Ad Time Capsule: The La Choy Dragon (1960s–70s TV)
Before CGI, Tuesday night dinner got a fire-breathing hype man. One puppet, one gag, and a brand you still remember.
The Setup
In the late 60s and early 70s, TV ads had seconds to land. La Choy needed a jolt—a character viewers would talk about at school and at work the next day.
How They Did It
- Practical magic: Life-sized puppet + pyrotechnic gags, done in-camera.
- Simple story: A dragon causing chaos; dinner still gets to the table.
- Audio hooks: You knew the spot without looking up—sound design mattered.
Why It Stuck
It sold fun, not just food. A character you could name beats a price point you forget. Decades later, people still smile and say, “Did you see that dragon ad?” First commercial I ever saw that made me laugh out loud.
And Did You Know?
- Jim Henson was hired on a two-week miracle clock to lift sales.
- He created Delbert, the La Choy Dragon—his first life-sized ad puppet.
- The commercial rescued brand momentum and sparked real “Did you see that?” water-cooler buzz.