I’ve had a few recent conversation’s with military guys who spoke of the terrible coffee in Afghanistan and a Veteran who reminisced about the 20lb tins of dirt the Government would pass for coffee on Navy ships. Ironically, I stumbled upon this vintage ad from 1919 that proudly declares its coffee “supplied the boys in the trenches because the Government wanted them to have the best.” If only we could honor the men & women over seas with something a bit less “soluble” and bit more enjoyable.
Also, note that iced-coffee was in vogue over 90 years ago!
Mix Jim Henson’s puppet magic, extreme cartoon violence, and a love for coffee and you get a series of entertaining ads for Wilkins Coffee.
From 1957 to 1961, Henson made 179 commercials for Wilkins Coffee and other Wilkins products, including Community Coffee and Wilkins Tea. The ads were so successful and well-liked that they sparked a series of remakes for companies in other local markets throughout the 1960s.
The ads starred the cheerful Wilkins, who liked Wilkins Coffee, and the grumpy Wontkins, who hated it. Wilkins would often do serious harm to Wontkins in the ads — blowing him up, stabbing him with a knife, and smashing him with a club, among other violent acts…
