Advertising Age, July 26, 1993, by Bob Garfield
"Ad Review: One more cup of coffee for that perky couple"
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"What's brewing for our couple?" asks Taster's Choice in a 
consumer essay-writing contest, and, we have to say, it's an 
excellent question.

Like most everybody else, we here at Ad Review have been 
struck by the ongoing saga of the javacentric romance 
between the lady with the English accent and the fellow with 
the bedroom eyes. Unlike most everybody else, however, we 
hate the both of them.

Seven commercials into the series, we unhesitantly admit we 
are completely out of step with the consuming public on this 
one. Nestle and McCann-Erickson Worldwide, New York, get 
bags of mail about the two flirts, and Taster's Choice sales 
are up 10% since the serial began.

Tempted as we are to blame this phenomenon on the decline of 
American culture, alas, we cannot. The appeal seems to be 
universal. In England--that isle of urbanity so cultured 
that its accent alone is used to convey Taster's Choice 
purported sophistication--the novelization of this TV 
commercial saga was an immediate best seller.

And yet we cling to our original, visceral response--namely, 
that this is the smuggest, smarmiest, *least* attractive TV 
couple we can imagine. (She: "I'm having a dinner party, and 
I've run out of coffee." He: "Would Taster's Choice be too 
good for your guests"? She: "Oh, I think they could get used 
to it.")

That's supposed to simply drip with coy savoir-faire, but to 
us it just seems incredibly snide. The Ad Review staff was 
split on whether we wanted this encounter to amount to 
anything, but unanimous on one point: As a group, we'd 
rather watch a serialized budding romance between Herve 
Villachaize and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Should things with the 
Taster's Choice couple evolve past coquettish small talk, we 
hope they wind up with a sexually transmitted disease. (She: 
"What's that on your lip"? He: "You mean my wry smile?" She: 
"No, that thing. It's oozing.")

So imagine our delight to see that Taster's Choice sponsored 
a contest (entries due today) soliciting the next chapter in 
the saga. The prize is a "dream trip for two to Paris," and 
we figure to be a mortal lock. Because we know exactly how 
this should all turn out.

No, we did *not* rush to either of the obvious scenarios, 
neither the fatal botulism nor the grim encounter with a 
disgruntled postal worker. We simply took the story from 
where it all left off--a lingering kiss in the streets of 
Paris--to its logical conclusion, in the spirit of the first 
seven spots. Herewith, our entry:

Scene: exterior of a small hotel on the right bank of the 
Seine. To a Chopin nocturne background, dissolve to a close-
up on two coffee cups and  a jar of Taster's Choice as we 
hear conversation off camera.

He: "Would you like another cup of Taster's Choice, or is 
that too much savory, sophisticated richness for one 
evening?"

She: "Is there such a thing as 'too rich?'"

(We see his hands on the coffee jar, and as he begins to 
stir a fresh cup, camera pulls back to reveal him in his 
bathrobe. He turns toward the bed.)

He: "Would it matter to you if I were poor?"

(Cut to her in bed, under the satin covers, reaching out for 
the cup he is handing her.)

She:"Poor at what?"

He: "Don't tell me you don't like the way I make coffee."

She: "Oh, no. The coffee is, shall we say, potent and 
satisfying. Like it was fresh brewed for a long, long time."

He: "And me?"

She: (Close-up on her arch smile.) "Instant."

He: (Close-up on his arch smile, and his raised eyebrow of 
reaction. He takes a sip of Taster's Choice.) "Sorry. Doctor 
says I get too much caffeine."

Photo: Tony and Sharon kissing. Caption: What is next for 
the Taster's Choice couple? An excellent question, though we 
think the answer is obvious.



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