The Glory of Advertising

[Holdfast]

Call me weird, but I really like good advertising.

Especially good TV advertising. Considering just how little time & attention they have to get their message across, some adverts can be (have to be!) remarkably creative and clever. Good adverts are often far smarter and more thought-provoking than the programmes they're sandwiched between.

This thread was inspired by just seeing a new Virgin Atlantic advert and it's beautifully done. The setting, the props, the way it's cut together, not to mention a wonderful array of in-jokes from the era (some are really subtle, too, like at least a couple of rip-offs of adverts from the 80s) and a lots of clever digs at British Airways. Very elegantly done, with a lot of humour. And that's saying something, since I prefer to fly BA!

I can't think of a TV programme that can cram that much into just 90 seconds. And it even has Frankie, and nice legs...

What's your favourite ad? Anyone else share my love of good advertising?

 

[Chess Piece Face]

Target has great ads now, beautifully designed.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I usually hate advertising of all kinds, but I freaking love that Yes HD ad from Israel.

 

[Faldor]

that's a very well made ad, surprising how many old companies they managed to make references to, whimpie, our price etc.

there's a similar one for bread of a boy running through blitz london, past a coronation street party, past girls in mini skirts and punks and fireworks to show all the different decades. odd the only thing they could think of from the 90's was the last minutes...

a favourite ad of mine was a jeans ad from around 2001 with two people running through walls. and up some trees. I have it on a VHS somewhere between an episode of Black Books.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

a favourite ad of mine was a jeans ad from around 2001 with two people running through walls. and up some trees. I have it on a VHS somewhere between an episode of Black Books.

I love that one. The Handel music adds to its impact.

Guinness have traditionally provided some classic adverts, mostly surreal, but definitely unforgettable. Some of them featured Rutger Hauer in a long coat, talking bollocks. My personal favourite one is one of their more "straight" adverts featuring the climax to a hurling match.

Honda have also in recent years pushed the boundaries for advertising, from their Heath-Robinson tribute (complete with the Sugarhill Gang), to the sumptuous "Impossible Dream" tale, and most notably their "Difficult Is Worth Doing" campaign which culminated in their "live" skydiving formation advert over the Spanish skies recently.

It's Cadbury's Dairy Milk adverts that win the prize for -ness. That drumming gorilla...

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Target has great ads now, beautifully designed.

They always make me smile at the massive disconnect between the ads and the crap you find in the actual stores.

Since I'm a big ad-zapper, I can always tell the great ads. They make me stop and hit rewind. Jack in the Box produces ads like that (the Earl of Sandwich one was a standout) and there was a BMW ad that used "Don't Fence Me In" that I only saw once, but it was absolutely gorgeous.

 

[Holdfast]

that's a very well made ad, surprising how many old companies they managed to make references to, whimpie, our price etc.

Yeah, it's been done really well.

there's a similar one for bread of a boy running through blitz london, past a coronation street party, past girls in mini skirts and punks and fireworks to show all the different decades. odd the only thing they could think of from the 90's was the last minutes...

Hovis. Yes, I liked that the first time I saw it, but I've got a bit bored of it now. Besides, it needs to be seen in the full length version and usually gets aired in the very cut-down version.

a favourite ad of mine was a jeans ad from around 2001 with two people running through walls. and up some trees. I have it on a VHS somewhere between an episode of Black Books.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=svEcMGxqjCQ

You can throw away the VHS tape now.

Target has great ads now, beautifully designed.

Links? Would be fun to see some.

That goes for any other (non-UK) ads being mentioned too, if people have links handy. I'd like to see the ads.

 

[Small White Car]

They're finally fighting back against the DVR.

Burger King usually makes me stop and rewind. This one was totally worth it.

And damn it, I STILL can't watch this Dairy Queen Ad without cracking up. Will it ever stop being funny? Apparently not!

 

[Hermiod]

The Ford (?) one with the dad dancing his way home carrying his child all the way.

 

[Kryton]

I had an old reel-to-reel tape of a 5 ad radio campaign from back in 1978 that I have been a huge fan of ever since. Both the ad company and the advertiser have long since gone out of business so I'm sure there's no copyright issue with posting it as an entertainment. http://www.supload.com/listen?s=Phoa7b

It's quite entertaining and still manages to "sell the product", which makes it one of the best types of advert I know.

 

[trekkerguy]

I watch most ads. I don't mind em and find alot of them entertaining.

I especialy love the Gieco Gecko. And I can never see how people get
so annoyed with commercials. Just think of it as another part of your
entertainment and it's actually kind of fun to watch.

My favorite ad of all time, cause I drive one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCDlM-tTUA

And yes, it's 100% realistic.

 

[Jadzia]

As one who can (just about) remember the 80s, I'd have to say, that was the decade when advertising was actually fun and fashionable. Remembering some of the greats: chimps moving pianos, celebrities shaking a handful of coffee beans,

here, 10 minutes of 80s UK advertising goodness!.

(As you can probably tell, I do have an 80s vibe )

 

[Captain Shaw]

This one made me smile.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0a06gsiF4&feature=related
I also liked the one with the polo with the bomber but that will never be aloud to be on tv.

 

[RevdKathy]

My all time favourite has to be an old Christmas ad for Whiskas cat food. The cat is curled on the hearth in front of the dying embers. You hear the sound of someone coming down the chimney, walking to the tree, filling stickings etc. And the cat watches wide eyed. Finally, a little soot shakes into the grate, and a can is whiskas is seen nestling in among the stockings. The deliverer is never seen, only implied by the face of the watching cat. It was beautiful.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Geico Cavemen are hilarious too. "Sounds like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the ROCK this morning..."

"My mother's calling...I'll put her on speaker."

 

[Neroon]

Call me weird, but I really like good advertising.

Actually, I can understand that. Seriously. In fact, I have on my DVR right now, a special that ESPN ran a couple of weeks ago called "The Best of This is Sportscenter". For the uninitiated, these ads are for their various general sports news broadcasts. Usually, they will get athletes from all kinds of sports to join in, with some silly approach. It's definitely godo for some laughs if you're up on the particular sports or personalities featured.

Example: Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam Vinitieri is trying to get through the metal detector at an airport. He's in his Colts uniform and keeps setting off the detector because of all of his Super Bowl rings. The guard has him go back and retry, it sets off again, he pulls out a ring from his pocket or finger or a necklace. All the while it's holding up the line of customers. Right behind him in line is Jim Kelly, former quarterback of the Buffalo Bills... who lost four straight Super Bowls.

Okay, I found it hilarious. Apologies to Bills fans.

 

[Mistral]

I hate adverts-so when a good one comes along I love it. They run a series of talking cow commercials in SoCal to promote California cheese. I saw this and nearly died laughing. My wife and I rewound it like 3 times.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video...ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&tnr=21&vid=000165367598

If you Yahoo "California Cheese" under the video option you can get a bunch of them-they're all pretty funny. Love a good commercial!

Also, in the Eighties there was a McDonald's commercial where a man wakes his (3?,4?) yr-old, helps him get dressed and takes him to McD's for an early breakfast. Makes me weep just thinking about it-it was sooo well done. Kinda like that Visa commercial about the father watching his daughter go from newborn to bride that they ran a few years ago...just tugs at the heart.

 

[Neroon]

There is something to be said about how good a commercial is. If it's entertaining, that's only the first step. Frequently, you remember a great commercial but cannot for the life of you recall just what it was advertising for. Was it a car? Fast food? A political spot?

 

[Holdfast]

I hate adverts-so when a good one comes along I love it. They run a series of talking cow commercials in SoCal to promote California cheese. I saw this and nearly died laughing. My wife and I rewound it like 3 times.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video...ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&tnr=21&vid=000165367598

I like that one.

As one who can (just about) remember the 80s, I'd have to say, that was the decade when advertising was actually fun and fashionable. Remembering some of the greats: chimps moving pianos, celebrities shaking a handful of coffee beans,

The Nescafe ones take me back.

I like the "cook, cook, cookability - that's the beauty of gas!" British gas ads. Actually they had quite a few good ads - remember the later "don't you just love being in control" ones? I seem to recall one of that had lots of celebrities in one ad all doing finger-clicking flame thing but I can't find it on youtube.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

If you look on YouTube there are also a couple of those hilarious Red Rock Cider adverts that parody Police Squad! (and indeed feature Leslie Nielsen).

... celebrities shaking a handful of coffee beans,

God, I thought I'd forgotten that series of adverts... My memories of Nescafe adverts back then consisted of those Gold Blend ads featuring Anthony Head who clearly can afford many things but not, it seems, a decent cup of coffee, so he has to go scrounging for some instead...

I like the "cook, cook, cookability - that's the beauty of gas!" British gas ads. Actually they had quite a few good ads - remember the later "don't you just love being in control" ones? I seem to recall one of that had lots of celebrities in one ad all doing finger-clicking flame thing but I can't find it on youtube.

Now that one really does take me back.... [damn, can't seem to do it... ]