very successful TV commercials for fiberglass pink home insulation. They became quite popular and won several awards.

More than 2 million Canadians have insulated their homes with fiberglass pink home insulation. Here's what one particular couple did with the money they saved. We saved enough for a down payment on what we think is one heck of a lovely summer place. You may remember them. That campaign put me on the map in the ad business. It's my favorite insulation story. But it's not as good as this insulation story. Back in 1938, American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster

created Superman. They introduced their superhero in Action Comics issue number one. Superman became incredibly popular, then moved to radio, then television, and eventually motion pictures. But that first comic book, Action Comics number one, has been called the most important comic book in the history of comic books because Superman was the archetype for all other superheroes to

come. That first issue is extremely rare and prized by collectors, a pristine copy recently sold for $3.2 million. This is where insulation comes in. David Gonzalez was a home contractor in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, population 1,200. For years, he would tear down old walls and put up new ones for his customers. He had a fun habit while renovating homes. He would leave a quarter between the walls, hoping that sometime in the future, someone would

find the tiny treasure with the date on it. In 2013, he purchased his first home for $10,000, and it was in dire need of restoration. As he was tearing down the walls, he noticed the old house was insulated with newspapers, which was common practice back in the 1930s when the house was first built. As he removed the newspapers from between the walls, he noticed what looked like a comic book stuck

between the pages of the newspapers. When he pulled it out and looked at it, he saw he was holding a copy of Superman Action Comics No. 1, dated 1938. So Gonzales went home and looked it up on the Internet.

That's when he realized Action Comics No. 1 was valuable. His Superman comic was not pristine, as it had stood between the walls for 75 years. The cover had a rip, the pages were yellow from age. Gonzales eventually put it up for auction, where it was sold for $175,000. Someone had either tucked that comic book between the newspaper pages as insulation, or, like David Gonzales, they had left it there hoping someone in the future would find the tiny treasure with the date on it. That tiny treasure was worth 16 times the cost

of David Gonzalez's house. Superheroes can be found tucked in between the pages of advertising history, too. Since at least the 1950s, superheroes Superman and Batman have not only thrilled kids, but have thrilled advertisers as well. The Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel were the first superheroes to sell everything from cereals and peanut butter to credit cards, U.S. savings bonds, and even underwear. Superheroes are the ultimate pitchmen, heroic and timeless, with legions of fans. The sales results can come as fast as a speeding bullet and be as powerful as a locomotive. You're under the influence. The great thing about animated superheroes is that they never ask for more money, they never get into trouble in their personal lives,

and they never balk at being in commercials. Like The Flash. Being a superhero, I'm always on the run, and I can't afford to slow down for anything, not even gastrointestinal distress. So when I need fast, fast, fast relief from the cramping, burning, itching... Oh, I can't say this! What's the problem? Cramping, burning, itching?

What pinhead wrote this garbage? Okay, scratch the flash. But Madison Avenue has a lengthy history of recruiting superheroes to sell a variety of products long before movie tie-ins. It all started where it all started, with the first major superhero.

Look, up in the sky, it's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! When Superman first appeared in 1938, the comic was an instant hit, especially to a public coming out of the Depression years. Superman signified hope and confidence, and he fought for the little guy. It wasn't long before the Man of Steel made the jump to radio.

Boys and girls, your attention please. Presenting a new exciting radio program featuring the thrilling adventures of an amazing and incredible personality. Faster than an airplane, more powerful than a locomotive, impervious to bullets. Up in the sky, look, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman! Then in the early 50s, Soup made the leap to television in a single bound. The Adventures of Superman. Superman was portrayed by actor George Reeves. Girlfriend Lois Lane was first played by Phyllis Coates in the first season,

then by Noelle Neal for the next five. Kellogg sponsored Superman on radio, then followed the superhero to television. Kellogg, the greatest name in cereals, presents The Adventures of Superman. The Superman series was watched by spellbound kids, so it only made sense for Kellogg's to advertise its breakfast cereals

to its most important audience. This is the classic push-pull advertising strategy. Push the advertising to kids to create demand, then pull the parents into supermarkets to buy Kellogg's. The cereal company advertised many of its brands, with Clark Kent providing the pitch. Folks, don't wait. Get Kellogg's new sugar smacks. They're better than ever. Puffs of wheat, sugar toasted, and candy sweet.

The commercials often included other characters from the show, like Clark Kent's Daily Planet boss, Perry White. Perry White of the Daily Planet is just sitting down to breakfast. Mr. White is one of those remarkable men who is in complete control of himself in any crisis. Calm, cool-headed, easygoing, even-tempered. Where are those Kellogg's Corn Flakes? Other commercials featured Clark Kent's buddy, Jimmy Olsen. Hey, Mr. Kent, you're out of Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Look at the cover. There's a spare package. You mean there was a spare package? Well, how about running down the store and picking up another one? Jeepers, we've got to get to the office. There's no time.

Who do you think I am? Superman? No. No, I don't think that. Two interesting things to notice. First, in almost all of the Kellogg commercials, Superman is referenced but is rarely seen. Instead, the serial pitch is always made by his alter ego, Clark Kent. Second thing to note, Lois Lane is never in the Kellogg's commercials. the serial pitch is always made by his alter ego, Clark Kent. Second thing to note,

Lois Lane is never in the Kellogg's commercials. All the male actors were earning extra money from the commercials, so actress Noelle Neal complained. Then she was told why she could never be in a Kellogg's commercial with Superman. If kids saw Lois Lane having breakfast with Superman, it would suggest they had just spent the night together. And we couldn't have that

in 1953. Superman would pitch many products over the years. Many not good for the Superman waistline, like Hostess Twinkies, Superman Ice Cream, and Superman Hot Cocoa. Dear kids, my new Superman Hot Cocoa mix is the super-tasting way to warm up. Mmm, it's really sweet.

And chocolatey. And see, Captain Cold can't take this warm reception. New Superman Hot Cocoa, the super-tasting way to warm up. Sometimes Superman didn't even appear in the commercials. The product just needed the coveted S insignia on the label. New Superman Peanut Butter, now landing at your favorite grocery store. At last, a peanut butter you can look up to.

Superman, the archetype for superheroes, would become the archetype for superhero advertising and would go on to pitch insurance companies, automobiles, Gillette Razors, American Express, and much more. When Larry Weiss was a kid in the 1940s, he loved comic books. His uncle was a pharmacist in Massachusetts and sold comic books in his drugstore. Young Larry would order a hot fudge sundae at the counter and devour all the comics.

There was just one rule. He wasn't allowed to get any ice cream on the comics because they had to go back on the rack to be sold. His mother would always scold him for all the time he spent reading comic books, warning him he would never amount to anything if he kept it up. When Weiss grew up, he became the product group manager at Post Cereal, where he licensed the Flintstone characters to create Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles cereals. Later, he started his own business creating products for kids.

One day, a colleague asked him if he had any ideas for kids' t-shirts, because they wanted to make a pitch to Hanes Underwear. So Weiss went home that night and started to noodle ideas on a piece of paper. Then the idea hit him. He sketched out t-shirt and underwear with superhero designs on them. Blue t-shirts with the

Superman S on them and red bottoms. Gray t-shirts with the bat insignia and blue underwear, and Wonder Woman tops and bottoms for girls. It made perfect sense. After all, Superman and Batman wear their underwear outside their pants. As he was sketching Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman underwear, he threw around some potential names.

He considered calling them comic strips, but wasn't sure about the double entendre. His nine-year-old son was playing nearby, so he showed him the sketch and said, Billy, what are these? His son looked and said, They're underoos, Dad. Weiss said it was as if his son had been to the future

and brought back the name. He said, You are absolutely right, Billy. They are underoos. And that's how underoos got its name. Weiss pitched underoos to Hanes Underwear,

but they turned it down. He pitched it to another undergarment company, but they had no interest either. So Weiss pitched it to Fruit of the Loom. They loved it. Weiss negotiated with DC Comics and Marvel to license their superheroes, and underwear that was fun to wear hit the shelves. Wearing underoos is fun.

And you can choose from more than one. There's all-fresh blingstone and Shazam! Superman! Spider-Man! And Dark War Man! Underoos are fun to wear! Yeah, something super new in underwear! That was 1977.

Underoos are still sold around the world today. And they not only come in kid sizes, but adult sizes too. Still wearing your Superman underpants? As if I've... Yes, I am. You're listening to Season 10 of Under the Influence. If you're enjoying this episode, you might also like Comic Book Advertising, Season 7, Episode 7.

You'll find it in our archives wherever you download your pods. Meanwhile in Gotham City, it's the Caped Crusader Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. Batman first appeared one year after Superman in Detective Comics issue number 27 in May of 1939. He was one of the few superheroes without superhuman powers, but instead relied on his wits and his amazing gadgetry. A remote control bat computer oscillator. I want you to take this bat-homing transmitter.

This time we took our counter-hypnosis bat pellets from our bat capsule dispensary. Batman's popularity exploded when the television series debuted in 1966. It was a campy take on Batman, but it worked. It didn't take long before the Batman cast was hired to sell products, like lava soap. What a mess. And look at your grimy hands. Well, I just fingerprinted the mob. Holy tad. His hands need the grime fighter, boy wonder. Pass the lava, please, Cape Crusader.

Of course. Lava's pumice muscles out, dirt and grease. Lava fights dirty hands most effectively president lyndon johnson even borrowed batman to promote u.s savings bonds to help fund the war in vietnam hello boys and girls i have a special message for you from the president of the united states let me read it to you i salute the boys and girls who are buying United States savings stamps and bonds through the Treasury School Savings Program. They're learning the lessons of practical citizenship and of wise money management. And they're giving important support to the cause of freedom and the men who fight for us in Vietnam.

That message is on this wallet-sized U.S. Savings Bonds pledge card, which you'll get in school as soon as you begin to buy U.S. Savings stamps. That man was also a perfect spokesperson for public service announcements. He even crossed the ocean to do a PSA for road crossing safety. I admire the way all you British children triumph over this danger by learning and using the road safety code, like curb drill. Before crossing the road, you stop at the curb, look right, look left, look right again,

and then only, if the road is clear, walk quickly across. In Canada, Batman and Robin went retail. In 1989, Zellers was looking for an advertising idea to promote their Toyland department. The idea had to fit with their existing slogan, where the lowest price is the law. My friend Johnny Chambers was the producer on the campaign. He told me they were searching for an idea that would appeal to both parents and kids. Again, the classic push-pull strategy.

Then someone at Zeller's advertising agency suggested Batman. After all, Batman was all about upholding the law, and he fought villains, which could be personified as rival stores with high prices. But shooting live-action commercials would be difficult. Then someone suggested animating the ads. Padulo, the ad agency, had heard that DC Comics was very protective when it came to licensing its characters.

So in order to convince the company to license Batman and Robin to a Canadian retail store that DC had probably never heard of, Padulo put together a very thoughtful pitch. They wanted DC to know that Zellers would protect the integrity of the characters. Part of that promise would come with the classic, hand-painted animation style the agency proposed. Johnny Chambers wanted Greg Duffel to do that animation. He was a Toronto-based animator and an animation aficionado

who would go on to work for Chuck Jones of Bugs Bunny Warner Bros. cartoon fame not long after. DC Comics already knew and liked Greg's work. A deal was struck. Attention, attention, lady thinks high toy prices fishy. Holy sardine, Batman. Let's not sit on our perch, Robin. And Toby's so, penguins.

Listen, man, only at Zellers are you protected by... The law of Toyland. Nobody beats Zellers prices on toys. Nobody. Well said, Robin. You're protected at Zellers because the lowest price is the law. It was a mix of the TV Batman and comic book Batman come to life. When I talked to Greg Duffel, he told me he was not only the animator,

but also the voice of Robin. The campaign ran for two years. Zellers was thrilled with the results. DC Comics and Warner Brothers were so happy they hired Duffel to produce Batman the Animated Series, and Batman himself kept the residents of Zeller's Toyland safe from criminally high prices. Along with Batman and Robin, DC Comics had also created Batgirl. First introduced in 1961, the character came and went throughout the years, but was added to bump up the ratings for the third season of the television show.

Actress Yvonne Craig was hired to portray Batgirl. In a very unusual commercial from 1973, Batgirl was recruited to address the issue of equal pay for equal work. Women's rights were becoming a hot issue in the 70s. As this commercial begins, Batman and Robin are tied up and a bomb is ticking. Batgirl comes to the rescue, but she has something to say first. A ticking bomb means trouble for Batman and Robin. Holy breaking and entering! It's Batgirl!

Quick, Batgirl, untie us before it's too late. It's already too late. I've worked for you a long time and I'm paid less than Robin. Same job, same employer means equal pay for men and women. No time for jokes, Batgirl. It's no joke. It's the federal equal pay law. Holy act of Congress! If you're not getting equal pay, contact the Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor.

By the way, Batman wasn't portrayed by Adam West in that commercial. West was tired of being typecast and was staying far away from anything Batman in 1973. So actor Dick Gauthier was hired and did a superb Adam West impersonation. West was okay with an impersonation in a PSA, but for a paying gig,oton's got you covered. Summer runs or playoff season meditations, whatever your vibe, Peloton has thousands of classes built to push you. We know how life goes.

New father, new routines, new locations. What matters is that you have something there to adapt with you, whether you need a challenge or rest. And Peloton has everything you need, whenever you need it. Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at onepeloton.ca. Back in 1986, U.S. retail store Zare did a Christmas commercial using Batman and Robin. The ad begins with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson

flipping open a Shakespeare bust to activate the Bat-Poles. They slide down, miraculously change into their crime-fighting uniforms on the way, then jump into the Batmobile and head off to Zare to do a little Christmas shopping. One, two, three. Where to, Batman? We're off to Zare, old chum. At three in the morning, Batman? Christmas waits for no one, Robin.

Holy mistletoe! We've been so busy fighting crime, I almost forgot. Fortunately, old friend, Zare is open 24 hours until Christmas for the convenience of all good citizens. 24 hours? Holy rock around the clock! Well put, boy wonder. When they exit the store with gifts, Robin notices Batman has purchased an umbrella.

For that pesky prankster, the penguin? Remember the Christmas spirit, Robin. Right, Batman. The Batman and Robin characters were not portrayed by Adam West or Burt Ward, but by other actors. So Adam West sued. He said not only did he lose out on the $175,000 he would have charged to appear in the Zare commercial, his reputation as an actor had been damaged. West sought $900,000 in damages, claiming the actor who played Batman in the commercial

had copied his speech pattern and his physical gestures. Furthermore, the store and its advertising agency had deliberately tried to make viewers believe it was him in the commercial. Adam West brought this case to court because of a certain legal precedent we've mentioned before. Three years earlier, Bette Midler had been approached to license one of her hit songs to a Ford ad, but she declined because she doesn't do commercials. So Ford hired one of her backup

singers to impersonate Midler. Now there's a car that just asks to be driven. Mercury is bringing a sophisticated new shape to the American road. Introducing Sable. Midler sued and won. But in the Batman case, the judge sided with Zare. In the ruling, the Superior Court judge said the central issue was a contractual one and had nothing to do with Adam West's portrayal of Batman. DC Comics owned the Batman character, not West.

The judge said Adam West was a talented actor, but he was an actor, not the creator of Batman. He had no property rights to the character. Batman had vanquished the Joker, the Riddler, and the Penguin, but he lost his dynamic duel with advertisers. As a side note, Adam West did not appear in court for the hearing. While he was suing one Batman, he happened to be in Sun Valley, Idaho,

participating in a ski race against another one. His name was Michael Keaton. George Reeves portrayed Superman in the 1950s as a man of steel who was impervious to bullets. In a twist of fate, he was killed by a gunshot wound in 1959. The case was never solved. Christopher Reeve played Superman in the 70s as a superhero who could jump over tall buildings in a single bound, then suffered a fall in a horse jumping accident and was paralyzed from the neck down. While the actors who portray superheroes are not invincible, the characters themselves are.

They are heroic, larger than life, and never age. They stand for goodness, truth, and justice. And they come with a built-in army of spellbound fans. That's why advertisers are so attracted to superheroes. The DC superhero universe was just the beginning.

The Marvel wave was yet to come. But one thing that hasn't changed, female superheroes are still in short supply Then there is the issue of using superheroes to sell products Back in the 50s, the ads were aimed squarely at kids And with the high degree of hero worship, it was a very persuasive pitch As time rolled on, stricter regulations were imposed on advertising to children.

And these days, a lot of superhero advertising is aimed at adults. Cars, credit cards, and shaving products are not the toys of 8-year-olds. But maybe that's the insight. The buyers of those products may be functioning adults, but the ads are really aimed at the eight-year-old kid inside all of us. When you're under the influence. I'm Terry O'Reilly. This episode was recorded in the Tearstream Mobile Recording Studio. Producer, Debbie O'Reilly. Sound Engineer, Keith Ullman.

Theme music by Ari Posner and Ian Lefevre. Research, Patrick James Aslan. See you next week. Same bad time, same bad channel. Do not bend, fold, mutilate, or spindle. Do not operate heavy machinery. Do not eat urinal cakes. Offer only valid in Carrot River, Saskatchewan.