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Dear John - BASF

1981 1m Commercial
  • Music
  • Romance
  • Promotional
  • War

For this classic advert, milk bottle silver caps stood in for soldier’s dog tags, and a Wellington quarry was used to recreate the Korean War. Updating a 1950s country and western tearjerker, singer Jacqui Fitzgerald provides a charming if illogical twist on the traditional ‘Dear John’ letter. The Tony Williams-directed commercial won multiple awards, and was voted Best Australasian Commercial of the 1980s. The ad's callbacks to Korean War comedy M*A*S*H* include a reference to one of the show's most beloved characters in the mail call. Read the memories of the ad's musical maestro Murray Grindlay here

Key Cast & Crew

Profile picture of Ron Highfield
Ron Highfield
Production Designer
Profile picture of Murray Grindlay
Murray Grindlay
Musical Arranger
RB
Roger Brittenden
Writer
DM
Doug Moroney
Writer
Profile picture of Pat Cox
Pat Cox
Producer
Profile picture of Tony Williams
Tony Williams
Producer, Director

Related images

Tony-Williams-Gallery-2.jpg
Director Tony Williams and American-born, Australian actor Gus Mercurio, on the set of the Dear John advertisement.
Kindly supplied by Tony Williams
Tony-Williams-Gallery-1.jpg
Director Tony Williams and film crew, on the set of the Dear John advertisement.
Kindly supplied by Tony Williams
Tony-Williams-Gallery-5.jpg
Australian cinematographer Gary Hansen (left) & director Tony Williams on the set of the Dear John advert. Hansen worked on a number of NZ projects, and shot William's 1982 feature Next of Kin.
Kindly supplied by Tony Williams