Filmed: mid-November 1976
Location: London and Shaftesbury Theatre, London, England
Broadcast: UK
Release status: See below
Shown in: UK
Following the release of ABBA - The Movie on DVD which featured a long-forgotten advert featuring ABBA for ABBA - The Album, one ABBA on TV regular had his memory jogged and vaguely remembered that there was also an advert for Arrival. He said, "All I can recall was ABBA waving from upon high, looking down, smiling and waving and a helicopter flying (might be imagining the last part)."
Well done Richard! Now it's been released on the CD/DVD Arrival Deluxe Edition we can see that Richard's memory is pretty spot-on.
ABBA are seen getting out of a helicopter (Agnetha looks remarkably cheerful!), wearing their white Arrival outfits and each carrying a copy of the album, then in a car briefly, then in casual clothes on stage and in the kimonos at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London - yes ABBA performed on London's West End stage!
Throughout the 30-second advert, ABBA are seen miming to Dancing Queen, Money, Money, Money and Knowing Me, Knowing You.
A shorter, 15-second clip was also made which only featured on stage footage in casual clothes and the kimonos miming to Money, Money, Money and extremely briefly - Knowing Me, Knowing You. This was ever-so-slightly different footage to the 30-second commercial.
Greatest Hits Commercial, 1976;
Arrival Commercial, 1976;
ABBA - The Album Commercial, 1977;
A Wie ABBA Commercials, 1981;