Tuesday 4th August 2015

Ford Escort Mk1: PH Ad Break

Sport, saloon or estate? Ronnie Corbett decides!

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Nothing like a bit of celebrity endorsement to flog your new car, right? It's certainly not a new tactic as proven by this Ford Escort commercial, which must be nearly 50 years old now.

Like a great deal of adverts, the premise is simple: Ronnie drives all the Escort available to prove just how diverse the Escort range is. He has many to chose from and so do you, potential Ford customer! Just as Ronnie thinks he's settled on a fetching red Escort Sport, Mrs Corbett decides on the estate. Poor Ronnie. He should be more concerned that all the cars are left-hand drive but there were clearly bigger priorities (no pun intended).

As is so often the case, this is a nice reminder of when car adverts could be just that, and didn't require moody lighting or a hidden metaphor to be successful. Plus, if you're lucky, YouTube will send you onto some Escort MkI rally vids soon after...

Watch it here.

 

[paulyv]

Brilliant.

Right. Old motoring adverts with comedians in - my entry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OakhS9Om6L0

[fflyingdog]

Any idea why the advert was showing a left hand drive car? Or is it a copyright issue type thing? Or alternatively i have my glasses on backwards.

[Jex]

My first car was a Mk1 1.3l, metallic blue (difficult to match when I scraped it) 2-door (RHD!). I don't remember that advert - what year was it?
Jex

[wile7]

I don't remember that advert (although many early ads were made with German or French press cars of the period).

My dad had a rare 4 door 1300GT as a company car when we lived in Hong Kong (1972). I think it was what set me off on my love of fast Fords...

Consequently my first car was a pale blue 1100L with Rostyle wheels, white pinstripe and CB radio/twig. Great car. OLA 852L

My favorite car ever (two escorts later including a white Mexico) was a 1974 RS2000 AVO in Modena Green with decals and 'no wood' dash. Wish I'd never got rid of it... :bang head:

Great memories....

Edited by wile7 on Tuesday 4th August 12:56

[Turbobanana]

Basic and unadventurous cars, but great to drive.

My first car (at age 15) was a Mk1 1.3L 2 door, NGR822H, in metallic green. Taught myself to drive on a beach in North Wales in that car. Sold on for a profit, natch

[Beno66]

Like this one?

wile7 said:

I don't remember that advert (although many early ads were made with German or French press cars of the period).

My dad had a rare 4 door 1300GT as a company car when we lived in Hong Kong (1972). I think it was what set me off on my love of fast Fords...

Consequently my first car was a pale blue 1100L with Rostyle wheels, white pinstripe and CB radio/twig. Great car. OLA 852L

My favorite car ever (two escorts later including a white Mexico) was a 1974 RS2000 AVO in Modena Green with decals and 'no wood' dash. Wish I'd never got rid of it... :bang head:

Great memories....

Edited by wile7 on Tuesday 4th August 12:56

[dinkel]

Mike Bells has a 230 brake screamer in and goes!


These Mk1s just look so right.


Get' em!


Hard core.


Drool.

[bencollins]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=124&v=ckdSll5i...
0-60 25s
01:26
stop watch guy looks suitably bored

[itsallyellow]

I love mine! Most silly thing to drive I have ever sat behind the wheel of!



They just seem special....

Mike

[jogger1976]

Here's one I helped to restore to its former glory