Comments for Great Moments In Commercial History: Ayd's

Great Moments In Commercial History: Ayd's

2007-04-18T22:36:55Z

Don't you hate it when you buy a B.S. diet "candy" and a horrible disease comes along and steals its name? From Time Magazine:

Jeffrey Martin Inc., the distributor of Ayds appetite-suppressant candy, has faced just this issue since AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, began getting public attention in mid-1981. Jeffrey Martin acquired the Ayds marketing rights from Purex at about the time of the first report of AIDS.
Sales of the diet candy had been sluggish for years when Jeffrey Martin took over the product. Says Martin Himmel, company president: "We have repackaged it, redesigned it, readvertised it and given it a new breath of life."

My, that last quote was unfortunate. Reader Dan writes:

If you haven't posted it before, check out this commercial for the 'Ayds Diet' circa 1981.
BTW, my father worked on the commercial and that's our old station wagon at the beginning.

Nice car, Dan. Nice car.

If you'd like to nominate a commercial for our weekly series "Great Moments In Commercial History" send us an email at tips [at] consumerist [dot] com. Be sure to put "Great Moments In Commercial History" in the subject. To see other commercials that have been featured in the series, click here.—MEGHANN MARCO

Ayds, Not AIDS [Time]

Comment from Raiden47 on 2008-01-14

2008-01-15T02:01:38Z

@jesseraub:
Except for the fact that it had nothing relating to the candy, and they did not get the idea from it at all.

Comment from Trackback on 2007-04-20

2007-04-21T01:25:09Z

First off, just in case you haven’t read enough of my nonsense this week, you can click on the graphic below to read Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the Best Sports Movies — as always, I did small writeups for the top 20: I was also involved in “The Best Albums You’ve Never,...

Comment from WitherWing on 2007-04-19

2007-04-19T08:22:45Z

Personally, I think she'd be embarrassed to go anywhere because of that suit.

Comment from Bay State Darren on 2007-04-19

2007-04-19T05:18:29Z

Article: What should the marketer do to avoid possible confusion?

You change the fucking name! (They eventually did, five years after this article.)

What I really hate is how they were worried only about brand image, sales, and similar corporate BS. How about, I don't know, not offending those hurt by the AIDS epidemic? Oh wait, that's not important to the bottom line.

Comment from Hell's Donut House on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T02:36:33Z

When singer Klaus Nomi died as one of New York's earliest AIDS casualties back in 1983, at least one confused news source listed his cause of death as "an overdose of Ayds diet candy."

Comment from l951b951 on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T01:34:10Z

I'm probably doomed to hell for it, but I watched this commercial 3 times and literally laughed out loud each time at the last line, "Why take diet pills when you can ENJOY Ayds?".

I was born in '81, so I don't remember this ad, but I've heard about it and I'm glad to finally see it. I thought it was an SNL skit; what a misfortunate coincidence.

Comment from JohnAsimov on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T01:10:24Z

I have an empty box of Ayds candy that was my grandmother's (I'm afraid to chuck it as it's so iconic). I don't know why she held on to it. Maybe the same reason I've held on to R. Crumb's Devil Girl candy box...maybe she thought she'd make a few bucks on Ebay someday. My gramma, so business savvy, and so before her time.

Comment from Snakeophelia on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T01:03:17Z

I used to steal these out of my mom's dresser. We were both chocolate fanatics (still are). This particular candy has gone away, but the idea hasn't - go in any Whole Foods or such market and you'll sent plenty of candy bars, sticks, and bites being marketed as "healthy" chocolate.

Like free-range, green, organic, vitamin-and-soy-enriched chocolate that is endorsed by Oprah is, in the end, any better for my thighs than a Snickers. Ha.

Comment from d0x on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T00:52:08Z

"We interrupt this post to bring you the following news: Consumerist Forums have recently begun. Be the first on your block!"

Is that the real OFFICIAL forum for this site? Cause it looks horrible and straight outa the 1995 angelfire era.

Comment from d0x on 2007-04-18

2007-04-19T00:50:29Z

Howard Stern has been talking about this for near 20 years. Everyonce and a while he breaks it out for a laugh.

Poor company.

Comment from VA_White on 2007-04-18

2007-04-18T23:52:31Z

I remember AYDS. They were little squares that tasted like chocolate toffees only softer and more chewy. My brother and I also got into a box of our mom's. If you've ever had a Viactiv chew, it's really close.

Apparently they didn't have a diet drug in them. They swelled up in your stomach and made you feel full. At least that what everyone thought when we were kids.

Comment from LAGirl on 2007-04-18

2007-04-18T22:36:46Z

wow. i totally remember AYDS. my mom used to buy them. we always wanted to eat them, because they looked like candy. but they were her 'special' diet treats and we weren't allowed to have any. i think we ended up taking a few out of the box when she wasn't looking. don't remember anything of significance happening. wonder if they're still around?

love the Stepford women in the commerical.

Comment from faust1200 on 2007-04-18

2007-04-18T22:29:37Z

I posted this link in the commercial disasters story a few weeks ago. Still good fun!

We interrupt this post to bring you the following news: Consumerist Forums have recently begun. Be the first on your block!

http://consumerist.proboards88.com

Check 'the watercooler' to find out -something- about Ben!

Comment from moorie679 on 2007-04-18

2007-04-18T22:13:09Z

true...this was also on VH1 a couple months ago....

Also from the makers of Ayd's............Cancer, use only as directed.

Comment from jesseraub on 2007-04-18

2007-04-18T21:56:14Z

This was parodied by South Park. In one episode, Jared, the Subway guy, was saying that he lost with with aids - as in personal trainers. He also mentions at one point that he wants to personally give aids to every single overweight child.