Ask Terry 2023
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
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The History of the Bouncing Ball
The bouncing ball was added to theatrical commercials like this one for the 1931 Oldsmobile. Later, famous singers like Ethel Merman would invite the public to sing along with her. In its day, it was a very effective technique to embed a catchy song in someone's mind and attach that sticky song to a brand. Like the jingle, the bouncing ball eventually fell out of favor some time in the late 70s when musical tastes started to change.
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