The other day I read that in the '60s Jim Henson, the Muppet's creator, had made adverts for IBM.

I found it hard to reconcile the idea that characters from my childhood had been used to sell computers; that they were espousing the benefits of desktops and workstations and so on. So, I went looking for confirmation and headed to YouTube.

It turns out that the Muppets weren't selling computers – they were flogging electric typewriters. Oh and meat. And chow mein.

In the first video I found, Rowlf the dog plays the part of an IBM salesman, lugging equipment around on his visits to clients. He spills ink in one potential customer's office, manages to negotiate another person out of signing a contract and later ends up on a beach sunbathing and checking out babes. (Albeit grainy babes in colour so faded it looks black and white.)

Rowlf, you are my hero.



What's the best way to make adverts selling meat?




All you need to sell chow mein is a dragon. And a trumpet.