The live commercial within the show was a throwback to the '30s. Saturday Night Live did it once in the '70s with Bill Murray doing a Dr. Pepper jingle.
Because Eastern Airlines sponsored this special, Jack insisted on delivering an "integrated comedy commercial" for them in the middle of the show (as he did on his weekly radio and TV shows, from 1932 through 1965)- this one was an exercise in exaggeration ('Gosh, Eastern does ALL THIS for ME??'}. However, because of the ratings this special received [less than spectacular], Eastern never sponsored another Jack Benny special...
