Classic 1980s UK TV Adverts Restored & Upscaled to HD

There’s something magical about switching on the television in the 1980s. From the jingles we couldn’t get out of our heads to the iconic characters that became part of British culture, TV adverts were more than just commercials – they were moments we remembered, laughed at, and quoted for years afterwards.

At Alive Studios, we were recently commissioned by a director to upscale and restore a collection of original 1980s UK TV adverts from Betacam tape into High Definition. It was a fascinating project that let us breathe new life into some of the most memorable ads of the era.

Barclaycard 80s TV Advert
Barclaycard
Hamlet 80s TV Advert
Hamlet

A Trip Down Memory Lane

The adverts we restored include:

  • Hamlet Cigars – The legendary “Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet” series, known for its dry humour and unforgettable tagline.

  • Barclaycard – A glimpse into the world of 80s finance, with charming humour that still makes us smile.

  • Radio Rentals – A true household name in the UK, reminding us of a time when renting a TV was the norm.

  • Condor – Evoking the spirit of relaxation and tradition.

  • Olympus – Classic photography adverts from a time when cameras were starting to become more accessible to everyone.

  • Texaco – With their famous “star” branding, Texaco adverts captured the essence of British motoring.

Each advert was transferred directly from Betacam broadcast tapes and carefully upscaled to HD. We’ve preserved their original character and feel – no side-by-side “before and after” comparisons, just the adverts themselves, presented in a way that makes them sharper and easier to enjoy today.

Texaco 80s TV Advert
Texaco
Olympus 80s TV Advert
Olympus

Why Restore Old Adverts?

Adverts are a unique part of our cultural history. They don’t just sell products – they capture the fashions, humour, and values of the time. Restoring these clips allows us to enjoy them in a new way, while preserving them for future generations to discover.

For many people, watching these ads again will bring back memories of evenings in front of the TV, family gatherings, or simply the joy of hearing a familiar jingle after decades.

Watch the Restored Adverts

We’ve uploaded a collection of these adverts to our YouTube channel so you can enjoy them yourself:

We hope they bring back a few smiles and plenty of nostalgia.

Alive Studios specialises in film and video transfer, restoration, and AI-powered upscaling – from cine reels and VHS tapes to professional broadcast formats. If you have old media you’d like preserved or restored, get in touch with our team today.

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Terms and conditions.

General
Alive Studios is a trading name of The Good Life Studios Ltd.

Leader tape
We edit out as much unused film as possible including the leadertape at the start of each reel. Whilst we cannot remove everything without charging for a full edit, we do endeavour to remove as much unused film as possible.

How long does it take?
This is a tricky question. We receive orders from a single video/reel to a room-full, so we’d need to know what you’re sending to give a lead-time. We find we are in high demand and always have seveal weeks of work already scheduled in, so if your order is needed in a hurry, just phone and tell us what you need :)

Damage, Loss, Post & Insurance
Orders are accepted on the basis that the liability of Alive Studios for any lost or damaged material shall be limited to the replacement with an equivalent amount of new blank stock. This is due to the unavailability of General Insurance cover for work of undefined value. When returning material to you we will use the post office services or a courier for larger items. We respectfully remind customers to retain a safety copy or take out Specialist Insurance Cover where appropriate.

Film Format
Our DVDs are region-free and play in PAL. DVD’s are normally DVD-R, but we may use DVD+R or Dual-layer discs where required.

Framing and TV Cropping
In standard definition, some film types do not fit modern TV formats, so we may re-size to fit for the best viewing pleasure. You should also note that some TV set apply their own cropping to a picture as well. By agreeing to these terms, you accept this information.

Damaged Film
Whilst we don’t generally charge extra for poor/damaged/dirty film, we reserve the right to do so if we feel it is required, but will always agree it with you before starting work.
Where splices break, we repair them without charge. If a film is temperamental and doesn’t want to go through we will always try it in several machines to make sure it’s had it’s best shot at a transfer. Where sprocket holes are punctured or torn, we will still transfer the film, often with no visible problems. However, some sprocket damage prevents a steady image from being obtained, in which case we transfer the whole film, then edit out any sections which ‘jump’ or drag because of the damage. This way we keep as much film as possible, and with careful editing you don’t even notice any is missing.
information.

Dust and Hairs
We employ a very good dry-cleaning system which catches most of the dust and hairs commonly found on cine film. It is inevitable however that there will still be dust and hairs present, as it’s impossible to remove them completely with a dry-clean system. It is also common for the dust/hairs to be imbedded into the emulsion making them impossible to ‘blow’ away, so you should expect a small amount to be visible in any transfer. The demos on our website give you a very realistic example of what you can expect.

Content of film
By signing our terms you are stating that you own or have permission to copy the material provided, and indemnify Alive Studios against any action including copyright infringement. If we feel the material to be of an indecent or illegal nature we reserve the right to refuse to continue and no refund will be offered.

Mistakes/Backups
We aim to keep your film footage on our editing suite for 30 days after completion to allow us to correct mistakes, after which time all footage is deleted. You must report any problem with your order within 14 days of receipt. We will retain a backup file of your DVD/Blu-ray for 60 days after completion to allow you to order extra copies. After 60 days, you would need to return your original disc if you wanted us to duplicate it for you. Due to the instability of data storage devices, this backup service is not guaranteed, and whilst every effort is made to retain your files for these periods, we cannot be held responsible for hard-drive failure resulting in us not being able to access your job. For very important projects, we suggest you order a digital copy on a hard-drive for your own security.

Delivery/Collections
We return orders via signed delivery with royal mail, or courier. This courier demands that items delivered damaged are reported within 24 hours of receipt, so it’s essential that you contact us immediately if your parcel is damaged.

Cancellation Policy
You can cancel your order by email any time up until we begin physical work on your job.
If no work has been started, we will refund you in full (less any costs we have incurred in taking your order shown below).

Cancellation fees
If we arranged a free courier collection, you will need to pay for this at £8.50.
If we processed a card payment, we will have incurred a handling fee which will be deducted from your refund. If we have to return your material to you, we will deduct £8.50 for the courier fee.
We will deduct £2.50 admin fee in handling the paperwork involved with a cancellation.

Refunds
Orders paid for by card will be refunded to the card.
Orders paid by cheque or bank transfer will be refunded by bank transfer.

Faults/Returns
You must notify us of any damage to your parcel or missing items within 24 hours of receipt.
You must notify us of any errors or faults with your transfer within 14 days of receipt.

Order Cancellation
In the unlikely event that you cancel your order, we reserve the right to charge a fee to cover admin/postage/bank fees we may incur.
Credit card payments are refunded subject to 1.197% charge.

Misc
We reserve the right to demonstrate our abilities by showing examples of work undertaken for our clients on our website, brochure, DVD and other advertising or promotional activities.