New York Times, November 22, 1992, by Janet Maslin
"Steamy TV: Coffee Opera--The episodes are shorter on the 
Taster's Choice serial than on the daytime soaps, but 
they're just as long on suspense"
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How often does anyone actually extend a romantic late-night 
invitation to share several cups of coffee? Think about it. 
it's a terrible idea. Even if the scene is staged prettily, 
in a cozy room beside a roaring fire, the conversation is 
liable to be something short of soothing once the caffeine 
kicks in. One party may fidget; the other may sweat; both 
will chatter on unstoppably. And if they do wind up in the 
bedroom, this much is certain: they'll be far too jittery 
for whatever they have in mind.

But the coffee date suddenly has some credence as a sexual 
gambit. Or at least it's been working as an advertising 
strategy, thanks to the zealous efforts of the McCann-
Erickson advertising agency for Taster's Choice. In that 
company's all-but-unavoidable serial commercials, which have 
raised sales by 10 pecent since the first one was shown here 
two years ago, a flirtatious woman (played by Sharon 
Maughan) and her flirtatious neighbor (Tony Head) develop a 
mating dance based entirely on coffee's aphrodisiac 
possibilities.

Bathed in soft candlelight, with classifcal piano music 
tinkling in the background, they repeatedly congratulate 
each other on a shared "sophisticated" coffee habit. Coffee, 
especially when served in a gold-rimmed white china cup, is 
made to seem the very elixir of love. Whatever else it has 
done for "Sharon" and "Tony" (as they are known by 
aficionados of these ads), Taster's Choice has had a 
profound effect on their speech patterns. Just as it speeds 
up the heartbeat, it also raises the tendency to favor 
pregnant pauses and double-entendres.

"Hello; I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm having a dinner 
party and" (pause) "I've run out of coffee," the slinky 
Sharon murmurs in *Doorbell/First Meeting*, as the initial 
ad in the series is known.

"Would" (pause) "uh" (pause) "Taster's Choice be too good 
for your guests?" Tony answers, flashing his man-of-the-
world smile. He goes to a cupboard, where he keeps the 
Taster's Choice beside a pasta jar. "Oh, I" (pause) "uh" 
(pause) "think they could get used to it," Sharon says 
slyly, her prize--the Taster's Choice--in hand.

Whoa. Stop right there. Are we to believe that a man who 
fusses about his pasta would not be grinding fresh coffee 
beans? Should we not wonder why Sharon is wearing a little 
black dress and drop earrings for her visit across the hall, 
looking considerably more polished than any of the just-
folks guests at her little soiree? Can we really imagine 
that Sharon and Tony, who have thus far traded caffeinisms 
through five ads shown here and 10 in England, never meet 
downstairs by the mailbox and make small talk about anything 
else?

In fact, viewers are being asked to buy a lot more than 
processed coffee. These ads are also selling sophistication 
(as manifested by flowers, sculpture, modern furniture, 
etc.) and romance (Sharon and Tony end their first date on a 
near-kiss, though he is by then on a three-cup coffee 
bender). And if the creative team behind the ads is to be 
believed, they are even selling crackling conversation. At 
an advertising seminar last month entitled "Campaign 
Strategies: How Memorable Ads Are Made" at the Museum of 
Broadcasting, Irwin Warren, McCann-Erickson's executive vice 
president and deputy creative director, compared Sharon and 
Tony with Tracy and Hepburn.

This much emerged from the discussion: Sharon and Tony have 
international appeal, and their roles have been played by 
Spanish-speaking actors (who wear the same clothes as the 
two English players, Miss Maughan and Mr. Head) for a 
Chilean version. Some viewers have written to express their 
hope that the principals will never have sex (this raises 
questions that may trouble the long-term coffee devotee). 
Others write to share their own experiences of coffee and 
love. And 25 lucky couples (out of 4,000 hopefuls) were 
flown out for a "romantic weekend in Los Angeles," after the 
fourth ad was shown. Winners even shared a candlelight 
dinner with the Taster's Choice couple--not an intimate 
evening, but definitely a sophisticated one. Those who 
didn't know which coffee would end the meal need not have 
applied.

Whither Sharon and Tony? We will not know until early 1993, 
when the sequel to the current "Mystery Man" installment 
will be shown. When last seen, Sharon was entertaining an 
English-accented stranger in her apartment and changing her 
clothes with the bedroom room ajar, either sexily or 
obliviously, depending on your point of view. While Sharon 
was thus engaged, Tony rang the doorbell and was surprised 
to find thd Mystery Man on the premises.

"And did you tell him who you are?" Sharon asked her guest 
with apparent consternation, while the Mystery Man tried 
gamely to change the subject by exclaiming "Great coffee!" 
If he's not her brother (or maybe her ex-husband), then my 
brand isn't Taster's Choice.



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