Japanese TV ads in the 1970s and 80s were often pretty off-the-wall and many US celebrities were offered huge amounts of money to star in them, safe in the knowledge that what is shown in Japan, stays in Japan.
We recently(ish) featured this demented ad for a Japanese vitamin shot starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and now a 1974 ad for Suntory whiskey has resurfaced featuring US singer, dancer and rat-pack member, Sammy Davis Jr.
Apparently, Sammy was given free-rein to ad-lib and it’s all the better (and weirder) for it.
Thanks to Super 70s Sports for sharing on Twitter.
“Did you guys shoot that whisky ad with Sammy Davis Jr. yet?”
“Yeah.”
“How did it go?”
“It was the weirdest fucking day of my entire life.”
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) August 10, 2025
Marvellous. People liked what they saw…
1.
This could be the greatest commercial ever shot.
— Al Bernstein (@AlBernstein) August 10, 2025
2.
More ads should be this “weird.”
— R/GA (@RGA) August 11, 2025
3.
Asmr way before the social media trend
— pedro ortiz (@pedritoortizjr) August 11, 2025
4.
This was take 47 and he drank each glass.
— T-Bone (@TBoneChoice) August 10, 2025
5.
He only had one eye. Davis told the story of a time he and Joey Bishop were driving to Las Vegas and Davis got pulled over for speeding. Apparently Joey Bishop objected telling the cop “The man only has one eye. Do you want him to watch the road or watch the speedometer?” I…
— WG Bates (@wgbates) August 11, 2025
6.
That is how I’m drinking whiskey moving forward
— H2P (@Dave12075548) August 10, 2025
7.
Cat danced to the beat of his own bass line
— Kelly LaFleur Schultz (@fighting8r) August 10, 2025
