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Binkley and Doinkel PSA 1970s

Posted on March 1, 2013
PSA, Retrontario Exclusives
Comments: 12

Long thought to be lost to the ravages of time, a slice of 1970s PSA glory, aliens Binkley and Doinkel return!

http://www.facebook.com/christinejames1 Christine James

I can’t believe you only just posted this what must be moments ago (it’s still Feb. 28 here in Arizona). This memory shook loose from my subconscious today when a coworker said he keeps a can of WD-40 in his car and I warned him it could explode. I then remembered I learned that from two martians and a poodle back in Toronto circa 1978. Thank you for finding and posting this! Were there any other Binkley and Doinkel PSAs??
- LaryOly
  
  They did one PSA for each of the Hazardous Product Symbols (Poison, Flammable, Explosive, Corrosive).
  
  Those symbols debuted in 1971, and are masterpieces of simple & very effective graphic design.
  
  Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to find any record of which graphic artist designed them, and the 40th anniversary of their launch went completely unnoticed by anyone but me.
JC Sulzenko

It’s amazing to me to hear how many then children now adults remember Binkley and Doinkel and how they taught about hazardous product labelling. This project, to bring the program through puppet shows, to young audiences and families was my favourite creative moment in a long career in the federal government. I am delighted to learn how B and D resonated with so many Canadian children, now adults.
- LaryOly
  
  JC, since you worked on the Binkley & Doinkel project, would you know who was the artist who designed the Hazardous Product Symbols? I know the Symbols were launched in 1971, but I haven’t been able to find out any more information about them.
  
  Considering how iconic those 4 symbols have become, I’m amazed that their 40th anniversary passed completely unnoticed.
LaryOly

The puppets were created by legendary Canadian puppeteer Noreen Young.

She did lots of puppets for TVO shows, like “Today’s Special” and “Calling All Safety Scouts”, as well as for the CBC show “Under the Umbrella Tree”. She also does amazing custom caricature puppets.
- BINKLEY
  
  http://blog.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/blog/posts/rooks-of-hazard-the-true-adventures-of-binkley-and-doinkel/
JonSea31

The flammable symbol is what really turns me on. I even noticed there is a laughing or smiling face in such symbol. Can anyone else notice it?
I agree, the Binkley & Doinkel skits that were popular when kids who are probably now in their 40s (or getting there) taught us the importance of safety around hazardous materials in a humorous way. It even got me obsessed over safety so much, I got a rare A+ grade on a test relating to such topic in a school subject that I normally got C’s and D’s in. It’s too bad Binkley & Doinkel’s popularity faded off as we headed into the 80s.
- Logan Maxwell
  
  Yo, JonSea31, do you remember that CCA PSA that was pretty similar to this? It’s got two mice, they are puppets, they come across a piece of cheese and one wants to avoid it, not knowing it’s on a mousetrap. I’ve seen far more Canadian PSA’s than this one. Felt like I was watching Sid the Science kid or something.
- Logan Maxwell
  
  Yo JonSea31, do you remember these two commercials that were pretty similar to this? There was one that was similar to this and it’s by Concerned Children’s Advertisers. It demonstrates what to do when you see cheese on a mouse trap. It has two mouse puppets.
  There was another one from PBS Kids that was pretty similar to this. It had a song called “use your imagination” and it showed kids dancing at school with clips of PBS Kids shows in the background. The Zoboomafoo one reminded me of the bathtub electrocution scene from a Chucky movie. Now that part was disturbing. It demonstrated what to do when you use your imagination.
- Logan Maxwell
  
  You remember the Concerned Children’s Advertisers commercials with puppets, do you? Were they pretty similar to this?
Logan Maxwell

Does anybody remember this CCA PSA that was pretty similar to this? It had 2 mice coming across a mousetrap and one mouse wanted to avoid the cheese, but stopped him.
Logan Maxwell

Does anybody remember this CCA PSA with a mousetrap and 2 puppet mice? I’ve seen far more Canadian PSAs than this one.

Binkley and Doinkel PSA 1970s

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