George May Ford Ad – June 23, 1965

Here's an interesting ad for George May Ford, which I mentioned here on the blog a few times this year. The ad for the Kansas Avenue dealership – which ran in the Lorain Journal on June 23, 1965 – reveals a pretty creative (and adult) approach to lure customers into the new car showroom.

A "Champagne Weekend" was the theme, with sparkling champagne offered to adult shoppers. Music was provided by Barney Freeman and the Jetones, and Jackie Rancourt was the pretty hostess for the event.

The Cleveland Memory Project had a photo of Bill "Smoochie" Gordon and Jackie Rancourt on the "One O'Clock Club" on WEWS Channel 5 back in 1959. I'm not sure if she was a guest or regular co-host.

As for Barney Freeman and the Jetones, it appears that they enjoyed regional success in Northeast Ohio in the 1960s, and that the whole Freeman family was talented musically. Barney Freeman passed away in 2013.

Anyway, it's interesting to see such a sophisticated gimmick employed locally back in the 1960s. I wonder if the sales effort was successful?

Nowadays, it seems like too many car commercials are designed to annoy potential customers with their loud, unfunny banter – making the whole process unappealing. The idea of enjoying an adult beverage while car shopping, as well as some entertainment, sounds like it would be a welcome relief.