Today we are flashing back to the Panasonic Dynamite 8 Portable 8-track player – without a doubt, this device was the coolest gadget of the 8-track era. Available in a fabulous array of colours and affectionately nicknamed the TNT, this 8-track player was the iPod of the 70s, offering portable music in a fun format.
It really did look like a dynamite detonator and in a fun twist, pushing down on the plunger actually changed the channels. While it could at home using the house current, the Dynamite 8 did its best work by the pool and out on the street, running on Panasonic’s “long-lasting Hi-Top batteries for more footloose situations”.
Of course, when it came to a Christmas promotion, who could been a better advertising ambassador than Jimmy Walker from TV’s Good Times? His ‘Dyn-o-mite’ catchphrase worked perfectly in our fun campaign suggesting that this year shoppers should “put a little Dyn-o-mite under the tree”.
The Dynamite 8 still does a roaring trade with radio collectors and true lovers of 70s kitsch and as many an online video proves, they are still in amazing working condition. Okay, so they may not sound as crystal clear as whatever you are plugged into right now but the old 8 track still has a fond place in many hearts.
