It’s showtime for Skippy
Back in May of 2017, I posted an entry entitled Skippy in the City of Angels. I mention this entry now because I feel like I was prescient in my prediction of events that would come to pass. In that entry, I wrote:
“It’s clear that the Americans are serious about some kind of trade war with Canada and in addition to softwood lumber, they are taking aim at Skippy.”
Of course, this trade war with the Americans has come to pass, not only with Canada, but with the entire world. Fortunately, most of the rest of the world still believes that trading fairly is an important thing to do and so I am pleased to say that Skippy Peanut Butter is still available in Bangkok. In fact, my understanding is that it’s now actually manufactured here in Thailand. Take that America!
The only reason that this entry exists is really not to brag about my prediction of a pending trade war with the Americans, but rather to show some movies, about the beginnings of the Skippy Peanut Butter saga, which were sent to me by someone who thinks the connection between my name, Skippy, and the peanut butter, Skippy, is meaningful, or maybe just amusing.
Anyway, the movies below are commercials for Skippy from the 1950’s. Two of them, I think, were made before I was a Skippy. They are truly horrible, but funny to watch.
Trade wars come and go. Presidents, thankfully, come and go. But Skippy prevails and continues to stick to the roofs of mouths, even here in Bangkok. Occasionally, stories have a happy ending even with commercials that have not gotten better over time.
Oh, Skippy! Always fresh (in the politest way, of course)! Never rancid, with all the “stale makers” removed. A delightful Skippy for the long term….
And don’t forget all the added vitamins and other healthy stuff.
The thing is, I know who named me Skippy, but why name a peanut butter Skippy. So I looked it up and here is the origin of the Skippy peanut butter name: https://shrtm.nu/VYyC
Three things:
If your father had worn that hat when you where made Skip, there may not be a skip around to comment!
Secondly, where the heck is FIFO? (first in first out) with stacking that food display? I wonder how fresh it is? Maybe the bottom row goes back to 1933?
Finally, the animations in the third video look an awful lot like the same ones used in condom advertising!
This now takes me back to point #1
All good salesmen (like me!) finish with going back to the original point, so to speak..
Or should I skip all this and say I really do like quality peanut butter!
Moi
The bottom line, for me, is that with a name like Skippy, I have had to endure thousands of peanut butter jokes during my life. I only wish the jokes referred to a better quality peanut butter. But I suppose, I can’t be choosy in these sticky situations.
The consistent attribute of all the Skippy commercials, is that they are all really bad, and therefore probably reflective of the quality of the peanut butter. Too bad that when I was growing up, there didn’t seem to be a lot of healthy peanut butter brands except for Skippy or Kraft. That way, the jokes could have had a more qualitative appeal.
Middle age spread aside, time heals all Skip.
Bad can also be good, if ultimately remembered
I would tell people that yes, long ago you owned that brand, but divested into organic marmalades instead, as it was the society conscious thing to do
If nothing else being a Skippy helped me win skipping rope contests when I was young. Having a stupid name prompted me to become good at the one skill corresponding to my name.
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