Weird toys from TV adverts | Ashens

If it's not enough that they invade your TV, sometimes they invade your shelves / cupboards / dustbins! It's advertising characters that became so popular they were made into toys. Weird, innit.
Featuring: The Tango Doll (Gotan), ITV Digital / PG Tips Monkey, the Argos Aliens, Brian the Confused.com robot, and Anchor Sam.
#adverts #toys #ashens

[@apriljones1013]

As an American this is like watching a video from a parallel universe

[@westerling8436]

Where people aren't stupid and fat

[@rooty]

This is how we feel when we watch any american show, where they're constantly saying shit like got milk and where's the beef

[@moxxiepeppino]

Yeah

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@rootycoh blimey govnah

[@XombieLejon66]

I'd like to see a Toy Story-style movie where all the weird/bootleg/poundland tat-quality toys interact with each other right before Stuart chucks them into the bin.

[@troymacdonald6197]

Like Foodfight, except somehow more horrific

[@km7189]

Or when andys moms toys are alive too.

[@trubb225]

Toy story 4 had a scrapped scene where buzz actually teamed up with some bootleg buzz's

[@Kazza_8240]

There used to be a cartoon called 'Raggy Dolls' about wonky toys, that were meant to be binned from the factory because they weren't perfect, but escaped, and went on all sorts of adventures. I imagine an Ashens version being too dark for children 😂 it wouldn't get the PG rating.

[@MediumRareOpinions]

@@Kazza_8240 the villain of the piece is the die of fate, who decrees that they must *Burn*

[@BMarie774]

Anyone remember the Staples "that was easy" button? Every kid in my class had one on their desk and they ended up banning them in my school.

[@tomkenning5482]

My politics teacher had one and used to press it after every test. This was about 2 years ago.

[@Brainwave101]

I own it's successor: the NUT button.

[@madibreland7853]

Brianna Gordy getting to press the “that was easy” was a privilege

[@s.r.a.d.p.l1571]

Brianna Gordy I had one back then

[@5476Himself]

Yep, I have one. No idea how I got it, though I do remember seeing them in stores.

[@artinyyk]

‘Weird toys from TV adverts’, might be the most Ashens topic ever. We’ve reached the peak of weird tat.

[@tomkenning5482]

The kind of video where you wouldn't expect him to release, but when he does you're not surprised

[@lsynno]

"I Can't remember what they replaced it with" Store closures.

[@williamg209two]

I coughed and laughed alot

[@samholdsworth420]

500th like 🎉

[@LLWW]

The tango doll looks like something saladfingers would play with.

[@benpan7047]

Looks like saladfingers

[@ohnoitschris]

That's exactly what face I was thinking of when I saw that

[@user-xx6ir8rv7t]

YES. Exactly my thought.

[@H0MY911]

ooooh i don't think you were expecting that

[@RayVinyard]

maybe the doll was designed by David Firth

[@Fazeof1p]

The Argos aliens have really gone downhill ever since they appeared in that Eiffel 65 video

[@ca9ri498]

Faze of 1337planet i have rufus

[@yoymate6316]

yo listen up here’s a story

[@planeslyville4645]

@@yoymate6316 About a little guy that lives in a blue world

[@harryxyz2982]

And all day and all night and everything he Sees is just blue like him inside and outside

[@PokeMonica19]

Blue his house with a blue little window And a blue Corvette And everything is blue for him

[@youraveragesocialist84]

I feel deeply saddened by the lack of Peperami Man in this video. The nasty, sticky rubber doll things gather dust quite splendidly

[@Xegethra]

I didn't know they made toys.....huh.

[@loganmavity2805]

THE ANIMAL

[@rigidjellyfish]

I have a pepparami mona lisa We dont know where it came from

[@anthonybradley1555]

i remember the fanimal which was a rubber toy peperami with a scarf on that talked, i think that was released for a world cup maybe 2006, i think that is what your referring to.

[@FiddlesticksDraws]

When I saw the thumbnail, I thought Tango was Morph.

[@TheRealBobHickman]

He's let himself go a bit

[@Torchyc]

SAME

[@mc.gemstone]

I was thinking the same thing too.

[@kianhd9056]

I know It looks just like him

[@splo1nger909]

He took to drink when chaz got squished into the carpet

[@rsk47reviews59]

its something magical and amazing to see Ashens make a toy monkey deepthroat a Pirate Cove's cartridge at 5 in the morning...life changing experience this

[@pixelpenguin0732]

My dad used to put the Tango Doll on the top of the Christmas tree so at least i now know what its from

[@pryingeyes1551]

That's fantastic. Much better than an angel IMO.

[@cobaltdev]

That’s horrifying

[@thephonelad7887]

@@cobaltdev poor tango

[@cobaltdev]

ThePhoneLad imagine his... skin flap getting pierced on the tree

[@Drghost1235]

@@cobaltdev better than being watched always by some damn midget elf on the middle of the tree or on a shelf.

[@InfernallyCapricious]

"It says annoying things until you turn it off and throw it in the bin." I see you've talked to one of my exes.

[@deathsyth8888]

(gets hit with tat on both sides of your head) You know when you've been Ashens'd

[@jadeyxboox]

Lmfao 😂😂😂

[@unlokia]

It's a hit for tat world.

[@brianm6337]

Or walloped with 30 year old hot dogs with a hint of rot.

[@syamantakguha3518]

hit strangers on both sides of the heads with two whole chickens (in cans)

[@Prodawg]

You can also tell you got ashens'd, when you take a bite out of what you thought was decent food only for it to be expired candy that kills you.

[@culwin]

In America, we had the "California Raisins" merchandise everywhere in the late 80's. Based solely on a series of ads for...raisins. Guessing people in the UK never saw them. They were mostly awful.

[@RIXRADvidz]

and would be considered incredibly racist by today's standards.

[@culwin]

@@RIXRADvidz Not really but whatever

[@cyanidic3673]

and we had the chevron cars with their disturbing eyeballs

[@novaiscool1]

A local Hardies/Carl's Jr has like 2 of the plush dolls of the raisins in a little kids area, and it's slightly terrifying.

[@LeviathanRX]

I member

[@PinkuPeachy]

Good God... The alien got more and more unnerving the longer she sat and stared through the camera directly into my soul

[@supercharliegalaxy]

We'll never be the same...

[@TommyDeonauthsArchives]

Don't tempt fate, Princess.

[@ryanbissell9998]

One of the lesser-known brian voice lines for the toy is... "Find the gummy bear album in stores november 13th"

[@JakeyAnimates]

For Videos, Games and Extraaas.

[@samholdsworth420]

I'll pass thank you

[@timc3232]

Ah the classic Tango doll, I had a few of these back in the day. To get them you had to phone a very expensive phone number and listen to 5-10 minutes of screeching, shouting, and generally weird noises. I must of cost my poor old nan about £40 in phone calls getting them. Thanks for that bit of nostalgia Ashens 🖒

[@Doom_Squid_Son]

My god, that alien in the background for the rest of the video is horrifying

[@crazycraigy01]

I ordered the Tango Doll for my Collie Dog in 90's, he had it all his life and loved it...🐕🐶

[@EsplodingBomb]

"Cast your mind back to 1992... Unless you weren't born before 1992, that might cause your brain to explode or something." *Born in 1997* OH SHI- *brain explodes*

[@gochem3013]

*Born in 1999* *brain exploded with Wilhelm Scream*

[@Milamberinx]

You kids better get back to your homework!

[@patootie3529]

@-Nick- You 12 or 13?

[@patootie3529]

@-Nick- That's spectacular

[@robertnussberger2028]

NOOOOO YOU CASTED YOUR MIND TOO SOOOOON

[@Phoenix2312]

3:46 I can tell you why you Remember the 'Go-Tan' Doll - They were NOT sold in shops... They did a marketing Campaign where a clue was hidden in an advert and if you called a number - You would get a message (Obviously Premium Rate - These things were NOT free) and be sent your Free 'Go-Tan' Doll... I missed out on this one, BUT I did manage to get the Number off someones hand in the LEMON TANGO Adverts... And YES I did phone it! IT was actually Quite funny, and a few weeks later I got a Package through the post with some very random gubbins... The Adverts were DISCONTINUED after they tried to 'Up the Game' when they released TANGO STILL... A Non-Carbonated Tango later on... As the whole prank went WRONG and they were faced with Legal Issues from the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) It was explained by the Marketing team 'People enjoyed the You've been tangoed Adverts so much, we hid clues in the adverts so they could actually be a part of the fun and be tangoed themselves in a way' - SO THERE YOU GO ASHENS!!! THERE IS YOUR ANSWER!!! (Don't take my word for it - I am sure you can find details on Google!!!) EDIT: No Joke... This is such a long story really - You and Larry Bundy Jr could actually do an Entire 'History of the Tango Ad Campaign that Fooled the UK' Video and get MASSIVE HITS!!! Its actually a really fascinating story!

[@shellywoo]

I had the tango doll from ringing the phone number, I remember it rambling the cult stuff down the phone at you to keep you on the line long enough to pay for the doll. And I did the lemon one too but I can't remember for the life of me what I was sent for that one...

[@mgthestrange9098]

I called the number and got a doll and a cult name which was flowering seed. Such crazy times! 🤩

[@imrustyokay]

Look up Bob the Fish productions on Vimeo.

[@Kazza_8240]

I looked this up.....and went on a Tang-ent 🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

[@iamwords2d200]

Good god, the blue toy looks like a Euclid class SCP.

[@koenvandamme6901]

I bet it's a Type Green.

[@kordru]

Ok, here you go. SCP-9370 "The Alien" CLASS-KETER "Its a fucking alien zombie, its dangerous."

[@themothman7241]

They could all be keters for all we know, remember they can be anyyyything

[@foopthehoop3103]

Kordru no SCP-51

[@elax4141]

Yes, actually, they basically did replace the alien with a big sign saying "Come to Argos!" Also, the "Go Compaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrreeeeeeeeeeeeee!" guy was my uncle's best friend in secondary school. My uncle went on to cook food for prince william in the RAF. I'll let you decide which one had the better future.

[@rouge1888]

I met Monkey's puppeteer last year as part of a VFX class, and yep, the TV pilot thing is true! We saw a bunch of behind the scenes photos of it, and some clips. It is a really well designed toy (and puppet, actually) for I can't blame them for at least trying lmao

[@planeslyville4645]

Any info?

[@cobaltdev]

It’s also the monkey from the PG Tips adverts

[@brandonmartin-moore5302]

Was the other stuff Ashens said about it true?

[@lovelyheiferdev]

Astrid looks like the sickly daughter of Megamind. Also, lol uploading nearing Sunday morning in the UK.

[@TommyDeonauthsArchives]

Maroon 5.

[@abemudokon9497]

That yeti thing had a pretty funny advert "I will outlive de both of you!"

[@EsmeMarion]

I love that one

[@AlisonBryen]

I thought the thumbnail was Morph after suffering a fairly catastrophic stroke

[@guilhermemuratore5352]

This tango doll looks like something out of Salad Fingers

[@bentramer682]

So does that alien.

[@Xegethra]

It also looks like Morph after a car accident.

[@xxxxfatcatxxxx]

My god, because of your toys tag my whole suggested videos catalog is now those weird toy channels with millions of views.

[@SqualidsargeStudios]

Isn't youtube fun like that

[@OdaSwifteye]

You too?

[@Fazeof1p]

The main difference here is that Ashens is actually entertaining and funny

[@cuggyboysmith81]

I phoned up the 'tango hotline' to order one of these when i was a teenager. It was a very surreal experience. An automated voice said 'your new name is (pause....) Special Sheppard' lol. I also remember the doll smelling of tango when it was brand new out of the box

[@hans-ann]

I remember when monkey became the pg mascot and my Nan ended up getting a load of free ones and gave them to me. I also distinctly remembering that one of the monkeys cane with a short documentary on tea. I watched that documentary a lot as kid ...

[@itsmikoton]

I have one of those monkey dolls for Pg tips

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

I want one. 😁

[@WrecklessEating]

Those alien toys are so weird lol

[@adamoneal6476]

What is up with Ashens and unintentionally creepy things?

[@Doobie3010]

Adam,Tat,"Tat and creepy things",to be exact!

[@TommyDeonauthsArchives]

@@Doobie3010 Crappy and Creepy things.

[@Jake-im2lv]

I remember in secondary school when those tango ads were playing there was a big thing of sneaking up to people and clapping both hands over someone's ears followed by shouting you've been tangoed. It was addressed several times at assembly due to apparent risk of eardrum damage

[@GmodPlusWoW]

Oh god, Monkeh brings back so much nostalgia for me. I can already visualize him pulling that cartridge out of his mouth later, and sighing "Yo ho..." as he goes off to make himself a cup of tea. Also, those Argos aliens look like they wouldn't be out of place in Bloodborne.

[@watchspotting]

“This child is annoying, and his parents don’t really like him.” *Buy butter and cheese everyone*

[@Vaxonblue]

As a Brit, I simultaneously thank you for giving me a nostalgia rush with these and hate you for reminding me that those bloody creepy argos aliens existed

[@slaughterround643]

You know, I had one of those monkehs but mini with a PG Tips shirt

[@isabellamorris7902]

I wrote an entire university essay on the 'You Know When You've Been Tango'd' campaign.

[@245thegreat]

My Dad has Brian in it's original box he refuses to take it out as it will "be worth loads of money one day". 🙈🙈

[@RIXRADvidz]

when your grandkids have grandkids THEN Brian the Robot will be worth nothing because by then values on objects will have been abolished decades ago because of run-away Capitalism

[@FaolanHart]

The Confused dotCom robot was such a desperate attempt to cash in on the Meerkat popularity. Amused me every time I saw it. Those Argos aliens however gave me bloody nightmares. My god I hated those things. It was mainly their eyes & movements.

[@GreatSageSunWukong]

Faolan Hart {Animal Above The Man} i liked it better it reminded me of telebots

[@jonahabenhaim1223]

That Argos Alien looks like Megamind’s Daughter.

[@BOYD1981]

I'm so glad I've kept my Brian in his box. It's much less disappointing that way.

[@favoritemustard3542]

...never, ever let BRI4N out of his box past midnight!!

[@gferrol118]

Man, this is a trip down memory lane. I remember all of these, but the tango one since I wasn't born then

[@IanC14]

If you remembered the Tango one despite it airing before you were born you need to see a doctor.

[@stormkeepergu]

The Tango doll reminds me of a slightly wonky version of Morph...

[@dicapriodelorean2888]

when i first saw it in the thumbnail i thought it was some weird ass version or bootleg Morph figure

[@s4tchm0j0n3s]

Thank you. I was thinking the same. It's like someone was tasked with making Morph from memory who hasn't seen him for 30 years.

[@novidsjustposts]

idea for future video: shit cereal box prizes & box-tab mail-ins also does Gotan remind anyone else of Salad Fingers? ;-;

[@MathewHaswell]

I hope he does the Walkers (crisps) Jar Jar Sticky Tongue Toy in that video, should it happen.

[@MathewHaswell]

The Monster Munch LCD games would also be interesting to see.

[@MathewHaswell]

@Sassy The Sasquatch I tjink that "Gotan" is what Morph's deformed half-brother might look like.

[@planeslyville4645]

Hello! I'm from the future! And yes... He did do the video!

[@kayleighbrown459]

I remember having the Tango Doll as a kid. I don't remember ever watching the advert, and I'm not sure were my parents got one. All I remember was that we called it the tango man and it was apparently kinda rare, because no other kid at school had one and always wanted me to bring it.

[@maverickREAL]

"I love being your robo friend." "Why?"

[@henrylong00]

the sofa is looking particularly shoddy today, I hope it's feeling okay

[@rob9472]

I always wanted one of those Zingy things from the EDF adverts from I have no idea how long ago.

[@BABYCHAOS26]

I had a Tango Doll, you'd also be given a "Cult Name" mine was Flowing Seed

[@tomkenning5482]

That's concerning

[@countzero1136]

That's like an overly poetic pornstar name :)

[@Wombattlr]

So, Ashens. About that advertising. It's been exactly 12 months. What is the world like?

[@logickedmazimoon6001]

So monkeh wa sat back with his yorkshire cup of tea -spiffing brit

[@dazwannawzad9272]

The only other advertising mascot I can think of that switched companies was the Verizon/ Sprint "can you hear me now?" guy. Interesting video, thank you!!!

[@rooty]

PG Tips was traditionally advertised with chimps, that's why it made sense for them to adopt the monkey character

[@winkinggerbil]

God I choked when Astrid was sitting there lol so funny

[@nathanforester5993]

Ah yes, the Argos aliens. I believe good ol Larry introduced me to those dolls - I knew you were going to review these sooner or later. You should have made the Argos Alien do the 'Grr argh' pose from the Mutant Enemy logo.

[@TommyDeonauthsArchives]

It's the Bloody Argos aliens!!! Yeah I remember seeing the Guru Larry video too. Need to see that again actually.

[@GigglingChinchilla]

For me the only 90s doll I remember is Flat Eric. Apparently there are some giant puppets made of him.

[@midnightmosesuk]

I still have my Tango doll. His name in the advert was Jim. He had pride of place on my mantle piece. I bought a bottle of tequila which had been decorated with a tiny sombrero and sarape, which coincidentally fit my Tango man exactly. So my Tango man looked like a comedy Mexican.

[@Meow_YT]

ngl, I thought that was Morphs not-talked-about cousin.

[@Joeproductions]

Suprised you don't have Flat Eric

[@MrDalevich]

DAMN! you beat me to it.

[@rockinatmidnight]

Just remembered the EDF energy blobby poo things. I had friends obsessed with them!

[@diesel_dawg]

I love the Anchor Christmas advert where the kid got the squeaky elephant. And the advert where the two were talking about retirement homes and the grandmother said "I'll outlive the both of you." lol

[@DragonNexus]

I was thinking "Why do I have no idea what that Anchor plush toy is?" And then I realised 2015 was the year I got Netflix and never needed to watch TV again.

[@CiromBreeze]

Yup. I recognise all of these except the first one (before my time) and the last one (stopped watching TV, basically replaced with YT/Twitch). Though I only knew of MONKEH because of PG Tips.

[@shearer2929]

yeah the ask in 12 months thing has not aged well for different reasons unfortunately

[@lhcabela5851]

Almost 1 am EST, new Ashens video? I didn’t realize it was Christmas already !

[@UnSanitary]

We will run out of oxygen in the next 300 years however we shall NEVER run out of ashens content.

[@LayerInfinity]

That Gotan doll looks very similar to an old Aardman Animations character called 'Morph'. I remember having a toy when I was growing up that let you make the character out of plasticine only instead of actually looking like Morph it ended up looking like that Tango-drenched monstrosity. Ah, memories!

[@namelast6982]

Hey Ashens, it's been 12 months exactly, how's it going with KZbin?

[@ReaperMan1010]

You missed Flat Eric from the Levis advert. That was a weird thing which my younger brother was obsessed with!

[@boglander2004]

I hope he makes a part 2 and talks about flat Eric

[@joebleasdale5557]

My uncle is a self-employed plumber and has one of those Tango dolls on his van’s dashboard and I had no idea what it was for years - never thought I’d find out from Ashens but it makes sense 😂

[@bradturner7678]

Those blue aliens were a supressed memory i forgot existed, so thanks for that.

[@LeviathanRX]

I had plush of the Taco Bell Chihuahua There was also the Coca Cola Polar Bears...

[@johnnybeasley3675]

Coca Cola had all kinds of Beanie Babies. Nice ones at that. I even had a few. A penguin and an octopus I think.

[@FaithPixel]

@@johnnybeasley3675 yus I have a Canadian Coca cola moose.

[@pryingeyes1551]

I still do. He's wearing a beret, and doing his best Che impression as he echoes Viva Gorditas, when you squeeze him just like a real Chihuahua.

[@EBThisThat]

I have a Target plush with a visor and swim trunks. He's quite small but cute. I also had one of the Taco Bell dog that said 'viva Gorditas !'. Funnily enough he was supposed to resemble Che Guerrera. No, not making this up, folks !

[@FamousFennec]

The Brian robot is one of my nephews favourite toys somehow.

[@ghost_anna_reads787]

That Tango thing will appear in my nightmares tonight.

[@rosep2000]

Thought I was going mad for minute when you said Al and Monkey advertised something other than PG tips tea. That was what I always knew them as. Now I know tea was not their first gig. 😂

[@Larry]

Fun Fact: That Tango doll was from the TV advert I was in :D

[@ignoreme8841]

Fun fact nobody likes your channel and you comment on every popular video trying to gain views. Also your down the rabbit hole feature was almost universally hated.

[@KristenKaroleigh]

@@ignoreme8841 who hurt you?

[@dmoney7508]

Ignore me, you do realize he was on ashens older videos and the movie.

[@TheAuron32]

Hello you!!

[@secondswell]

@@ignoreme8841 fun fact you are an ass and the best part of you ran down your moms leg and stained the mattress.

[@chrisbomber101]

THANK YOU for not showing crazy frog

[@superduper6867524]

this video is bonkers start to finish lmao. Thanks for all the hard work and great content. The way you gagged and cast away that poor monkey lmaooo

[@HeyLaserLips]

The Tango Doll is actually Morph from Hartbeat after his show was cancelled and he went off the deep end. The only work the poor chap could get.

[@itsnighto5267]

Eww, furry

[@RS250Squid]

I remember James Corden getting bullied by the tango men in 1999 or so (edit, it was 2000). They got some complaints as a result of that one, I seem to remember!

[@jacobh503]

That couch is more well known than the casting couch

[@JuliaHarrisx]

I have a GoTang! Still boxed! Also a Tango loudhailer type of thing (smallish size) that took batteries to work. So glad you’ve shown this as friends have no clue what I’m talking about lol 💋 xx

[@ellaisplotting]

For some reason my mum was obsessed with the PG Tips Monkeys, we had about ten different ones for a while, including a giant one in a hula skirt and coconuts. They were absolutely everywhere in charity shops for a bit. We've still got a little one with a Christmas hat and scarf that comes out every year with the rest of the decorations. She's moved on to the Aldi Kevin the Carrot now, we've got him and his children although couldn't get hold of Katie or the evil parsnip. She discovered the Christmas jumpers they wear are removable so she snuck them off so they can stay out of the loft all year round. Like the Monkeys, surprisingly well made, pretty solid- can handle actual play. And god, were the Argos aliens really 2011!? That seems far too long ago.

[@LeFouGallois]

Who else remembers Flat Eric ? ;)

[@bryman8957]

When I saw this title I definitely thought we would see Mr. Oizo/Flat Eric!

[@neonautumn34]

11:32 good job gettin that second arm up as quick as possible :D

[@FloweyFanClub]

Getting tangoed is the 90s version of a vibe check

[@Darwinpasta]

I could swear I saw the eyes of that blue thing move at one point.

[@pryingeyes1551]

You're lucky. It's just been staring into the space where my soul might have been for what feels like hours.

[@traplordbabyjesus]

it’s been 12 months, how’s youtube advertisements treating you

[@Kryptnyt]

I'm glad he addressed the "Inserting things into the monkey's mouth" issue, but he used the wrong kind of object.

[@PhoenixOfChaos]

I still have my mini Pg tips monkey from God knows where and I used to carry it everywhere when I would go to school and stuff, I was obsessed with it

[@billmilligan1705]

'You've been tangoed' was also shouted with people with a bad orange fake tan

[@Rebekkashahtirmizi]

Still is, after all this time!

[@1Thunderfire]

I think that one pretty much entered and stayed in the lexicon. That's advertising power!

[@jak1259]

It's been exactly one year since this was released.... how is that KZbin ad revenue lol

[@tbonbrad]

Crash Test Dummies better be in this. Kids defiantly wanted those, and they got them.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Omg I love the monkey from PG Tips.

[@OptimusGPrime]

"Like the witches from that Roald Dahl book." ...The Witches.

[@MagicSwagget12]

Holy shit I completely forgot about the Argos aliens

[@ericf112]

Tv licenses sound like a nightmare

[@artofwar420]

Few things funnier and better than a Brit reviewing insane toys from ads hahaha. Thank you for doing this mate.

[@anthonyinteresting4736]

My favorite KZbinr for years!! I think we can safely say ... That sofa is now a couch. 😂

[@AgentTasmania]

Pretty sure he's said he's down to a single-seat section. We need to put a pot together to get it restored, especially as he's been selling chunks of the other bits.