A television commercial from the 1970s, "Secret Lemonade Drinker", was ranked seventh in a 2000 UK wide poll of "The 100 Greatest TV Ads".

[2] In 1914, during the First World War, over 100 R. White employees served in the armed forces and the company supplied the government with over half their horses and vans.

The adverts featured actor Julian Chagrin in pyjamas creeping downstairs to raid the fridge for R. Whites Lemonade, only to be caught by his wife, played by Harriet Philpin.

An alternative, unaired version of the advert featured Costello and his father onstage, as the 'Secret Lemonade Drinker' fantasised about being a rock star.

[13] The secret lemonade drinker was reintroduced in 1993, starring actor and comedian Julian Dutton as the eponymous Secret Lemonade Drinker, and various celebrities have featured in the commercials including comedians Ronnie Corbett and Frankie Howerd, actor Nicholas Parsons, tennis player John McEnroe (who had two versions) and footballers turned pundits Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves.