Video technology had been around for yonks, but domestic VCRs had only been around for a few years by the 1980s.In 1980, only 5% of UK households had a VCR. As the decade progressed, the beasts became cheaper to buy or rent and our home entertainment went through something of a revolution.
Of course, advertisements reflected the trend. The ad above, featured in the TV Times in December 1985, shows the popular Scotch skeleton, voiced by Deryck Guyler of Please Sir! and Sykes fame.
"Re-record not fade away, re-record not fade away..." was the skeleton's famous catchphrase, from 1985 onwards. The skeleton made his debut in 1983, when nearly 20% of UK households had a VCR. By the time of the "re-record..." ad of 1985, it was 25%.
