were there ever MR TV commercials?

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Planet Andy

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Hey,

I've been thinkin about this the past couple of days but Nick's comment about the "save rocketry" promo on Discovery Channel makes me throw it out here. Having grown up in the 60s and being aware of model rocketry back then, I can't recall ever seeing any TV promos for Estes or Quest. Can anybody remember if TV commercials for Model Rocket Companys were ever broadcast? Describe?

(planet) andy
 
I canh honestly say..."No!"

Although there was a promo tape made about model rockets staring William Shatner.

He was skinnier then...actually...most of us were then.:D
 
Don't believe so. I don't think there were many, if any, commercials for "hobby" stuff in the 60s and 70s. Were there any TV ads for Cox or Testor's glow engine cars or planes? I did see, about 5 - 7 years ago, an ad for Guillow's stick and tissue kits. Don't remember what I was watching, but it floored me to see the ad. Also made me realize my dad and I had been mispronouncing "Guillow's"!
Drew Tomko
 
Originally posted by Andy Turits
Hey,

I've been thinkin about this the past couple of days but Nick's comment about the "save rocketry" promo on Discovery Channel makes me throw it out here. Having grown up in the 60s and being aware of model rocketry back then, I can't recall ever seeing any TV promos for Estes or Quest. Can anybody remember if TV commercials for Model Rocket Companys were ever broadcast? Describe?

(planet) andy

Almost certainly not. I grew up in a TV store with all the different Chicago area channels playing all day long. I'd have seen them them, and noticed, because I was flying then.

With "America's 87th Most Popular Hobby" spread between the various makers, I doubt anyone had enough money for TV ads.

Anyone ever see an Aurora or Revell commercial?
 
yes I do remember the cold power rockets in a commercial (early 70's mabey)does anyone else remember it?

so I did a search and found this site

https://home.att.net/~cruller1/Vashon.story11.24.00.HTM

a snip from it-

During the heyday of Vashon Industries, a 30 second television commercial was made to market the rockets. It showed a slow motion lift off of a Valkyrie rocket including close ups of condensed ice sloughing off the sides of the rocket engine as it lifted off the pad. The sequence was so realistic that the FCC complained of false advertising. It seems they thought Vashon was using footage of a real rocket launch to sell their model rockets. The owners were happy to inform the authorities that all the footage was taken from the launch of a Valkyrie model rocket
 
I do not remember ever seeing any kind of television advertising, and only a teeny bit of print adverts outside of the rocketry mags of the day.
Basically, rocketry was (is?) advertised by a word-of-mouth system-----one kid talks to another.
 
Originally posted by dtomko
Also made me realize my dad and I had been mispronouncing "Guillow's"!

I always wondered about that myself. When I was a kid, I would say (and think) "Gill-ohs", but after a little exposure to French, I'm inclined to think it's supposed to be "Gee-ohs".
 
I always wondered about that myself. When I was a kid, I would say (and think) "Gill-ohs", but after a little exposure to French, I'm inclined to think it's supposed to be "Gee-ohs".

My dad missed the "i" and used to say "Gull-ows." They pronounced it "Gwee-lows" or "Gwill-ows" in the ad.

DT
 
YES Estes ran commercials on TV a few years ago. The tag line was "Get a life, get a rocket". I can't remember the rockets being launched, but they were either in a back yard or between two houses. Very suburban looking but still too close to the houses.

Originally posted by Andy Turits
Hey,

I've been thinkin about this the past couple of days but Nick's comment about the "save rocketry" promo on Discovery Channel makes me throw it out here. Having grown up in the 60s and being aware of model rocketry back then, I can't recall ever seeing any TV promos for Estes or Quest. Can anybody remember if TV commercials for Model Rocket Companys were ever broadcast? Describe?

(planet) andy
 
My first exposure to rocketry was watching some summer school kids launching them one time, and begging my mom and dad to let me do that too. (They said no, I was too involved in other things already that summer, namely swim team, track team, baseball, church youth group and piano lessons.) I was always interested in the hobby after that, but never built any until a university-level course on systems engineering and stable/unstable systems. Built 2 kits then for the assignment.

Didn't even KNOW about rocketry clubs or adults in the sport until I heard about it from my adult sunday school teacher when I was 29!

Of course, now, about 2/3 of the country has at least SEEN a model rocket, because of the SBC commercial. But we've already discussed that one to death, so let's NOT get into it here again!

WW
 
I've often thought about putting out a commercial, and we will eventually. Frankly the costs are incredible but I think it could be well worth it once we're in a position to be able to handle the volume that would result.

It would be exciting to do something like that and to highlight the very things that make this hobby so wonderful :)

jim
 
Maybe we can use some of my high quality digital videos :). I am sure I can work out a deal with Jim :). (Actually, I wouldn't ask for much ;))
 
I believe the Hobby Labs SR-71 had a commercial on cable TV, in fact I'd about swear to it.
 
Originally posted by sandman
I canh honestly say..."No!"

Although there was a promo tape made about model rockets staring William Shatner.

He was skinnier then...actually...most of us were then.:D

Thanks for reminding me.I actually have a copy of that video.I'm gonna have to dig it out and watch it.
 
Originally posted by n3tjm
Maybe we can use some of my high quality digital videos :). I am sure I can work out a deal with Jim :). (Actually, I wouldn't ask for much ;))

I'm sure there'd be no lack of technical expertise or equipment, or of creative talent. Air time though, that'd be a tough nut to crack.

A PSA, now that might be possible to get on.
 
well alrighty then...seems like some commercials have come and gone and some are yet to be. some of us were in the wrong market, some of us weren't looking, some of us don't remember. Thanks to the forum search engine I tracked back to the rocket into the car promo which I was unaware of. BTW if any of you are into procuring and reediting or just viewing retro film clips including scifi, the world of tomorrow, training films, those films they showed us in elementary school and such check out the "prelinger archives" at www.archive.org. Haven't found any Model rockets but some real ones and the clips are there for all to use royalty free! Absolutely above board. It's a cool deal.Thank you all for jumping in.

(planet) andy
 
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