Four well-known 1960s songs familiar to baby boomers later became widely used in television advertising, highlighting how music once associated with youth culture is repurposed for commercial nostalgia.

– Steppenwolf’s 1968 “Born To Be Wild”, noted for its “heavy metal thunder” lyric, has advertised cars, motor oil, diet soda and floor mats.
– The Beatles’ 1965 “Help!” was used by Ford in 1985, reportedly the first use of a Beatles song in a television advert, and later by Google.
– The Turtles’ 1967 “Happy Together” has promoted products including skincare, ketchup and cars.
– The Band’s folk-rock song “The Weight” later featured in adverts for mobile phone providers, Budweiser and Best Western.