In a world where commercials are becoming obsolete on television thanks to DVR, plenty of people still enjoy a good 30 second laugh. I’ve seen my fair share over the years, but there are five that I will always remember (oh, and these are not in any order):
#1 Jockey
Awhile back I had just returned from playing some tennis with friends and a commercial was on television that caught my attention. The first still picture had two tennis balls in a fence. Originally I thought it was a tennis star hitting 1st serves like 150mph, but then then were tons of pictures and videos of watermelons, sausage, etc., until the final one shows a pair of tires hanging from a tree.
It wasn’t until this picture that I realized that it looked like male genitals, which of course made me start laughing, and then “JOCKEY” faded into the screen. Up until that point there wasn’t anything that said Jockey, and since there wasn’t a narrative, the end result was hilarious.
#2 Ask for More: Pepsi
A young boy travels to Tibet in search of spirituality and life’s clarity from the Dalai Lama. This is the preface of the commercial’s opening scene as the young boy supposedly backpacks his way up to the door that will change his life.
In the beginning, the Tibetans try to teach him martial arts, several times looking like Mr. Miagi teaching the Karate Kid (I’m sure there was some sort of play on it). He doesn’t do very well in the beginning, but he always wonders what the symbol means on each guy’s forehead.
The commercial fast forwards to the young boy all grown up and going through the final phases of his training. When he completes his final task, all members pull out Pepsis and drink to his accomplishment. Suddenly he looks up at the Dalai Lama and sees the symbol above his head. Then, when he looks down at the Pepsi, he notices the lid looks like the symbol and crushes the can with his head. Absolutely priceless!
#3 Direct TV: Take Your Pick 2014-2015
Probably one of the funniest creative marketing ads ever involves Direct TV. They play on a negative domino effect that occurs if you don’t start using their service. For instance, the first one that comes to mind is the following:
“When you have cable and your picture freezes, you get irritable. When you get irritable, your work suffers. When your work suffers, the wrong man is convicted. When the wrong man is convicted, he has time to think. When he has time to think, he thinks about you…a lot. And when he thinks about you a lot, your house explodes. Don’t have your house explode. Get rid of cable and upgrade to Direct TV.”
These are all extremely funny, and they have definitely caught the attention of TV lovers around the world. Feel free to check out some of the best ones over the past two years.
#4 Axe: Use in Moderation
Trying to connect with young adolescent hormones has always been the main component of their creative marketing. This particular commercial shows a young man’s parents opening the door to meet their boy’s new girlfriend. They have the typical first impression between parents and the new girl. However, just before the dad closes the door, his son says; “Oh wait.” Suddenly one by one, he brings in another girl, and then another, and then another. After about eight to ten of them you hear Axe’s slogan; “Axe…use in moderation.”
#5 Bud Light: He has an Axe!
Oddly enough, when I was telling you about the Axe commercial, it reminded me of this Bud Light commercial I saw a couple years ago. A couple is driving home at night with very minimal lighting, when the guy asks his girlfriend if they should pick up the hitchhiker with the Bud Light.
The girl’s notion is NO WAY, but the guy keeps saying; “But he has Bud Light.” Then he tells her there has to be a logical explanation why he’s carry the axe. So, when they pull up to him, the guy asks the hitchhiker; “Hey buddy. What’s the axe?” The hitchhiker pauses for a moment and says; “it’s a bottle opener.”
The last line was funny enough, but they eventually see another hitchhiker and the guy says again; “Hey he’s got Bud Light.” Then the hitchhiker in the back seat acts scared and says; “Yea, but he has chainsaw!”
