Songs from the Eighties That Have Been In Commercials, Products Beginning with P
Well, it was bound to happen, and it has been happening now for a while, Commercials bleeding the memory of the eighties, for music. The first one I remember is "Like A Rock" and then "Born in the USA." Now it's food items. What's next? I'd love to hear your recomendations. Please limit it to TELEVISION Commercials though. Radio stations usually mix in background music with spoken ads by the DJ's and the music tends to be used in both radio and television versions of most Commercials eventually.

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Products beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]
PBS's Calliou, using Cyndi Lauper's, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"
Used in promos for the show.
PSA for Drugs, using The Hollies's, "He Ain't Heavy (He's my Brother)"
This commercial starts out with a flashback of two little boys playing. It then fades out and shows two men standing on either end of a hallway. They look at each other and tears come to their eyes. They then run down the hall and hug each other, all while "He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)" is playing.
Pampers Bibster, using Specials's, "A Message to You, Rudy"
Used in 2001 Pampers Bibster disposable bibs ad.
Pampers Diapers, using Rod Stewart's, "Forever Young"
Used in the Pampers Diapers "We're Behind You Every Step of the Way/Baby Animals" (ca. 2000) ad.
Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, using The Go-Gos's, "Head Over Heels"
Used to promote the shampoo.
Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, using Thomas Dolby's, "She Blinded Me With Science"
That's the beauty of health! (laughs) I love the extended version to this song. My mom puts this shampoo in my hair while taking a shower.
Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, using Eddy Grant's, "Electric Avenue"
Papa John's Pizza, using Rick James's, "Give It To Me Baby"
Papa John's Pizza, using The Romantics's, "What I Like About You"
This is the third (or fourth) restaurant chain to use What I Like About You. Please let it end!
Papa John's Pizza, using Kool and the Gang's, "Fresh"
Used in a current campaign to promote Papa John's "fresher" ingredients.
Papa John's Pizza, using Wang Chung 's, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"
Everybody Papa John's tonight.
Papa John's Pizza, using The Go-Go's's, "We Got the Beat"
Used to promote a meaty pizza. The lyrics were changed to "We Got the Meat." Yuk!
Pepe Jeans, using T'Pau's, "Heart & Soul"
That commercial was soo cool looking with the animation, and it's even shown on 'VH1's Greatest One Hit Wonders'. So please don't forget that song.
Pepsi, using Flock of Seagulls's, "I Ran"
Pepsi, using Michael Jackson's, "Billie Jean"
That commercial was the best one. Well that's what you are going to get from me beacuse I'm a real big fan of Michael. You do have it in some other list but, not in the 80's list.
Pepsi, using Madonna's, "Like A Prayer"
This commercial went just through a very short time, just when the song "Like A Prayer" came out. In March of 1989 Pepsi send a TV clip with Madonna. Later that year, it was planned to sponsor Madonna's forthcoming World Tour. A few weeks later Pepsi stopped the whole campaign, just when they saw Madonnas own video for "Like A Prayer". They found it scandalous and couldn´t identify their image with the "too provocative" video. Anyway Pepsi paid Madonna the whole fee and "Like A Prayer" got one of Maddie's greatest hits ever!
Pepsi, using Michael Jackson's, "Billie Jean"
It was very good. It shows a bunch of kids dancing in the street, one of them dressed like Michael, complete with single white glove. Then, in the middle of the dance, Michael shows up and dances with them.
Pepsi, using Loverboy's, "Working For The Weekend"
Pepsi, using Loverboy's, "Working For The Weekend"
Similar style to the Flock of Seagull's "I Ran" commercial. Man is asked what he wishes he could have again and he says his old van. WftW starts up and he's driving an 80's style van complete with a Zena-Warrior Princess paint job on the exterior and plush carpet on the inside. His kids cringe as they get out after being dropped off at school. I'm not big on Pepsi, but these ads rock!
Pepsi, using Flock of Seagulls's, "I Ran"
This commercial is currently airing in Canada and I believe it's part of Pepsi's "Now and Then" campaign. It features a conservative businessman doing routine activities while sporting the outrageous hairdo that made Flock of Seagulls infamous (the scene with the businessman giving a formal presentation while his big hair obscures the light from the overhead projector is hilarious). The man suddenly snaps out of his nostalgic trip and realizes that life in the here and now (with a Pepsi, no less) is better. It's so ridiculous that it's quite funny; it brought a smile to my face. THANKFULLY, Pepsi didn't alter the lyrics or hire someone to "re-interpret" the music. The humour of the situation carried the whole ad through.
Pepsi, using REO Speedwagon's, "Ridin' The Storm Out"
Used to advertise their newest variety, Pepsi Vanilla.
Pepsi, using David Bowie / Tina Turner's, "Modern Love"
Tina Turner popped up in the ad, too. The lyrics *were* changed for that ad. The words "Gets me to the church on time" were changed to "Now I know the choice is mine," to fit with Pepsi's "Choice of a New Generation" campaign. There may have been other changes that they made, but I haven't seen the ad in at least fifteen years, so I'm not entirely certain.
Pepsi, using Rod Stewart's, "Some Guys Have All the Luck"
During the "Match the bottle caps" contest in the mid-90s, where you had to match the bottle caps with words printed inside them to spell out sentences to win cool prizes. This guy and girl are matching phrases to each other as a means of flirting. The version of the song was a club-remix, sans Stewart's vocals, using someone's else's.
Pepsi, using Robert Palmer's, "Simply Irrestible"
The original ad in the late 80s had Palmer. In 2002, Pepsi brought it back with Britney Spears in a Super Bowl ad.
Pepsi Clear, using Van Halen's, "Right Now"
This commercial was used to launch the horrific product clear cola. I remember that Saturday Night Live did a parody commercial for clear gravy where they played the same song as they poured clear mucus-thick gravy over turkey & mashed potatoes.
Pepsi Vanilla, using Reo Speedwagon's, "Ridin' The Storm Out"
Showed two trucks: One is Vanilla Coke, the other is Pepsi Vanilla. The Man in the Pepsi Vanilla truck drank a Pepsi Vanilla, on the radio plays "Ridin' The Storm Out". As the song plays, the radio switches to 2000s Music, because of the doors opening for the speakers and the truck jumps. Announcer: There's a new vanilla in town. Introducing Pepsi Vanilla. The perfect blend of cola and vanilla. Vanilla Coke Driver: That was awsome. Announcer: That's Not-So-Vanilla. Slogan: The Not-So-Vanilla Vanilla.
Peugeot, using Labi Siffre's, "(Something Inside) So Strong"
Used in 2001 Peugeot 307 ad.
Peugeot, using Talk Talk's, "Such a Shame"
Used in 1987 Peugeot 205 ad.
Planters, using Diana Ross's, "I'm Coming Out"
Used to promote the introduction of Planters Chocolate Covered Peanuts.
Planters, using Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.'s, "Just The Two Of Us"
Playstation 2, using Andrew Gold's, "Thank You for Being a Friend"
It's actually The Golden Girls theme version which they use.
Pontiac, using James Brown's, "Living In America"
NASCAR Pontiac cars appear in racing action.
Pontiac G6, using The Clash's, "Shoud I Stay Or Should I Go?"
Power Wheels, using The Pointer Sisters's, "I'm So Excited"
The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular, using The Romantics's, "What I Like About You"
Used to promote the upcoming $1,000,000 Spectacular special in 2008.
Priceline.com, using The Go-Go's's, "Vacation"
Somebody covered this song for the Priceline commercial. Sounds like Belinda Carlisle on Valium.
Pringles, using Devo's, "Whip It"
The Lyrics are changed from "Whip It" to "Pringle Pack-it".
Pringles, using I Want Candy's, "Bow Wow Wow"
Lyrics are changed from "I Want Candy" to "I Want Pringles".
Promo for the Movie "Nanny McPhee", using The Police's, "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"
For the second time in less than a year, the Police song is being used to promote a movie. Can we get something more original?
Prowler Herbicide, using Blondie's, "One Way Or Another"
Very poor studio version.
Purell, using MC Hammer's, "U Can't Touch This"
To promote the germs they can't touch.
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