Things you remember seeing on TV in the past BUT............

[azumanga]

MCI had an answer ad to that AT&T ad as with a look alike couple..but Mom was crying about the AT&T bill

Shortly after the 1984 breakup of Ma Bell, I recall a similar ad from a now-supposedly-defunct long distance company, Network One, in which an elderly woman called "Ma Bell" was crying over the new competition, notably Network One's low rates.

[mleach]

On the subject of commercials....

*Netzero telling people why they really should give up their high-speed internet access and "come back" to dial-up. I myself saw this ad not too long ago, perhaps I was the only one since I have yet to find anyone else who had seen this ad. My cousin says for Netzero to have run such an ad would be like some record company "begging" the public to give up their Ipods and downloading in hoping they would go back to 45rpm singles.

*The 7-UP vs. Dr. Pepper & Mountain Dew ads from the early 80s. In one ad I can remember Pete Rose slamming Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew for having way too much caffeine and how parents should not allow their kids to drink those brands..instead they should drink 7-UP.  Now many people remember those "Never Had It..Never Will...7up" ads, but they dont remember this ad even though I do remember seeing it. 

Considering that 7-UP and Dr. Pepper is now one company and in some places they bottle Mountain Dew even though its still a Pepsi product, I would imagine if anyone would upload this on You Tube, 7-Up/Dr. Pepper would have it yanked faster than one says "..I'm a Pepper!!".
 

[gr8oldies]

I gotta think that Netzero ad was an SNL or similar bit. The only angle would be price..suppose for folks who only check email and do basic surfing.

[cowboybud]

I gotta think that Netzero ad was an SNL or similar bit. The only angle would be price..suppose for folks who only check email and do basic surfing.

No, it's real, I've seen it.

[Ultimajock]

Old ABC medalion logo with eagle (scary)

...especially since it looked suspiciously like http://www.pzg.biz/eagle_party_plaque.jpg the full-sized Nazi Party logo of the '30s...

[nightfly61]

"There's a fragrance that's here today & they call it...Charlie"
"Band-a-so-lay for the central baaaayyy tan".
"Hi Guy".
WJKW, TV8 Cleveland with "In My Opinion" with Virgil Dominick.
Bowling for Dollars.
"McDonalds & You"
"Hi, loves...Carlos Summer here..."
8 All Nite w/ the Bowery Boys, Charlie Chan or Sherlock Holmes.
"We're American Airlines...doing what we do best"
Sometimes the woman's face at the very beginning or very end of the reel of film accidentally making it across the air.

[desertv]

The station ID "stills" or cards on the hour....or in fact ANY station ID on the hour nowadays.

Often businesses would advertise on those same station ID cards.

In Phoenix, the local stations would use Arizona Highways-style photos in their station IDs.

[firepoint525]

"Band-a-so-lay for the central baaaayyy tan".

San Tropez tan

[quadraphonic]

I gotta think that Netzero ad was an SNL or similar bit. The only angle would be price..suppose for folks who only check email and do basic surfing.

No, it's real, I've seen it.

Me too.

[azumanga]

"Band-a-so-lay for the central baaaayyy tan".

San Tropez tan

When that ad played on the radio in the early-1980s, I could not figure out what that ad said. Even when an announcer read that line as a billboard on "Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40", I still couldn't figure it out.