June 13, 1994, "The Newest 'Taster's Choice' Commercial Airs Today!" by Donna Kelley.
[clip from a Taster's Choice commercial:
Her: You saved my life the other night.
Him: The dinner party.
Her: The coffee--very succesful.
Him: How can you ever thank me?
Her: I'll try and think of something. In the meantime, at least I can return your Taster's Choice.
end clip]
Donna Kelley: Launched in 1990, the Taster's Choice coffee commercials featuring the flirtatious neighbors are seen as either sexually suggestive or just purely romantic. Whatever their appeal, the commercials have been enormously popular around the world with audiences looking forward to the next development. The ninth commercial debuts today.
[clip from a Taster's Choice commercial:
Her: Why aren't you at college? Is something wrong?
Son: No, we had a few days off. I decided to come and see you.
Her: Michael, this is my son, Jeremy.
Son: My mother has mentioned you.
Him: Has she? Well, we share a real passion--for a certain coffee.
Son: Yeah, Taster's Choice.
Announcer: Savor the sophisticated taste of Taster's Choice.
(Next scene. Phone rings)
Him: Hello?
Her: Jeremy said he enjoyed meeting you.
Him: Jeremy. Is there anything else you've forgotten to tell me?
Her: Volumes.
end clip]
Kelley: Ooh, he seemed a little irritated there that he didn't know about him before. Tony Head is one of the coffee-loving neighbors in the award-winning Taster's Choice spots and he joins us from our studios in London. Hello, Tony.
Tony Head: Hi.
Kelley: I'm sorry that Sharon couldn't be with us today. I understand that she's in a play and so she wasn't able to make it there to be with us today.
Head: Absolutely.
Kelley: I cannot believe how enormously popular those commercials are. Would you ever have expected that?
Head: No, it's good, isn't it?
Kelley: It's wonderful. You must be thrilled that you're in them. Were you going to join on right off the bat?
Head: Oh, it's great. I mean, I--never in a million years could one have dreamed that it was going to take off like it has.
Kelley: Have you had as much recognition for your stage and your TV that you've done before?
Head: Oh, but I've had a, you know, a career going before it, but it's--it's given me, shall we say, an international hook. It's kind of, you know, I have a face now across the ocean, as the--in both directions, because we now--the commercial airs in New Zealand as well and Scandinavia. It's worldwide. Extraordinary.
Kelley: What's the commercial selling?
Head: Coffee, of course.
Kelley: Well, I know, yes. In addition to that, anything else?
Head: No, I know what you're getting at. I guess it's romance. We're--you know, we're living in an age where it's nice to see that romance isn't dead and if something--it's also something like that area of flirtatin between men and women that we do so well. We spare very well together. The sexes and it's nice to see, you know, he thinks he's getting the upper hand every now and again. She puts him down. You know, it's the way it usually goes.
Kelley: It is fun flirtation indeed. Do you guys have very much to say about what the next little installment will be?
Head: Well, no, the basic script is laid out for us in--basically has the story line sort of set, but when we get to the studios, there's a fair amount of cross reference and we have an input. Since so much is about what is not said and what is in between the lines, the director works very closely with us. We've been known to do up to, sort of, 40 takes in order to get that little microcosm of life right. But it's fascinating stuff and since we've had, basically, the same production team ever since we started, it's like a family. You know, you go back home every time you do one.
Kelley: It's so fun to see the next installment, but I think that many of us would like to see the next one sooner, you know, now 'OK, good, we've seen that,' it's like a little, mini soap that continues on. Those folks must be thrilled in the advertising department for the coffee.
Head: Well, I certainly think--I mean, if obviously works because it wouldn't still be going and it wouldn't have such an incredible response. I mean, for instance, this telephone phone-in that they did where people suggested names and where we live and what we do for work. Received something like 100,000 calls in under a month between May 2nd and May 20th [dates?]. It was an unbelievable response and I think that took them by surprise, you know, that there is so much interest out there that's just, you know, people want to have an input. It's fascinating.
Kelley: Actor Tony Head.
Head: So I've got a name, now.
Kelley: Yes, you do. Actor Tony Head and we sure appreciate you joining us today. It was fun, thanks.
Head: Thank you.
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