# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/41 "2015-04-22T14:33:23Z")
Frank Bartles and Ed Jaymes from the Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers campaign. I assume the guys were actors and not the real Bartles & James, but I don’t know that for certain. The commercials were always chuckle-worthy. Thanks for your support. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/42 "2015-04-22T14:41:59Z")
[Raymond J. Johnson, Jr.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7n9YX1Xfw4) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/43 "2015-04-22T14:49:05Z")
I miss the Sprint “Trench Coat Guy” (actor [Brian Baker](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048294/)) from 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/44 "2015-04-22T14:59:00Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Mayhem is played by Dean Winters, He also played Liz Lemon’s deadbeat boyfriend/ex-boyfriend on _30 Rock_. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > 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. Milana was in an episode of HBO’s comedy series _Silicon Valley_ last year. I love her latest AT&T commercial, with the bedazzled shirt. I’m also a fan of “Jan” the Toyota spokeswoman. ---
**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 22, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/45 "2015-04-22T15:09:20Z")
Do nonhumans count? :dubious: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z82cqetJaHI/hqdefault.jpg "Taco Bell Dog Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z82cqetJaHI) ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/46 "2015-04-22T15:41:52Z")
> [@mind\_the\_gap](#): > > Mayhem (He dates Carrie in an episode of Sex in the City) and Joe Isuzu. Joe Isuzu completely caricatures ALL salemen, especially car salesmen. Joe Isuzu - Yep! 🙂 The OLDER Mayhem - more recent Facebook postings of Mayhem seem mean and just not that funny. CLASSIC are Fred Rated ads for Federated Department Stores - mostly electronics - the guy was actually the corporate advertising manager. Some are hilarious, some are hokey. Can be found on Youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/47 "2015-04-22T15:44:06Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > Frank Bartles and Ed Jaymes from the Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers campaign. I assume the guys were actors and not the real Bartles & James, but I don’t know that for certain. You’re correct. They were played by David Rufkahr (Bartles) and Dick Maugg (Jaymes), neither of whom were professional actors. And the characters were invented by an ad agency - there was no real Bartles and Jaymes. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/48 "2015-04-22T15:48:23Z")
One of my favorites who hasn’t been mentioned is the Russian millionaire character for Direct TV. (“Opulence, I has it.”) ---
**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 22, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/49 "2015-04-22T15:50:59Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I thought about complaining that Lowe’s an endorser, not a character, and the various bad versions of him are not continuing characters, and so don’t count. But I’m not gonna, because I love those commercials. As someone wrote upthread, those commercial are basically very short TV shows–worth watching for themselves. I look forward to each new iterations. They were good, although they were criticized for inaccurate and misleading claims, and have now been pulled: [DirecTV ends edgy ads with Rob Lowe amid criticism - CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/directv-ends-edgy-ads-with-rob-lowe-amid-criticism/) ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/50 "2015-04-22T16:01:51Z")
How can we forget the [Real Men Of Genius](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsC3ni7A88M). ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/51 "2015-04-22T16:58:14Z")
> [@Nefario](#): > > Joe Isuzu - Yep! 🙂 > > The OLDER Mayhem - more recent Facebook postings of Mayhem seem mean and just not that funny. > > CLASSIC are Fred Rated ads for Federated Department Stores - mostly electronics - the guy was actually the corporate advertising manager. Some are hilarious, some are hokey. Can be found on Youtube. Nitpick - Fred Rated was played by Shadoe Stevens, radio personality. And he was great! ---
**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 22, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/52 "2015-04-22T18:00:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > They were good, although they were criticized for inaccurate and misleading claims, and have now been pulled: [DirecTV ends edgy ads with Rob Lowe amid criticism - CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/directv-ends-edgy-ads-with-rob-lowe-amid-criticism/) Who cares? I assume that every statement made in a commercial is misleading or irrelevant. I don’t care, for instance, about the “ugly wires” DirecTv boasts about so much. And I don’t even UNDERSTAND caring about being able to record 5 shows while watching a sixth. Who has time for that much television? As somebody (maybe you?) said upthread, the best TV ad campaigns are extremely brief TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/53 "2015-04-22T22:39:01Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > 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. My wife and I like the “Emily and Ryan” series of commercials for Haverty’s furniture (like [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5FWl3u5OZc) or [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk8RnPfj3iU)), but were recently bothered by Emily’s [appearing simultaneously in an AT&T ad with Lily](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_74315l2yss)… _and another man who is not Ryan!_ It should be wrong for a commercial actor or actress to take on two gigs at the same time. Tony the Tiger doesn’t shill for Pine-Sol, he only advertises Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes\*. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > But that’s just me. What are you favorite commercial characters, and why? We also get a kick out of [Pete and T.J. advertising for Sonic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt8rblzdmqs). - - in before some wise-ass notes the it’s Thurl “Tony The Tiger” Ravenscroft who sang the Grinch song for the original Chuck Jones animated special. He’s still not advertising Pine-Sol. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/54 "2015-04-23T00:03:41Z")
the Sun, from those frozen breakfast commercials. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/55 "2015-04-23T00:10:40Z")
[quote=“terentii, post:7, topic:718214”] The Noxema babe. :o [/QUOTE] Absolutely this one. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/56 "2015-04-23T00:31:55Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > - > - in before some wise-ass notes the it’s Thurl “Tony The Tiger” Ravenscroft who sang the Grinch song for the original Chuck Jones animated special. He’s still not advertising Pine-Sol. No, but he gives a ringing endorsement to seasick crocodiles. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/57 "2015-04-23T00:47:56Z")
Huh, 55 posts in and no mention of [the Noid](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5oo3i38K2g)? Yeah, he’s retired, but the ads were definitely amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214/58 "2015-04-26T02:20:37Z")
I absolutely loved James Garner and Mariette Hartley in the old Polaroid commercials. They had such dynamite chemistry together that people thought they were actually married in real life. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8u0x0Vpy2k) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-characters-from-television-ad-campaigns/718214.md?page=2)