Honestly, I see some stuff I bought there in the 90s on the shelfs in this commercial. At the time this was made, they were still a great store. (Before they started focusing on cell phones and people started going in there with cell phone problems, taking up all the employees' time.) They'd help me fix things in the store. Something broke, I'd leave a $20 deposit and they would ship it off to a shop for repair. The selection was also quite good. Cell phones, although they had a long history with mobile telephones, really are what ruined the original concept.
Man, I'm glad I checked out the full commercial after hearing some of it from John Oliver. Ah, the 90's, some of the best years in American History (and I wasn't even born yet!)
It's funny because there is soooo much more than the fact that it's an old Radio Shack commercial. I can't remember the last time I've been in one and the staff seemed knowledgeable about the product. But beyond that, I don't know the last time I saw a national chain buy up 2 minutes of air time or even a 2 minute commercial with an upbeat tune.
I worked there from '89 - '93. At the time, they had items that had enough margin to earn big profits, and the convenience of a local bodega. But disaster loomed.....eventually big box stores carried many of the electronic gadgets at lower prices. Prices of electronics in general were coming down, so one of their big cash cows of service plans dwindled and was eventually discarded. As electronics became more compact, they also lowered the amount of DIY or repair. And lets face it, even though they had enormous mark ups on parts, you can only make so much selling resistors or diodes. While that area bled, the high end market evolved and the radio shack stores were too small to support things like big screen TV's or a large variety of computers. They sold off their PC business - Tandy, which accelerated the loss as they couldn't compete with all the clone makers and the relentless downward spiral of prices. Then the internet was the final nail on the coffin. Before, they enjoyed a massive markup on nearly everything. I was savy enough to buy mail order, but for someone who needed something quick, there was no other choice. I remember to this day they were charging $45 for a pack of 10 high density floppy disks. I was getting them mail order for $50. Anyone forced to buy because of en emergency would have felt burned and never come back. But once the internet shopping became established, the floor fell out as their margins collapsed and their sales dried up because of the huge price differential. Lame things like the battery of the month club. It only attracted people who wanted the free battery, and nothing more. In the 90's they tried to go big box with incredible universe. But it was too early, and over kill. Like needing to get a slightly bigger car and then buying a school bus instead. It was incredible at how fast the chain grew and then collapsed, like a supernova. I always though how could they have been saved? my remedy would have been: - Have far fewer, but larger stores. The shoe box size store is not viable, and employees don't have the opportunity to make money. They cut staff back so much, that the one or 2 people in the store now get stuck selling phones, ignoring other customers. A larger store with more staff would have been able to handle this. - Larger stores would have been able to sell TV's, and more selection of items. DIY would still drive out their because it's easier to browse and buy lots of little parts in one place. - Stick with the house brands. Many of them sucked, but there were a lot of gems in the portfolio as well. Leverage the names and increase quality. Don't make crappy low end products. Leave that mass market to walmart and the like. - Services for non-Tandy computers. I.e. Radio Shack version of Geek Squad. How they could have passed this up - I don't know. Even on-site services. There is more money in labor and service than the hardware itself. Can you imagine calling a local radio shack to get a tech to your house? I picked up my own customers this way...but that should have been the company doing it, not just me,. - Appliances? Maybe....can't order washing machines off amazon. Installation services also (again more margins and profits)
+TheLasagneLP I thought I was the only one to think that. Actually, it seems there's a pattern ,culturally speaking, of this happening every decade. 2004 was the same in many ways : It's like at this point we knew we had to say goodbye to the 90's but we didn't want to.
To me it felt like the 2000s decade was over in 2008. It was a clean break from "the Bush years," and a lot of popular trends (smartphones, modern pop music, several superhero movies every single year, unstable employment etc) are still going
Radio Shack was a great store for the hobbyist up til about the early 90's when the classic yearly catalog was scrapped. After that it was all downhill.
Good stuff. Too bad they had slipped down a slippery slope to going into bankruptcy. But hey Ebay and good ol' Amazon under cutting all the prices on their materials and accessories and what not what do you expect. But they did have a bunch of cool DIY stuff there for electronics for a while
John Oliver sent me here, too. I think so many people like this vintage commercial because we miss the proud American "can-do" spirit of independent businesses and good customer service that seems to be missing in so many areas today.
Do they still make unironic 'Murica commercials like this? With montages of steel workers and lawyers and firefighters and boardroom people smiling for no particular reason?
"If they had left that on air, they'd be the most powerful company on earth today."--John Oliver
This is a two minute commercial. A TWO MINUTE COMMERCIAL.
THAT I CANNOT FATHOM EVER WANTING TO SKIP IN A MILLION YEARS.
SuperZez If only they still advertised
I would permanently uninstall my Adblocker and spend at least 50$ at the stores if they did ads like these today.
Me too!
Thanks John Oliver... This has become my toddler's favorite song. We now have to listen to it three times a day, minimum.
Michelle Holland Awww!
Oh
Thanks John Oliver, I must've just listened to this brilliant jingle maybe 20 times in a row now.
Thumbs up if John Oliver brought you here!
PS: This one is just musical material, we need a musical made from this!
maybe the revenue from the musical could safe them
A lot of 80s and early 90s commercials had choral ensemble music like this. LIke the 80s "Coke is it" song
Best commercial ever. No competition.
"If they had left that on air, they'd be the most powerful company in the world today" - John Oliver
Can we take time to appreciate this "pre drone" cinematography. Look at that last shot! Awesome
Thanks to LastWeekTonight, i had to see whole thing
yeah
made this my ringtone LOL
same
Catchy as fuck.
Honestly, I see some stuff I bought there in the 90s on the shelfs in this commercial. At the time this was made, they were still a great store. (Before they started focusing on cell phones and people started going in there with cell phone problems, taking up all the employees' time.) They'd help me fix things in the store. Something broke, I'd leave a $20 deposit and they would ship it off to a shop for repair. The selection was also quite good. Cell phones, although they had a long history with mobile telephones, really are what ruined the original concept.
Oh, the 80's...it was a different time! XD
As I understand it, 1994, actually.
>ecks dee
Dan Bell anyone?
Oh yeah the Rehoboth mall
Does anyone know if this was released as a single?
I think it peaked at #56 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1992.
Man, I'm glad I checked out the full commercial after hearing some of it from John Oliver.
Ah, the 90's, some of the best years in American History (and I wasn't even born yet!)
I miss visiting Radio Shack in the 80's. I hate getting older.
whats a top quality jingle
The children and grandchildren of everyone in this commercial now work in Amazon order fulfillment.
That sounds like a death sentence and a condemnation to hell.
It's funny because there is soooo much more than the fact that it's an old Radio Shack commercial. I can't remember the last time I've been in one and the staff seemed knowledgeable about the product. But beyond that, I don't know the last time I saw a national chain buy up 2 minutes of air time or even a 2 minute commercial with an upbeat tune.
1:05 That guy later became a DSM and my store was in his district
THE BEST IN AMERICA
RADIO SHACK
:D
Can anyone say goosebumps?! This is amazing!
This sounds like it should be the theme song for a Miller-Boyett sitcom. 😜
I worked there from '89 - '93. At the time, they had items that had enough margin to earn big profits, and the convenience of a local bodega. But disaster loomed.....eventually big box stores carried many of the electronic gadgets at lower prices. Prices of electronics in general were coming down, so one of their big cash cows of service plans dwindled and was eventually discarded. As electronics became more compact, they also lowered the amount of DIY or repair. And lets face it, even though they had enormous mark ups on parts, you can only make so much selling resistors or diodes.
While that area bled, the high end market evolved and the radio shack stores were too small to support things like big screen TV's or a large variety of computers. They sold off their PC business - Tandy, which accelerated the loss as they couldn't compete with all the clone makers and the relentless downward spiral of prices.
Then the internet was the final nail on the coffin. Before, they enjoyed a massive markup on nearly everything. I was savy enough to buy mail order, but for someone who needed something quick, there was no other choice. I remember to this day they were charging $45 for a pack of 10 high density floppy disks. I was getting them mail order for $50. Anyone forced to buy because of en emergency would have felt burned and never come back. But once the internet shopping became established, the floor fell out as their margins collapsed and their sales dried up because of the huge price differential.
Lame things like the battery of the month club. It only attracted people who wanted the free battery, and nothing more.
In the 90's they tried to go big box with incredible universe. But it was too early, and over kill. Like needing to get a slightly bigger car and then buying a school bus instead. It was incredible at how fast the chain grew and then collapsed, like a supernova.
I always though how could they have been saved? my remedy would have been:
- Have far fewer, but larger stores. The shoe box size store is not viable, and employees don't have the opportunity to make money. They cut staff back so much, that the one or 2 people in the store now get stuck selling phones, ignoring other customers. A larger store with more staff would have been able to handle this.
- Larger stores would have been able to sell TV's, and more selection of items. DIY would still drive out their because it's easier to browse and buy lots of little parts in one place.
- Stick with the house brands. Many of them sucked, but there were a lot of gems in the portfolio as well. Leverage the names and increase quality. Don't make crappy low end products. Leave that mass market to walmart and the like.
- Services for non-Tandy computers. I.e. Radio Shack version of Geek Squad. How they could have passed this up - I don't know. Even on-site services. There is more money in labor and service than the hardware itself. Can you imagine calling a local radio shack to get a tech to your house? I picked up my own customers this way...but that should have been the company doing it, not just me,.
- Appliances? Maybe....can't order washing machines off amazon. Installation services also (again more margins and profits)
This is soooo 80's... 1994? Someone was nostalgic when this was made lol.
Good Bye radio shack you have been in Hospice for atleast the last 10 years.
All of those suits marching to the theme song proud to earn that minimum wage.
It could buy a house in the 80s lol
If you ever need to explain white people to aliens, show them this
How is this not a meme!
Radioshack should have released this ad as their last ad.
I would buy this song on iTunes!
You know, they did do an ad like this, but they only aired it on social media. search "the shack is back" by orlando jones.
people were happier in the '80s when there were jobs available
This was 1994
jeremy1069fm even better
jeremy1069fm 1994 was the 80s of the 90s
+TheLasagneLP I thought I was the only one to think that. Actually, it seems there's a pattern ,culturally speaking, of this happening every decade. 2004 was the same in many ways : It's like at this point we knew we had to say goodbye to the 90's but we didn't want to.
To me it felt like the 2000s decade was over in 2008. It was a clean break from "the Bush years," and a lot of popular trends (smartphones, modern pop music, several superhero movies every single year, unstable employment etc) are still going
RadioShack is part of us, always .
Heart
Those epic panel wipes...MORE!
SO CATCHY!
Does anyone know what the model of typewriter at 0:14 is ? Also, great jingle, great commercial!
Just to think that some of these people are dead and some are probably broke af right now
Radio shack will be remembered as America's B E S T. Even circuit city and toysRus.
0:30; 0:32 The first store I'd see stepping into the Parkwood/Wilson Mall.
Radio Shack was a great store for the hobbyist up til about the early 90's when the classic yearly catalog was scrapped. After that it was all downhill.
Man, this commercial was so 80s.
RIP radio shack ~_^
Aaannnnd you get a thumbs up for Macross/Robotech.
"The best in America" went bankrupt... twice
Berserk Highlander thanks amazon
Yeah when you buy two cables for 30 dollars and Amazon sell it for 2 dollars.
my local radio shack has been in town for at least 40 years and it still uses the old logo
I miss being able to dress up for work at Radio Shack!!!!!!!!!! Judi not Josh LOL
This is song good, thanks John Oliver
The RadioShack theme song.
Man, oh man.
I think they recorded at a closing store for the store part
Radio Shack would still be in business if they serviced Senior Citizens instead of trying to compete with Best Buy.
Good stuff. Too bad they had slipped down a slippery slope to going into bankruptcy. But hey Ebay and good ol' Amazon under cutting all the prices on their materials and accessories and what not what do you expect. But they did have a bunch of cool DIY stuff there for electronics for a while
0:07 The guy on the left looks like Stanley from _The Office_.
I miss radio shack in Canada how it’s The Source
Ahh, back when Radio Shack spent money hiring and keeping knowledgeable staff....before they became cellphone shack.
R.i.P Radio shack.
John Oliver brought me here
I miss the 80s
John Oliver sent me here, too. I think so many people like this vintage commercial because we miss the proud American "can-do" spirit of independent businesses and good customer service that seems to be missing in so many areas today.
Do they still make unironic 'Murica commercials like this? With montages of steel workers and lawyers and firefighters and boardroom people smiling for no particular reason?
Catchy song
I remember the song but not the commercial visual.
en español que dice??
Why was justin bieber in this?
I know who Shaq is, but what is a Radio ?
0:22 is that Barney?
Sheila Holland yes and the dumb girl fucked her tv remote
Anyone else get this as an ad?
BABABOOEY!!!!!!
Dang I would buy in on this ad why don't they air this kind of shit anymore.
omg so old lol
Only saw this b/c of John Hein.
annnnnd they closed 1100 stores... boooommmmm
Looks and sounds like it was produced in 1989, not 2009....
It was uploaded in '09, not produced then
The drum beats out of time...
The jingle itself isn't bad, but the wave of singing associates is what makes this really cheesy.
Walmart toy section compared to radioshack :)
Walmart is for reprobates and invertebrates.
Im annoyed by the john oliver sent me here comments........
F
vv
KEVVO ua-cam.com/video/tmFFzv5H4CY/v-deo.html
This made me uncomfortable.