Crying Indian Keep America Beautiful

[tdgill]

On thanksgiving day, think of the native sons and daughters of this land...may their spirits rest in peace.

I always liked these commercials, sad as they were.

More than four decades ago, the Ad Council partnered with Keep America Beautiful to create a powerful visual image that dramatized how litter and other forms of pollution were hurting the environment, and how every individual has the responsibility to help protect it. The ad, which featured Native American actor Iron Eyes Cody, "The Crying Indian," first aired on Earth Day in 1971. Created by ad agency Marstellar, Inc., the campaign used the line, "People Start Pollution. People can stop it." The ad became one of the most memorable and successful campaigns in advertising history and was named one of the top 100 advertising campaigns of the 20th Century by Ad Age Magazine.

 

[card5640]

I always loved that commerical as well, I would be up late babysitting at others homes and it would be the last thing on then the station would shut down, it always made me cry.

 

[Mahonri]

I always thought it brought the point home.... to see that tear rolling down his cheek.

 

[EweSheep]

Yes I do remember that commercial very well. Thanks for sharing and it was a very good commercial!

 

[PurpleChicken]

You guys are gonna hate me for this.

The guy playing the Native American was an Italian actor.

 

[tdgill]

The ad, which featured Native American actor Iron Eyes Cody

who in reality was italian american descent.

thanks for adding to the post! It IS tv. hahah.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Was Italian, at least that's the version I've heard from many sources through the years. Hey, we've got Indian casinos here in CT but the people who say they are indian don't look indian to me.

But ya know, either way, those were great commercials. They had a warm caring feel to them unlike the angry "we are destroying the world" or plain nonsense that so many of todays commercials do.

Sorry to go off topic.


That's a cool horse he's on.

 

[deb1]

Those commercials made enough of an impact on me that I don't throw trash on the ground when I am outside. They need to do something like that again, only use an actual Native American actor.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Those commercials made a huge impact on me as a child. I see people throwing trash out the window of their car, and would say to my kids, "They never saw the crying Indian." We should bring back those ads.

 

[Katy]

I always liked that commercial too.

Appearances can be decieving.....Both my daughters in law have Native American blood. The one looks like it, the other who has a higher percentage of NA blood is a blue-eyed blonde!!