B&T does warn this article references eighties culture that may make no sense to anyone under about 35!
For those old enough to remember, one of the hit sitcoms of the late 70s, and early 80s was a show called Diff’rent Strokes and centred around a rich, New York widower Phillip Drummond and his 13-year old daughter Kimberley who adopt two Black sons from Harlem, Arnold and Willis, aged eight and twelve respectively.
The show ran till 1985 and was a huge global hit, including here in Australia.
It’s just been reprised in a comic, one-off special in the US, but it was arguably the spoof ads featured that got most of the attention.
The ads are the work of Ryan Reynolds’ creative agency Maximum Effort who reportedly worked with the Jimmy Kimmel Live crew to produce the witty spots.
The series of ads reference a number of 80s brands and cultural references and star Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor Alfonso Ribeiro throughout.
Brands featured include small goods company Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, Kool-Aid (with a cameo from Home Improvement’s Bob Vila), Heinz Tomato Sauce, hamburger chain Jack In The Box, and two (presumably legitimate) spots for Reynolds’ own gin brand, Aviation Gin.
Get transported back to 1983 with all the riotous fun below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7VcqfVh_Mc
