The actors behind the most iconic commercials of the ’80s

Adverts become such a strong part of the cultural consciousness that the ads you witness when you’re little remain memorable parts of childhood TV well into adulthood.  But several of the most iconic ads ’80s kids witnessed included stars that grew up to take over our televisions and find fame on the silver screen.

Do you remember any of the stars behind these iconic adverts? For extra points, can you recall their name before even pressing play?

Nescafé Gold Blend (1987-1993)

Before he was ruling the Sunnydale High library and helping Buffy save the world, Anthony Stewart Head was stealing hearts in Nescafé’s series of will-they-won’t-they ads that had us all rooting for his neighbourly romance, built entirely on a shared love of coffee.

It might not be a solid basis for a long-standing relationship, but Anthony’s trademark charm had us all under his spell, hoping that he and Sharon Maughan would eventually be splitting their food bill, and an astronomical slow-roast bill. 

Levi’s 501 (1985)

The late model and singer Nick Kamen won audiences over when he arrived at the launderette carrying a bag of washing and stripped off his pair of Levi’s 501. He nonchalantly sat in his pants with a magazine and Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ playing in the background. The ad drove an 800% increase in sales and made advert history. 

Nick later found fame with tracks like ‘Each Time You Break My Heart’ and ‘I Promised Myself’ but we’ll always fondly remember him as the face of Levi’s.

Diet Pepsi, ‘Robot Clone’ (1989)

It doesn’t get much more ’80s than Michael J Fox on screen. But two of them? It’s almost too much! Diet Pepsi’s iconic ‘Robot Clone’ advert from 1989 seems as appropriate a way as any to close out the iconic decade. 

Starring the Back to the Future lead – who starred in Pepsi ad’s for multiple years in the ’80s – Michael builds a robotic clone of himself to take his girlfriend out. However, his plan backfires when she accidentally knocks the real Michael down a laundry chute and happily leaves with the clone, who is holding a can of Diet Pepsi.

Pizza Hut (1982)

In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role, The Breakfast Club‘s Ally Sheedy takes on an employee part in a 1982 advert for Pizza Hut. If you can look away from the gooey cheese and exaggerated ‘mmm’s and ‘aahhh’s, you’re sure to spot the ’80s icon picking up the takeaway’s phone. 

While she might have headed back to the world of work after her Hollywood career, it’s unlikely Ally will be donning a Pizza Hut uniform again any time soon, though her time in the ’80s ad world means we’ll forever connect the two.

Diet Coke, ‘Out On a Ledge’ (1988)

Only Demi Moore could make a fizzy drink look quite this chic. After an unspoken but undeniably flirty exchange with a handsome stranger, Demi loses her can of Diet Coke over the balcony, followed by a towering stiletto. Undeterred, she makes her way along the building ledge.

A shock, drop and bounce land her right next to that debonair neighbour from before, who fortunately has a matching can to her own drink, proving their fated compatibility. Not even a brush with death can stop our heroine from taking a sip of her well-earned soda. 

Pepsi, ‘New Generation’ (1984)

Michael Jackson might be the obvious A-list star dancing to the tune of Pepsi’s 1984 proclamation that their soda is for the new generation, but there’s a hidden star in the midst of the junior Jacksons. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air‘s Alfonso Ribeiro joins the ‘Billie Jean’ singer for a dance to a modified version of the track. 

Alfonso might be best known for ‘The Carlton’, but long before that he was grooving on screen with the King of Pop himself.