Filmed: April/May 1981
Location: Stockholm, presumably
Broadcast: 14, 18 & 27 May 1981 (amongst other dates) in Netherlands and also in Germany
Release status: Unreleased
Duration: Seconds!
Shown in: Germany & Netherlands
A Wie ABBA and A van ABBA were compilation albums released only in Germany and Netherlands respectively, which topped the charts in both countries.
The Dutch A van ABBA stayed in the album Top 50 for 24 weeks, 15 of which were in the Top 10. It reached no. 1 in August 1981 for 4 weeks. For ABBA it was their 2nd number one album in 1981 in the Netherlands.
ABBA recorded a short piece for the TV commercials, standing in front of a big 'A' and shouting, "A wie ABBA!". The same footage was used for the Dutch advert but apparently it was a little strange for Dutch viewers, because the ABBA members mentioned the German album title, not the Dutch one. In German, they say "A wie ABBA" which means "A Like ABBA", yet the Dutch name for the album A Van ABBA means "A from ABBA".
Dutch version:
"Fantastic news for all ABBA fans - the ABBA album of all time is now out and is called A from ABBA. All ABBA's worldwide hits from Waterloo to Super Trouper now for the first time on one album - A from ABBA"
Greatest Hits Commercial, 1976;
Arrival Commercial, 1976;
ABBA - The Album Commercial, 1977;
A Wie ABBA Commercials, 1981;
Pictures c/o Raffem.com and ABBA - The Releases (no longer online).
Thanks to Jos Heselmans, Henk en Remko, Sam Shervz & Walter Veldman for information.
YouTube links c/o bobtrouper and fridafan1