# What was the last iconic commercial? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2018, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278 "2018-10-21T08:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/61 "2018-10-23T18:50:01Z")
Just recently I saw a guy in a restaurant get called “Jake, from State Farm” by two of his friends for wearing a red shirt and khakis, so I’ll go with that. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/62 "2018-10-23T21:35:38Z")
I also remember the animated commercials that appeared around Christmastime, and for a few weeks afterwards, with the voiceover that said, “All aliens must register at the Post Office by January 31st.” As grade-schoolers, we found that awfully amusing, especially because it depicted PEOPLE and not space creatures with multiple eyes and tentacles. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/63 "2018-10-23T21:45:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I remember it. It was along the same lines as “Wouldn’t it be great if they gave a war and nobody came?” but I can’t remember the slogan it employed or the specific organization that sponsored it. > > Actually, it sounds more like early '80s than '70s. The one I remember is from the 70s. Evidently others have looked for [this](https://archive.org/post/1070732/psa-early-1970s-anti-war) also. > [@](#): > > Does anyone remember this PSA from the early 1970’s? – a group of old men walk up a hill; two of them take off their jackets while the others watch, and start pathetically punching each other. The voice over (or text): Wouldn’t it be great if all wars were fought by the people who started them? No luck yet on the actual PSA video. I’ve looked for this before… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/64 "2018-10-24T01:56:23Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Just recently I saw a guy in a restaurant get called “Jake, from State Farm” by two of his friends for wearing a red shirt and khakis, so I’ll go with that. My sister claimed she’d had a kid [show up like this](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/69/5f/da/695fdab90b02e01e68d1c7f1a2bfccf4.jpg) for trick and treating. So the “iconic-ness” of the ad lives on. We study commercials in my Concepting class, and these twentyish “kids” have to bring in their favorite ads. I’m amazed at which ads get through the students’ filters. They know the first Old Spice ad by heart (“I’m on a horse.”), they know Apple’s 1984 ad, and they must watch the Superbowl (or YouTube’s Best Superbowl Ads), because they love all the Bud Light ads, and every one for Doritos (especially the fetus reaching for the Dorito). And almost all of them love the Budweiser Clydesdales and Dog “mini-soap operas”. And I haven’t figured out why they all know [Panda Cheese](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6iHCFiSqIw)… ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/65 "2018-10-24T15:39:29Z")
> [@thechangeman](#): > > For me it’s the Old Spice Commercials with Terry Crews. > > “Hello, ladies, look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped using ladies scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re on a boat with the man your man could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again, the tickets are now diamonds. Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.” > > So iconic. Definitely iconic, so much so that even [**Sesame Street** parodied it](https://youtu.be/zkd5dJIVjgM). ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/66 "2018-10-27T11:24:14Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Even older, the Levi’s laundry advert. > With the incomparable Marvin Gaye. I’ll agree with that one. For me, the TV adds that stand for points in my life and viewing history are The jolly green giant Campfire girls. (sing around the campfire…) Tootsie rolls (…last a long time). Amaco nice clean petrol Live Levi’s (I feel real) Levi laundry advert (memorably satirized in the UK) Nothing since then. Do they even show TV ads now? Or only station promo’s ? ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/67 "2018-10-27T23:20:11Z")
If it counts as an ad, the “you wouldn’t steal a car” campaign from 10 or so years ago is pretty iconic. I saw Apple mentioned before, but don’t think I saw the “‘I’m a Mac’ and ‘I’m a PC’” ads. They might fall under the “Flo from progressive” banner, in that the concept is fairly well known but there wasn’t one iconic ad. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/68 "2018-10-27T23:59:44Z")
> [@HowSoonIsThen](#): > > If it counts as an ad, the “you wouldn’t steal a car” campaign from 10 or so years ago is pretty iconic. > > I saw Apple mentioned before, but don’t think I saw the “‘I’m a Mac’ and ‘I’m a PC’” ads. They might fall under the “Flo from progressive” banner, in that the concept is fairly well known but there wasn’t one iconic ad. [Here are all of the “I’m a Mac” ads.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfv6Ah_MVJU&app=desktop) You’re right, no single one stands out, but as a whole, they were memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/69 "2018-10-28T01:12:22Z")
For me, it’s Dachshunds in Hot Dog costumes running across the open field. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/70 "2018-10-28T03:07:25Z")
I like the Union Pacific Railroad commercial that started out with “We’re a great big rolling railroad” and ended with “We’re the Union Pacific, and our story’s just begun. We Can Handle It”. A sit-com commercial that was inspired was the Ferryman Funeral Parlor ad on WKRP in Cincinnati. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/71 "2018-10-30T02:15:03Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > That’s the one I came in to post. “Here kid.” That’s the one I thought of, too. Ever seen the outtake from that commercial? Mean Joe chugs the Coke, turns and says, “Hey, kid,” then lets out a HUGE “I just chugged a Coke” belch! Just hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/72 "2018-10-30T10:27:46Z")
Hey, Vern! Thank you for your support! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/73 "2018-10-30T15:15:06Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > That’s the one I thought of, too. Ever seen the outtake from that commercial? Mean Joe chugs the Coke, turns and says, “Hey, kid,” then lets out a HUGE “I just chugged a Coke” belch! Just hilarious! I believe the commercial required eleven takes. Which meant that Joe chugged eleven bottles of Coke in a row! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/74 "2018-10-30T16:53:11Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I believe the commercial required eleven takes. Which meant that Joe chugged eleven bottles of Coke in a row! Marty Ingels (Mr Shirley Jones) once did a commercial for Stax cereal that for some reason required multiple takes, up to the point where he could no longer stand the taste or texture of the product.\* When representatives of the sponsor arrived quietly on the set to see how things were going, what they saw was Marty take a big bite of the cereal, chew it, smile and wink at the camera, and then spit it out in disgust after the director yelled “Cut!” I remember Marty telling this story when he was doing a bit on Steve Allen’s syndicated show around 1968 or '69. It got a big laugh. \*For those of you who don’t remember it, Stax was a wheat-based cereal produced in the form of perforated disks. The gimmick was, if you got tired of eating them, you could stack them, hence the name. Unfortunately, they looked like cardboard and had about the same texture and taste. Stax did not last long on the market. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278/75 "2018-11-01T10:10:04Z")
I’m genuinely surprised that (unless I missed it) no one mentioned… Got Milk? Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-iconic-commercial/823278.md?page=3)