Leonard Nimoy’s passing this week prompted many sci-fi fans to embark on nostalgia trips, but Nimoy’s influence extended far beyond Star Trek.
Advertising in the ’80s wasn’t much different than it is today, which means lots of celebrity endorsements. Following the success of Star Trek, Nimoy was TV’s face of “future tech” and everything he pitched seemed like it was space-age technology. Thanks to the Internet, those wonderful, cheesy ads are preserved for all eternity, so let’s enjoy a brief trip back in time to watch our favorite tech pitchman work his magic.
EdTel Pagers
In an age of smartphones, there’s no reason to consider using a pager, but Nimoy will probably convince you that you need one.
Oldsmobile
Only Nimoy could convince us that the Oldsmobile Silhouette was akin to the Starship Enterprise.
Western Airlines
Teaming up with his Star Trek co-star for a Western Airlines spot in 1985, Nimoy helps sell the line, “Frequent flyers like the future.”
Magnavox
Nimoy was a huge Magnavox spokesperson and teamed up with the brand on a number of occasions to pitch everything from TVs to the Odyssey game console.
But perhaps his most impressive role was this LaserDisc promotional spot that stretched longer than 10 minutes, complete with a mustachioed Nimoy conversing with a glowing, beeping alien crystal. It’s a piece of infomercial history, and Nimoy has the starring role.
Screengrab via Watcher3223/YouTube
