Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

don't shop when you're hungry, no no no

During my brief tenure in Okinawa (1988-89), the only English-language TV station was run by the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). The television shows were typically a season or two behind the U.S., and in lieu of ads, they aired public service announcements during the commercial breaks.

The only one I really remember is an animated jingle — “Don’t shop when you’re hungry! No, no, no!” — reminding folks not to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, lest they buy more than they really need. A useful message, to be sure, but the ad was played probably every other commercial break.

Even now, almost twenty (yipes!) years later, I still hear that jingle when I go grocery shopping. (And most of the time, I’ve actually heeded it.)

And good to know that I’m not the only one this happens to: A Google search brought me to a military brats messageboard with an old “You might be a military brat if…” list. One of the entries:

If you refuse to go grocery shopping without eating first. That commercial that says, “Don’t shop when you’re hungry - no, no, no” still runs through your head. When you tell civilian friends about it, they look at you like you’re crazy.

I want — nay, NEED — to find a video of this somewhere.