# Who are your favorite characters from television ad campaigns. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214 "2015-04-21T19:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/1 "2015-04-21T19:07:03Z")
Please note I’m not talking about celebrity endorsers. Kristen what’s-her-name from _Modern Family_ extolling the virtues of some face cream is not in character; she’s using her name and fame and great face to sell a product, and as far as I know she’s only done one such ad. Contrariwise, Milana Vayntrub, appearing as Lily Adams in the AT&T commercials is exactly what I mean. She’s appearing as a named character (“Lily Adams”) not playing off her modest fame as a comedienne (her real name is never used in the spots); there are at least half a dozen ads in which she appears as the character; and each ad has a brief storyline. Milana/Lily is my own nominee, by the way. She is mildly hot but funny as hell, and the ads are effective building brand awareness. I’ve seen the Kristen ads several times but don’t recall what the product is, but the AT&T ads stick in my mind even though I’m quite unlikely to buy their service. But that’s just me. What are you favorite commercial characters, and why? (And no, I’m not interested in ads you hate. Let’s talk about things we’re positive about and see how that goes. 😉 That said, I’m not the boss of you, so do what you will.) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/2 "2015-04-21T19:20:43Z")
Jerry Seinfeld did a bunch of ads for American Express; this was my favorite: [Jerry Seinfeld - American Express Commercial England - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OQWFZZE-DY) The hapless groundskeeper from the Snickers ad always makes me laugh: [Snickers Chefs - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmgice3ieZ4) And I love the interplay between the mom and the kid in this eToys ad: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRy_DBRL36w) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/3 "2015-04-21T19:26:24Z")
No idea what is name is (and apparently too lazy to Google it) but the “Mayhem” character from the Allstate commercials. _“I’m a raccoon…”_, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/4 "2015-04-21T19:48:27Z")
The late Geoffrey Holder, the [Uncola Man.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXmc7DG4uu8) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/5 "2015-04-21T19:59:24Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > No idea what is name is (and apparently too lazy to Google it) but the “Mayhem” character from the Allstate commercials. > > _“I’m a raccoon…”_, etc. American actor Dean Winters is in those ads; I like 'em too: > **[Allstate Insurance Company | You're In Good Hands.](https://www.allstate.com/)** > > Get an online insurance quote for quality coverage in the blink of an eye. Allstate offers insurance for your car, home, rental, motorcycle and more. > **[Dean Winters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Winters)** > > Dean Gerard Winters (born July 20, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Ryan O'Reily on the HBO prison drama Oz and his roles in the TV series Millennium, Rescue Me, 30 Rock, Sex and the City, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as portraying "Mayhem" in a series of Allstate Insurance commercials. He co-starred in one season of the CBS Network cop drama series Battle Creek and had a recurring role as "The Vulture" on the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He also ap... ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/6 "2015-04-21T20:02:23Z")
Dating myself: “Where’s the beef?” Love that granny. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/7 "2015-04-21T20:22:28Z")
The Uncola Man. The Pop-Tarts Fruit Vendor (“STAW-ber-RIES! BLUE-ber-RIES! CHE-e-e-E-e-er-RIES!”) The Spicy Meatball Man. The Noxema babe. :o [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EkpGM_MvZ2Y/hqdefault.jpg "Take It Off, Take It All Off - 1967- Noxzema") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkpGM_MvZ2Y) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/8 "2015-04-21T20:35:39Z")
The late uncle Max and his nephew Harold from the Volkswagen funeral commercial the Gold Blend couple (known in the USA as the Taster’s Choice couple) > **[Gold Blend couple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Blend_couple)** > > The Gold Blend couple was a British television advertising campaign for Nescafé "Gold Blend" instant coffee, developed by McCann Erickson and which ran from 1987 to 1993. > The original campaign ran for twelve 45-second instalments between 1987 and 1993. It starred Anthony Head and Sharon Maughan as Tony and Sharon, a couple who begin a slow-burning romance over a cup of the advertised coffee. The ads were in a serial format, with each ending with a cliffhanger. The commercials were extremely popu... The Marvelous Magical Burger King (the friendly one from the late 1970s and early 1980s, not the creepy one from the 2000s) > **[The Burger King](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burger_King)** > > The Burger King is a king character used as the primary mascot for the fast-food restaurant chain of the same name. The first iteration of the Burger King was part of a sign at the first Burger King restaurant in Miami, Florida in 1955. Later signs showed the King sitting on a "burger throne" as well as atop the BK sign while holding a beverage. In the early 1970s, Burger King started using a small and animated version of the King in its children's advertising, voiced by Allen Swift. In 1976, the... ---
**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:** [April 21, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/9 "2015-04-21T20:40:53Z")
Mr Whipple and Mrs Olsen? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/10 "2015-04-21T20:44:23Z")
The cavemen from the Geico ads. “Where’s my jacket?! It was suede with the fringe!” ---
**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:** [April 21, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/11 "2015-04-21T20:48:02Z")
They made a bunch of **these** with different actors, not as spokesmen but as characters: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-sMRR_COTAw/maxresdefault.jpg "BORIS KARLOFF COFFEE") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sMRR_COTAw) There was a “Western” one with a Gary-Cooperesque actor I can’t remember, a “Greek Millionaire” one with Caesar Romero, and (I think) a “Powerful Matriarch” one with Bette Davis. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/12 "2015-04-21T20:49:35Z")
[quote=“terentii, post:7, topic:718214”] The Noxema babe. :o [/QUOTE] Funny, I thought you meant [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmoxgmG7YQ) Noxzema Girl ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/13 "2015-04-21T20:50:02Z")
I’ll admit I have a crush on Flo from Progressive Insurance. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/14 "2015-04-21T20:57:40Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Funny, I thought you meant [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmoxgmG7YQ) Noxzema Girl I must say, I like mine better! :o ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/15 "2015-04-21T20:59:33Z")
I like Flo/Stephanie Courtney, too. And I think Skald is quite correct about Lily/Milana; she’s very effective. I hope AT&T is paying her the big bucks. I’m also a fan of Captain Obvious (Brandon Moynihan). He isn’t to everyone’s taste, but he does seem to be doing the job of putting the [Hotels.com](http://Hotels.com) name out there. (“It’s on the Internet.”) For me, he’s memorable without being annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/16 "2015-04-21T21:03:34Z")
Max Headroom, of course. No, not for the ill-fated Gnu Koke campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/17 "2015-04-21T21:02:46Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Funny, I thought you meant [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmoxgmG7YQ) Noxzema Girl The one comment on that video “She killed a kid.” Which was my first thought exactly when the link opened. (The “I’m a horrible person” smilie) ---
**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:** [April 21, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/18 "2015-04-21T21:05:49Z")
Robert Young cashing in on his “Marcus Welby” persona (note how he supplements the “real” doctor’s advice without even identifying himself): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xLR3Llh-TH8/hqdefault.jpg "Robert Young 1978 Sanka Coffee Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLR3Llh-TH8) ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/19 "2015-04-21T21:10:01Z")
I like Jack from the Jack in the Box commercials. He’s a good mix of serious and funny. I’ll even admit that those commercials are a factor in making me favor JitB over similar burger chains. I enjoyed the Geico cavemen for much the same reason. Other than that… hard to say. I really don’t have feelings one way or the other about most mascots. For example, I’ll join the fanclub for the Wendy’s girl being hot, but I really don’t have any opinion about her as a character in a commercial. She’s just one more pretty girl on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/20 "2015-04-21T21:18:10Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I like Flo/Stephanie Courtney, too. And I think Skald is quite correct about Lily/Milana; she’s very effective. I hope AT&T is paying her the big bucks. I kind of doubt it, if she is under contract. I mean, _I_ know her by name and from Live Prude Girls, but I expect I’m the exception, and that her fame is based entirely on those commercials. If she’s still getting the $800/day I am told would have been usual, I’d not be surprised. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214.md?page=2)