I’m not going to put forward any brand names, but I wanted to single out a couple of commercials I’ve especially enjoyed. I usually Tivo then fast-forward, but several times I’ve been watching and either forget to FF or I’m all caught up and watching in real time, and so let the commercials play.
The first is for an insurance company. A middle-aged couple is watching skating on TV, and they’re inspired to drive out to a frozen pond where they park their car next to a shed, turn up the car radio, and skate together so sweetly. The man crashes into the shed and a sheet of ice crashes down onto their car.
I like it first because they look like real people, a couple in love who’ve been together for many years and are re-living something they used to do when they were young. Second, although I’ve come to HATE HATE HATE the use of familiar baby-boomer music in commercials, in this one the music fits. They’re skating to a song playing on the radio (or CD player) so the music (“Do the Hustle” or whatever it’s called) makes sense. Third, I love the voice of the narrator. I think it’s the actor from Far From Heaven but I’m not sure.
The second one I like, for some weird reason, is for a car company. Three shirtless morons all painted up in patriotic colors. One has a “U” on his chest, one has an “S” and one has an “A.” “S” falls into a lake and they haul him out, frozen solid. They need his “S” so they take him around to the various competitions, still frozen solid, so he can stand in between them. Ok, it’s really stupid, but I still get a kick out of it. I don’t know why. I think it’s the acidentally falling into the luge pit at the end, and becoming a human luge. That looks like fun.
I’m sure there are others but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.