© BF -WATCH TV 2021 I'm Joseph Campanella, husband, father, and actor, and host for Beam's 180th birthday celebration.
As an actor, I always try to research a role before I play it.
When I'm going to portray an attorney, I like to slip unnoticed into a courtroom, watch a real case being tried.
I've even visited prisons and talked to criminals, because in my business, you're a good guy one day and a killer the next.
Of course, that's true in a few other businesses too, isn't it? But this assignment required no research whatsoever.
I'm simply playing me, Joe Campanella.
Not only have I been a user of Jim Beam for a lot of years, but I've had a ringside seat at watching the company grow to number one.
Believe it or not, my father -in -law is a vice president of Jim Beam.
Yeah, that's right.
I'm the lucky guy that married Bob Bartholomew's daughter, Jill.
And she made me a part of the Beam family.
I even know Everett Kovler so well, he's made me an honorary nephew.
Now, there are no pay and allowances attached to that lofty position, just a lot of honor.
One of the most interesting things I've observed about Beam over the years is the unusual and entertaining way that Beam has kept its quality image alive to the public through its advertising.
Every year, they come up with a topper.
I've been privileged to have an advanced look at Beam's advertising and marketing plans for 1975.
And believe it or not, they've made me a believer.
The year 1975 was another milestone in Beam's history.
It's Beam's 180th birthday.
For 180 years, from 1795 to 1975, the Beam family have dedicated themselves to making the world's finest bourbon.
And this year's campaign will be a year -long celebration of this once -in -a -lifetime event.
This is fascinating material.
Robert Ripley, he coined a phrase way back in 1918 that has become a part of our language.
His believe it or not cartoons have appeared in hundreds of newspapers all over the world for over 50 years.
His believe it or not oddities have been reproduced in 22 best -selling books and have been documented and authenticated as fact.
Did you ever stop to think of how many times a week you hear it? Believe it or not, I broke 80 on the golf course this morning.
Or believe it or not, last night I got ready for bed and for the third time this week, my wife had a splitting headache.
Believe it or not, my wife never has a headache and I've got five sons in 10 years to prove it.
But here's one Mr.
Ripley would have loved.
Beam has been in business since 1795.
This is their anniversary year and it calls for a special celebration in their most ambitious advertising campaign to let the world know this is Beam's 180th birthday.
And this is Beam's special birthday cake with candles set into miniature Beam bottles.
Believe it or not, this is the first cake that Sarah Lee ever got high on.
Ripley's talent for researching the unusual wasn't limited to finding a two -headed calf or the fact that Thomas Jefferson introduced spaghetti and ice cream to the United States of America.
Prehistoric horses millions of years ago were only as tall as a rabbit sitting on its haunches.
I didn't know that.
A large percentage of his oddities dealt with Americana and he uncovered a lot of facts that were omitted from our history books.
And Jim Beam is part of American history.
Okay, so you're asking what's the connection between Robert Ripley and Jim Beam? Well, I can tell you that Martin Lohan hasn't devised a two -headed trophy bottle, but the USA is only 19 years older than Beam.
That's an amazing statement when you think about it.
And it is the kind of fact that would have really turned Ripley on.
So, believe it or not, Beam's birthday ads will reach new heights of credibility.
They will entertain as well as inform the world that Robert Ripley authenticates this exciting event.
The Ripley feature appears in over 600 newspapers.
By a happy coincidence, that's the same number of newspapers that will be carrying the Beam anniversary ads.
["The New York Times"] Jim Beam ads in 1975 will be seen by millions of magazine readers all year long.
We are actually involving them in our 180th birthday.
["The New York Times"] And here is the believe it or not that says it all.
The USA is only 19 years older than Beam.
And to bring even greater dimension to this year's ad campaign, every month we'll be zeroing in on other anniversaries and special events with specific Beam tie -ins to St.
Patrick's Day.
And our Beam ad that day will wear green to honor the occasion.
Father's Day, we will pay homage to sons and daughters everywhere whose hearts belong to daddy.
Fourth of July, we'll celebrate America's birthday.
Labor Day, we'll salute the working men and women of America.
Columbus Day, we will join in honoring the man who made the greatest discovery of all time.
And we will have other guaranteed reader interest ads targeting in on the world of sports.
A baseball hit 400 feet is subject to twice as much destructive energy as a bullet fired from a 38 caliber pistol.
I didn't know that.
["Ripley's Theme Song"] We thought it might be fun to preview these ads.
So we went to a couple of Ripley museums to get some opinions from people on the street.
Now the results weren't as hilarious as candid camera, but the people we talked to were certainly candid.
Oh, I love these ads, and I think this whole thing is such a wonderful tie -in because I remember Ripley's been around for so long, and Jim Beam's in my house.
My husband's been drinking it for years.
Very nice.
It's a cute idea.
It all just ties in, but I'm not gonna tell you how old I am because that wouldn't be good.
After all, I am a grandmother with two divine grandchildren who probably will be drinking Beam when they grow up too.
I like these Ripley, believe it or not.
I like it, I like it.
I like them.
You really like them? I like them.
I like the ads too where you had the movie stars.
I thought they were awfully good.
But I think this is going to be just as good and just as successful for you, because I think it's just terrific.
Thank you.
I'm sure you're enjoying what you're doing.
This must be fun for you too.
I'm sure you drink Beam as we all do.
My husband loves it and adores it.
And I felt like it was past reality, and there is a reality beyond that.
Well, it's very nice.
What can I say? I thought it had a lot of pith.
I think they're very good.
Looks beautiful.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
It's so effervescent.
These are really very good.
I think they're very effective.
I like them very much.
Oh, good.
Is this an endorsement? Am I going to be getting paid for this? Oh no, no, no.
Oh well, I guess they're all right then.
Normally during the Christmas holidays, some of my customers around Old Town usually give me a couple bottles.
I think if Jim Beam is going to continue advertising like this, they're going to have a really fine campaign.
And bringing George Washington into it is another good idea, because as the father of our country, he really got the whole ball rolling over here anyway.
I never knew that the USA was only 19 years older than Jim Beam.
I didn't know the product was that old.
Well, 200 years is such a long time.
I like it a lot.
It's very believable.
I think you're doing very nice.
I'm not sure what you're doing, but it looks as though you're sincere.
You're Joseph Campanella, right? Yes, thank you.
I see you on TV all the time.
Oh, that's nice.
Do you know Robert Redford? You have nice eyes.
Are you married? Well, you could take me with you.
I mean, for your next movie.
I don't need much to live on.
Well, yeah.
No, well, yes, I have a...
I'm basically very insecure.
I think you're worth it.
It's just as valuable as anybody else's, and we'd like to just whatever you want to say.
I was wondering if maybe I could have the consensus.
I thought it was marvelous.
I thought it was excellent.
I thought it was pretty good.
Well, I found it interesting.
I loved it.
Superfouled, superficial.
Superb.
Good, very good.
How to say? How to say? I'm just waiting to get into the bathroom.
Well, I thought it was ingenious and brilliant.
I don't need permission.
I can't let you take any kind of pictures.
I can't be gross.
As an artist, you know composition.
Now, look at the composition on this.
Look at the balance.
I mean, the page is balanced.
It's brilliantly done.
Immediately, it was a parable that had many connotations beyond the immediate experience.
The allegorical, isenthenium juxtaposition of images.
What kind of an artist are you? I paint.
I paint houses.
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Fuck off.
Yeah, my Jim Beane is my own drink.
This is bourbon.
This is bourbon.
That's my drink.
I don't have much time.
I don't have much time for, you know, but that's my drink, Jim Beane.
I'd like to get your reaction to this Jim Beane tie -in with Robert Ripley and the fact about John Wayne.
I think this is a fantastic ad.
It's very enjoyable.
I really like it.
The problem with it is, you know, you start dealing with mythic figures like that.
It's good.
I think it's kind of nifty.
You know, you deal with a man like that with whom we all have, well, identification all our lives.
And in this country, some 40, 50 years of, well, not no, 30 or 40 years of seeing that man as representative of a certain category in American life, a certain lifestyle, a kind of point of view.
I think it's an interesting idea.
I think it's very clever.
Not only is a parody on the surface, but it's really a parody of his own career.
It's remarkable.
Now, you see, you start with a film that is humorous.
Right, funny.
You take a film that's funny, you take a situation that's funny yet, and you let him parody what he's doing.
Quite remarkable.
The scenes when he's riding across the hills, you're watching, you know, Big Duke himself up there, the man who'd go fight the whole bloody Vietnam War himself.
Amazing to watch him work like that.
And you see him on top of that horse with, and this is the point, this is the key.
You see him with a young girl, what, 14, 15 years old, a child.
You see the two of them riding across the countryside.
The question isn't, are they gonna get the bad guys? Oh no! The question is, is John Wayne gonna ball that chick on top of that horse? And I thought we had characters in Hollywood.
It occurred to me out there in the street that Jim Beam's anniversary adds really a double celebration.
In a sense, they prematurely capture the spirit of our upcoming bicentennial.
They not only spell out Beam's 180th birthday, but they chronicle the history of this great nation.
180 years means a lot of history.
Since the first Beam, Jacob arrived in America with his family back in 1752.
The Beam family has certainly contributed its share of American history.
When Robert Fulton invented the steamboat, the Beams were just one of 2 ,000 families making whiskey in Kentucky.
I didn't know that.
But believe it or not, Beam is the only surviving family.
As the country grew and prospered, so did Beam.
Oh, I can't help but wonder what our forefathers would think of today's society.
A man on the moon, women's lib, X -rated movies, penthouse magazine.
Oh, believe it or not, they're all part of today's America.
This ad and other great Beam ads will also appear at all of the largest circulation magazines.
Mechanics Illustrated, US News, People, Esquire, Newsweek, Time, Playboy, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, Sport.
Our outdoor for 1975 outdoes what we've ever done before.
High traffic locations all over America will also be saluting Beam's anniversary.
And here's the frosting on Beam's birthday cake, the most ambitious and most expensive displays we've ever had.
A multi -message unit capturing our theme in a unique dissolve, accented by our screenplay striking a handsome floor bin.
The matching mobile is another eye -stopper.
We've taken the legendary Beam seal right off our label and spotlighted it into another eye -catching display.
This unit also comes with its own floor bin and another attention -getting mobile.
This one tells it all.
Serving the United Tastes of America for 180 years.
Another great and powerful selling display.
The equally exciting mobile and specially designed bin for this unit should help rack up those plus sales for Jim Beam.
Well, my friends, that about wraps it up.
Looks like another exciting year for Beam.
In fact, I'm almost tempted to turn in my Screen Actors Guild card and join the Beam sales force.
But seriously, as I said earlier, I've watched Jim Beam celebrate a lot of birthdays.
And not just from the sidelines.
No, siree.
In the Bartholomew Campanella family, it never rains but when it pours.
Jim Beam.
As a salesman without portfolio for about 11 years now, I think I've finally earned my attache case.
To borrow a phrase, let him eat cake.
But be sure to wash it down with Jim Beam.
Jim Beam's birthday gift to all of you is a free trip to Disneyland for you and your family.
Four tickets to the 1975 World Series.
A brand new car of your choice with a driver.
Four -week all -expense paid vacation in Europe.
$5 ,000 in cash with a night out of the town with Elizabeth Taylor.
Believe it or not, no way.
Don't you believe it? © BF -WATCH TV 2021
