Go to work on an egg
Encyclopedia
"Go to work on an egg" was an advertising
slogan
used by the United Kingdom
's Egg Marketing Board
during the 1950s as part of more than £12 million it spent on advertising, including a series of television adverts starring the comedian Tony Hancock
and actress Patricia Hayes
in 1965. The proposition was that having an egg
for breakfast
was the best way to start the working day. Author Fay Weldon
helped to create the campaign.
In 2007, plans to rebroadcast the original television adverts were rejected by the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre
, which observed that the adverts did not suggest a varied diet. The advert was instead made available on an anniversary website.
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
used by the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Egg Marketing Board
Egg Marketing Board
The Egg Marketing Board was an agricultural marketing organization set up by the British government in December 1956 to stabilise the market for eggs due to a widespread collapse in sales. The Board purchased all the eggs produced in the UK, graded them to a national standard, and then marketed...
during the 1950s as part of more than £12 million it spent on advertising, including a series of television adverts starring the comedian Tony Hancock
Tony Hancock
Anthony John "Tony" Hancock was an English actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Hancock was born in Southam Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, England, but from the age of three was brought up in Bournemouth, where his father, John Hancock, who ran the Railway Hotel in...
and actress Patricia Hayes
Patricia Hayes
Patricia Lawlor Hayes, OBE was an English comedy actress.Hayes was born in Streatham, London. As a child Hayes attended Sacred Heart School in Wandsworth....
in 1965. The proposition was that having an egg
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
for breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
was the best way to start the working day. Author Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon CBE is an English author, essayist and playwright, whose work has been associated with feminism. In her fiction, Weldon typically portrays contemporary women who find themselves trapped in oppressive situations caused by the patriarchal structure of British society.-Biography:Weldon was...
helped to create the campaign.
In 2007, plans to rebroadcast the original television adverts were rejected by the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre
Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre
The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre was an NGO which until December 31, 2007 pre-approved most British television advertising. The work of the BACC has been taken over by Clearcast Ltd....
, which observed that the adverts did not suggest a varied diet. The advert was instead made available on an anniversary website.