Household brands enjoy quirky 80s ads thanks to Jimmy Kimmel and Ryan Reynolds
Jimmy Kimmel, Disney and Ryan Reynolds have rewound the clock on branded content to the 1980s with six cool retro spots for Aviation American Gin, Jack in the Box, Kraft Singles, Heinz, Kool Aid and Oscar Mayer.
Jimmy Kimmel and Ryan Reynolds dish out a dose of 80s ad nostalgia
The time-traveling spots debuted on ABC/Disney’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience for a nostalgia-led trip down memory lane with Kimmel’s Kimmelot, Disney and Reynolds’s Maximum Effort as your guides.
The unexpected homage to the decade taste forgot drew on period talent including Alfonso Ribeiro, Jennifer Beals and Bob Vila, as well as voice artists Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and Robyn Lively to bring the decade to life.
Honoring period sitcoms Diff’rent Strokes and Facts of Life with an all-star cast including Kevin Hart and Jennifer Aniston, the tribute to shoulder pads and mullets was peppered with a range of product integrations from Kraft Heinz, Jack in the Box and Aviation American Gin to complete the experience.
Aviation Gin embraced the videotape aesthetic with a washed-out look at America in its prime.
Jack in the Box, meanwhile, paid tribute to the ultimate eighties fashion accessory, the shoulder pad, by debuting a convenient burger storage solution that is always within arm’s reach.
Kraft also make its mark on the cheesiest decade in history with a perfectly-targeted piece directed at grilled-cheese-loving singletons.
Dan Sanborn, head of marketing at Kimmelot, said: “The power of nostalgia is undeniable and since the first primetime special we wanted to transport the audience back in time to create a complete 80s experience. From the show to the content to the brands, we wanted to make our audience smile. People remember things that make them laugh, and through this partnership we were able to create some branded entertainment that shone a light on our favorite rad, absurd and fun pop culture memories of the beloved 80s.”
George Dewey, president of Maximum Effort, added: “At Maximum Effort, we love playing with and creating culture, and we’re pretty sure culture peaked in the 1980s. It was a simpler time when we talked about nuclear annihilation and not knowing where our children were at 10pm. The opportunity to dial up the marketing synthesizer at Jimmy Kimmel’s 80s party was something we simply couldn’t ‘Just Say No’ to.”
Unlike the 1980s, you won’t need a VHS player to relive the experience, with Live in Front of a Studio Audience available to stream now on Hulu.
Content created with:
Maximum Effort Productions
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