Peanuts (partially found sponsorship ads of animated specials based on comic strip; 1965-1970s)

From The Lost Media Wiki
Revision as of 15:55, 21 December 2018 by Ryanskip (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
Peanutscocacola.JPG

A Coca-Cola advertisement at the end of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Status: Partially found

Coca-Cola commissioned A Charlie Brown Christmas which that special included product placement for the soft drink, most notably sponsor ID's with a unique animated sequence. Footage of Linus crashing into the Coca-Cola sign exists on YouTube as well as subsequent specials, including reissue tags incorporating Dolly Madison snack cakes. According to TV Guide advertisements and Lee Mendelson's website, the first new special to be sponsored by Dolly Madison with Coca-Cola is "He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown"

The end credits music fades early in current version because "best wishes" were given to the sponsors of that year's broadcasts, although A Charlie Brown Christmas had "Merry Christmas from the people who bottle Coca-Cola"

Found Sponsor Sequences

YouTube users Robatsea2009 and spetragl have unearthed various pieces of missing sponsor sequences

A Charlie Brown Christmas- Linus crashing into Coca-Cola sign (unknown, maybe 1965 or 1966), other versions lost except alternate take from the promo. End credits sponsor message added as a companion (unknown if 1965). The audio from a reissue is found as well.

Charlie Brown's All-Stars- Charlie Brown mopes by a Coca-Cola sign (this time with circular red "Drink Coca-Cola" logo)- original in black-and-white and spetragl has a color reissue with the late 1960s Dolly Madison logo. Only a late 1960s reissue exists in collector circles and is the only version in color for the "best wishes" greetings.

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown- Although TV Guide list Coca-Cola as the sponsor it is unclear if Robatsea2009's YouTube version is original or the following repeat, as Dolly Madison is added along with Coca-Cola. Chances are it was retaken, as a similar scene exists in a promo. End credits exist for unknown mid-1960s version. The Peanuts characters run around in Halloween costumes by the sign(s) and Snoopy dances.

Lost Sponsor Sequences

The lost ones are:

  • You're in Love, Charlie Brown
  • He's Your Dog Charlie Brown
  • It Was A Short Summer Charlie Brown
  • Play It Again Charlie Brown

It is unclear when the special sequences stopped. However, standard sponsor tags have been shown annually until CBS stopped showing Peanuts specials in 2001.