40 Classic Advertising Slogans and Jingles Trivia Questions and Answers for Seniors

Picture the living room on a weeknight — the television glowing in the corner, a tray of supper on your lap, and then that little tune comes on between the shows. You weren’t trying to learn it. Nobody sat you down and made you memorize it. And yet here you are, all these years later, still able to finish the line without missing a beat.

That’s the strange magic of a good jingle. The slogans and little songs below sold everything from soap to station wagons, and somehow they stuck fast while whole decades slipped away. Read them aloud at the kitchen table and watch how fast the whole room joins in. The answer sits right under each question, so you can test yourself or play along together.

On the Breakfast Table

1. Which cereal has proudly called itself “The Breakfast of Champions” since 1935?

Wheaties, the box that has carried generations of athletes on its front.

2. A cartoon tiger roars “They’re gr-r-reat!” What cereal is he selling?

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes. The tiger, of course, is Tony.

3. In what year did Tony the Tiger first bound onto the Frosted Flakes box?

1952 — he has been grinning there ever since.

4. Snap, Crackle and Pop are three little elves who live on the box of which cereal?

Rice Krispies, another Kellogg’s favorite — named, naturally, for the sound the cereal makes in the bowl.

5. Which coffee was advertised for decades as “Good to the last drop”?

Maxwell House, which began using the line back in 1915.

6. A long-told (though never actually proven) story credits that “last drop” line to which president?

Theodore Roosevelt. It makes a lovely tale, but historians have never confirmed he said it.

The Sweet Tooth

7. Which candy promised it would “melt in your mouth, not in your hand”?

M&M’s. The slogan dates all the way back to 1954 and is still in use today.

8. In one Oscar Mayer jingle, a boy sings that he wishes he were an Oscar Mayer what?

A wiener. That singing commercial first aired in 1963.

9. In the other Oscar Mayer jingle, the bologna “has a first name.” How is it spelled out?

O-S-C-A-R. The little song arrived in 1973 and ran for years.

Something to Drink

10. In a famous 1971 commercial filmed on a hilltop, young people from around the world sang that they’d like to buy the world a what?

A Coke — the Coca-Cola ad known ever after as the “Hilltop.”

11. That jingle grew so popular it became a full-length pop hit. What was the song called?

“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony).”

The Lunch Counter and the Drive-Thru

12. “You deserve a break today” invited a whole generation to eat where?

McDonald’s. The jingle ran from 1971 to 1975 and is one of the best remembered of them all.

13. Which fried-chicken chain has described itself since 1956 as “finger lickin’ good”?

Kentucky Fried Chicken — KFC.

14. In 1984, a tiny, sharp-tongued lady squinted at a competitor’s hamburger and barked three words for Wendy’s. What did she say?

“Where’s the beef?”

15. What was the name of the elderly actress who delivered that line?

Clara Peller.

Around the House

16. A fussy grocer named Mr. Whipple spent years begging shoppers not to squeeze which brand of toilet paper?

Charmin. His gentle scolding ran in ads from 1964 all the way to 1985.

17. Which actor played the pickle-faced Mr. Whipple?

Dick Wilson.

18. “When it rains, it pours” has been the motto of which salt since 1914?

Morton Salt.

19. What is the Morton Salt girl carrying as she walks along in the rain, spilling salt behind her?

An umbrella — which is why she’s often called the Umbrella Girl.

On the Road and Away

20. Dinah Shore made a signature song of the invitation to “See the U.S.A.” in which make of car?

Chevrolet. The jingle was written back in 1948.

21. In 1962, which rental-car company turned being number two into a point of pride with the line “We try harder”?

Avis.

22. Which bigger rival was Avis trailing when it made that cheeky admission?

Hertz, the number-one company at the time.

23. “Go Greyhound and leave the driving to us” was the comforting promise of which company?

Greyhound, the bus line, starting in 1956.

24. In 1947 a copywriter named Frances Gerety wrote four words that would sell diamonds for generations. What were they?

“A diamond is forever” — written for the De Beers company.

25. Which advertising trade magazine later crowned “A diamond is forever” the slogan of the century?

Advertising Age.

At the Drugstore

26. “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is” is the bubbly jingle for which remedy?

Alka-Seltzer.

27. A groaning man clutching his stomach and moaning “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” was also selling what?

Alka-Seltzer, in a 1972 commercial that everybody quoted for years.

28. What was the name of Alka-Seltzer’s cheerful little cartoon mascot?

Speedy.

29. “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking” promised the toughness of which brand of watch?

Timex.

30. Which television newsman put Timex watches through their famous live “torture tests”?

John Cameron Swayze.

31. “You’ll wonder where the yellow went” when you brushed your teeth with which toothpaste?

Pepsodent.

32. A young Barry Manilow, before his own singing fame, wrote the sing-song jingle for which brand of adhesive bandage?

Band-Aid.

The Faces and Voices We Remember

33. “Only you can prevent forest fires” is the gentle warning of which bear in a ranger’s hat?

Smokey Bear, who first appeared in 1944.

34. On whose behalf has Smokey been spreading that message all these years?

The United States Forest Service.

35. The Jolly Green Giant, who booms out a cheerful “Ho, ho, ho,” sells cans and bags of what?

Vegetables — peas, corn and green beans, under the Green Giant label.

36. Which legendary adman gave the Giant his leafy suit and friendly smile back in 1935?

Leo Burnett.

37. A singing mermaid invited you to “ask any mermaid” which tuna was best. Which brand did she sell?

Chicken of the Sea. Her mermaid mascot first appeared in 1952.

38. “Does she… or doesn’t she?” teased which company’s hair coloring in 1956?

Clairol.

39. That same Clairol ad answered its own question: “Only her hairdresser knows for” what?

Sure — “only her hairdresser knows for sure.”

40. “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should” advertised which brand, starting in 1954?

Winston cigarettes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I play these with a group?

Read the question aloud, give everyone a moment to call out their guess, then share the answer waiting right below. Jingles work best out loud — start humming the first few notes and you’ll be amazed how many people finish the tune without even thinking about it.

Why do these old slogans stick in our heads so well?

A good jingle was built to be unforgettable — a simple rhyme, a catchy little melody, and endless repetition night after night on the radio and television. The companies spent fortunes making sure you’d never shake them loose, and clearly it worked.

Which advertising slogan is considered the most famous of all?

Advertising Age named De Beers’ “A diamond is forever,” written in 1947, the slogan of the 20th century. Others, like “Breakfast of Champions” and “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand,” are nearly as beloved.

Where can I find more games like this?

If these brought back the sound of the old commercials, try our finish the saying trivia for seniors, or take a sweet trip back to the candy counter with our vintage candies you forgot existed.

Sources

• Smokey Bear — Wikipedia
• “Where’s the beef?” — Wikipedia
• De Beers — Wikipedia

How many did you remember? Play our trivia quizzes and keep those old tunes playing.