Do You Remember These Classic Local Commercials From Around Michigan?

Allow me to set the scene for you: it's three AM, and you've just woken up on the couch after falling asleep watching TV in the living room. All the lights are off, and you're staring back at Billy Mays, who's telling you about the power of Oxiclean.

But then the commercial ends, and suddenly you're being bombarded by a cowboy on a horse trying to sell you a car.

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It's an advertisement for Sundance Chevrolet, a dealership in Grand Ledge that also doubles as a riding stable, and it's been making its commercials the same way for 20 years.

I've always loved local commercials. In a weird way, these lower-budget local advertisements are sometimes more memorable because of the sense of charm they convey. They stick with people across generations, with people able to quote ads for businesses long gone.

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I wanted to find more of these local advertisements from across the state, and thanks to some help from the r/Michigan subreddit, I found some real gems from decades past.

Classic Michigan Commercials That Locals Still Love

Faygo's Boat Song - "Remember When You Were A Kid"

Commercials featuring original songs are always very memorable, and Faygo's "Remember When You Were A Kid" commercial from the 1970s has had immense staying power. It is a song that speaks to a population that grew up on Faygo and to the generation just tasting it for the first time. It currently has nearly 700K views on YouTube.

The Detroit Zoo - "Zoo Stars"

In 1982, the Detroit Zoo personified the animals as they "prepared" for the zoo to open for the day. Not only does it showcase the zoo's many animals, but it also makes the zoo feel like a larger-than-life play for guests. The ad was a massive success for the zoo and has over 700K views on YouTube today.

Highland Appliance - International Event

To advertise a huge sale on TVs and radios, Highland Appliance teamed up with Leon Askins to create a funny commercial featuring three Russians who become enamored of the savings at the Highland International Event. Askins and his fellow officers spoke broken English from a translation book and delivered the iconic line of "50 watts per channel, Babycakes." It was absurd in all the best ways.

Sullivan's Carpet & Furniture

Sullivan's Carpet & Furniture is nearing its 100th year in business, a spectacular feat for any business. If someone had never stepped into the store before, they've definitely heard their jingle: "S U Double L I VAN spells Sullivan’s."

Mr. Alan "$29 for one, or Two for $50."

As you'll see later in this article, a winning combo is combining cartoon characters with live-action shots. Mr. Alan's $29 for one, or two for $50 shoe deal was already well known around Detroit, but after he introduced an animated version of himself, the commercials reached a new level of legacy.

Kessel Food Markets - "Hi, I'm Al Kessel."

Al Kessel was the owner of the Kessel Food Markets chain around Flint, known for his commercial formula of highlighting his low prices and throwing poultry. Though I could not find a commercial where he chucks chicken, these were the main vibe of his commercials.

Detroit Institute of the Arts: "You Gotta Have Art"

Where the Detroit Zoo made a comedic commercial, the Detroit Institute of Arts created an earworm featuring actors dressed as the famous works of art throughout the institute, singing and dancing to a catchy tune.

This was a staple of Saturday morning cartoons, telling viewers to "look what they got" and that they "really ought to see Van Gogh." A fun commercial that shows what's inside and brings people together.

Al Dittrich GMC Dealership Declares War On Imports

It's hard to forget any commercial that features a man driving a real tank over cars, completely crushing them. In this 1987 ad, "Uncle Al" declares war on imports, aka imported vehicles. 

"Tanks, but no tanks to imports." Uncle Al slashed prices on GMC trucks and Oldsmobiles, and crushed everything else.

Mel Farr Superstar, 1980s-90s

Not all heroes wear capes, but Mel Farr does. His commercials are remembered fondly because he combined cartoons and live-action shots to create a narrative in which he was battling high used-car prices around Detroit. His commercials aren't just remembered in Michigan, but they also appear in Canada.

Father and Son Construction

Father and Son Construction in Detroit had the formula figured out. Doing a cartoon style that looks similar to Disney, putting a catchy song with zany animations, and you've got yourself a memorable commercial. In fact, F&S Construction is still in operation today.

Jack's Wholesale Windows

A personal plug of mine, these commercials were corny but in an endearing way. This commercial in particular was the most popular of them all, due to the one gentleman stating, "it's too late in the season to be gettin winders," and then the goofiness of their entire lives changing after getting new windows. Plus, the jingle was a breath of fresh air; that woman's voice is angelic.

Jacks' Wholesale Windows had a whole bunch of joke commercials like this, which is what made them all so memorable.