#HTE

1986 Sanyo Electronics Commercial is the Most ‘80s Commercial Ever

Sony, Panasonic, JVC–these were the Japanese consumer electronics giants that made inroads into America in the 1970s and '80s, gaining household brand recognition.

A lesser-known brand was Sanyo, who like the others made everything–answering machines, portable cassette players, camcorders, VCRs–and probably hoped that you confused their name with “Sony.” Here’s a Sanyo TV spot from 1986:

What I wouldn’t give to see the pitch meeting or the “script” for this coke-fueled piece of 1980s marketing! And the song sounds like something you play, on repeat, to break a prisoner’s spirit.