Dear John - BASF
- 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.

Interview with co-writer Roger Brittenden, Channel magazine, October 2020
Official website for director Tony Williams
Profile for singer Jacqui Fitzgerald, Muzic.net website
Actor Greg Bepper (who played John) writes about his career, on his website
Images of BASF cassette tapes, at cassette tribute site Tapedeck
Key Cast & Crew
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