Because you’re worth it…
Woman's Weekly / 25th April 1969
Never mind about putting your feet up with some chocs, or flying off on holiday, REAL indulgence is, erm, a new cooker. The High Speed Gas people ARE being good to us!
Cooking on Gas…
Woman's Weekly / 18th April 1967
Now, this is an interesting one. The ‘gas main’ the ad refers to may well mean the local supply of natural gas, which was being implemented across Britain at this time. Indeed, my own father was employed to convert households to ‘North Sea Gas’ for a while. Nowadays, Calor propane gas is rarely used for household purposes, and I must admit that my first thought on seeing the canisters outside was ‘Uh-oh!’. Clearly my work fire training sunk in…
Tags: cooking, Gas, retail, social history
Mr Therm
Woman's Weekly / 26th July 1957
To continue the gas theme: the Gas Council were certainly busy in 1957, weren’t they? What really intrigues me, though, is ‘Mr Therm and the Whispering Fish invite you to Fish Week at the Tea Centre, Regent Street, SW1.’ Eh?
Tags: blatant sexism, Gas, Gas Council, social history
Noel’s Christmas Presents
Many, MANY thanks for Pleasant Fieldmouse on NOTBBC for posting this YouTube link to a ’70s British Gas ad (note to foreign readers: British Gas was, at this time, a nationalised concern, and there were many showrooms across the UK, where the regional divisions of British Gas would sell their products. British Gas was in competition with the state-owned electricity boards for consumer energy needs.)
The appearance of the then Radio One Breakfast Show host Noel Edmonds is a treat, and the discogoers singing the ‘Cookability’ jingle just tops it off, frankly. Merry Christmas!
Tags: cookability, cooking, Gas, Noel Edmonds, retail
Those Damn Tricky Omelettes
Woman's Own / 21st March 1969
Oh, come on. It’s possible that modern consumers are ignorant of cookery basics, but I can’t believe there were women in 1969 who needed patronising to this extent. However, it’s interesting that British Gas used the motto: ‘Don’t you just love being in control?’ as late as the 1990s.
Tags: British Gas, Gas, retail
Mother’s Day Off!
Woman's Weekly / 9th March 1957
Well, it’s interesting that advertisers are STILL using the ‘man useless at housework/cooking’ line, but what really makes this interesting is the ‘Fuel Emergency Notice’ and the claim that the gas industry made the best use of the nation’s coal (issued, naturally, by the Gas Council). Of course, this all makes sense when you consider that coal was rationed from the outbreak of WW2 and that the ration wasn’t actually lifted until a year after this advert, in 1958…
Tags: blatant sexism, coal, cooking, Gas, Gas Council, household, retail, social history