Great Moments In Commercial History: Ayd's
Jeffrey Martin Inc., the distributor of Ayds appetite-suppressant candy, has faced just this issue since AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, began getting public attention in mid-1981. Jeffrey Martin acquired the Ayds marketing rights from Purex at about the time of the first report of AIDS.My, that last quote was unfortunate. Reader Dan writes:Sales of the diet candy had been sluggish for years when Jeffrey Martin took over the product. Says Martin Himmel, company president: "We have repackaged it, redesigned it, readvertised it and given it a new breath of life."
If you haven't posted it before, check out this commercial for the 'Ayds Diet' circa 1981.Nice car, Dan. Nice car.
BTW, my father worked on the commercial and that's our old station wagon at the beginning.
If you'd like to nominate a commercial for our weekly series "Great Moments In Commercial History" send us an email at tips [at] consumerist [dot] com. Be sure to put "Great Moments In Commercial History" in the subject. To see other commercials that have been featured in the series, click here.—MEGHANN MARCO
Ayds, Not AIDS [Time]







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