# The Cadbury's gorilla - one of the best TV ads ever made **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673 "2007-10-05T19:28:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/1 "2007-10-05T19:28:49Z")
This [one-and-a-half minute work of genius](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdO2aYfQa6I) is currently running on British TV and in movie theaters. (When you click the link, go full screen, turn up the volume, and enjoy. Then read the spoiler.) It’s for Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. [spoiler]Everyone who sees it for the first time goes: “that was superb… but WTF?!?” _But they remember the product_, and in a positive light, too. The premise is astonishingly simple: according to the advertising press, “it makes you smile, just like the chocolate bar does”. How brilliant is that? No details; no offers; no hyped-up voiceover; no fiddly intrinsic product benefits; no goofy market-will-identify-with-this-character actor; not even a product shot. Just a strong, memorable image, based around a clearly defined brand. I think many, many other companies could take a leaf out of Cadbury’s book. I salute the marketing team. Superb.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/2 "2007-10-05T19:34:27Z")
I’m not getting it, I mean sure the absudity makes you remember the commerical and presumably the product, but Cadbury hardly invented that ---
**Author:** ![Aioua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@Aioua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aioua)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/3 "2007-10-05T19:36:47Z")
That’s pretty much the perfect song, too. You forget how much spirit and energy goes into drumming until you see a gorilla do it. Heh. Hooray non-sequitur advertising! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/4 "2007-10-05T19:46:06Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] I’m not getting it, I mean sure the absudity makes you remember the commerical and presumably the product, but Cadbury hardly invented that [/QUOTE] Well yeah, of course not. But do you have examples of other ads that used absurdity - and didn’t feature the product in any way at all? If the commercial didn’t delight you - even with that little snarl about 45 seconds in - I guess that there’s no redemption for it. Me, I can’t think of another ad that was so obscure, delightful, and yet reinforces the brand so memorably. I’m genuinely curious, though: what would the reception be if, say, this was run during the Superbowl or something? I know there are always groundbreaking ads shown during that event in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/5 "2007-10-05T19:57:09Z")
Nice ad, but the gorilla clearly missed the phantom snare runs near the end. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/6 "2007-10-05T20:05:58Z")
I do love that advert, I’ve seen it a few times on TV, but had no memory of it being Cadbury’s before I read this thread and checked the link… Not that it matters, I don’t eat chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/7 "2007-10-05T20:07:27Z")
I like it but I don’t believe Cadbury’s advertises in the US so we won’t see it on the TV here. More’s the pity. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/8 "2007-10-05T20:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] Nice ad, but the gorilla clearly missed the phantom snare runs near the end. 😛 [/QUOTE] He did that with the synth under his ass. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f475e1/32.png) [@Uncle\_Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Martin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/9 "2007-10-05T20:21:35Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] But do you have examples of other ads that used absurdity - and didn’t feature the product in any way at all? [/QUOTE] I like the General Dynamics commercial with the teenagers talking, but I can’t find a clip right now. Here’s a [transcript](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/86/86adynamics.phtml). OK, so it’s from SNL. But it _would_ have been a good example. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/10 "2007-10-05T20:39:23Z")
Hmm. Did nothing for me (tho I do loves their chockies!) Part of my meh might be due to my extreme dislike for Phil Collins. At one time Genesis was a phenomenal band. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/11 "2007-10-05T21:00:49Z")
There’s been a couple of threads about this. I too am mystified by the love for this advert. Secret Phil Collins fans coming out of the closet? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/12 "2007-10-05T21:02:57Z")
Both my parents are pretty mad about Genesis, so i’m biased against them as a result. That said, I love this advert too. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/13 "2007-10-05T21:03:51Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] There’s been a couple of threads about this. I too am mystified by the love for this advert. Secret Phil Collins fans coming out of the closet? [/QUOTE] Really? I had no idea. I wouldn’t have started this if I’d known. I think Phil Collins sucks - that’s part of why I love the ad so much: the gorilla expresses so much sincerity and passion about what is a pretty rubbish track. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/14 "2007-10-05T21:44:07Z")
You mean that wasn’t Phil Collins? …Right - too much hair… ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/15 "2007-10-05T21:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] I think Phil Collins sucks - that’s part of why I love the ad so much: the gorilla expresses so much sincerity and passion about what is a pretty rubbish track. [/QUOTE] But that is precisely what made Phil Collins preposterous in the first place 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/16 "2007-10-05T22:21:11Z")
[QUOTE=ASAKMOTSD] You mean that wasn’t Phil Collins? …Right - too much hair… [/QUOTE] And a better drummer. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/17 "2007-10-05T22:52:28Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] Nice ad, but the gorilla clearly missed the phantom snare runs near the end. 😛 [/QUOTE] That, plus the fact that they altered when the drums come in, caused me to be nonplussed. You Phil Collins haters should be ashamed of yourselves. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/18 "2007-10-05T22:56:00Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] :mad: [/QUOTE] Why’s Phil’s face so red? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/19 "2007-10-05T23:09:30Z")
That ape’s pretty talented. I wonder if he’s related to [this ape.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXAGM4z6ASA) ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673/20 "2007-10-06T00:42:09Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Why’s Phil’s face so red? [/QUOTE] He’s angry because a gorilla killed his best friend at summer camp. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cadburys-gorilla-one-of-the-best-tv-ads-ever-made/421673.md?page=2)