80s Toy Commercials – The Totally Rad List

Prepare to be transported back in time as we show you some of the best 80s toy commercials.

The 1980s were an arguably better time for toys. During this era, imagination was key and toys were, well, just better quality.  Commercial breaks were not something to be frustrated by. They were a time to become clued up on what you were hoping to get for Christmas or your Birthday.

Some of these toys will make it easy to discover the parallels between 1980s toy designs and skateboard designs.

80s toy commercials reverberate the echo of a time where everything was ‘totally ultra’.

80s Toy Commercials List

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figurine Commercial

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a dynasty that started in the 1980s. This commercial has a high energy ‘noir’ feel to it.Looking back at old school toys and filming styles will bring a feeling of nostalgia for many.

Most memorable line ‘The Turtles are taking the elevator to street level!’

If you collected them all you would know one thing:

– Leonardo (named after Leonardo Da Vinci) – Blue
– Donatello (named after Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) Purple
– Michelangelo (named after Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni) – Orange
– Raphael (named after Raphael Sanzio) – Red

 

Cabbage Patch Kids Commercial

The sales idea of the Cabbage Patch Kids was absolute genius. The story is that the cabbage patch kids are grown from cabbages. When you bought one an adoption paper came with it.

This commercial says a lot about the spread of Cabbage Patch Kids that made its appearance into sports, space and many other places.

Cabbage patch kids were even the mascot during the US Olympics one year.

The actor John Amos said ”I thought people had lost their minds. Getting into fights for these cabbage patch dolls, the world had gone crazy. And the prices people were asking for these things you might as well adopt a child and raise it”.

Nintendo…Entertainment System Commercial

Nintendo has been with us all the way through from the 80s. Watching this early video makes you squirm and smile at the same time.

The quote (in rap) that can’t be missed, starts with “It’s The Legend of Zelda and it’s really rad! Those creatures from Ganon are pretty bad! Octoroks, tektites and leevers too But with your help, our hero pulls through! Yeah, Go Link, Yeah, Get Zelda! Wikki Wikki Wick!”.

Madballs Commercial

Madballs were a famous 80s ‘gross-out’ toy that would actually pair quite well with some of the 80s skateboard designs.

The singing jingle is pretty catch, although  the constantly changing pitch reminded me of my teenage years. The lyrics get the definition of this toy right,  ”So much ugly, so much more”.

Dino Riders Commerical

The original Dino Riders commercial is totally nuts. This clip features an gigantic play environment but figurines with more weapons features than Call Of Duty. The action heroes have weapons, the dinosaurs also weapons!

If you don’t know the background to all this mayhem. The concept for the toys revolves two warring sides who hate each other; the Valorians and the human/animal hybrid ‘Rulons’ who get taken back in time so they can team up with dinosaurs.

MicroMachines Commercial

The MicroMachine man could rival any horse race commentator for speed. He spits out features on MicroMachines at a rapid rate. Check out the video and see if you can understand everything he says.

Many MicroMachines have been rescued from drowning in trouser pockets on laundry day. And Micro Machines remain a collectable item.

Teddy Ruxpin Commercial

Teddy Ruxpin became the best-selling toy of 1985 and 1986.

While it feels like old technology now, at the time Teddy Ruxpin was a piece of genius. In fact, it really is. Teddy Ruxpin used cassette audio tapes. Stereo tapes normally have audio on both the right and left track. However, for the design of Ruxpin, only the left track was used for audio. The right track was used for a controlled data stream for motors that moved the eyes and mouth.

You could also signal to ‘Grubby’the companion toy through an electronic cable – allowing them to talk to each other through a prerecording.

You have to love 80s toy commercials.

He-Man Commercial

He-Man, a character inspired by Conan The Barbarian was massive during the 1980s.

He-Man challenged his toy enemies with his sidekicks Stratos, Teela and Mat-AT-Arms. They eventually all got TV contracts and the cartoon success shot their popularity to new extremes.  During 1983, He-Man was one of the most purchased toys for Christmas.

This ad once again features a rap to help market the product.  Toy Ads certainly employed some noir lighting techniques during this time. The most memorable quote from it “There’s assembly to do and you need batteries too”.

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