Debut Commercials - Part Two

Summary

Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly

Episode: Debut Commercials - Part Two

Release Date: May 16, 2026
Host: Terry O’Reilly (Apostrophe Podcast Network)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Under the Influence explores the fascinating world of "marketing firsts"—specifically, the debut commercials for iconic products and brands. Host Terry O’Reilly unveils the origins and impact of the very first ads for everything from Barbie dolls to the Big Mac, taking listeners on a journey through advertising history and pop culture. The episode highlights how these commercials not only introduced products but became foundational to brand identity, cultural touchstones, and, in some cases, the starting points for famous careers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Firsts

Terry begins with an analogy from figure skating—Donald Jackson’s historic triple lutz at the 1962 World Championships—to underscore the boldness and lasting impact of ground-breaking firsts, both in sport and advertising.

“He gave one of the greatest performances of all time. He landed every jump flawlessly… At the end of his performance, the crowd jumped to their feet.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (06:27)

Jackson’s risk and triumph mirror the spirit of innovation that defines watershed debut commercials.

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2. Barbie’s Debut on TV

Barbie’s first commercial in 1959 aired during the Mickey Mouse Club and set the tone for her brand—stylish, versatile, and aspirational. Terry shares fun facts about Barbie’s evolution and commercial success.
Notable Quote:

“Barbie has always been very stylish. And celebrity designers like Versace, Stella McCartney and Christian Dior have all designed outfits for her wardrobe.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (10:17)
Timestamp: [09:42]–[10:17]

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3. Dustin Hoffman and the VW Fastback

The episode notes that car commercials often gave emerging actors their first break. Terry recounts how Volkswagen chose Dustin Hoffman—a then-unknown five-foot-six actor—for their 1966 Fastback commercial.

“Dustin was an out-of-work actor when he made that commercial. Just one year later, he would star in his breakout movie, The Graduate.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (12:39)
Timestamp: [11:41]–[12:39]

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4. The Original Tim Hortons Commercial

Tracing the chain’s roots, Terry describes how hockey legend Tim Horton became involved in the donut shop business and how its first TV commercial, filmed in 1972, captured its community-minded spirit.

“Tim Horton had no lines in that commercial, just a big smile while he ate a donut. And that would be the only TV commercial Tim Horton ever appeared in as he would die in a car accident less than two years later.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (15:01)
Timestamp: [14:35]–[15:01]

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5. The Birth of the Big Mac

The origin of the Big Mac is explained—from a solution for hungry steelworkers in Pennsylvania to its iconic name invented by a McDonald’s secretary.
Notable Quote:

“This new hamburger was originally called the Aristocrat, but that didn't really capture the essence of this burly burger. That's when a 21-year-old secretary at McDonald’s named Esther Glickstein suggested they call it the Big Mac… Esther got the last laugh when the name stuck.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (18:16)
Timestamp: [17:35]–[18:52]

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6. Pillsbury Doughboy’s Animated Debut

The episode recounts the creative invention of "Poppin' Fresh"—the Pillsbury Doughboy—in 1965. From his voice to his giggle, the mascot became instantly memorable and hugely beloved.

“Just three years after his debut, the Pillsbury Doughboy had an 87% recognition factor with the general public… that little round dude with the chef’s hat was receiving 200 fan letters per week.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (22:01)
Timestamp: [21:41]–[22:01]

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7. Star Wars: An Unlikely Hit

Terry brings listeners into the marketing saga of Star Wars (1977), whose first commercial aired because theaters were forced to take it alongside the anticipated hit, The Other Side of Midnight.

“The Other Side of Midnight made $24 million at the box office, then disappeared. This first Star Wars movie made $265 million on its first run, then generated $775 million with subsequent re-releases. The rest is Luke Lucas history.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (24:36)
Timestamp: [23:24]–[24:36]

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8. Blue Jays’ First Jingle—“OK Blue Jays”

The story behind the beloved Toronto Blue Jays anthem is unveiled—from its creation as a catchy jingle for the new franchise to its evolution into a certified gold record.

“It bugs Tony Kozanek that of all the wonderful music he has written, the Blue Jays song was his only gold record… But over the ensuing years… he can appreciate it for what it is… It’s owned and treasured by the fans and he's okay with that.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (26:44)
Timestamp: [26:44]–[29:40]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On historic firsts:
  “He has come from far behind to beat out Carol David of Czechoslovakia. And Don Jackson is the new world champion.”
  —Sports commentator, (07:50)

• On Barbie’s commercial debut:
  “100 Barbie dolls are sold every minute somewhere in the world.”
  —Terry O’Reilly, (10:17)

• On Tim Hortons: “There are now over 5,500 Tim Hortons restaurants around the world.”
  —Terry O’Reilly, (15:01)

• On the Pillsbury Doughboy:
  “Pop and Fresh probably had an agent, too, as he has appeared in over 600 commercials.”
  —Terry O’Reilly, (22:01)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Donald Jackson’s triple lutz story: [03:14]–[08:04]
• Barbie’s debut commercial: [09:05]–[10:17]
• Dustin Hoffman VW Ad: [11:41]–[12:39]
• First Tim Hortons ad story: [12:39]–[15:01]
• Big Mac’s origin and first ad: [17:35]–[19:37]
• Pillsbury Doughboy’s creation: [19:37]–[22:01]
• Star Wars debut ad story: [23:24]–[24:36]
• OK Blue Jays jingle history: [26:44]–[29:40]

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Conclusion

Terry closes with reflections on the enduring relevance of these brands and ads:

“Every brand we talked about today is still at the top of their game. The Pillsbury Doughboy is still giggling after 60 years. Barbie is having a moment. The Blue Jays almost went all the way again last season, and that George Lucas kid is doing okay. Little did we know when we saw those debut commercials that we'd still be talking about those brands all these years later. Each has pulled off their own version of a triple lutz when you're under the influence.”
—Terry O’Reilly, (31:47)

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Episode Takeaways

• The first commercial for a product can set the tone for decades and shape cultural perceptions—sometimes by accident.
• Many now-ubiquitous products and pop culture icons (Barbie, Big Mac, Pillsbury Doughboy, Star Wars) had humble or surprising starts.
• Advertising history is rich with personal stories—from future stars' first gigs, to marketers and composers whose one big hit became legendary.

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For fans of marketing, pop culture, or brand storytelling, this episode offers a nostalgic and insightful tour through the very first moments of some of the world’s most recognized products.

Transcript

[Callie]

Hi, I'm Callie. I'm a co founder of Apostrophe Podcasts alongside Terri, Debbie and Sydney. We're a family business that brings you a family of podcasts. We also have a subscription option where you can listen ad free, hear bonus episodes like My Sit down with Terry to ask him burning questions or extended versions of under the Influence episodes. Just visit the link in the description to subscribe

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now more people than ever can bring in their bill for a better deal at Verizon, got AT&T or T Mobile. We got you Xfinity or Spectrum. You too. So tell your friends, your family, your quirky neighbor Jeff. Grab your megaphone and yell it from the rooftop. Get a better deal at Verizon because chances are anyone in shouting distance is included. Bring in your at&t t Mobile, Xfinity or Spectrum bill and we'll give you a better deal on the best network Come by Verizon today. Best Network based on RootMetric's best overall mobile network performance US 2nd/2025 all rights reserved. Must provide recent Consumer Mobile Bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Restrictions apply.

[Progressive Insurance Ad Voice]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

ACAS powers the World's Best Podcasts Here's a show that we recommend.

[Xin Yi Pai]

Hi, I'm Xin Yi Pai. Five years ago I sat down in front of a microphone with a simple goal to share stories from the Asian American experience and to do that by talking about everyday objects. Now 10,000 Things is headed into its fifth and final season and we've got a new set of stories about coming fully into oneself, weird and wild and inspired. Tune in to the final season of 10,000 things from Acast Creative Studios, a podcast about modern day artifacts of Asian American life and the stories they reveal. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

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[Commercial Voice]

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[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

Mamma that's a spicy meatball.

[Commercial Voice]

What love doesn't conquer, Alka sells her will.

[Verizon Mom Ad Voice]

What a relief.

[Xin Yi Pai]

You're under the influence with Terry O'Reilly.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

The three most notable jumps performed in Modern figure skating are named for their originators. The Saukow for Ulrich Saukow, the Axel for Axel Paulsen, and the Lutz for Alois Lutz, the Australian who performed the first single lutz in Public in 1913. Lutz was only 15 years old at the time. Every figure skating jump is assigned a recognized level of difficulty which is then factored into the skater's final score. The rules of competition state that the skater must not only execute the takeoff and aerial components of the jump, but they must also land flawlessly. And the lutz is recognized as the most difficult jump to perform. The Lutz. A figure skater begins by picking up speed in a wide arc. As the arc is nearly completed, the skater must use their toe pick for propulsion to drive their body counter rotational, which means the skater sets it up by twisting one way and and jumping in the other. As the athlete moves from the back edge of one skate to the back edge of the opposite skate, the skater will perform a single, double or triple rotation. While single and double lutz jumps were performed often over the years, the first triple lutz in international competition wasn't attempted until 49 years later. And it took a Canadian to do it. Going into the 1962 World Championships in Prague, 21 year old Donald Jackson of Oshawa, Ontario had won the Canadian men's championship four years in a row. But this international event was not going to be easy. The competition was fierce. After the compulsory figures, Jackson trailed Carol Devine of Czechoslovakia. The only chance Jackson had of winning was in the five minute freestyle event. And he would have to receive extremely high marks from some very tough judges. Donald Jackson did an extraordinary thing. He made the decision to begin his freestyle performance with a triple lutz. It had never been done in international competition. The reason? The degree of difficulty was just too high. And if Donald Jackson had any chance of winning, he would have to give the performance of his life. As soon as the music started, Jackson began his wide arc to build up speed. Then came the moment of liftoff. Here it comes.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

It's beautiful. He made it. It's fantastic. You've just seen something that has happened in world competition before. No man has ever done that maneuver before in the World Championships.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

It was a groundbreaking moment. But Donald Jackson didn't just give the performance of his life. He gave one of the greatest performances of all time. He landed every jump flawlessly. At the end of his performance, the crowd jumped to their feet.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

A standing ovation now from 18,000 people for Donald Jackson of Canada.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

When Jackson skated over to be interviewed, the TV host could hardly contain himself.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

The audience is roaring approval. Congratulations, Donnie, on the greatest performance of your career. Thank you very much. I was really pleased when you had a smile on your face from ear to ear. Well, after that, triple lips, I think I'd have it anytime. I think that was the greatest jump I have ever seen. Thank you, Dick.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

But then a sense of tension swept over the crowd. Would Jackson get the marks he needed to win? He was way behind Carol Devine on points. Then the judges held up their cards.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

A six. A five, eight. Another six. Another six. Five nine. Another six. Five nine. A six. Sixes and another six. That's without doubt the greatest number of sixes ever given. Congratulations, Don Jackson. Thank you very much, Dick. I'm glad I could do it for Canada.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

It was a remarkable result from an extraordinary performance.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

Don Jackson of Canada has done it with what may have been the greatest single skating performance of all time. He has come from far behind to beat out Carol David of Czechoslovakia. And Don Jackson is the new world champion.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

The humble Donald Jackson not only demonstrated grace under pressure, he had attempted something no other skater had ever done before. It was a historic first. Today, it's part two of our episode on marketing firsts. Specifically, the very first commercials ever produced for popular products and companies. From the very first commercial for something called the Big Mac to the first TV ad for a new donut shop called Tim Hortons, we take a trip back in time to witness the Origin of the Species.

[Xin Yi Pai]

You're under the influence.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

One of the most famous dolls of all time was born March 9, 1959. Her name was Barbie, but her tax returns say Barbara Millicent Roberts. She has seven siblings. And Barbie is a busy gal as she's had over 250 careers. She has been a doctor, a dentist, a surgeon, a paratrooper, a math teacher, a farmer and a rapper, to name but a few. This was the very first commercial for Barbie. It aired during the Mickey Mouse Club television Show back in 1959.

[Verizon Mom Ad Voice]

Barbie, you're beautiful, you make me feel My Barbie doll is really real Barbie Small and so petite her clothes and figure look so neat her dancing outfit rings and belle a party she will cast a smell Purses, hats and gloves galore and all the gadgets gals Adult

[Commercial Voice]

Barbie dressed for swimmin fun is only $3. Her lovely fashions range from 1 to $5 look for Barbie wherever dolls are sold.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Barbie has always been very stylish. And celebrity designers like Versace, Stella McCartney and Christian Dior have all designed outfits for her wardrobe. The most popular Barbie was the 1992 Total Hair Barbie with floor length blonde hair. It has sold more than any other Barbie before or since. Barbie is one of the most successful toys in history. Mattel claims that 100 Barbie dolls are sold every minute somewhere in the world. Carmakers are some of the biggest television advertisers, and commercials often gave actors their first acting jobs. Volkswagen wanted to produce a commercial for its 1966 fastback model. The commercial was to feature the car's interior space roomier than the usual Volkswagen bug. But VW had to find an actor who wasn't too tall so he could get into the Volkswagen fastback and move around inside it easily. They did a casting and found the perfect 5 foot 6 actor who had personality. It was his first paid acting job. His name was Dustin Hoffman.

[Commercial Voice]

If you've never bought a Volkswagen because it wasn't big enough, okay, here's a Volkswagen that's big enough. The new VW Fastback sedan. It seats four with more room for elbows and legs. It's pretty jazzy. Two has an electric clock and even wall to wall carpeting. The fastback also has the most powerful engine we've ever made. It's air cooled, goes 27 miles on a gallon of gas, which is pretty good for a car that can go 84 miles per hour. Since we made a VW that's a little roomier in the inside, we decided to do the same thing on the outside. It's got a trunk up front where most cars have their motors, and in the back where most cars have their trunks, we have a. It's a trunk, a large trunk. Come into your Volkswagen dealer, he'll show you where the motor is.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Dustin was an out of work actor when he made that commercial. Just one year later, he would star in his breakout movie, the graduate. Back in 1964, a certain hockey player would get his usual brush cut at his favorite barbershop called Benny's in Scarborough, Ontario. Next door to that barbershop was a small donut store. The hockey player was fascinated by that donut store because it only sold coffee and doughnuts, which was rare in Canada at that time. The hockey player met the owners of the donut shop and eventually became a partner in the store. They believed that the hockey player's fame would drive business as that player had just won three Stanley cups in a row, soon to be four. The player's name was Tim Horton. While the donut store struggled financially through various iterations in Toronto, Tim Horton purchased an old service station in Hamilton, Ontario and converted it into a donut shop. It was a solid working class town and hungry steel workers coming off shift made for a steady customer base. A Hamilton cop named Ron Joyce liked Tim Hortons doughnut shop. He talked to Tim about coming on board, bought out the other two partners, and the rest is double, double history. Here is the very first television commercial for Tim hortons, made around 1972 with a surprise appearance at the end of the commercial from Tim Horton himself, along with hockey players George Armstrong, Pat Quinn and Hamilton tiger cat Angela Mosca.

[Commercial Voice]

At Tim Hortons, there are a lot of good reasons to stop for coffee and donuts. Like chocolate dipped doughnuts, orange twists donuts with whipped cream, honey crullers, famous Tim Horton dutchies, and more. Of course, Tim Hortons service is always friendly and efficient. We're open seven days a week and the coffee is great. Yes, at Tim Hortons there are a lot of good reasons to stop for coffee and donuts, but most of all, you meet the happiest people.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Tim Horton had no lines in that commercial, just a big smile while he ate a donut. And that would be the only TV commercial Tim Horton ever appeared in as he would die in a car accident less than two years later. He probably never dreamed his donut shop would scale the heights it eventually did. There are now over 5,500 Tim Hortons restaurants around the world. When we come back, McDonald's rolls out a commercial for its big new Aristocrat burger.

[Callie]

If you're enjoying this episode, you might also like Guinness Book of World ad records from our 2018 season. What commercial holds the record for airing the longest? And which advertising mascot is the oldest? You'll find the episode on your favorite podcast app.

[Progressive Insurance Ad Voice]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Verizon Ad Voice]

Now more people than ever can bring in their bill for a better deal at Verizon. Got AT&T or T Mobile. We got you Xfinity or Spectrum. You too. So tell your friends, your family, your quirky neighbor Jeff, grab your megaphone and yell it from the rooftop. Get a better deal at Verizon because chances are anyone in shouting distance is included. Bring in your at&t t Mobile, Xfinity or smartphone Spectrum bill and we'll give you a better deal on the best network Come by Verizon today. Best Network based on RootMetrics Best Overall Mobile Network Performance US 2nd Half 2025 all rights reserved. Must provide recent consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the bill. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.

[Acast Ad Voice]

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[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Just as Tim Hortons Hamilton store catered to the city's steelworkers, McDonald's first created the Big Mac to cater to steel workers in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1968. The owner of a McDonald's location there noticed that the steelworkers coming off shift were ravenously hungry and the single patty cheeseburger wasn't filling them up. So we started to experiment with a new kind of hamburger, one with two patties instead of one with that much meat. The burger needed some additional stability, so he added a third bun in the middle. The result was two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun. This new hamburger was originally called the Aristocrat, but that didn't really capture the essence of this burly burger. That's when a 21 year old secretary at McDonald's named Esther Glickstein suggested they call it the Big Mac. McDonald's executives laughed it off at first, but Esther got the last laugh when the name stuck. Here's the very first commercial for the new Big Mac.

[Commercial Voice]

I'm going to show you how McDonald's builds a big Mac sandwich. It starts here with a lightly toasted bun and then a pure beef hamburger sizzling hot, a slice of cheddar blend cheese and some crisp fresh lettuce. Then our own secret sauce, the club slice toasted, another hamburger and a little more sauce just for good flavor. Crisp dill pickles and the sesame seed crown. This is the sandwich. McDonald's new Big Mac sandwich For the

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

bigger than average appetite, the Mac prefix would become a McDonald's menu staple. The McChicken, McNuggets, McRib, etc. Today McDonald's says it sells 620 million Big Macs each year in Canada and the US alone. There is one advertising agency that is known above all for creating enduring mascots. That ad agency is Leo Burnett, based in Chicago with an office in Toronto. It has created Tony the Tiger, Charlie the Tuna, Snap, Crackle and Pop. The Keebler Elves, the Marlborough Man, Morris the Cat, and the Jolly Green Giant. As we mentioned in part one, Burnett also created the Pillsbury Doughboy. In 1965, an ad writer at Leo Burnett named Rudy Purrs was testing out a can of Pillsbury refrigerated dough. He cracked it on the side of his counter and the dough oozed out. In that moment, he imagined a doughy mascot that would pop out of the can. The first order of business was to make sure the new Doughboy didn't look too much like Casper the Friendly Ghost. So they gave him a chef's hat and a name, Poppin Fresh. To bring him to life, Purse hired a film studio in Los Angeles to use stop motion clay animation. There were no computers back then, so every second of film time required 24 shots. 50 actors auditioned to be the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy. And Paul Freeze, who voiced Boris on the adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, got the job. Here's the very first commercial.

[Verizon Mom Ad Voice]

And who are you?

[Commercial Voice]

I'm Poppin Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

May I have this dance?

[Commercial Voice]

A house smells so nice when you

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

bake in the oven.

[Commercial Voice]

You bake something warm and fresh in the oven. Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven, and Pillsbury says it.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Purrs also gave Pop and Fresh a signature laugh that would show up in every commercial when a gentle finger poked him in his doughy tummy. Just three years after his debut, the Pillsbury Doughboy had an 87% recognition factor with the general public. And believe it or not, there was a time when Pillsbury got 1500 requests for Doughboy autographed photos, and that little round dude with the chef's hat was receiving 200 fan letters per week. Popen Fresh probably had an agent, too, as he has appeared in over 600 commercials. Back in 1977, 20th Century Fox released a film nobody wanted. They saw it as a risky kiddie movie. But the studio was convinced it had a potential big hit on their hands with another movie called the Other side of Midnight. It is a time to dream, to fall in love, to feel the heartbeat

[Commercial Voice]

of every living moment of every endless day.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

The studio was so sure of this picture's success that in order for theaters to get this steamy film, they had to agree to take on the two bit kiddie movie as well. Theater owners weren't happy about that. Here's the very first television commercial for that kiddie movie.

[Commercial Voice]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

[Acast Ad Voice]

Here they come.

[Sports Commentator / Interviewer]

Coming in too fast.

[Commercial Voice]

20th Century Fox and George Lucas, the man who brought you American Graffiti, now bring you an adventure unlike anything on your planet. Star Wars.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

I am C3PO, Human Cyborg Relations. And this is my counterpart, R2D2.

[Commercial Voice]

Hello. The story of a boy, a girl and a human universe. It's an epic of heroes and villains. And aliens from a thousand worlds a billion years in the making. Star wars rated BG.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

The Other side of Midnight made $24 million at the box office, then disappeared. This first Star wars movie made 265 million on its first run, then generated 775 million with subsequent re releases. The rest is Luke Lucas history. When we come back, the Blue Jays are something to sing about.

[Verizon Mom Ad Voice]

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[Commercial Voice]

America's best Network based on RootMetric's best overall mobile network performance US second half 2025 four new lines and unlimited welcome and autopay. See verizon.com for details.

[Progressive Insurance Ad Voice]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. Do you keep hearing podcast ads like this one for example, but always wonder how you actually get involved with them for your own brand or organization? Well, it's easier than you think. We're acast and we give you the platform to do it all yourself. Browse thousands of popular podcasts, choose the shows that match your perfect audience, set your budget and launch. And if you want a hand, our podcast specialists are there to help you launch with confidence. This is podcast advertising without barriers. Get [e-mail] Advertisement.

[Narrator (Terry O'Reilly)]

Back in 1982, advertising agency JWT Direct was handling the Toronto Blue Jays account A new season was starting and the Jays organization wanted to drum up a little fan excitement. So the ad agency wrote some commercials and hired jingle composers Tony Kozanek and Jack Lenz to write the first ever jingle for the Blue Jays. The ad agency gave them a line to work OK Blue Jays, let's play ball. So Kozanek and Lenz got to work. They wanted to capture the feel of a baseball game on a summer's day, and it was also a bit of a tutorial on how the game was played as the Jays were still kind of new to Toronto. The song was written in a Randy Newman style and Koznick and Lenz hired singer and baseball fanatic Keith Hampshire to sing it. Tony's direction to Keith be silly with it. When they were done, they presented the jingle to the Blue Jays organization and they loved it. Then the Jays started using OK Blue Jays during the seventh inning stretch at games. The fans fell in love with it. That's when Tony Koznick said this should be a song. So he and Jack Lenz wrote a full length version, got a record deal and released it. Soon radio stations started playing it. The song went gold, selling 50,000 copies instantly. Kozenek remembers getting his gold record presented to him on the pitcher's mound before a game in 1986. But over the ensuing years, it bugged Tony Kozinek that of all the wonderful music he has written, the Blue Jays song was his only gold record. He hung it on a wall near a bathroom. Then not long ago, his daughter Bess wrote a sweet editorial about the song in the Toronto Star. She said how much she loved it, especially when she was little, and how everybody was singing it on front lawns and in the streets when the Jays won the World Series, and how the song has meant so much to Toronto and Blue Jays fans over the years. It gets played over 80 times a year at the Rogers center and fans know every word. Bess's article made Tony reassess his Blue Jays song. He told me he's come around now and can appreciate it for what it is, which he says has nothing to do with him anymore. It's owned and treasured by the fans and he's okay with that. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Toronto Blue Jays and the 40th anniversary of OK Blue Jays. The gold record now hangs in the new Blue Jays Museum at the Rogers Center. It's always informative to see the first commercials of famous brands. Back then we didn't know much about those companies or their products. Yet when you see that first Tim Hortons commercial, the basic message hasn't changed that much since 1972. And I bet there is a generation or two that don't even know the restaurants are named after a hockey player. Interesting to know the Big Mac was created to satisfy hungry steel workers in Pennsylvania. The very same blue collar workers Tim Hortons wanted to attract in Hamilton, Ontario. And every brand we talked about today is still at the top of their game. The Pillsbury Doughboy is still giggling after 60 years. Barbie is having a moment. The Blue Jays almost went all the way again last season, and that George Lucas kid is doing okay. Little did we know when we saw those debut commercials that we'd still be talking about those brands all these years later. Each has pulled off their own version of a triple lutz when you're under the influence I'm Terry O'Reilly. This episode was recorded in the Tear Stream Mobile Recording studio producer Debbie O'Reilly chief sound engineer Jeff Devine Theme music by Casey Pick, Jeremiah Pick and James Ayton Tunes provided by APM Music Follow me at Terry oinfluence this podcast is powered by acast, Terry's top slogans of all time. Number six the Saddleback Leather company. They'll fight over it when you're dead. See you next.

[Verizon Mom Ad Voice]

Hey honey, it's mom. Did you know if we switch to Verizon we can get four phones for $0 plus four lines for $25 a line? Call me back me again. That's just $100 a month for four lines on unlimited welcome plus four phones. No trade in needed. Call me. It's Mom. America's Best network Verizon. That's the one we're talking about.

[Commercial Voice]

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