by Justin Lloyd
Cherry also said once, “If you can find something that will entertain while it sells, you have a winner.” Ernest clients loved the fact that the commercials were not only original and funny but created a strong, positive product identification. Cream o’Weber dairies once gave a viewer survey to test how well its Ernest commercials were connecting with viewers. They found that 96 percent remembered the character, and 91 percent remembered the product. Whatever the premise of the commercial and no matter how outrageous Ernest’s actions, the product was always foremost in the spot.
Other elements were at work in the Ernest commercials that benefited the client. Carden & Cherry capitalized on the local feel of each commercial by continuing to shoot most of them at Cherry’s home, a comfortable setting that became familiar to the viewer over time. Yet although the commercials had a neighborhood feel, the location was unidentifiable. Since most of the products Ernest pushed were local or regional, it was easy for people living as far away as California to believe the commercials were being filmed around the corner with a local actor and crew. Many viewers came to believe that Jim was local to whatever area in which the commercials were airing. When Carden & Cherry caught on to this phenomenon, they kept quiet about Jim’s true hometown during his personal appearances at client locations.
Ernest’s unpretentious nature also gave viewers a certain level of comfort in whatever he was pushing on Vern. As annoying as Ernest could be, he had an underlying honesty and sincerity. Viewers trusted his message even if his actions were clumsy and intrusive. California car dealership owner John L. Sullivan, who used Ernest for years, once said, “He’s just a good old down-home individual you can believe. He isn’t a suede-shoe operator selling you a bill of goods.” That was exactly the message Cherry hoped his clients and their customers were getting when they watched Ernest. John Cherry once said, “One of the best salesmen I ever knew told me that the better part of what you were selling was security. You weren’t selling the product, you were selling security.” He said the salesman brought a teddy bear along with him when meeting with clients to illustrate that message. No matter how funny viewers thought Ernest to be, they never thought he was clever enough to pull one over on them. Cherry would laugh about the fact that Ernest could make almost anyone believe, “I may be at the bottom of the heap, but I’m above that guy.”
Both the anecdotal evidence and the financial data reaffirmed that Ernest was good for business. Cliff Cummings saw how Ernest helped sales after using the campaign at Tysons Toyota dealership in Tysons Corner, Va. He teamed up with Carden & Cherry again after taking over his own dealership in Fairfax, Va. Cummings once described how customers would say, “I want to buy my car because of Ernest.” He further explained how his truck sales dramatically increased at the same time his car sales kept a steady pace. This was during a time when many other local dealerships were suffering. He realized that the advertising had to be responsible for much of his success. Meanwhile, in Indianapolis a chain of ice-cream parlors reported that banana-split sales skyrocketed the week after advertising with Ernest. They sold almost 11,000 banana splits. They normally averaged 100 a week (plus, the campaign ran in winter!). And according to Roy Lightner, senior marketing vice president at Carden & Cherry, Trauth Dairy in Newport, Ky., saw a 10-percent increase in sales every year they used Ernest. Lightner laughed about the time the president of Trauth showed him a new addition to their plant, proclaiming, “This is what Ernest built.”
When Ernest first became popular through his success with the dairies, Carden & Cherry never thought he would gain traction in markets beyond the Southeast, save for the Midwest, and that was a maybe. They were wrong. Ernest’s humor proved to have no limits. Tom Sparks, an executive at Carden & Cherry joked, “People up North love him; maybe because they think they’re laughing at us.” The agency was also surprised when a Hawaiian bank became interested in using the campaign. In addition to the bank airing the ads in Hawaii, it also had Ernest’s voice dubbed in Japanese to enable them to run their commercials in Guam. Jim loved to joke about how much he enjoyed watching himself speak Japanese.
Ernest had come a long way after an unspectacular start with a failing amusement park and a year on the shelf. But once the character got rolling, there wasn’t anything he couldn’t sell. From buttermilk to natural gas, Ernest was an “expert” on a variety of things he thought that Vern should be buying. One industry, however, proved a tougher sell at first: the TV news business. Ernest set out to conquer new territory.
A news station’s professionalism, or gravitas, was and is at the core of its appeal to viewers. Stations worried that using Ernest alongside television anchors to advertise the evening news could cause viewers to question the station’s integrity. Even if newscasters retained their professional demeanor in the ads, their mere association with such a goofy character could raise questions about their journalistic abilities. Despite any initial concerns, many stations decided to sign Ernest to promote their newscasts.
As the Ernest news promos began to debut in various markets, some newspapers responded as if their entire communities were being insulted. In one Cleveland newspaper article, the reporter was relentless in asking the sales manager of Cleveland’s Channel 61 news station what was behind his decision to bring in the Ernest campaign. Perhaps as an attempt to appease the reporter, the sales manager confessed, “Ernest is more of a gimmick. He’s not something you go with for a four- or five-year plan.”
In New Mexico, two competing news stations around Albuquerque wrestled with whether to go with Ernest. The one that chose to do so also placed Ernest’s huge grin on dozens of billboards. The general manager of the competing station explained why he had passed: “It might go over in the Carolinas … but not here.”
In the spring of 1986, a TV management workshop was held at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Dallas. One of the speakers was a promotion specialist who worked for CBS. During his speech, he criticized stations that had used the Ernest campaigns.
Obviously, many in the TV news business still held onto the long-standing belief that a clown could sell cheeseburgers and fries but not the primetime news at 5. But the results were in the numbers: Numerous news stations saw their ratings surge after running the Ernest campaigns. The success of the ads forced many companies in a variety of industries to rethink their dated, man-in-three-piece suit approach. If a company was willing to take a risk and absorb some initial criticism, Ernest soon had them seeing dollar signs.
Carden & Cherry realized they had hit the lottery with Ernest and were reaping the benefits of a 20-year payout compared to a one-time cash option. They repeatedly refused lucrative offers for a national campaign to avoid a quick burnout of the character. Their strategy of continued small-market saturation would be nearly impossible today with the reach of the Internet. Another advantage they had was the limited number of TV channels. Said Coke Sams, “When the commercials started gathering steam in most places, it was right before cable exploded. It was back when most any town had ABC, NBC, CBS and public television – and that was about it. So it was a big deal to have local spots on the local news, local morning show, or whatever local programming. Of all the markets, basically we were selling to three channels.”
Carden & Cherry resisted other potential short-term payoffs to ensure ongoing success. John Cherry wouldn’t reveal Vern’s face on camera. Jim did once say, however, that he wanted to play the role of Vern if there was ever a decision to show him.
Yet despite Ernest’s success, there was always a concern that a large-scale Ernest ad campaign for a big client could suffer the same fate as the Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” commercials. The famous commercial showed three granny types standing at a fast-food counter inspecting a hamburger. The humor in the contrast between the giant bun and the tiny hamburger is soon eclipsed by Clara Peller’s character asking, “Where’s the beef?” in her deep raspy voice. Jim, who was always complimentary of his peers, told repo
rters Peller’s timing was perfect, and she had a “cute and innocent way of delivering it.” Although funny and successful, the Wendy’s campaign was over after a couple of years. One big advantage Ernest may have had was that his taglines “Hey Vern” and “KnowhutImean?” were more general. “Where’s the beef?” was more of a punch line than a tagline, making it less adaptable for creating new ads.
The success of Ernest, Peller, auto mogul Joe Isuzu and the fast-talking John Moschitta from the FedEx ads, demonstrated how audiences were growing increasingly fond of a more comedic approach to TV marketing. Commercials played during the Super Bowl today consist almost entirely of humorous concepts and characters, but that wasn’t always the case in the 1970s.
In realizing what a hot commodity they possessed, Carden & Cherry became astute in understanding what worked, and they did not hesitate to turn down clients they thought might set Ernest up for failure. They would not accept a client offer if the budget or creative freedom was lacking. They also insisted on retaining creative control. Cherry did not want to tinker with a formula that had such a track record. He would simply explain to the client, “It works. I don’t know how, but it works.”
The arrangement Carden & Cherry set up allowed the client to select from a large number of adaptable scripts that had been successful. Cherry remained conservative when it came to altering anything in Ernest’s delivery. Ernest’s now-trademarked catchphrases “Hey Vern” and “KnowhutImean” had become almost as popular as the character himself. Jim was soon being referred to as the “Hey Vern” guy almost as much as Ernest. As far as Ernest’s appearance, only minor modifications by a client were permitted. The cap and vest became to Ernest what the leather jacket was to Fonzie on the TV sitcom “Happy Days.” Just as Fonzie wore his jacket at inappropriate times for comedic effect – like when he went water skiing in the infamous shark-jumping episode – Ernest wore his cap and vest everywhere, from the shower to the swimming pool. Keeping the cap and vest on in the craziest of settings obviously added to the humor, but it also clearly identified a character who was becoming an extremely powerful brand. Cherry was really advertising two products at once.
Throughout the entire life of the Ernest campaigns, the identifiable images of the character remained the khaki baseball cap and denim vest. While blue jeans and a gray T-shirt usually rounded out the outfit, the cap and vest rarely moved. Said Jim, “We dressed Ernest in the gray T-shirt and blue-jean vest like he’d gone to Kmart and bought out the ‘Blue Light Special.’ ” He said that the plain khaki baseball cap could sometimes be hard to find, but he usually could rely on JCPenney to keep him in stock.
Product merchandising began at the request of clients. Companies were eager to find additional ways to capitalize on the positive association that Ernest had with their products. Soon, Carden & Cherry was able to sell quite a bit of merchandise by featuring Ernest without any client affiliation, selling merchandise solely on the power of Ernest’s celebrity. Fans showed their adulation by snapping up greeting cards, bumper stickers, T-shirts and pins. Just as Carden & Cherry was careful about how Ernest was presented onscreen, the agency also made sure that any merchandise it licensed fit into the agency’s kid-friendly approach. Now, Ernest truly was a commodity.
Jim’s ability to connect with his fans through his commercials was eclipsed only by the thrill he gave them through his many public appearances. Braum’s Dairy, nationwide but based in Oklahoma, brought him in for tours twice a year, including visits to stores in cities like Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as in another big market: Dallas. On a Dallas visit, news of his appearance created a backup so big on Interstate 635, Jim’s driver had to maneuver onto the shoulder to get Jim there on time. One weekend in Columbia, S.C., he drew an estimated 5,000 people to a car dealership. Jim often stayed past the scheduled time to sign autographs.
Perhaps no appearance demonstrated Jim’s commitment to Ernest over his own ego more than a 1985 Christmas parade in Raleigh, N.C., for Pine State Dairies. He rode along the extremely long parade route dressed as Ernest while sitting atop a fake cow. His accessibility to fans added to the personal connection and local feel that the commercials conveyed.
“Big Jim” – James Varney Sr. while stationed in Hawaii in the 1930s. It was a world away from the Appalachian coal mines of his youth. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim had this picture of his father – as a boxer in his prime – hanging in his home in White House, Tenn. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
The acting in Jim’s blood likely came from his mother, Louise, shown here in 1935. Louise acted in church plays as a teenager in Lexington, Ky. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim’s mother, shown here in 1945, struggled with depression throughout her life, as did Jim himself. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim (far right), his mother and sisters at the post office in Varney, W. Va., in 1952. It was the only trip the entire family ever took together. Jim always took pride in his mountain roots. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim at about 5 years old. Although he never developed into the athlete his father had hoped for, Big Jim was always proud of his son. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim and his oldest sister Jo Gail, who became a second mother to him. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim wearing Mickey Mouse ears in 1956. Little did Jim know that decades later he would sign a movie deal with Disney. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
By 11 years old, Jim had been performing steadily for the Lexington Children’s Theatre for three years. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim as the prince in “Sleeping Beauty” with Meg (nee Ulmer) Moye at the Lexington Children’s Theatre in the early 1960s. “In the final performance he surprised me by giving me a real kiss in the wake-up scene,” says Moye today. “It was scandalous on the set, but it was so Jim.” (Photo courtesy of Meg Moye.)
The Varney Parkers: A 15-year-old Jim and his father during a job parking cars for an event. Big Jim created the side business to help support his family. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim doing his best James Bond in his backyard. As a teenager, Jim loved Sean Connery’s character so much, he bought a Rolex for $125 (as close as he could come to Bond’s Rolex) and had “007” engraved on the back. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim posing with one of two Best High School Actor in the State trophies he won as a teenager in Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim performing stand-up in 1975 at Nashville’s Exit/In. Johnny Cash showed up one night at the club and was “knocked out” by Jim’s act. The two eventually became friends. (Copyright 2011, Marshall Fallwell Jr. All rights reserved.)
Jim during a photo shoot in 1976, shortly after he arrived in Los Angeles to try and make it as an actor and comedian. (Photo courtesy of Joe Liles.)
In Los Angeles, Jim started out at the Comedy Store, alongside future greats like Robin Williams and David Letterman. (Photo courtesy of Joe Liles.)
A publicity shot of Jim as a young man echoed his love of cowboys, starting with the TV characters he watched as a child: Hopalong Cassidy and The Lone Ranger. (Photo courtesy of Joe Liles.)
Jim in the early 1980s, right around the time Ernest was starting to become a household name. Ernest’s slapstick humor appealed to people from all walks of life. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim gave nephew Justin a lesson on a watch during Christmas Eve 1983. Jim’s lifelong fascination with antique watches (and knives and swords) began as a child. As an adult, Jim bestowed countless friends and family members with watches as gifts. (Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.)
Jim and videographer Rob Neuhauser of Cleveland’s WCLQ TV-61 in 1985. Throughout the entire life of the Ernest campaigns, the identifiable image
s of the character remained the khaki baseball cap and denim vest. (Photo courtesy of Rob Neuhauser.)
Jim as Bubba, an Ernest-type character designed to appeal to young people on Jackie Bushman’s “Buckmasters” hunting show on the Nashville Network. In the 1990s, Bubba garnered a large following. (Photo courtesy of Buckmasters, LLC.)
As bumbling hunter Bubba, Jim taught safety to young hunters in a series of hugely popular educational videos in the 1990s. (Photo courtesy of Buckmasters, LLC.)
Jim and Jackie Bushman were fast friends. When Bushman arrived at the 1993 premiere for “The Beverly Hillbillies,” Jim told the press that “the Buckmaster” was his “hunting consultant.” (Photo courtesy of Buckmasters, LLC.)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
GLOOM BEAMS, HEARTBREAK AND A LITTLE LUCK
As busy as Jim stayed portraying Ernest, he enjoyed revealing other sides of his personality to the public. He was still living just outside of Nashville, and with his love of music it was no surprise that Jim made fast friends with country-music stars around the city. That led to his appearance in Hank Williams Jr.’s music video, “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight.” Despite the video being jam-packed with country music legends, Jim was featured in two different scenes. In one, he rides a bull. In another, he relaxes with two girls in a hot tub. The video won “Video of the Year” at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1984. The song became even more popular years later when ABC and then ESPN used it (re-written and titled “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night”) for their intro to Monday Night Football from 1989 until 2011.