Advertising and Chess
by Bill Wall
123RF, a stock photo agency, has a print ad of a white rook, knight, and bishop with a blue background. The tag line is, “123RF is one of the world’s fastest growing stock agencies. And with images from just 43p, it’s definitely your best move.”
7-Up soft drink ran a commercial where a man on a deserted island played correspondence chess with a chess move inside the 7-Up bottle. The 30-second commercial appeared in 2009.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) used a 2008 ad with former world champion Vishwanathan Anand sitting in a chair. The tag line was “The fruit eaten by Adam and Eve wasn’t an apple. Break myths. Go by facts. Askvishy.com.” Another ad said “ENIAC wasn’t the first digital computer. Break myths. Go by facts. Askvishy.com.” Another ad said “’Black magic woman…’ is not a Santana song. Break myths. Go by facts. Askvishy.com.”
AltaVista search engine had a commercial of Garry Kasparov giving a simul. He has to stop and think when one of his young opponents, a chubby black kid, used the Alta Vista search engine with the query “How he can beat Garri Kasparov’s Evans Gambit?” Kasparov grabs a chair, sits down, and starts some deep thinking. The ad was created by the Wieden & Kennedy advertising agency and released in January, 2000. AltaVista lost ground to Google and was purchased by Yahoo! In 2003.
Amarula liqueur had an ad with a number of Amural bottles on a chess board.
Amco, makers of car emblem shift knobs, had a 1978 print ad with the shift knobs acting as chess pieces. The tag line was, “Make your move…in style with Amco.”
The American Watch Company in Waltham, Massachusetts, used a letter by Paul Morphy to advertise its watches. Im May 1859, Morphy received a gold watch worth $200 from the American Watch Company. In October 1859, Paul Morphy became the first sports or chess figure to issue a commercial endorsement of a product. He wrote a letter to the American Watch Company, which was used in their advertisements of their watches. Morphy wrote, “Dear Sir: The American Watch, o. 9240, presented me by the New York Chess Club, has proved to me a most reliable and accurate time-keeper – almost unnecessarily so for ordinary purposes. It is now nearly five months since it came into my possession, and during that period its variation from standard time has been but a trifle more than half a minute. I give you permission to make use of this statement as you may think proper. – Paul Morphy”
Andersen Windows, the largest window and door manufacturer in North America, had a 1961 ad showing a family room with a chess set in the middle of it.
An anti-drug ad showed an old man and a young girl playing chess in the park. It was titled “Love:The Anti-Drug.”
Apple iPad2 commercial showed a chess app.
Arctic Securities AS, an independent investment bank, is the main sponsor of Magnus Carlsen, who advertises the company on his clothing. Carlsen is also sponsored by Mordic Semiconductor, Simonson law firm, newspaper VG and Parallels.
Ariston cigarettes had a print ad of a chess diagram and an Ariston chess cigarette on top of the diagram.
Armagnac brandy (le Coeur de la Gascogne) had a 1946 print ad of a chess set with a glass of brandy on the side.
Armstrong Flooring had a print ad in 1932 with a chess table and pieces a part of the furniture.
Arrow men’s white shirts had a 1953 print ad with a man in suit and tie. The tie has chess pieces on it as a pattern.
Atwater Kent radio had a 1926 print ad of a radio next to a chess set. The radio was called the Atwater Kent Radio Music Dance Chess Model. It looks like the chess board was set up wrong (black square to the right instead of a white square).
The Automobile Club of Southern California gave out a promotion game kit of cards, checkers and chess.
Ave Maria Prince Matchabelli had a 1937 print ad showing a chess king perfume bottle on a chess board.
Avon advertised their perfume with 32 bottles that made up a complete chess set of white and black pieces. The Wheaton Glass Company of Millville, NJ made the glass models for these 1970s Avon chessmen (I have a complete set).
Bank of America had a 1960 print ad of a black rook (castle) with a house on top being moved on a chess board with three other white pieces. The tag line was, “Protect your castle! In chess – or in protecting and preserving an estate – long-range strategy is of greatest importance.”
The beer industry had a 1955 beer and ale ad to promote beer and ale. It featured a lady and a man playing chess with a bottle and glass of beer on the side of the chess board. The tag line was, “In this friendly, freedom-loving land of ours…Beer Belongs – Enjoy.”
Bendix had a 1959 print ad showing planes as chess pieces against air defense items. The tag line was, “Checkmate in the face of enemy countermeasures. Air Defense is a chess game for keeps.”
Berlucchi wines has a print ad showing the white pieces of a chess set, with one of the pawns replaced by a cork.
Big Brother, Big Sister Ad Council had a TV ad showing a man saying “I’ve been practicing,” and the boy saying, “Good. You are going to need it.” It’s over a game of chess.
Billboard had a 1980 tape/audio/video market print ad with a chess board and White chess pieces. The tag line was, “For the new decade. It’s your first advertising move.”
Blush cosmetics has a chess ad with all of its products on a chess board. The tag line is “We have the whole set.”
BMW of Santa Monica had a clever billboard. In 2012, the billboard was next to an Audi billboard that featured one of its cars, with the tag line, “Your move, BMW.” The larger BMW billboard featured one of its high-end cars, with the tag line, “Checkmate” with a tag line “Your pawn is no match for our king.” BMW also had an ad for a BMW rally featuring a motorcycle with a Red Cross kit. The tag line was “A BMW Rally with two nearby service centers. What’s next, paramedics at a chess tournament?”
Boeing had a 1959 print ad of missiles on a chess board. It advertised “space-age openings at Boeing.”
Bohn Aluminum & Brass featured an ad with a steel hand making a chess move.
Bombay Gin had an ad featuring its Bombay Dry Gin bottle on a chess set. The tag line was, “Play to win.”
Bon jour Paris clothing had a 1983 print ad of a woman standing over a chess board with a few pieces knocked over.
Botany 500, maker of men’s suits and sport coats, had a 1963 ad for a mark 10 suit. A man dressed in suit and tie is standing over a chess set holding a chess piece. The tag line was, “The Personal Touch.” Botany 500 went bankrupt in 1973.
The Brera Sports Club in Milan,Italy has an ad for its self-defense classes, which shows a chess board with a loan queen taking on all the black chess pieces.
A 1937 Briggs Smoking Tobacco Barrel print ad featured in Saturday Evening Post showed a Briggs smoking tobacco barrel and pipe next to a chess set.
British Telecom ran a 1970 commercial featuring a man playing chess. In 1999, they had a TV commercial with father and son playing chess over the phone, fax, and email.
Bugles chips has an ad where the players are playing chess on a chess board using the bugles chips.
Cabin Crafts carpets had a 1958 ad with a chess set on top of a carpet rug. The tag line was, “Cabin Crafts puts color in its proper place.”
Camel Cigarettes once featured former U.S. chess champion Frank Marshall in one of its advertisements, which appeared in the April 28, 1934 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. He had a White Queen in his right hand and a Camel cigarette in his left hand. Arnold Denker also appeared in an advertisement for Camel cigarettes in the mid 1940s.
Canada Dry had a 1937 print ad showing a bottle of Canada Dry Sparkling Water with a chess set in the background. They had a 1945 ad of two men playing chess while a butler stood by with a bottle of Canada Dry.
Carling Brewery ran an ad with a bottle of Carling’s Red Cap Ale surrounded by chess pieces.
Carta Blanca beer had a 1975 ad showing a glass of beer, the glass bottle, and chess set with pieces.
Celanese Arnel Excello shirts had a 1960 print ad of a man wearing an Arnel shirt thinking over a chess position. The tag line was, “You can relax…This is Arnel.”
Cera bar glasses created some vintage bar classes with a domino and chess motif set of five whisky rocks cocktail glasses.
Chafitz had a 1979 print ad showing its Boris and Sargon chess computer models. The tag line was, “These games think.”
Champion Paper and Fiber Company made a 1959 ad with a chess board and chess piece. The tag line was, “A new move to serve you!”
Chanel had a 1995 print ad of some neckties. One of the neckties had chess pieces as a pattern on the tie.
Charlie’s Angels (TV: 1976-1981) had a poster of all three Charlie’s Angels (Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Farah Fawcett) on one side of the chess board making a move. The promotional poster was made in 1977.
Chen Yu nail polish had a 1950 French ad of a woman moving a chess piece on a chess board and showing off her nails.
Chevrolet had a 1960 ad of a couple playing chess and listening to records with their 1960 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe parked behind them.
Chevron Standard Oil of California had a 1965 ad of two men in a tent playing chess. The tag line was, “They take American friendship with them …everywhere they go.”
Chivas Regal Scotch Whiskey had a 1992 print ad with a close up of some chess pawns and the Chivas logo on the ad page. They had a 1995 print ad of a bottle of Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whiskey next to a White Staunton King. Further away is a White Staunton Knight. The tag line was, “You either have it or you don’t.”
Citibank (the First National City Bank, City Bank Farmers Trust Company) had a 1958 ad of two men playing chess, with the tag, “Beware the White Knight!”
Close-Up toothpaste had a 1978 commercial with a woman showing a man the chess pieces (bishop and knight).
Coca-Cola had a 1945 ad featuring images of some air force military men playing chess in a bar, with the tag line, “Checkmate, pardner…Have a Coca-Cola.” And, “…refreshment fulfills a friendly mission.” The ad appeared in the August 1945 issue of National Geographic. Coca-cola also had a coca-cola brand chess set.
Cointreau liqueur had a 1973 ad featuring two people playing chess and two others observing, with a bottle of Cointreau in the background. The tag line was, “Cointreau…the art of lingering.”
Command Men’s Hair Spray had a 1969 print ad of a man playing chess while being watched by a woman. The tag line was, “When the name of the game is great grooming the name of the line is command.” The chess board is set up wrong.
Consolidated Electrodynamics Corporation, a chemical instrument manufacturer, had a 1956 add showing a data processing system computer surrounded by a red pawn, knight, and queen, with the tag line, “Fast game…but sure moves. In 1957, it had a print ad with some red chess pieces denoting strategy. The tag line was, “Like chess champions, management today is capitalizing on scientific systems to stay ahead of competition.” In 1960, the company became a subsidiary of Bell and Howell.
Courtley Men’s Toiletries had a 1945 print ad for their “Magnificently Masculine” toiletries that came in a bottle with two knights for the cap. The ad featured a White Knight and a Black Knight in the background.
Cruzan Rum has a speed chess commercial. The theme was to play hard, but slow down way harder.
Danbury Mint had a 1992 print ad of their Camelot Chess Set with King Arthur and Sir Lancelot.
Dan River had a 1966 plaid shirt print ad of a man in a plaid shirt playing chess. The tag line was, “You’re the winning king when you make your move in this subtle plaid shirting.”
DB Export beer had an ad of its beer bottle on a chess board. The tag line was, “Your move.”
De Beers Diamonds had a 1977 print ad showing a man holding a black chess knight. On his finger is a men’s diamond ring. The tag lines were, “All his life he’s been a tough competitor. To him, second place isn’t good enough. But his happiest moment came last week when his 11-year-old daughter beat him at chess. He’s a special kind of man. A diamond is for him.”
Diva Fashions, tailored by Evan Picone, had a 1956 ad of a woman standing on a chess board with a few chess pieces on some squares.
Doritos had a commercial in 1968 with a player playing chess while eating Doritos.
Douglas Aircraft had a 1965 print ad called Missile chess. It had a variety of its missiles on a chess board. The company merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967.
Dunhill cigarettes had a 1986 ad with a computer chess board and a pack of cigarettes on the side.
Dynamic Bicycles has a print ad by Jamie Kakleas of a man wearing a bicycle helmet playing another man in chess. The tag line is “Smart bikes for smart people.”
EBF chess course had a 1961 print ad that was supposed to quickly teach yourself to play chess a new easy way. It was endorsed by Fred Reinfeld.
Ely-Gilmore Fruit Company of Los Angeles printed several crate labels with a rook brand (showing a rook), a bishop brand (showing a bishop), a king brand (showing a chess board and a king’s crown), and a knight brand (showing a knight).
Evans slippers had a 1966 print ad showing several slippers on a chess board. The tag line was “Evans slippers are perfect for indoor sports.”
Fidelity Electronics of Miami published an ad for the Voice Chess Challenger (first appearing in Omni magazine in December 1979). It was advertised as “The Perfect Chess Opponent! It Thinks…It Talks…It ‘Sees’ Every Move You Make!” In 1980, and ad appeared for its Fidelity Chess challenger 7. The title of the ad was, “Genius Offspring.”
Florida Grapefruit had a 1972 print ad of a man and a woman playing 3-dimensional chess. She is drinking a glass of grapefruit juice while making her move.
Franklin Mint had a 1984 commercial advertising the Civil War Chess Set. In 1989, they advertised “The Chess Set of the Gods.” They had a 1995 print ad for a Star Trek: The Next Generation Chess Set.
G-Star denim brand uses the image of Magnus Carlsen to advertise its G-Star Raw products.
Gas-X has a funny ad that shows a lone queen on one side of the board and all the other pieces on the other side of the board. The print ad, titled, “Relieves embarrassment,” was created by Saatchi & Saatchi in Toronto.
Geico insurance company used a soccer announcer (Andres Cantor) to call the moves in a chess game for one of Geico’s commercials in 2010. The Geico pitchman asks, “Can football announcer Andres Canto make any sport exciting.” The chess position itself is illegal, with two white bishops of the same color and some other mistakes.
General Electric had a 1958 ad that featured a table with a television and chess set sitting on it.
General Re, America’s Largest Reinsurance Group, had a 1985 print ad showing a red queen and king with a white knight forking them. The tag line is, “Diversity is a powerful asset.”
Givenchy perfunes had a chess ad in the early 1990s featuring a lady behind a mask at a chess board.
Goldwell cosmetics has a print ad of a blonde lady moving a chess piece against a man with a chess clock in the background.
Grand Marnier Liqueur had a 1992 print ad that had a bottle of liqueur and two glasses on a chess board, surrounded by chess pieces. The tag line was, “A Grand Master.”
Hart Skis had a 1972 print ad of a chess set and a background of chess pieces about to ski. Another ad had Hank Kashiwa (1949- ), an American alpine skier and former U.S. National ski racing champion, skiing on a chess board. The tag line was, “Moving easy with Hart Ski.”
Hayden Software had a 1987 print ad for their Sargon II computer chess program. The tag line was, “Checkmate. Sargon III. The ultimate in computer chess.”
Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo ran two ads that featured a knocked-over White King surrounded by a Black Queen and Knight. The tag line was “Game over dandruff” and “keep dandruff in check” for another ad that had a chess piece that was half white and half black. The print ad was created by H&C Leo Burnett.
Hennessy had a 1987 ad where a man and a woman drinking Hennessy cognac are playing chess.
Hershey’s had a 1984 print ad of a smart boy playing chess and another boy dressed up to play football. The tag line was, “…but they agree on Hershey’s Miniatures.”
Highland Queen scotch whiskey ran a 1936 print ad with a chess board and a bottle of whiskey, with the tag line, “The Queen Dominates.” It also featured a chess diagram and a chess problem. Another ad featured a chess set with military planes, tanks, and ships.
Hoffman Controlled Heat had a 1929 ad of two men playing chess in suits in a flexible home of heat and cool.
A home mortgage ad featured boxes packed for moving on top of a chess board full of chess pieces. The tag line was, “It’s your move.”
Honda had a 1999 ad that featured two men playing on a very small chess set using tweezers. The tag line was “How Honda’s perfectionist engineers spend their leisure time.”
Bob Hope (1903-2003) had a 1972 ad to promote his Bob Hope All Star Special, starring David Cassidy, Mark Spitz, Alexis Smith, World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, and The Carpenters.
Horizon Organic, producer of organic milk products, ran a “chess mates” ad on the Disney Channel in 2011. It showed a little girl drinking milk and playing chess with her grandfather.
Horizon Services, a premier plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services company, had a TV commercial with a man playing a boy.
In the 1930s, the Hotels de Paris (Hotel Regina, Hotel Majestic, and Hotel Calais) advertised their hotels that were frequented by leading chess masters such as Alekhine, Lasker, Capablanca, and Marshall.
HSBC Life Insurance company had an ad of a boy playing his father in chess. The tag line was, “Unpressured. Life insurance the UNway.”
Hunter Distillery ran an ad with a nice chess set and a bottle of Hunter alcohol, with the tag line, “Outstanding for Excellence.”
IBM had several ads for IBM’s Deep Blue versus Kasparov chess match. In 1983, IBM had a print ad showing a chip design of an IBM 4151 Super-Mini. The tag line was, “The board’s half the size of a thumbnail, with 100,000 pieces. And it’s your move.” Another IBM ad, made in 1998, showed a picture of a Mars rover with the tag line, “After exhausting chess matches, Deep Blue took off on holiday.”
IFS, a software company, had an ad that shows one chess player with a regular set of pieces, while the other player has two rows of extra pawns. The tag line is, “Is e-business changing the rules of your game?”
Intel had a 1994 print ad for an Intel Pentium Processor. The ad featured chess, games, movies, photos, etc. The tag line was, “What’s the big attraction.”
For an International Day Against Prejudice ad in 2001, the print ad featured a chess set where both sides were white. The tag line was “There’s no game without differences.”
Interplay had a 1993 print ad of their Battle Chess software. The tag line was, “Choose your weapons wisely.”
Irving Trust Company had a 1964 print ad with a variety of exotic, carved chess pieces.
Jack Daniel’s had a Jack Daniel’s chess set.
The Jaques Staunton chess-men were first advertised in the September 29, 1849 issue of the Illustrated London News, and endorsed by Howard Staunton.
A JK Tyre of India ad shows a tire on a chess board, with chess pieces in the background.
Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch Whiskey had a collectable chess set.
JS&A chess computer had a 1979 ad of its chess computer with a picture of world champion Anatoly Karpov. The title of the ad was “Karpov Accepts,” which was an endorsement of the chess computer.
K2 shoes had a 2000 print ad with a person playing chess.
Kaichen & Rothschild cigar makers used Paul Morphy’s image to sell cigars (made of the finest Cuban yara tobacco).
Kent cigarettes had a 1973 ad page with a package of Kent cigarettes next to a chess set. They had a 1955 print ad of a carton of Kent cigarettes as a Christmas present surrounded by chess pieces.
Kentucky Tavern whiskey had a 1946 ad that showed a chess set with two glasses of whiskey and a book called Chess and Double Check. The board is set up wrong.
KIA Motors had a print ad of 10 rows of pawns with a KIA car in the middle of the pawns. The tag line was, “The Soul: A new way to roll.”
Kodel Fibers had a 1968 ad featuring a man and a boy relaxing and playing chess. The tag line was, “Make mine the fiber that still looks neat after the big game. Kodel.”
Koneru Humpy is modeling and has done an advertisement for a property developer.
Kyivstar, a mobile network operator in the Ukraine, has a ad called “double advantage’ that shows a white knight on a chess board surrounded by three black pawns.
Land-Rover had a 1999 commercial with a man playing chess against the car, with a tag line “It’s not as funny as you think.”
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce had a 1974 print ad showing Mr. Lea and Mr. Perrins playing chess.
Little River Band had a 1985 promo poster ad of a man playing chess with human figures.
Long Life Light Bulbs had a print ad that showed two bright long life light bulbs playing chess on a bench in the park.
Lord Calvert Whiskey had a 1944 ad of a man playing chess with a glass of whiskey in his hand. The tag line was, “For men of judgment…Lord Calvert.”
Louis Vuitton French fashion house had a 1988 print ad, called the art of travel. It featured travel gear and a chess set.
Lucky Charms ran a TV commercial in 1977 that advertised a chess and checkers set with pieces in the cereal box.
Lyman dies had a 1960s print ad of its gun dies on a chessboard as if they were chess pieces. The tag line was, “Brilliant move in the reloading game.”
M&M Candy Company made some M&M candy figurines in the shape of a bishop and a knight.
Maidenform bra had a 1993 print ad of a lady playing darts in a restaurant or café, wearing a bra and panties, while two men in the background are playing chess and not paying any attention to the lady. The tag line was, “Maidenform sweet nothings. Right on target with a daring look. The Maidenform Woman. You never know where she’ll turn up.” Another ad showed a lady in a black bra and lady in a white bra on standing on a chess board. The tag line was, “I dreamed I played chess in my Maidenform bra. I’m the darling of the chess-set. Pawns, knights, even kings watch my every move. For whether I’m the White Queen or the Black, I rule the board in my Maidenform Bra.”
Mariestads Beer ran a print ad showing 159 diagrams of chess positions from the Lipschuetz-Bird game, New York 1889. The tag line was “At last – draw by draw!”
A Marine Corps commercial made in 1990 used chess as a backdrop for recruiting. The commercial featured a life size chess board with real horses and knights. The Marines also had a 1992 print ad of a chess board and pieces with a Marine in the background. The tag line, “The warrior’s most powerful weapon is the mind.”
Marlboro cigarettes had a 1955 ad of a man holding a chess piece while smoking.
Martell Cognac had a 1953 print ad with a glass of cognac on a chess board next to a knight. The tag line was, “Depuis 1715 jamais en echec!”
Marvel Comics had a TV ad with Marvel characters as chess pieces in a Marvel chess collection.
Marvin watches had an ad featuring several watches on a chess board, along with several chess pieces.
Mary Chess perfume had a 1947 magazine ad that featured a bride with perfume bottles shaped like chess pieces. A 1955 print ad showed a perfume bottle in the shape of a queen. A 1958 print ad featured a chess strategy perfume bottle in the shape of a knight.
Mattel Electronics had a 1981 ad that featured its Mattel Computer Chess. The tag line was, “Computer Chess checkmates the leading competitor.”
Mead Paper Company had a 1947 print ad with a train and a few chess pieces. The ad appeared in the August 1947 issue of Fortune Magazine.
Medaglia d’Oro coffee had a 1963 ad of a lady sitting down at a chess set with her cup of coffee. The tag line was, “As a rule, Medaglia d’Oro drinkers are entertaining people.”
Meetup.com has a chess commercial of a guy playing a cat.
Mercedes-Benz released a magazine and newspaper ad in 2008 showing a chess player in protective gear, with the words, “You can never feel too secure.” Mercedes-Benz also made a commercial with golfer Adam Scott playing chess, and another commercial showing Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg playing chess and driving.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of New York had a trading card with kittens playing on a chess set.
A milk commercial was made showing a cow beating Viktor Korchnoi.
Miller Beer had an ad of a man playing chess with a glass of beer in his hand, with the tag line, “Distinctive in Taste.” Miller High Life beer had a 1942 ad of a bottle and glass of beer on a chess set. The tag line was, “Enjoy Life with Miller High Life.”
Milton Bradley had a 1979 print ad with several chess sets.
Mission Dry Sparkling Orange Juice had an ad that ran in the March 8, 1930 issue of Saturday Evening Post, showing a chess set and two classes of orange juice on the sides.
The Morphy Straw Hat and the Morphy Cigar (special brand ordered from Havana) were advertised in the Boston and New York papers of after Paul Morphy’s victorious return from Europe in 1859.
Motorola had a commercial with living chess.
Mount Vernon Rye Whiskey had a 1937 print ad of two men playing chess with the ghost of George Washington looking on. The tag line was, “The Present toasts the Past in Mount Vernon!”
MTV had a safe sex campaign showing two penises with condoms playing chess. The tag line was “There is no sex in heaven. Stay alive. Use a condom.”
Nabob Coffee had a 1946 print ad of two men playing chess while a lady, holding a coffee cup, watches. The tag line is, “Next Move…Nabob Coffee. The board is set up wrong.
The National Historical Society ran a 1984 print ad for their Civil War chess set made by the Franklin mint. I bought one.
The National Hockey League (NHL) ran a commercial with Wayne Gretsky playing a chess game with Mark Messier. Gretsky makes a good move and Messier knocks over all the pieces, saying, “Oops, I slipped.”
Navi-Sys had a print ad with a boy playing with glass chess pieces.
Neely Sales, an exclusive sales and service for Hewlett Packard, had an ad for their 1966 calendar, featuring a glamorous woman dressed in green sitting by a chess board and holding a chess piece in her hand. The tag line was, “your move.”
Nestles had a 1970 commercial featuring chess.
New York Life Insurance had a 1961 print ad of a father and son playing chess. The tag line was, “Time brings fewer cares…when you’re sure you have enough life insurance.” The chess board is set up wrong.
The January 21, 1961 edition of The New Yorker had, on its cover, an artwork of chess players at a chess club.
NIIT, a global IT services company, has used former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand as its ambassador. Anand has starred in at least four commercial advertising campaigns for AMD India, Union Bank of India, Parle-G, and Crocin.
Nokia ran a commercial showing two men (best friends and business partners) playing chess.
Novag chess computers were endorsed by Anatoly Karpov.
Okonite wire and cable manufacturer had an ad with planes and tanks and ships as chess pieces on a chess board.
Old Crow Bourbon had a 32-piece decanter chess set with board.
Old Gold cigarettes ran a print ad in 1954 featuring a nice chess set with a pack of Old Gold cigarettes at the side of the chess board. It advertised, “Your best King Size move…”
Old Grand Dad bourbon featured a 1963 print ad with two bourbon bottles surrounded by a chess board and pieces, with the tag line, “Either way, the perfect move.”
The Opel Vectra had a print ad of its car on a chess board between a white piece and a black knight.
Oracle had a 2002 print add that showed a chess board.
Oyster Magazine recently featured Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan modeling with different hair styles.
Pall Mall cigarettes had a 1958 ad with a pack of Pall Malls on a chess board.
Pan Am had a print ad that showed a peg chess board with no pieces on it.
Paramount Pictures had a 1992 Star Trek ad for their Star Trek Chess Set. It was the Star Trek crew versus the Klingons. It was advertised as the chess set that transcends time and space.
Paul Jones Whiskey had a 1943 print ad of two chairs, a chess set, two glasses, and a bottle of Paul Jones whiskey on the side. The tag line was, “Glad you dropped in, Ted…”
Paul Masson win had a 1965 ad with a bottle of champagne and a knight, and featuring a George Koltanowski chess puzzle. The tag line was, “Tonight Could Be the Knight.” Their first print ad appeared in 1960, with a number of wine bottles on a chess board. The tag line was, “Wine made easy.” Other ads with chess pieces appeared in 1962, 1964, and 1967.
Pennzoil motor oil had a 1941 print ad showing a chess (checker) board, with the tag line, “You move, trouble.”
Pepsi had a 2001 commercial starring Garry Kasparov vs. the Machine. Pepsi-Cola ran an ad of a man and a woman playing chess, with the tag line, “Relax with the Light refreshment.”
Pfizer had a 2002 commercial featuring a man playing chess.
Pirelli tires had a 1960 ad of five tire models and chess pieces on an orange background.
Player’s No. 3 cigarettes had a 1932 print ad that showed a box of cigarettes next to a chess set. The tag line was, “In moments of perplexity one reaches for a Player’s No.3.
PlayStation3 has an ad that shows a broken king with blood pouring out with the tag, “It’s already devising ways to kill you.”
Playtex tampons had a 1973 print ad of a woman playing chess around a bunch of men. The tag line was, “Are you sure your tampon keeps you odor-free?”
Susan Polgar has endorsed products of a bank and insurance company in Hungary.
Prince Gardner had a 1957 print ad of their billfold, cigarette case, and lighter on top of a chess board, surrounded by a few chess pieces.
Proback razor blades had a 1931 ad of several clean shaven men sitting and standing around a chess set.
Puerto Rican Rum had a 1959 print ad of a man standing over a chess game as another man watches and holds a glass of rum. The tag line was, “I brought home a new chess defense from Puerto Rico – and the good news about dry rum.”
Red Bull energy drink now has Hikaru Nakamura as a spokesperson. Red Bull has a commercial of two kids playing blitz chess with a chess clock, and they speed up after drinking Red Bull.
Regal shoes had a 1944 print ad of a pair of shoes next to a chess set. The tag line was, “They’re Cordovan – Leather of Kings!”
Renault automobile had a print ad with a chess piece that has a Renault flag being moved on a chess board.
Rheingold beer had a 1955 print ad featuring Edmund Gwenn, and English theater and film actor, playing a game of chess, and then having a beer. Gwenn (1877-1959) played Kris Kringle in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Right At Home Senior Home Care had a commercial with chess scenes.
Rochas featured an ad depicting a lady behind a chess set advertising Tocadilly perfume.
Ronzoni SmartTaste ran a chess commercial where a giant rotini pasta noodle wins a chess match.
Sanderson’s Vat 69 Scotch Whiskey had a 1951 print ad with a bottle of scotch and a glass on a tray next to a chess set.
Sandvik, a construction and mining equipment company, had an ad that showed a red king and all the other pieces were red queens vs. the black pieces. The tag line was “Tamrock. How nice it can be.”
Sanfor Company had a 1952 ad promoting Sanforized fabrics. A lady is on a chess board with a king and knight, checking out her dress that does not shrink.
Saratoga cigarettes had a 1977 print ad of a man playing chess and waiting for his opponent to move. The tag line was, “Wait ‘til I finish my Saratoga.”
Schlitz beer ran a 1967 ad of father and son playing chess. The father has a full glass of beer and the son has an empty glass. The tag line is, Father, “What’s your next move, son?” Son, “To the refrigerator.”
Schonbel Chandeliers had a 1995 print ad of a crystal chandelier above a chess set. The tag line was, “Sacrifice anything but the Schonbek.”
Schweppes tonic water used Garry Kasparov in one of its Spanish television commercials in 1987 to advertise its product.
Scisys had a 1981 ad featuring its SciSys executive computer chess being used to play chess on an airline. The tag line was, “For chess people on the move.”
Seagram’s had a 1950 ad of a chess set with carved oriental chess pieces, with a bottle and two glasses of Seagram’s VO Canadian Whiskey. They had a 1956 print ad with dozens of chess pieces from around the world.
Sealy Posturpedic Bed had a 1998 commercial featuring some old men playing chess.
Sears had a 1968 print ad of a lady in a Perma-prest Netanik blouse, lying on her side, playing chess. The tag line was, “The Neatniks are getting ruffled.” The chess board is set up wrong.
Sebel chairs and tables had a 1949 ad of two men playing chess without sitting in a chair and no table. The tag line was, “Your move. Some chess players squirm, some rock about, some tie their legs in knots. It’s tough on furniture. ..Your move, Sir.”
ShapeWorks had an ad of a lady standing on a chess board advertising nutrition and skin care products.
Siemens has a funny ad for a vacuum cleaner where a lady is vacuuming a stage that is being used for the world chess championship (Paskarov vs. Charles), advertising a very quiet vacuum cleaner while the players are concentrating on chess. Two other ads featured the lady vacuuming at an opera and at a wedding. The ads were made in Hamburg and won several awards.
Silence Therapeutics uses Hikaru Nakamura to endorse its products.
Silpada Jewelry had a 2008 print ad of a sexy blonde lady playing chess. The tag line is, “Pretty Smart.” The chess board is set up wrong.
The Singapore Navy ran a commercial showing navy maneuvers and chess moves.
Smirnoff Vodka had a 1997 print ad with an empty bottle of Smirnoff Vodka filled with a White Queen chess piece embracing and kissing the Black King chess piece. The bottle is on the chess board with other chess pieces in front of it. The tag line was, “Pure Mate.”
The Standard Accident Insurance Company of Detroit had a 1934 print ad showing a queen and a knight on a chess board. The tag line was, “Forethought Wins.”
Stanley Blacker, makers of eyeglass frames, had a 1977 ad featuring four men with lasses around a chess board. The chess board is set up wrong.
Stouffer’s had an ad of a man and a woman playing chess with a Stouffer’s dinner meal on the side of the chess board.
Syscon had a 1989 print ad featuring two knights and a chess board. The tag line was, “War Gaming and Operational Readiness.”
Tab, a soda pop by Coca-Cola, had a 1964 ad with a chess set in the foreground and a bottle and glass of tab in the background.
Tacori, makers of fine jewelry, had an ad of a black queen fitted with several diamond rings around it.
Teacher’s Highland Cream Scotch Whiskey had a 1937 ad with two men playing chess and a third man watching the game while holding a glass of Scotch.
Three Feathers Whiskey had a 1946 ad with three glasses of whiskey on a chess board surrounded by pieces. The tag line was, “The next move is yours.”
Tiger Balm Oil had a print ad with a chess diagram from the 1955 Interzonal Tournament in Swden. The tag line was, “Bf1-b5 was a brilliant sacrifice! To clear your mind for brilliancies use Tiger Oil.”
Tocadilly Rochas perfume ran an ad of a perfume bottle on a chess board with a woman looking straight ahead.
Underground of London, maker of houses, had a 1914 advertising poster of houses on a chess board. The tag line was, “Your next move and your best is on to Underground.”
The United Way ran a 2003 commercial featuring Black volunteers playing chess with kids.
Upjohn Pharmaceuticals had a 1944 print ad of two men playing chess and a medical doctor looking on. The tag line was, “Your Doctor’s Medical Strategy.”
Van Heusen had a 1953 ad with two men playing chess as another man watches.
Varian Associates had a 1961 ad for radar klystrons (microwave tubes) showing a White Knight and a Black Knight. The tag line was, “White’s Defense at 76 degrees North, 68 degrees West.”
Vasarely Center in New York had a 1979 ad that featured some artwork, including a futuristic chess set.
Vaseline has a print ad that shows a very light-colored chess set and pieces in the background. The tag line is “Gets rid of dark areas.”
Viagra has an ad showing some chess boards with the tag line, “Enjoy again what you like best.”
Vittel mineral water produced a commercial with chess players.
A 1968 remember to vote ad featured a chess set with the tag line, “All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”
Warner Brothers had a 1992 ad promoting its Looney tunes collector’s edition chess set.
Webster University has a billboard that says, “Our top recruits are chess players.”
Weco tools had a 1954 ad of some of its drilling rig well equipment on a chess board.
Weetabx had a 2000 commercial of a man playing chess.
A Werder ketchup ad shows two tomatoes playing chess. The tag line is “Tomatoes – highly concentrated.”
Western Creative Advertising Agency has an ad on its web site that shows a white queen and a black pawn that is knocked over. The tag line is, “Game Changing Advertising. If you don’t like what the competition is saying, change the conversation.”
Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey had a 2002 print ad with a bottle and glass of whiskey in the foreground, and two men playing chess in the background. The tag line was, “5:25 PM. Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The extreme games begin.”
Wine Importer’s ad featured a chess board with wine bottles and a chess piece on top of each wine bottle.
Woman’s Day magazine had a 1952 print ad featuring chess pieces and the queen reading Woman’s Day magazine.
Wright aircraft engines had a 1945 print ad of two men playing chess on an airplane.
Wrigley’s Freedent gum had a 1986 print ad of a man playing chess and being snuggled up by a woman. The tag line was, “Go ahead, get close.”
yApre Profile necktie had a 1956 ad of a necktie on a chess king.
York Coffee Company (York, Pennsylvania) created a bag of coffee with four gothic chess pieces on the bag.
Young and Rubicam had a 1968 print ad encouraging everyone to vote. The ad featured a chess board and chess pieces in their original position with the tag line, “All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”