OK, I can imagine one thing.
[via AdFreak]
McDonald's is lovin' two guys who share one nose
I like seeing commercials from overseas. They aren't usually something we'll see on American television, so it's good that the web can fulfill all of our foreign advertising needs. This European McDonald's ad shows a nightmarish world where two guys share one nose. I can't imagine something that two guys could share that would be so creepy and uncomfortable.
OK, I can imagine one thing.
OK, I can imagine one thing.
We're going to keep seeing Billy Mays in commercials
First off, everyone keeps using the word "infomercial" when describing the ads that Billy Mays did, including this piece at TampaBay.com. Actually, infomercials are longer form ads, usually 30 minutes. What Mays did were commercials (though yes, he did infomercials too). After a meeting between his widow, his son, friend Anthony Sullivan, and marketers, they have decided to resume running all of Mays' ads next week. I'm sure that's going to seem weird to some viewers.I guess it's not completely odd, because we still watch a TV show that a celebrity has starred in after they die. But commercials are more recent, more "alive," more "of the moment" than some TV show that we all know is a repeat from one, ten, thirty years ago. And that's what's going to be odd about seeing these ads.
Hardee's wants you to compare A-holes and B-holes
If you saw the Microsoft ad that Mike posted earlier today, you might think that the advertising business has been taken over by 12 year-olds. If you still need more convincing, here's the new Hardee's commercial that compares their new Biscuit Holes with other holes. It's juvenile, but I have to admit, also funny.
[via AdFreak]
What's with all the feminine hygiene ads, Lifetime?
My wife was watching a Lifetime movie that I've already forgotten the title of the other day. What I can't forget, however, is that during every single commercial break of this two-hour movie there were at least two different commercials for various feminine hygiene products. I understand that the Lifetime demographic is the right audience for these ads but at the same time don't you think there's a limit to how often a woman wants to think about her most intimate area's cleanliness while watching a movie?The women I know actually have quite a wide variety of interests beyond yeast infections and Vagisil. In fact, those things almost never come up in conversation. I don't even think Lifetime should stop airing the commercials, because I'm told it's important stuff, but let's throw some variety in there, too. If Spike TV was airing condom commercials twice a break in the middle of the day I'd think they were obsessing a little bit too. You care. That's sweet. We get it, now how about reminding me of what really matters. McDonald's has "Hugo" size drinks for a dollar!
The ShamWow guy...made a movie?!?
If you loved the Slap-Chop guy's nuts, then chances are you'll love his movie. Vince "ShamWow guy" Offer (we soon learned his real last name is Shlomi, thanks to his arrest record for fighting a prostitute) was one of the minds behind the infamous Underground Comedy Movie, a lame attempt at a Kentucky Fried Movie-style film that will live in infamy for reasons other than its attempt at comedy.
You might remember the film (or you may not want to) from the late night infomercials and commercials that aired for it back in the late '90s and early '00s. The film has a long and sordid history full of more litigation and despair than an E! True Hollywood Story, assuming that Vince Offer has not yet become the focus of an E! True Hollywood Story.
Continue reading The ShamWow guy...made a movie?!?
Today is "Wear Blue for Billy" day
News of someone's death always implants a little sadness in my brain, whether its the passing of a major celebrity or some innocent bystander who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Part of it is completely selfish. Someone's passing always reminds me of the frailty of human life and lets me know I'm always one less beer away from reaching the end of my time.
The other part is the projection of my own pain. We've all lost someone close to us and know what that pain feels like when our brain is scrambling to catch up with the reality of that loss. There is someone out there who has to deal with that same pain, whether the person who died was worthy of Catholic sainthood or the Bastard of the Year Award.
Continue reading Today is "Wear Blue for Billy" day
Billy Mays dead at 50
Famous (and loud) TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead in his Florida home today. He was 50.There's no cause of death yet (an autopsy will be performed tomorrow), but Mays was one of the passengers on a US Airways flight that had a bumpy landing in Tampa, FL yesterday.
I think most people would agree that this been a remarkably strange week for celebrity deaths. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, then Michael Jackson. We thought those three celebs would be enough for one week (and celebrity deaths often come in threes, as the common wisdom goes). And now we have a guy who is still on our TVs all the time. It's not like he was old or he had retired or he wasn't doing much in public anymore. Commercials with May run all day long, every day. I saw several last night. He also has a weekly show with Anthony Sullivan on Discovery called Pitchmen. The pair were also on Conan's show last week. Video of that appearance is after the jump.
Continue reading Billy Mays dead at 50
Here's the commercial where Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire
Back in 1984, Michael Jackson was filming a TV commercial for Pepsi and got severely injured when his hair caught fire from a special effects explosion. I'm assuming that the finished commercial has a body double during that scene, though Michael can be seen in other parts of the commercial with his brothers. Some people close to Jackson say that he started taking painkillers after this incident. (Here's footage of Jackson after it happened.)
Farrah slathers Joe Namath (and other early ads)
With all the Michael Jackson news, let's not forget that another huge star, Farrah Fawcett, also passed away yesterday. All of the obits I've seen of Farrah pretty much start her professional biography with her breakout role in Charlie's Angels. But Farrah was almost 30 when she landed the role as Jill Munroe. A quick look at her IMDb profile shows that Farrah had a number of guest-starring roles well before Aaron Spelling made her a megastar.
Farrah also starred in a ton of commercials in the early '70s, including this famous spot with Joe Namath. Here, the Jets QB is advertising Noxema shaving cream, and Farrah lustily covers his face in the stuff.
More ads after the jump.
Farrah also starred in a ton of commercials in the early '70s, including this famous spot with Joe Namath. Here, the Jets QB is advertising Noxema shaving cream, and Farrah lustily covers his face in the stuff.
More ads after the jump.
Continue reading Farrah slathers Joe Namath (and other early ads)
Comcast changes ending to FIOS commercial (but it's easy to understand why)
You've seen the commercial below. It's a Comcast ad that takes on Verizon FIOS by saying that FIOS costs more, doesn't have as much HD as Comcast, and is filled with too many lame videos.
Last night I watched the commercial again (for the 4000th time) and I noticed that they've changed the ending. The FIOS guy used to say "I'm going to write down your credit card number which I memorized when I was looking..." I always thought that was an odd line, pretty much insinuating that a Verizon rep would take someone's credit card number like that. But they've now taken that line out and replaced it with something else (though the new line escapes me at the moment - anyone?). I wonder if Verizon complained?
Last night I watched the commercial again (for the 4000th time) and I noticed that they've changed the ending. The FIOS guy used to say "I'm going to write down your credit card number which I memorized when I was looking..." I always thought that was an odd line, pretty much insinuating that a Verizon rep would take someone's credit card number like that. But they've now taken that line out and replaced it with something else (though the new line escapes me at the moment - anyone?). I wonder if Verizon complained?
Visa commercial teaches bad parenting
I watched that damn aquarium Visa commercial for months now and it finally dawned upon me what ticked me off about it. It's not the fact that the little girl has the freakiest of eyes, it's the fact that the father pulled his daughter out of school to go to the aquarium. Since I'm not a parent, I often forget that kids don't make their own schedules and are stuck in school from around eight to three.
Continue reading Visa commercial teaches bad parenting
We need more commercials for breast-supporting devices
I saw this on Jimmy Kimmel Live and went online to see if it was real. It looks like an SNL parody (though so did that toilet paper stick, and that was real), but it does indeed exist. Here's the web site.
Women, would you use something like this?
Women, would you use something like this?
Buy Wilkins Coffee or we'll shoot this Muppet
Everybody in television has to start at the bottom, even the Muppets.
Jim Henson's Muppets got their big break in the 1950s as two spokesmuppets for the Wilkins Coffee Company in a series of eight-second commercials featuring the most ballsy commercial concept of all time: buy Wilkins Coffee or we will shoot you in the face.
I'd like to see Billy Mays take on that concept.
Continue reading Buy Wilkins Coffee or we'll shoot this Muppet
Finally, someone has made using toilet paper a lot ... easier?
This looks like something from an SNL sketch, but it looks real. It's the Comfort Wipe! You place toilet paper on the end of the stick and...well, you know the rest. I don't know about you, but I don't think this would work for me. It's too long. Besides, I don't want to use something that looks like a toilet bowl cleaning wand. (Also, what are we supposed to do away from home, carry on our belts like a cell phone or in a purse?)
[via AdFreak]
Everybody knows what this commercial is talking about
This is one of my favorite recent ads. It's from the UK and it's for Heinz ketchup. Notice that they don't even show the bottle (until the very end) or mention it. Ketchup bottles are such an ordinary part of our lives that just a few hand motions and a shot of where most people keep it in the fridge is all it needs to sell it. I also love the bit with the knife. We've all been there.
Hunt's, it's your move.
Hunt's, it's your move.
[via AdFreak]
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
TV Squad previews CBS's new shows
