The Muppets' 1967 IBM Sales Films

harrymcc writes "Forty-three years ago, before most people had ever heard of the Muppets, IBM contracted with Jim Henson for a series of short films that it used to educate and entertain its sales staff. These little-known movies — some of which feature cutting-edge office automation equipment such as very early word-processing systems — remain fresh, funny, and surprisingly irreverent. And one of them features the first appearance of the Cookie Monster, who got his big break on Sesame Street a couple of years later."

Comments

Smithsonian

[Verdatum]

The Smithsonian wrapped up an exhibit on Jim about a year back. It had some of the scratchpads used to put together these commercials, and the above mentioned training films. Great exhibit. sad to see it go.

And RC Cola

[Doc Ruby]

I was just reading today about Jim Henson's mid-1960s TV commercial for RC Cola, featuring two birds that evolved later to become Big Bird.

It's time to put on make-up

[MRe_nl]

It's time to dress up right
It's time to get things started
On the IBM tonight

And now for the origins of the muppet show tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXu4P6KpoLU

Re:Cookie Monster is older than that . . .

[fermion]

I will add to this that Jim Heson was a pioneer, not only in puppetry, but in industrials. We only wish the commercials we see know were as interesting as the what he made. I have the privilege of seeing films of these narrated by, I believe his daughter, as part of a presentation by the Jim Henson foundation.

Part of this is that the commercials were character driven, which we know is a workable formula. It worked for Charmin and Wendy's. I think they are difficult to make, and I think it is one reason why the brand carry's so little power.