This commercial shows the ultimate nightmare that we all have when it comes to parking our cars on icy streets: some goofball coming down a hill and hitting a bunch of cars. It's a well-done ad, from the two guys watching the car from the balcony to the scenes of the guy running down the stairs to get to his car. There's even something really believable about the apartment building and the lobby.
Will our hero get to his car in time?
[via Adfreak]
TV ad-related stories
This winter, make sure you have the right car battery (or just take the bus)
Arms are the only things moving in these Schweppes Christmas commercials
I'm a big fan of illustrations of the 1950s so I might find these British Schweppes ads more amusing than some people. But I like how it's just a few arms in the illustrations that are moving in the ads. Clever idea.
[via Adfreak]
[via Adfreak]
Try to guess what this commercial is all about
The commercial is 38 seconds long. Try to figure out what it's about before it's revealed around the 25 second mark. It's filmed like an investigative news report or maybe an old cop show. Are those hookers? Who jumps out of the van? What's with the gross blob guy?
[via Adfreak]
Update: David Spade and Kevin Farley respond to DirecTV ad criticism
The other day I posted the DirecTV ad featuring footage of Chris Farley and new footage of David Spade, and I opined that it was a "worst commercial of the year" nominee. I also mentioned that it might be "too soon."To clarify, when I said "too soon" I didn't mean that it was too soon after Farley's death (he died 12 years ago). I meant that it's odd seeing a young, contemporary celebrity in an ad (which DirecTV also did with Heather O'Rourke - that was worse), especially one where he is interacting with a costar who is doing the scene in the present day. My other point was "how the hell is this going to sell DirecTV to anyone?" (and "boy is this ad unfunny").
I'm not the only one who finds the DirecTV ad odd. Now Spade and Farley's brother Kevin have responded to the criticism.
Continue reading Update: David Spade and Kevin Farley respond to DirecTV ad criticism
Guy takes off clothes to remind people to set their clocks back
In this British ad, a guy walks around his apartment and slowly takes his clothes off. It's all to remind people to set their clocks back one hour. Even though people in the UK did it last week, this can be your reminder do to set your clocks back here in the U.S. this Sunday morning.
That's clocks, people. I said clocks.
That's clocks, people. I said clocks.
[via Adfreak]
Worst commercial of the year nominee: Chris Farley and DirecTV
They use dead celebs in ads all the time and it doesn't bother me, so why does the new DirecTV commercial with David Spade and Chris Farley irritate and disgust me so much?
For one, it's badly made. Unfunny and not very clever. Plus, it might be too soon, and the way that Farley died... it's just a very strange ad. I wonder why Spade even agreed to do it. (DirecTV has done this before.)
For one, it's badly made. Unfunny and not very clever. Plus, it might be too soon, and the way that Farley died... it's just a very strange ad. I wonder why Spade even agreed to do it. (DirecTV has done this before.)
This is one creepy Tabasco sauce commercial
Tell me, on what planet is this an appealing commercial? I hate ads where random bottom parts suddenly appear on food. And it's especially disturbing if the food starts talking or singing to me. This one is like Willy Wonka's Oompa-Loompas speaking from another dimension.
I was going to have pizza for dinner tonight too. Now...not so much. Or maybe I'll just skip the pepperoni.
I was going to have pizza for dinner tonight too. Now...not so much. Or maybe I'll just skip the pepperoni.
[via Adfreak]
Here's that weird commercial from last night
I didn't know what the hell that commercial was all about last night on NBC during The Office (or was it during ABC's FlashForward?). It was longer than most commercials, and it seemed like an infomercial for a laundry detergent and not an ad for Subaru (actually, it's both!). I was so mesmerized by what was going on that I completely missed early references to the Outback.
It gets really odd when the women starts smelling her co-host's bike shorts. Pay attention to the text on the screen too.
It gets really odd when the women starts smelling her co-host's bike shorts. Pay attention to the text on the screen too.
How does a nudist cheat on her husband?
That sounds like the opening of a joke, but it's actually the premise of this British commercial for fabric softener.
The funniest part of this ad is when the other guy starts taking his clothes off so he can run out of the house, the opposite of the classic "putting on your clothes quickly and getting out because the husband comes home" scenario. (Note: contains male buttocks.)
The funniest part of this ad is when the other guy starts taking his clothes off so he can run out of the house, the opposite of the classic "putting on your clothes quickly and getting out because the husband comes home" scenario. (Note: contains male buttocks.)
[via Adfreak]
Have you ever smelled someone else's clothes at the laundromat?
Yesterday I posted a commercial from Germany, and now we have another foreign ad. It's for Downy and features two guys at the laundromat washing and drying their clothes.
I think the moral of this story is this: don't smell someone else's underwear.
I think the moral of this story is this: don't smell someone else's underwear.
[via Brandfreak]
Microsoft's slide ad: real or fake?
I hardly ever get to see foreign TV commercials, so that's one of the good things about the web. This one is a Microsoft ad from Germany. There seems to be some question as to whether or not it's real or fake, but I'm strongly leaning towards fake.
[via Adfreak]
Fruit by the Foot commercial might just spawn a new horror film franchise
This new ad from Fruit by the Foot is kinda clever, very creepy: two kids battle over what they can turn into Fruit by the Foot, from the trivial (guitar strings) to the important (DNA). The last image looks like something from one of those Japanese horror flicks where something crazy happens to someone's body and they die horribly.
[via Adfreak]
This Ad for Aspray is Astounding
If people keep making commercials like this, we're not going to be able to tell the difference between Saturday Night Live parodies and the real ads. This one is for the new body deodorant Aspray and...well, you just have to watch it.
[via Best Week Ever]
Thomas Magnum sells Close-Up toothpaste (1977)
Like most actors, Tom Selleck did commercials before hitting it big. This spot for Close-Up toothpaste ("there's mouthwash in it") is from 1977, three years before Magnum, P.I. debuted. Actually, Selleck was doing movies and TV guest spots way before this commercial aired.
The dirtiest bottled water commercial you'll ever see
There's a certain fake ad for Sprite that is making the rounds on the web this week. I'm sure you've heard about it, so I'm not going to link to it here (it's remarkably NSFW, so do a search for it). But I came across this real ad at Adfreak for Perrier. It was made in 1976, and while it's still pretty risque' it's really well done (had to find a video on YouTube that looks like it's from another TV show, that's why there's laughing).
Have any questions for Rich Sommer of Mad Men? Ask them here!
Syfy's Alice -- An early look
The TV Squad Podcast: Surprising shows, decade-end lists, and the Commenter of the Week!
