Cultural Influence of Gilbert and Sullivan - Other Media

Other Media

The operas and songs from the operas have often been used or parodied in advertising. According to Jones, "Pinafore launched the first media blitz in the United States" beginning in 1879. For example, Gimbels department store had a campaign sung to the tune of the Major-General's Song that began, "We are the very model of a modern big department store." in a 2011 Geico commercial, a couple that wants to save money, but still listen to musicals, finds a roommate, dressed as the Major General, who awkwardly begins the song while dancing on a coffee table. Similarly, Martyn Green sang a pastiche of the song listing all of the varieties of Campbell's Soup. Another prominent example is the elaborate illustrated book, called My Goodness! My Gilbert and Sullivan! of parodies of Gilbert's lyrics advertising Guinness stout. The likenesses (often in costume) of, or endorsements by, numerous Gilbert and Sullivan performers were used in advertising throughout the decades. Trading cards were also created, using images from some of the operas to advertise various products. There was also a series of Currier and Ives prints. Several series of cigarette cards were issued by Player's cigarette company depicting characters from the Savoy operas wearing the costumes used by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Numerous postcards were published with photos or illustrations of D'Oyly Carte and other performers and scenes from the operas and other Gilbert plays. More recently, television ads for Terry's Chocolate Orange from the 2000s featured a pastiche of "When I Was a Lad" from Pinafore.

Both Nelson Eddy and Danny Kaye recorded albums of selections from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Al Goodman and Groucho Marx also released Gilbert and Sullivan recordings. The operas are referred to in other popular media, including video games. For example, in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a casino is called "Pirates in Men’s Pants", a crude play on Pirates of Penzance. The 1970s popular music singer Gilbert O'Sullivan adopted his stage name as a pun on "Gilbert and Sullivan" when his manager suggested that it would be good marketing.