TV Commercials

Rediscovered! Rare, Star-Studded 1992 CBS-TV Holiday Spot

TV Commercials, TV Promotion

Scriptwriter Walt Jaschek finds rare, 1992 CBS-TV holiday spot with performances by dozens of TV stars of the day. And posts it.

Here’s a holiday TV blast from the past, never before seen on the internet, at least as far as we know.

In 1992, CBS-TV offered our agency Paul & Walt Worldwide the opportunity to write and submit scripts for its annual, big-deal, on-air holiday promo spot. The network had aired one annually since the dawn of the medium. Intended as a sincere gesture to express a sentiment on behalf of the brand, they’re seen and appreciated by tens of millions of TV viewers each year.

(Before it became a Paul & Walt client, the network had a long and happy relationship with Paul Fey, my partner; I wouldn’t have had a chance to work on any of these national campaigns if not for him.)

In submitting our stack of scripts, we included my holiday poem, “The Wish,” written specifically for the stars of the network’s hit shows of the day, and intended to be performed by them. Holiday miracle: our pals in the promo department bought it! And brought it to amazing life with their in-house production crew.

From Angela Lansbury (“Murder, She Wrote”) to William Shatner (“Rescue 911”) to Burt Reynolds (“Evening Shade”,) these iconic actors brought their holiday A-game to the performances. Thought lost to time, the 30-second spot showed up on a VHS tape in the bottom of a box at the bottom of another box. Yeah. I had it digitized.

Take a breath. Here are a dizzying array of 1990s TV icons. And their holiday wishes.

Script
CBS-TV
“The Wish”
:30 TV

JAY THOMAS: We wish you the gift…

SUSAN DEY: That love can bring.

JOHN RITTER: The gift that keeps on giving.

BURT REYNOLDS: I wish for just one win this year!

ESTELLE GETTY: I wish to just keep living!

ANGELA LANSBURY: I wish you love and lasting joy.

DIXIE CARTER: We wish you a scrumptious diet!

WILLIAM SHATNER: I wish you hope and peace on Earth.

BOB NEWHART: Or at least some peace and quiet.

JANINE TURNER: We wish you warm and cozy nights.

MICHELLE LEE: And the greatest wish of all…

GERALD McRANEY: ..is a wish you make with your family.

CHARLES KIMBROUGH: No matter how big…

CANDICE BERGEN: …or how small. Happy holidays! ‘

© 1992 Walt Jaschek and CBS-TV

Shows represented: Love & War, Hearts Afire, Evening Shade, The Golden Palace, Murder, She Wrote; Designing Women; Rescue 911; Bob; Knot’s Landing; Major Dad; Murphy Brown.

We hope you have enjoyed this blast from the past.

And have a happy holiday future!

Baby Ultrasound Picture Makes Hospital TV Spot Heart-Warming, Helpful

Copywriting Examples, TV Commercials

3-D fetal ultrasound of pregnant actress adds authenticity to this Walt-written, well-shot TV spot.

The heart, not the head: that’s where we make decisions about where to go for healthcare. That’s why, as previously reported, my award-winning “This Is Care” advertising campaign for Central Baptist Hospital used minimal copy and maximum empathy to connect patients to the brand.

When it was time to extend the series to an introduction of the hospital’s highly advanced, digital feat ultrasound equipment, I once again pushed back against turning the TV spot into a brochure. My script emphasized showing, not telling: in the simple, two-beat structure the campaign established, we see actual, 3-D, digital footage of a fetus.

Here’s the spot, beautifully shot by The Arbor Group for agency Maring Weissman, followed by my script.

:30 TV Script
Title: “This Is Tyler”
For: Central Baptist Hospital

MUSIC: Light, reassuring, under

TYPE FADES IN: This is Tyler’s first baby picture.

V.O., in tandem: This is Tyler’s first baby picture.

VIDEO: Actual ultrasound footage of a fetus, moving

TYPE FADES IN: This is Tyler.

V.O., in tandem: This is Tyler.

VIDEO: An exam room where an ultrasound is being conducted on a very pregnant Mom. The supportive Dad stands nearby. A smiling technician likes what she sees on the monitor, and turns it to face the couple.

MUSIC: Swells

VIDEO: The expectant couple beam at the sight of their baby. Mom  mouths the words, “He’s perfect.”

TYPE FADES IN: Central Baptist Hospital. This is care.

V.O., in tandem: Central Baptist Hospital. This is care.

MUSIC: Builds to finish

Fade out

A bonus point for authenticity, I believe: the spot features actual, live video from the ultrasound being performed on the genuinely pregnant actress. In that regard, I think, the commercial it isn’t just heart-warming: it’s helpful. If you’re searching for “baby ultrasound picture,” as many parents are, this spot often comes up in search results, giving Moms and Dads an authentic preview of what they might expect.

Healthcare marketing. It’s about heart, head, and sometimes: the womb.

Jean-Luc Picard Fans Shave Heads In Honor of Their Hero

Star Trek, TV Commercials

Get the look! The Jean-Luc look! Like Jean-Luc Picard, the bold, bald head of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

By Walt Jaschek

Here is a funny, 1996 TV spot for the syndicated run of the beloved TV series, part of a promotion campaign aired on WCIX-TV, Channel 6 in Miami. It’s also the most-watched-ever video on my YouTube channel!

Enjoy the spot, now captioned for your shaving pleasure.

:30 TV | “Shaving My Head”
For: Star Trek: the Next Generation
Client/Production: WCIX-TV
Campaign Concept and Writer: Walt Jaschek
Producer: Paul Fey

The Script

[Star Trek music up]

V.O.: From Pembroke Pines…

GUY: I’m shaving my head!

V.O.: To South Beach…

ANOTHER GUY: I’m shaving my head!

V.O.: All over Miami, they’re shaving their heads! Like Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the bold, bald head of Star Trek: the Next Generation. Watch weeknights at 7 this Fall. And get the look!

DOG (barking while getting shaved:) BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK!

V.O. The Jean-Luc look! On Star Trek:The Next Generation. Every weeknight at 7 this Fall on Channel 6.

[Star Trek music out]

Walt Now Funny says, “Life is worth laughing.”