It's Scotland, it's Channel Four and it's apparently summer 1984, although I don't know much else about this except that Stuart Kenny found it. And it's during a programme apparently called Daley Thompson's Bodyshop. Some sort of fitness thing, I expect.
The adverts are all pretty threadbare and low-profile, as you might expect from Channel Four in 1984 in a non-AAA region like Scottish. Better off than TSW, mind. Or even Grampian. Anyway, it's mostly local styles, starting with the first one, a standard photomontage for your local Volvo dealership, assuming you're in Edinburgh: Murray Volvo. You'll find their deals hard to beat, and their customer facilities second to none. They've got desks. And their video equipment can do Paintbox wipes and photo grids and everything. If you're thinking Volvo, then this is a place where some Volvos are sold.
Next: mastered minds. Some sort of rail-thin "respectable city gent" archetype has gone on with one of the more obscure specialist subjects, although it might still have made it past Magnusson (it probably beats "The History of Loganberries", which didn't). I mean, it's not actually cheating to have your specialist subject be on something you know so well you work in its industry. Kind of the point, really. This is another local advert, however, and therefore can't afford the real Magnus, or even anyone who can be bothered to attempt an impression. P&D Windows are another Edinburgh staple, most famous for the Hibs sporting their name in the 87-88 season.
Then, two adverts in one. Blame Canada. And also Soda Stream, because they have a joint giveaway type dealjones going on here where you might could win holidays in Canuckistan. First, buy one of the bubbling chemical vats in question, and while you're making experimental bespoke versions of Pepsi and so on: watch this commercial-within-a-commercial and name the fizzy drinks therein, which isn't too hard as they're literally listed out loud for you. They might as well say "WRITE THIS DOWN, THICKY". But that might violate the principle of a "test of skill" with which they're legally required to conform if they want to run a "competition". But then, after the nested advert finishes, Nelson Eddy here shows up again with yet more busywork for you to complete: come up with a name for this suspicious-looking green cocktail invented by a man in a bear suit. Write it down on a piece of card, stick a SodaStream sachet on each corner, and JUST WALK AWAY, MOTHER. And try not to notice the bit which says "please register my name as a SodaStream owner forever". Son, you are done.
Offer closes July 1984, so it's presumably some point in or near the summer - getting on for Proms season. But of course, this is Scotland, and they had their own Proms (via the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, although they seem here to be missing the R they'd been granted in 1977) which took place in Glasgow and were obviously better. Just look at all these happily grimacing motionless photo backdrop people, while someone waves a flag in front of a bluescreen. Presumably the lettering was also blue. But you get the point. Featuring Dave Brubeck! Whether the RSNO still have their own Proms I don't know; it's still up in the air as to whether we get any Proms from anyone at all this year.
Finally, a particularly lugubrious John Peel narrates a strangely judgemental and vaguely formalist advert for air-freshener. Specifically an air-freshener that changes colour. As you can imagine, this is an extremely exciting product.
