While I haven’t actually mentioned this campaign in Finding Edith Pinsent, it made me smile.
‘Save a Bob in the Pound’ was a British World War Two campaign that encouraged the public to invest in government savings bonds for a ‘brighter’ post-war future. A bob was slang for a shilling. Pre-decimalisation in 1971, there were twenty shillings to the pound and twelve pennies to the shilling.
I love the poster but TalkingPictures TV came up trumps again with this old film. Despite our present day sophisitcation there’s something quite joyous and lovely about it.
In these days of sharp imagery and slick presentation this animated karaoke-style cinema ad looks and sounds archaic but there is something quite lovely and nostalgic about it. It’s voiced by Tommy Handley who was a popular comedian back then and features a cartoon character called – yes, you guessed it – Bob.
My parents and grandparents lived through the war and I can imagine them singing along with it. I have to admit I did too.
