The first paid television ad aired for a few seconds 75 years ago this week, and since that announcement that "American runs on Bulova time" premiered, commercials have not stopped taking up airtime on TV.
Anyone who grew up watching local channels in New York City remembers some of the classic pre-Netflix commercials.
Below we've rounded up ads that offer a glimpse into Gotham's somewhat distant and more recent past, from the following New York institutions:
We Care About New York, Inc.
New Yawkers gave the stank eye then, just like they do now.
Chemical Bank
This ad tried to make banking seem seductive, and classy...without actually explaining any of the bank's services. It did look pretty cool though.
New York Telephone
This really dredged out the feels and took us all back to a time when we were connected through land lines and pay phones.
Cellino & Barnes
This commercial doesn't make these accident attorneys sleazy in the slightest.
Snapple
"Snapple Lady” Wendy Kaufman was actually a Snapple employee before she appeared in ads like this one— she worked in the company’s order department, making it her mission to answer every customer letter.
Crazy Eddie
Crazy Eddie's prices for electronic goods were “insaaaaaane," and former New York radio announcer Jerry Carroll’s ads were legendary.
Carvel
Only Carvel would anthropomorphize its ice cream cakes in a commercial. (In this St. Paddy’s day edition, Cookie Puss becomes Cookie O’Puss.)
'Cats'
“Cats” didn’t actually run forever at the Winter Garden Theatre, but it came as close as a Broadway musical ever did.
Mount Airy Lodge
Mount Airy Lodge, a posh, all-inclusive resort in the Poconos, closed its doors in 2001, but its memory lives on in ads like this one.
Food Emporium
Just try getting the “Food Emporium” jingle out of your head.
New York State Department of Commerce
Are these accents authentic? We’ll never know for sure.
Grand Prospect Hall
This low-budget cheesy commercial, with Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" playing in the background and the shoddiest camera work ever, has apparently raked in a lot of business for the Park Slope event hall that made it. They made their own dreams come true!