Why a 30-Second Ad Still Knows Us Better Than We Know Ourselves
When the Rainbow Corned Beef 25-Year Reunion Special aired, something powerful happened.
People didn’t just watch the video.
They felt it.
Across Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, the responses poured in. Not in the language of reviews or analytics, but in memories, laughter, gratitude, and recognition.
“Living icons of local adverts.”
“Such a blessing to see all three of them still alive.”
“This brought back some memories… best days.”
“This made me so happy.”
“I still buy Rainbow Corned Beef because of that ad.”
“Yuh mean please… I still say it today.”
What we witnessed was not nostalgia for its own sake.
It was something deeper.
We Didn’t Just Recognise the Ad — We Recognised Each Other
The original Rainbow Corned Beef commercial worked because it spoke in a language every Trinidadian and Tobagonian understands.
Not polished slogans.
Not forced humour.
But shared knowing.
A husband coming home hungry.
A wife distracted by her favourite soap opera.
That pause before the response.
That look.
That knowing hand slap at the end.
No explanation needed.
As one viewer shared,
“When my partner asks for food, I still say ‘Yuh mean please?’ and we both laugh — because we both remember.”
That is culture.
That is belonging.
Why This Moment Matters Now
Some of the comments went beyond joy and memory.
“Creative and tasteful humorous ads need to come back.”
“We seem to be creatively bankrupt.”
“There should be many more like these.”
Those aren’t complaints.
They’re reflections.
Somewhere along the way, we started mistaking noise for meaning. Speed for substance. Trends for truth.
This reunion reminded us that simple, honest storytelling still works. That when we reflect ourselves accurately, people don’t just consume content — they connect to it.
Simple Things, Lasting Impact
One of the most touching observations in the reunion came when Helen Seenath noted that it is often “the simple things in life” that become historical.
She was right.
The Rainbow Corned Beef ad didn’t try to impress.
It didn’t explain itself.
It didn’t chase approval.
It trusted that we would recognise ourselves.
And 25 years later, we still do.
More Than a Reunion
This feature was never meant to live only in the past.
It is proof that we are not creatively empty.
Proof that shared culture still exists.
Proof that when stories are rooted in truth, they travel — across generations, platforms, and time.
As one viewer simply said,
“OMG… keep them coming.”
That isn’t a request for more throwbacks.
It’s a call for more honesty.
Watch the Full Feature
🎬 Rainbow Corned Beef 25-Year Reunion Special
👉 Watch here:
https://youtu.be/rPmuf_fub0I
A Heartfelt Thank You
We would like to sincerely thank Aloma Rampersad, Helen Seenath, and Anthony Durrant for generously giving their time, their memories, and their warmth to this reunion.
Thank you to Mr. Balliram Maharaj, CEO of ADM Import Export Distributors Limited, for sharing his reflections and for recognising the importance of preserving moments that form part of our cultural identity.
Thank you to Dean Bissoondial for hosting the conversation with care and respect.
And most importantly, thank you to everyone who watched, shared, commented, laughed, and remembered. Your words reminded us why this work matters.
This wasn’t just a video.
It was a reminder that we still know each other.
And that matters.
