Plucking A VIRGIN: The Most Inappropriate Music Adverts Of The Cassette Deck Era

1979 ads
Yes, Mrs. Johnson, your new Yamaha Electone Organ will definitely bring you closer to your punk daughter.

Here is a collection of randomly chosen music related ads. I steered away from advertising for specific artists and albums – these pertain to instruments, audio equipment and media, etc. We’ll start with cassette tapes….

 

CASSETTES

1979 ads 1

 

I’m sure they thought this would be sexy; but all I can think is how sweaty these plastic wrap pants would be.

 

1979 ads 2

 

If I’m not mistaken, this is Geena Davis.

 

1979 ads 3

 

Nope. Sorry. Cassette tapes sounded awful.

 

1979 ads 4

 

Possibly the most bold-faced lie ever perpetrated in advertising history. Cassette tapes did not last. Records might scratch, but they lasted – cassettes were ticking time bombs.

 

1979 ads 5


Randy’s drug dealing days are over; he owns a legit business now. Although, regular customers may find “something extra” in their Jethro Tull cassettes.

 

GUITARS

 

1979 ads 6

 

This is oh-so very metal; especially that armband.

 

1979 ads 7

 

He is so high right now.

 

1979 ads 8

 

1979 ads 9
The Warlock Bass. The perfect instrument to strum onstage in front of a Stonehenge prop with smoke machine cranked up to 11.

 

1979 ads 10

 

1979 ads 11

 

Of all the advertising I’ve posted on Flashbak, this may be the winner for most tasteless and inappropriate. I love it.
MISC

1979 ads 12

 

Cheers to Radio Shack for almost delivering an upskirt in their stereo ad.

 

1979 ads 13


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Touch Disco – it’s disco, but with lots of touching.

 

1979 ads 14

 

Do my eyes deceive me, or does one of these eight tracks look NSFW?

 

1979 ads 15

 

Meanwhile, in an advertisement completely unrelated to the Sony cassette tape ad above, we once again have a woman in Saran wrap pants.

1979 ads 16

 

1979 ads 17

 

I pulled this ad from a 1980 issue of Savor magazine. Plenty more music ads still sit unpublished, but we’ll hold off until next time. See you then!

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