With the birth of ITV in 1955, came commercials – or ”natural breaks” as they were originally known.
The very first TV commercial in Britain was broadcast on 22 September 1955 at 8:12 PM and was for Gibbs SR toothpaste.
Viewers saw a tube of toothpaste embedded in a block of ice (real ice had to be abandoned in favour of plastic, in fact), a lady by the name of Meg Smith brushing her teeth “up and down and round the gums” and heard BBC presenter Alex Mackintosh declare (with immaculate BBC diction) “It’s tingling fresh. It’s fresh as ice. It’s Gibbs SR toothpaste”.
The running water in the advert – 400 gallons of it – had to be siphoned into the gents’ lavatory at Pathe Studios in Wardour Street, where the commercial was made.
Someone pressed the button too soon and part of the ‘leader’ (the length of preliminary film that gives a visual countdown in seconds) was televised first.
The advert was chosen to be first by drawing lots with 23 opening night offerings, including Guinness, Surf, National Benzole, Brown & Polson custard, Lux, Summer County margarine, Batchelor’s peas, Shredded Wheat, Crosse & Blackwell and Brillo.
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Viewers saw a tube of toothpaste embedded in a block of ice (real ice had to be abandoned in favour of plastic, in fact), a lady by the name of Meg Smith brushing her teeth “up and down and round the gums” and heard BBC presenter Alex Mackintosh declare (with immaculate BBC diction) “It’s tingling fresh. It’s fresh as ice. It’s Gibbs SR toothpaste”.
