Regional TV ads never had the slick production values or big budgets of national campaigns – but they made up for it with creativity. Take this clever series from the late 1970s for Endeavour Carpets in Canberra. Paul Jennings (not the children’s author!) donned wigs and mannerisms to impersonate leading politicians, all to sell floor coverings.

Each spot nailed the details: 'Mal Function' boasts of being a man of the land, a nod to Malcolm Fraser’s grazier roots; 'Gone Whittling' channels Gough Whitlam’s unmistakable cadence; and 'Robert Eagle' tugs his ear just like Bob Hawke.

Why politics? In Canberra, the Australian Government is the biggest employer, so locals know their leaders. Endeavour played to that with a cheeky tagline: Canberra’s biggest ever floor show. (Yes, they loved a pun.)

Until the late ’80s, regional centres like Hobart, Darwin and Canberra had just one commercial channel plus the ABC, giving them a monopoly on local advertising. For small businesses, TV was the perfect way to reach hometown audiences. Producing ads in-house also retained local industry know-how and talent.