Heinz Pickles Classic Commercial – Footnotes
The outrageousness of classic television commercials never ceases to amaze me. In this classic Heinz Pickles spot from 1960, a woman is presented with a plate of pickles and reacts quite enthusiastically. But that’s when everything goes downhill.
An Overreaction for the Ages
I’m as much a fan of overreacting as anyone, and our Heinz Pickles star here starts things off with a solid table flip. Or, I suppose it’s more of a “table push to the side,” but that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily. However, once the table is on the floor, the woman just goes hog wild on the entire restaurant.
She nearly slices a dude’s head off with her hat, instead decapitating a statue next to him. She’s also throwing guys into cabinets full of fine china, flipping them over her arm, and generally throwing a tantrum for receiving a subpar pickle.
On the one hand, I get it. Pickles are among the foods in which getting a disappointing one can be particularly devastating. On the other hand, calm down, ma’am! You’ll be just fine.
I’m also quite repulsed by the sound of the Heinz pickles. Just listen to it – that’s not a satisfying crunch! It’s almost more like a squish, as if you were crushing a jelly donut and all the innards spilled. Is that what you want a pickle? Maybe. Either way, I’m sure sound effects are better nowadays, nearly 60 years later. But for the action of this commercial, I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.
