The Ayds weight loss commercial was for a product called Ayds Reducing Plan Candy, an appetite suppressant candy introduced around 1940 in the United States. It was marketed as a diet aid to help people lose weight by suppressing appetite. The candy came in various flavors like chocolate, butterscotch, and peanut butter. There are vintage commercials from the early 1980s when the candy was advertised as part of the "Ayds Diet Plan." One commercial tagline was "You're eating less... Thanks to the Ayds plan!" and another stressed "Stay the way you want to be" while promoting the appetite suppressant candy. These ads positioned Ayds as a weight loss aid helping users eat less and control their weight without stimulants.
The brand faced challenges as the AIDS disease name became widely known in the mid-1980s, which caused negative associations and falling sales despite the product's long history. Attempts to rename the product and revamp marketing were ultimately unsuccessful.
In summary, the Ayds weight loss commercial featured a candy that suppressed appetite to aid weight loss, with messaging focused on eating less and controlling weight, though it later suffered from the unfortunate similarity of its name to the AIDS disease. The commercials from the 1980s capture this period of marketing effort.