Aussie TV gold: The best ads from the 1980s

REMEMBER the Gobbledok, Mrs Merton and Rex the echidna? Take a look back at the iconic ads from the 80s that got stuck in our heads for an entire decade.

Sick ‘em Rex. Remember this raunchy ‘80s ad? Picture: HWT Library.

The '80s gave us some of the best Australian TV ever made — from classic Neighbours, to Prisoner: Cell Block H and A Country Practice.

But some of the best TV moments came in the ad breaks, when we got to see the real stars of Australian TV — from Mrs Merton to the Gobbledok.

Remember shouting out “Chipees” and stealing some of your friend’s crisps, or singing: “my dad picks the fruit that goes to Cottees?”

Here’s a look back at some of Australia’s most memorable TV ads from the '80s.

Smith’s Chips

Back in the '80s, chip company Smith’s introduced the most irritating — and most quoted — character on Australian TV — the Gobbledok.

The strange alien, which was a cross between a Gremlin and Alf, stole Smith’s crisps while yelling out “Chipees” in a high pitched voice.

He was also huge and wore an earring (which was slightly unnerving), and he could steal the chip packet from your hands using his mind,

After this ad aired, people plunged their hands in your chip packets everywhere and shouted “Chipees” before running off. Ah the power of advertising.

Decoré

From the late '80s, Decoré shampoo created the catchiest jingle ever to appear on TV — in fact it became the hair washing anthem of the '80s and beyond.

Cue naked people getting funky while washing their hair and singing “Decoré, duh duh, Decoré”.

But we warned, if you watch this video you’ll be singing this for the rest of the day.

Holeproof

With its famous line, “Sic ‘em Rex!”, this ad for Antz Pantz underpants made mother’s blush and had Christian lobby groups up in arms in 1989.

The ad features a sweaty woman on a bed with ants crawling all over her unmentionables — all pretty tame so far.

But it then heads into bizarre territory when she calls Rex the echidna to eat the ants off her panties.

Most kids would’ve had no idea about the monotreme bestiality undertones, but it certainly sent adult pulses racing.

Colgate

The Colgate ads featuring Mrs. Marsh and her famous piece of chalk and blue liquid were on Australian TV screens from the 70s right through to the 90s.

Who was Mrs Marsh, and why did she know so much about dental caries?

Was she a dentist? Perhaps the tooth fairy?

The ads saw chalk sales go through the roof ... only kidding.

Life. Be In It

The ‘Life. Be In It’ campaign was launched in the '80s to get people off the couch and moving.

The nation definitely had that jingle stuck in their head for the best part of a decade.

Seventh Day Adventist Church

“Do you need a hand?”

Got some food on your face? Or a flat tyre? The Seventh Day Adventist Church was there to give you a hand in 1988.

This happy, smiley ad was all about community spirit and giving your fellow man a bit of assistance.

Where’s the Cheese?

If you were looking for cheese in the 19'80s, there was only one place to get it — TV chef Peter Russell-Clarke.

According to this ad, the TV chef ran across Australia with a backpack of cheese, delivering cubes to hungry kids at barbecues.

Pretty sure Russell-Clarke wouldn’t have been able to go anywhere in the '80s without someone asking: “Where’s the cheese?”.

Stainmaster Carpets

Famous Australian artist Pro Hart was known for his paintings — and making a horrible mess of the carpet in 1988.

In these ads, Hart splatters and rubs a multitude of mess into the carpet to prove it just can’t stain.

You’ll probably never get the image of Pro Hart sliding through cold spaghetti out of your head. You have been warned.

Tampax Tampons

This could be Naomi Watts’ greatest role. Forget Hollywood, it’s all about this tampon commercial.

This ad gives us a little peep behind the scenes of an '80s bedroom and the troubles a modern girl faces with pimples and her figure.

Watts looks positively joyous when explaining about the “no hassles tampon” with its “hygienic applicator”.