Throwback: Mountain Dew’s Willy the Hillbilly

“Yahoo! Mountain Dew!”

Remember when the world cried out “Yahoo!” instead of “Do the Dew?” Before it was a soda branded as one that used words like “extreme,” “game fuel,” and “supernova” for an adventurous and active generation, Mountain Dew actually hailed from much more humble roots. Developed in 1940s by Tennessee bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman, Mountain Dew is actually slang for “moonshine.” That’s right, folks — this soft drink was initially developed as a mixer for whiskey!

And who better to represent the brand than a cartoon version of a hillbilly? Meet Willy and his gang of rascally pals in this 1966 commercial spot as they experience the taste of Mountain Dew for the first time.

First up is the tall beautiful Sal, who refuses flowers from local schmucks Bill and Coo but accepts goofy Clem’s offer of a bottle of Mountain Dew because it “appealed to her heart.”

Meanwhile, at the county turkey shoot, Cousin Luke can’t aim to save his life, but lo and behold, a few sips of Mountain Dew is sure to provide him with the cue that he needed.

Now he shoots off the cuff
Get’s more than enough
After nippin’ at that good old Mountain Dew!

Towards the end of the spot, Willy returns to remind us that, “Mountain Dew will tickle your innards, cause there’s a bang in every bottle!” Now how’s that for a kickin’ soda?