Admags or ad mags (short for Advertising magazines) were an early alternative to the commercial break in the 1950s and 1960s, broadcast on the then-new commercial network ITV in the United Kingdom. Beginning as a result of the Television Act 1954, and designed mainly to provide advertising space for smaller companies who couldn't afford slots during regular ad breaks, admags became popular in their own right. Each had a loose story format, much like a soap opera, with each episode featuring a collection of commercially available products.[1]
Programming
Jim's Inn
The most popular admag was Jim's Inn, a soap opera starring Jimmy and Maggie Hanley. By 1957, Jim's Inn had become so popular that Associated-Rediffusion claimed that it was now rivalling the popularity of long-established programmes on the BBC, such as The Archers. It ran for 300 editions, and after the ban on admags in 1963, the couple appeared running ‘Jim’s Stores’ in a series of adverts for Daz washing powder.[2]
Elizabeth Goes Shopping
The first of the admags, Elizabeth Goes Shopping was hosted by Elizabeth Allan, who would visit upmarket London stores.
Other admags
Other admags included About Homes and Gardens (1956), Bazaar (1957-1959), Fancy That! (1956), For Pete’s Sake (1957-1958), Girl With a Date and Home With Joy Shelton (1955-1956).
Ban
Admags were withdrawn from British television after a 1962 report by Sir Harry Pilkington into the practices of the nascent ITV network which condemned the admag format. Parliament prohibited admags in 1963. Product placement would not be allowed again on British television until 2011.
See also
References
- ^ "Teletronic | The History of ITV - (Ad-Mags) Shopper Guides". www.teletronic.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
- ^ "A short history of British TV advertising". Science and Media Museum. Archived from the original on 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
This page was last edited on 12 June 2022, at 14:36