# Most expensive/elaborate commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526 "2004-05-17T02:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/1 "2004-05-17T02:29:16Z")
[This Honda ad](http://www.creativeclub.co.uk/prelogin/mg.aspx?m=tv&r=208543&ref=) cost $6 million to shoot (incredible as it may seem it was [shot in one continuous 2 minute shot after 605 unsuccessful takes](http://www.snopes.com/autos/business/hondacog.asp)- it uses **no** computer animation or visual effects). Can anybody think of any commercials that were more expensive to shoot NOT including money paid to celebrity pitch persons? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/2 "2004-05-17T02:33:47Z")
Apple’s _1984_ commercial cost over $1 million to make. I’m not sure how much they paid Ridley Scott to direct, though. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/3 "2004-05-17T03:18:39Z")
I believe the Campbell’s “Great American Soup” commercial was incredibly expensive to film. (This was in the late 1960’s I believe). It was done in the style of one of those Busby Berkely type musicals and even had Ann Miller dancing. I think it may have cost about $1 million but it was a waste because “Great American Soups” never “caught on” and production ceased fo rthe entire “line” of soups. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/4 "2004-05-17T03:28:53Z")
I don’t know of any that are more expensive, but I wanted to mention that I’ve never seen that ad before and it is AMAZING. Just wow. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/5 "2004-05-18T07:04:30Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > I believe the Campbell’s “Great American Soup” commercial was incredibly expensive to film. (This was in the late 1960’s I believe). > It was done in the style of one of those Busby Berkely type musicals and even had Ann Miller dancing. I think it may have cost about $1 million but it was a waste because “Great American Soups” never “caught on” and production ceased fo rthe entire “line” of soups. Actually, the “Great American Soup” line was from HJ Heinz, their attempt to become a major competitor to Campbell’s soups. But your mistake is understandable – most viewers of this commercial made the same mistake. The ‘message’ they remembered from the commercial was that they should buy more soup. So they did – Campbell’s soup. The commercial did NOT make them remember the HJ Heinz “Greate American” line of soup; a critical failure for a commercial. Heinz found that wherever they ran this commercial, sales of their competitor Campbell’s soups went up. Rather a self-defeating commercial! ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/6 "2004-05-18T09:46:09Z")
First thing I thought of when I saw the Thread Title was the series of [Michael Jackson Pepsi Commercials](http://www.oiyoi.com/mediaserver/movies/mjpepsi.html). I don’t know what the pricetag was on those but it cost Pepsi $1,500,000.00 just to set MJ’s hair on fire. Factor in all the other costs and you get a pretty pricey commercial. ~\<\<:o (an attempt at “smilie with hair on fire”) ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/7 "2004-05-18T10:09:09Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > but it cost Pepsi $1,500,000.00 just to set MJ’s hair on fire. A bargain at twice the price. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/8 "2004-05-18T11:22:06Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [This Honda ad](http://www.creativeclub.co.uk/prelogin/mg.aspx?m=tv&r=208543&ref=) cost $6 million to shoot (incredible as it may seem it was [shot in one continuous 2 minute shot after 605 unsuccessful takes](http://www.snopes.com/autos/business/hondacog.asp)- it uses **no** computer animation or visual effects). That is exactly the ad I was going to post about when I saw the thread title! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/9 "2004-05-18T14:10:18Z")
I remember watching a special on commercials and they talked about an ad for Armor All. The ad had some great animation but went over budget during production. So they only showed the ad late at night. The ad apparently developed a cult following. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/10 "2004-05-18T14:41:17Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > it uses **no** computer animation or visual effects). I can’t find the cite now, but I’m pretty sure it was confirmed that there was one splice about halfway through (the rolling muffler) that was digitally enhanced. Supposedly they could’t fit the full setup into the studio and did it in two takes. Still amazing, though. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/11 "2004-05-18T14:45:03Z")
ahh… nevermind. I see the snopes link does mention the join. But it wasn’t digital, as I thought, just editing ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-expensive-elaborate-commercials/245526/12 "2004-05-25T07:31:52Z")
If it cost so much, why have I only ever seen it on the net, not on TV? Or **is** it on TV, and I just don’t watch the right channels?