Illustrated Soap Ads - the good, the bad, and the oddities

[j swift]

While over at CBS they chose to forgo images altogether, even though they had one of the best-looking casts of all time - coupled with one of the worst taglines of all time.

credit to @RetroNews on twitter for the images

One more - a classic.  I adore the classic ABC style of one big image, and then several smaller ones with captions - I consider this "window" type ad to be iconic - although Delia's breast and shoulder are oddly distorted, the bubble font screams 1980

Edited March 30, 2023 by j swift

[slick jones]

[j swift]

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(image courtesy of Facebook, Daytime Soaps no longer on the air group)

I think these pencil sketches are my favorite because they remind me of the times when they were popular in TV Guide.  And there's always someone whose done a little dirty.  In this case, poor Stephen Yates look like he hasn't slept in nine years.  Also, Kristen Vigard and the others in little boxes, makes it look like they weren't available for the shoot and had to be photoshopped in later, which is unusual because it is a drawing.

I'm guessing this is from their 1982 win? 

Edited March 16, 2024 by j swift

[Paul Raven]

Who is the woman above Don Stewart with that 80's do? I'm drawing a blank...

[DRW50]

I think that's meant to be Janet Grey (Eve).

[vetsoapfan]

Yes.

Personally, I would have cut her out and made room for Charita Bauer.

[Contessa Donatella]

In the 2000s Televest did a series of B&W "poster" ads for ATWT & GL. I was always fond of them. 

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[Xanthe]

Not that the scale and positions of the people outside the boxes look as if they were all naturally in the same room with each other anyway. Those heads at the top are much larger than those below.

They probably aren't intended to be consumed as the whole set at once. I don't quite like the way the red lettering is sometimes the character name and sometimes a word or phrase, but that might be because I was confused about the relevance of whipped cream to Henry. I guess it's related to Coop's theme of dessert menu somehow?

[j swift]

The depiction of a 'mountain of castmates' with leading characters on top is a popular theme in illustrated soap ads.  If you look back over the past couple of pages there are at least two or three other ads with same composition. 

I'm amused by this collage of Dynasty ads from Pinterest, because they always gave Linda Evans such severe cheek bones.

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Edited March 18, 2024 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, I'm sure you're right about that. They ran individually, not together. I think 3 are missing. Then they did a big one, the same but not the same. 

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[j swift]

This artist, who I recognize from other ABC daytime ads, was definitely the worst at perspective and realism.

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Adam's hands are two different sizes.  Kirby's face is indistinguishable from the one they drew to depict Alexis.  I appreciate that they hired actual cartoonists to compose these ads, but the quality is variable based upon the artist.  However, the ad copy is provocative enough to make me want to tune in on a Wednesday night.

[DRW50]

I was reading the Rialto Report interview with Juliet Graham from about 7 years ago. I would link the article but that site is very NSFW as it focuses on the "golden era" of adult film. Juliet, under the name Chris MacLeod, went on to host a few NY talk shows, and do acting work. The talk shows were apparently enough to get her this ad for her AMC run:

 

 

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[j swift]

Have you ever seen a more unflattering image of La Lucci?

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[dc11786]

I suspect that Kathleen Cullen's picture is covering Charita Bauer. There is clearly a head that's being covered as the hair doesn't match Janet Grey. 

[Paul Raven]

it looks like Will Ferrell and Nancy Frangione.