Et maintenant nous nous arrêtons pour ces messages commerciaux.

(And now we pause for these commercial messages.)

Rarely are union suit clad spokesmen utilized in television commercials. Years ago though, a Tide detergent commercial featured a quartet of country singers dressed in western clothes singing in a laundry room, one of whom was playing a guitar. The second scene showed them stripped down to their red one-piece long johns. They had thrown their clothes in the washing machine using Tide. In the final scene they were back fully dressed in their freshly washed clothes. I don't know if Tide sold more detergent due to these gents in their union suits but it got my twelve year old attention.

Fast forward a few years to Boise, Idaho for a local western store commercial. One featured a young man standing out in front of the store in just his red union suit and socks. Pedestrians and cars were passing him by as if a guy outside in Boise wearing only his long underwear was an everyday occurrence. Suddenly, he was magically transported inside the store still in his union suit. Seconds later in a subsequent shot, boots appeared on his feet. Then, in the blink of an eye, he had on a new stetson. Next shot, a blue, snap-button western shirt, and finally a pair of Wrangler jeans. He was set and presumably no longer had to walk the streets of Boise in his union suit. Pretty entertaining stuff for a young union suit fan!

Not long afterward I was visiting my high school buddy down in Perryton, Texas. He's the oil field worker who introduced me to red union suits. While watching TV one night we saw a television commercial featuring another cowboy. He too was clad only in a red union suit. Riding up to the store on a horse, he dismounted and walked on in. Wandering around in his long underwear, he drew a bit of a stir among other customers. Shortly, a very attractive saleswoman directed him to the boot department where he chose some fancy leather footwear. As I remember she then led him, still in his long johns, to various departments to have him next choose a cowboy hat and then a beige western shirt (with snap-buttons). Finally she got him into a pair of Wranglers. Suitably dressed, he left the store, mounted his horse, and rode off into the sunset. Ostensibly, he was now properly ready for a cattle drive.

There seemed to be a period when western stores featured young down-on-their-luck cowboys who showed up in their long red underwear to shop for clothes. I don't know where they kept their money for buying new boots and clothes. My union suits don't have pockets.

Most recently, a Reddi Wip commercial featured a little boy wearing a red union suit. He sleepily walks downstairs into the family room to discover the back of his daddy who was dressed like Santa. Daddy tells the boy that he is Santa Claus. But then the real Santa Claus appears! Daddy is mortified to be caught impersonating his son's hero. But in the final scene all appears forgiven. The disheveled boy, daddy, and Santa enjoy cookies and Reddi Wip atop their hot chocolate. (See my Christmas posting in Union Suit Fan for the December 21, 2017 commercial*) 

French Canadians too have a keen sense of humor and have, in the past year or so, featured men clad in their red combinaisons (combinations / union suits) to sell insurance. I'm only aware of this thanks to a good friend and Union Suit Fan from Canada. Not long ago he emailed me the web addresses of two television commercials touting a popular insurance company.

Belairdirect Insurance Company wants to show viewers that it is carefully listening to and sympathetic with Canadians in regard to their biggest insurance complaints. So, Belairdirect’s familiar “knight” spokesman speaks with people in a shopping mall about their insurance premiums with other insurance companies going up after a first car accident or home claim. Of course they don’t feel higher premiums are very fair. The knight then explains Belairdirect’s Accident Forgiveness program.

In one commercial a dignified salesman / knight approaches with microphone in hand. Dressed in a suit and tie and covered in armor to show the extent of one's protection when buying Belairdirect, he proceeds to espouse the virtues of his insurance company in French and asks them how he might help them.

He has various reactions of interest until one young man, accompanied by his wife, talks the salesman out of his armor and suit. In the final scene, the young man is wearing the suit of armor. The somewhat embarrassed knight is reduced to his long red underwear. After all, the salesman had told him he would do anything to gain his trust! Apparently even, willing to strip to his union suit in a busy shopping center!

The wife is thinking her husband is looking sharp in that armor. She likes what she sees and further thinks: Le chevalier a l'air stupide dépouillé de son costume d'union rouge! (The knight looks silly stripped to his red union suit!)

To see this commercial insert this address:

https://youtu.be/HfbvTfZu9eY

Regarding this commercial, a french Canadian replies by texting: J’ai assuré ma bmw x1 2012 couverture complète (2 bords) pour le prix que vous demandiez pour responsabilité civile seulement (1 bord)! Dépensez moins pour la pub et offrez réellement de bons prix.  (I insured my BMW x1 2012 full coverage (2 edges) for the price you requested for liability only (1 edge)! Spend less on advertising and really offer good prices.) I can only assume he is not a Union Suit Fan!



In another commercial an insurance knight speaks with travelers at a busy Quebec airport. In the final scene, the erstwhile but sincere fellow apparently has tried to pass through security (in his armor?!). Consequently he is stripped down to his bright red union suit as a female TSA agent uses a wand to check him for who knows what. He is cooperative, standing there forlornly in his underwear! 

To see this commercial copy and insert this address: 

http://strategyonline.ca/2017/05/31/belairdirect-shows-its-forgiving-side/

Another commercial shows the same, erstwhile salesman standing in an indoor shopping center in his long johns. He apparently was searching out prospective customers when another man talked him out of his armor and left him standing there sheepishly in only his union suit:

The common denominator in long underwear television commercials that I have observed seems to be Red Union Suits. I suppose because not only does red stand out more than white or grey or some other color but because a guy in a red union suit is funnier. N'êtes pas d'accord?

*Reddi Wip “Look-A-Like” TV spot:

  

Coming In September: "Seeing Stars!"