- 10 months ago
Get ready for a groovy blast from the past! Join us as we explore the wildest consumer products that somehow made it onto shelves during the disco era. From cooking eggs in a toaster to keeping rocks as pets, these bizarre inventions showcase just how adventurous (and occasionally misguided) 70s innovation could be. Which of these far-out products do you remember?
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00:00Oh, so many margarines.
00:03But chiffon tastes good enough to fool Mother Nature.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're going to be counting down our picks for the most
00:10beyond-the-pale product ideas that gained particular prominence or popularity during
00:15the 1970s.
00:16But this bike is something that you just don't see every day.
00:21Number 10, Toaster Eggs.
00:23It sort of makes sense how many new food innovations are created in response to the arrival of
00:27some new product.
00:28This conversation with Governor Henry C. Santini is brought to you by Soylent Red and Soylent
00:35Yellow, high-energy vegetable concentrate, and new delicious Soylent Green.
00:41Microwave and toaster cooking was a big deal back in the 70s, with many families seeking
00:46to minimize the time they spent preparing breakfasts or dinners.
00:49Breakfast, sir.
00:51No time.
00:52Enter Toaster Eggs, which were some sort of egg product where the advertising wasn't even
00:56trying to hide the weirdness at play.
00:59They, predictably, cooked in the toaster, and came in four flavors, including cheddar
01:03and western.
01:04Not everybody was on board with this weirdly designed egg tart, however, and toaster eggs
01:08were taken off store shelves within three years.
01:11I'm always left with egg on my face.
01:13Number 9, Polavision.
01:15We take for granted today the ease with which we're able to capture our daily memories on
01:19our cellular phones.
01:20Conversely, many families during the 1970s would record, watch, and share their home
01:25movies with friends.
01:26This is where Polavision came in.
01:28A home movie system that promised memorable playback at home by utilizing a specific playing
01:33system.
01:34What a form.
01:35When will I ever learn?
01:36Polavision was significantly lighter and less bulky than the Betamax and VHS competition
01:41that was on the horizon.
01:43But there were a lot of problems.
01:44Instant movies are here and Polaroid has made it all so simple.
01:48The cassettes only held about three minutes of soundless footage, and owners couldn't
01:52erase or tape over their footage.
01:54This means a lot of clutter, a lot of wasted film, and a commercial disaster for the Polaroid
01:59company.
02:00They shut down Polavision manufacturing in 1979, and after selling their equipment, they
02:06tallied a $68 million loss.
02:09Number 8, Cereal Records and Prizes.
02:12Finding that prize in the bottom of your morning cereal box wasn't a distinctly 70s idea, but
02:17there was one sort of surprise found on cereal boxes that felt distinctly from this era.
02:21What's that groovy sound, Manfred?
02:23That's Hey Little Woman, one of the Bobby Sherman records you get on Frosted Rice Crinkles.
02:27We're talking about actual, playable records kids could cut out of their favorite breakfast
02:32cereal packaging.
02:33Artists such as Bobby Sherman, the Jackson 5, and the Archies would see their big-time
02:37bubblegum hits, included on cereals such as Honeycomb.
02:40On Super Sugar Crisp, get a free Archie record.
02:43Some of them are actually worth a little bit of money on the second-hand market too, since
02:47these cereals were predictably and notoriously fragile.
02:51Problematic, but it was still a super cool idea that we wish could make a retro comeback.
02:55These little records do still have a unique charm to them.
02:59Number 7, Hair Crimpers.
03:01The act of crimping one's hair isn't necessarily something that was only done during the 1970s.
03:06So, this is the last curl?
03:09Yes it is.
03:10What's next?
03:11However, the origin of the actual crimping iron does date back to this era, having been
03:15invented by Sebastian's stylist, Jerry Cousenza, for use on singer and actress, Barbara Streisand.
03:21The process soon caught on, with many women back in the 70s choosing to crimp their hair
03:25in wavy, zigzagging patterns.
03:28There were a lot of iconic hair looks during this very adventurous fashion era, but hair
03:32crimping was a trend that took root, pardon the pun, and continued decades after its first
03:36introduction.
03:37Studio 54, here I come.
03:39Number 6, Pet Rock.
03:41We're going to quote none other than Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi when it comes to our next entry,
03:46the Pet Rock.
03:46Who's the more foolish?
03:47The fool or the fool who follows it?
03:49One thing's for sure, however, Gary Dahl's invention made him a millionaire, and it was all
03:54at the expense of a 1970s public that was hungry for a new fad.
03:58It's been incredible.
03:59We mailed our first Pet Rocks to the stores October 1st, and by Christmas we'll have sold
04:05well over a million units.
04:06Dahl reportedly thought up the idea of his Pet Rock while at a bar, and pretty soon, six
04:11months out of the calendar year 1975, were spent schlepping Pet Rocks to new homes all
04:16across the United States.
04:17Who loved you?
04:18Who loved you?
04:19This non-pet obviously didn't last long, and the inventor would try some other fad ideas
04:24over the following years, before settling into a comfortable and successful career as a
04:28real-life advertising guru.
04:30Look at this.
04:30Pet Rock?
04:31Good boy.
04:32Number 5.
04:33Chiffon Margarine.
04:34Never underestimate the power of commercial advertising.
04:37The truth is that Chiffon Margarine's spread wasn't a product that was first developed
04:41in the 70s.
04:42Chiffon stick margarine?
04:44Right.
04:44Chiffon fooled you.
04:45It's not nice to fool, Mother Nature.
04:48It did, however, receive what's probably its most successful and iconic ad campaign during
04:53that decade.
04:54This hydrogenated cottonseed oil spread was first introduced back in the 1950s, but the
04:59Mother Nature ads for Chiffon proved so popular that the brand is probably more commonly known
05:04during this period.
05:05Tastes so sweet and creamy.
05:07So much like butter.
05:08All you'll ever want is more Chiffon.
05:10These commercials were so popular that they ran into the 1980s, although Chiffon margin would
05:15eventually be discontinued just about everywhere except the Caribbean islands, where it can
05:19still be purchased at the time of this writing.
05:21You think it's butter, but it's not.
05:24It's Chiffon.
05:27Number 4.
05:28Swing bikes.
05:29We can understand thinking outside of the box, but this feels ridiculous.
05:34The original swing bikes were only on the market between 1975 and 1978, and could be steered
05:39from the back as well as the front.
05:41Swing bike.
05:42Now, why a rider might want to do this is unclear, since the whole setup seems very dangerous
05:54and not very smart.
05:56You know, whoever rides this should really wear a helmet.
06:00Then again, rear-wheel drive vehicles are still a thing, albeit sort of a rare thing, and
06:05it's true that many regular cars back in the 70s utilized this configuration.
06:08The swing bikes never caught on in the same manner, however, and are seen today largely
06:13as trick bikes, rather than something one might ride for pleasure.
06:17It's fun.
06:18It's a really fun bike.
06:19Number 3.
06:20Celery Jell-O.
06:21Believe it or not, the title of this entry is actually a bit misleading, because the Jell-O
06:25company actually used to produce a number of savory-style varieties.
06:29These included not only celery, but also tomato and mixed vegetables.
06:33Take a look at that.
06:34These were designed primarily for inclusion in the once very popular Jell-O salad, but
06:39also tied into various quick and easy food trends of the day.
06:43While these flavors were really introduced before the 1970s, many remember being treated
06:47to them during the disco era.
06:49Okay, after spending the night in the refrigerator, not so bad.
06:53What can we say?
06:54Jell-O molds were just an in-thing to do back in the day.
06:57So it sort of went without saying that savory supply was going to be introduced to meet
07:00homemaker demand.
07:02It tastes awesome.
07:03It tastes perfect.
07:05Number 2.
07:06Razorblade pendants.
07:07Here's a question.
07:08At what point does a symbol of rebellion lose its meaning and become just another bygone
07:12fashion fad?
07:14Maybe when it starts showing up as vintage jewelry on Etsy.
07:17Viewers of a certain age will likely remember the once-trendy razorblade pendant.
07:21This fashion statement likely emerged in the aftermath of punk rock in the 1970s.
07:32The meaning of wearing one of these necklaces could differ.
07:35For some, it was a declaration of being an edgy rock and roller.
07:39For others, it served as a warning not to be messed with.
07:42And for many, it continues to symbolize personal strength and power, a testament to its enduring
07:47significance.
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08:04Number 1.
08:05Anything in aspic.
08:07Molds, molds, molds.
08:09We're back to this subject again, only this time we're not talking about having room
08:12for jello.
08:13But instead, that weird gelatinous meat stock known as aspic.
08:17Aspic, whether you're going to use it like on trout or if you're going to use it on meat
08:22or on chicken, it's all done exactly the same way.
08:25It's just the flavor that's different.
08:28It was more popular in the 1950s and 60s.
08:30But foods of all kinds were often encased in aspic back in the 70s, ushered into house
08:35parties in order to acquire that maximum wow reaction.
08:38So to start, it calls for two cups of tomato juice.
08:42Aspic was a gaudy talking point, to be sure, but could also be used to protect meat and
08:47fish dishes while in transport.
08:49Many home chefs and restaurants serve dishes with aspic, including Watergate salad and something
08:54called an, ugh, frosted sandwich loaf.
08:57Don't get us wrong, we love the 70s and all, but that one just turns our stomachs.
09:01I never thought radish and butter would be a palate cleanser, but it is.
09:05What's your funkiest memory of the 1970s?
09:07Do you wish you could time travel back to this far out decade?
09:10Let us know in the comments.
09:12Kinda like this Fruit Loops record where Toucan Sam teaches you how to get ripped at the gym.
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