Annoying Skoal Bandits commersh

[bandit957]

Anyone remember what I'm talking about here?

I think the product was called Skoal Bandits, and I think it was chewing tobacco. Around 1986 - up until the time ads for chewing and dipping tobacco were banned from radio and TV - there was a really annoying radio commercial for this product. The jingle they used had sort of a late 1950s feel and was sung by a guy with sort of a high-pitched voice: "When you're in a spot where you can't light up...Something something about buses and movies...Take out Skoal Bandits..."

It was ridiculous.

When I read tobacco ads would be banned, I was glad because it meant I didn't have to hear this commersh anymore.

But people still chewed tobacco in high school, after these ads were banned.

[Max Rockatansky]

Speaking of Skoal Bandit, I remember thinking it was weird that they had two cars in Winston Cup for the longest time.  Harry Gant drove the 33 Skoal car while Rick Mast was in the 1 car.  Anyone out there know if the Jackson Brothers had a relative or family stock in US Smokeless?  If I recall correctly even Benny and Phil Parsons was part of the whole Jackson Skoal saga in the 55/66 cars in the mid-1980s? 

[GCrites]

I remember there were dip monster trucks too. There was a Copenhagen/Skoal truck and Renegades sponsored the series.

[Max Rockatansky]

I remember there were dip monster trucks too. There was a Copenhagen/Skoal truck and Renegades sponsored the series.

I seem to remember tobacco picking up big time for auto racing sponsorships when they got banned from magazine and TV ads?  Wasn't there some sort of change to tobacco laws circa late 90s/early 2000s that pushed them out of racing also?

[GCrites]

Believe it or not I think they voluntarily did it. Congress "asked them" to do quit racing with no legislation banning it. Much like they "asked" Miller to take the energy stuff out of Sparks malt liquor. Remember that tobacco ads still appear in high-circulation magazines. Hell, they don't need to advertise if they just crank up the level of nicotine in cigarettes to make them more addictive -- which they did -- after cigarettes went Fire Safe and smoking became uncool during the 2000s.

[Max Rockatansky]

You're right, I remember that was a huge factor in Winston pulling it's NASCAR sponsorship.  Not that I'm endorsing tobacco or anything but you sure could usually count on the tobacco companies to have some of the most catch paint schemes.    I always like the look of the Penske Marlboro cars and the Joe Camel 23 car that Jimmy Spenser was driving.