The best/worst television commercials

[Serik]

Best

*Any Burger King commercial with The King. Does it speak poorly of me or the state of TV comedy that the Burger King makes me laugh hysterically? The recent spots for The King's videogames are great, especially the one where he jumps his dirtbike and eats it on the landing. As The King lies amidst the wreckage, he gives us a thumbs up indicating everything's OK, with that dumbass grin firmly affixed to his oversized plastic head.

*"I'm a PC..." ads, if only because John Hodgmen's in them.

Worst

*The ad for some navigation system where the guy gets lost and a choir sings about what he's doing. That I can't remember the product name despite 5 or 6 viewings speaks of the ad's failings.

*Citibank's series of "very, very rewarding!" spots with Victor and that other (Russian?) dude. They tried to come up with an absurdist ad campaign, but failed miserably by creating the stupidest 30 seconds on TV. I never want to use a Citibank card in my life just so I can spite them for this.

*Mercury's (or is it Lincoln?) new holiday ads. Two neighbors come out and see a new car with a giant bow sitting between their homes. The neighbors take turns acting like snobbish pricks by suggesting the car is for them. The spot concludes with one neighbor saying something like "somebody's got to clean the garage" and the other smugly responding "well somebody already did." At this point you’re hoping a deranged heroin addict beats both of them with a lead pipe, steals the Mercury, and crashes it into a brick wall.

[kmeyers]

The Geico caveman commercials are always great

[Frodo-X]

We certainly don't have the same taste in commercials. I have hated everything Burger King has done for the last few years. The King, the dancing ingredients, the Whopper family, the cheesy guy....I don't like any of them.

I do agree with you on the CitiBank Victor ones. I don't like them either.

I do like the cavemen.

I like most of the ones Bud Light comes up with (odd, since I hate beer), especially the Magic Fridge.

I'll post more as I think of them.

[Sanagi]

Apple's actually discontinuing the "Mac guy vs. PC guy" ads because basically, John Hodgman is too good as the PC guy and audiences liked him better than the Mac guy. According to Wikipedia, both actors are Mac users, funnily enough.

The Geico caveman commercials are always great

Huh... Couldn't disagree more. The first one was moderately amusing and they've been beating a dead horse since then.

[StoneGold]

That Gears of War commercial with the music from Donnie Darko is pretty sweet. Interesting dichotomy between imagery and sound.

[Frodo-X]

That Gears of War commercial with the music from Donnie Darko is pretty sweet. Interesting dichotomy between imagery and sound.

Oh, that commercial is sooooo well done!


FYI: The name of the song is "Mad World" by Gary Jules. It's a remake of a Tears for Fears song, I believe.

EDIT: I was wondering how long it'd take for this thread to be moved here.

[Kirayoshi]

Apple's actually discontinuing the "Mac guy vs. PC guy" ads because basically, John Hodgman is too good as the PC guy and audiences liked him better than the Mac guy. According to Wikipedia, both actors are Mac users, funnily enough.

Hodgman's become a semi-regular on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as the resident 'tech expert'. One ep a few months back, Jon managed to coerce Hodgman into saying, "I'm a PC" which got the audience cheering.

I'm actually partial to the current Go Phone ad that essentially redubbed "A Christmas Story".

"You'll run the bill up."
"Oh no! It's the classic parents' cell-phone block!"

Anyone remember a Diet Coke ad with two people watching Casablanca in an old theater and lip-synching the lines? That was cute.

[MaxofSteel]

I recently watched/enjoyed the old Discovery Channel commercial on YouTube, with the guys in the meteor (asteroid?) costumes dangling on a string.

It's the deliberate bad acting that cracks me up, along with the ending where they enter the Earth's atmosphere shouting : "Ahhh! The atmosphere! The atmosphere!"

There's another version with the same guys in mosquito costumes too. Hilarious!:p

[Agent Helix]

I recently watched/enjoyed the old Discovery Channel commercial on YouTube, with the guys in the meteor (asteroid?) costumes dangling on a string.

It's the deliberate bad acting that cracks me up, along with the ending where they enter the Earth's atmosphere shouting : "Ahhh! The atmosphere! The atmosphere!"

There's another version with the same guys in mosquito costumes too. Hilarious!:p

THAT was a great ad campaign. I'd forgotten all about it, but now my morning is brightened.

[Valmore]

Burger King commercials with The King suck ass. I cringe whenever I see that stupid-looking costume. I also hate McDonald's trying to be "hip" commercials.

I like the new Geico "Caveman" commercials. Much more than the overdone gecko with a faux Madonna accent.

[BYC]

Burger King commercials with The King suck ass. I cringe whenever I see that stupid-looking costume.

Don't mock the King. The King doesn't like to be mocked.

[Atom_basher]

i love the pepto bismol commercial with the giants, i ALWAYS laugh when the song goes "upset stomach diarrhea" and it shows the paul bunyon looking guy holding his ass. Alarm clock catastrophe and the snickers commercial with the guy and his guitar are also great ones to me.

and the burger king "Maybe i DO wanna be a french fry" commercial, is another great one"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gyijWbML82s
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gm_n76Dsl0c
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DP-w8tOekFc
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...97767640552114

These are my fave commercials

[MaxofSteel]

That PS3 commercial with the weird baby doll really freaks me out. Why would they make a commercial like that? It's effin' scary!

Anyhow, my fav commercial right now has to be the Amp'd Mobile one where the Asian guy washes his hands in the bathroom and sings that rap song. His reaction to the other guy walking in is hilarious! That totally happens to me sometimes too.

[Frodo-X]

That PS3 commercial with the weird baby doll really freaks me out. Why would they make a commercial like that? It's effin' scary!

Creeps me out, too! Not to mention, why are they advertising something that they've run out of?!


Thought of another series I like:

The new Volkswagon commercials where it's just two people in the car talking and then *BAM!* they get nailed by another car. I find them very powerful, as they are much more realistic, and therefore impactful, than the standard reel of crash-test-dummies running into a wall.

Whoever came up with it should get a raise.

[Holy Spirit]

Best commercials!
And I would do anything for love...... but I won't do that!

Like Mike.... if I could be like Mike!





As for worst..... well.... I tend not to remember those.