From 8th to 9th on Main

In previous Just Thinkin’s, I have referenced my “love-hate” relationship with television commercials. Recently the “windows and bladders” folks have launched a barrage of commercials that might be too much. They are testing my belief that positive results can be gained through repetition.

Many remember the first-class Tulsa furniture store that was located on “From 8th to 9th on Main”. Everyone with a television set or a Tulsa World knew where to find Cathey’s Furniture, “From 8th to 9th on Main”.

George and Leila Cathey were our neighbors. I enjoyed his company. He willingly shared his business philosophy and his experiences. As with my Grandfather McBride and Hays & Buchanan, every move George Cathey made was considered. He built a regionally prominent furniture store during the Great Depression. During those difficult times, he methodically secured exclusive dealership arrangements with almost every major manufacturer of high-quality, stylish, expensive furniture.

After he secured a full block in downtown Tulsa for his store, every ad, television or print, seemed to conclude, repetitively, with “From 8th to 9th on Main”. Cathey’s Furniture produced sophisticated and repetitive advertising at its very best.

Years later Bob Stoops was quoted as saying, “Football is all about repetition. The trick for a coach is to be innovative when you ask for it.” George Cathey understood and valued innovation and repetition.

“From 8th to 9th on Main.” I think I’m uncomfortable with many of today’s television commercials that utilize repetition because they lack creativity. They just keep pounding over and over again.

There is a pickup truck commercial currently running of television that has a tag line that is bouncing round and round in my mind. Do you know the one with the kids sitting around a fire as an old man tells them of a danger that roams the woods? Quick inserts make you believe the wild animal roaming the woods is a pickup truck. Then, the truck parks, a young man exits the truck and asks, “Your Grandfather telling you stories again.” This makes me smile.

Then came the writer’s strike. Slowly, Billie and I began to change our primetime television viewing habits.

We tried news channels. MSNBC didn’t fit us. Nor did Fox. Fox had acknowledged their primary anchors had been lying for years. Lying with the corporate blessing. I just couldn’t wade past that. CNN was just okay. They had some “History of –” programs that where pretty good.

News channels. How can you have a news channel and show almost no coverage of Russian’s war on Ukraine. How many Ukrainians have to die to make it news worthy? Just saying.

The History Channel appeared more often. We are interested enough in junk that American Pickers and Pawn Stars is okay.

Watch these alternative channels for a while and they will challenge any belief that all commercials are created equal.

I’d just settled in, watching my coke fizz as it hit the ice, and got a deep breath when I realized I didn’t mention there is quality commercial-free viewing.

Have you watched Quarterback on Netflix?

Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. – Mark Twain

Hal McBride writes a column, Just Thinkin’, published each week.