Childhood memories of TV time include more than just the kiddy shows. The funny commercials make a lasting mark too.
By THOMAS SELLERS JR.
WEST 10 Media/MVP
The television has been around for about 90 years.
Recently we’ve seen a decline in the importance of one of the 20th century’s greatest invention. But as smart TVs are figuring out a way to broadcast our phones, screaming services and the internet, people all over the world are still purchasing large flat-screen televisions.
Once a centerpiece of entertainment and information, the TV has adjusted to the market, learning to share with computers, laptops and phones.
Known as the “idiot box,” the TV was blamed for the downward spiral of values, morals and intelligence for children. Attach a video game or VCR to it, and children got dumber.
Fast forward to 2019, and the aforementioned computer, laptop and phone are now blamed for the ignorance of U.S. American youth.
Believe it or not, parents are happy to see their children at home watching the good ole tube … YouTube on the TV. At least that way they can monitor what they are viewing.
No matter the device, these items influence all of our thoughts, ambitions and even purchases. Businesses and organizations realized this years ago with the invention of the radio to slip commercials in between programs. TV gave us visual images of things for sale.
This generation enjoyed a brief moment of avoiding commercials until businesses realized the power of a pop-up ad during YouTube or floating about your opening screen while you’re watching your phone.
For every 22 minutes of entertainment on TV, we endured 8 minutes of a sales pitch. As time has passed by, I realized there have been thousands of good commercials, jingles and slogans.
Today the Best Sellers’ List is going to highlight five of my favorite commercials of all time. I’m not saying these are the best to ever grace a TV, but these memorable pitches made me cry tears of laughter many times.
I will share the link below so you can go judge for yourself.
5. Jake from State Farm
If your name is Jake, I apologize in advance. Because just like using “Bye, Felicia” to any Felicia I am departing, I will greet any Jake with “Jake … from State Farm?”
Back in August 2011, an unassuming State Farm Insurance ad starts with a man talking on the phone in his dark living room after hours. “Yeah, I’m married. Does that matter? You’d do that for me?”
With those words echoing through the phone, his wife pops on the light. She is ready to rip her husband apart and demands to know who is on the other end. He tells her, “It’s Jake from State Farm.”
She snatches the phone as her husband keeps repeating “Jake from State Farm.”
Then the iconic exchange takes place.
Wife: “What are you wearing — JAKE FROM STATE FARM?”
Jake: “Ummmm, khakis.”
Wife: (Turning to her husband) “She sounds hideous.”
The straight-faced delivery of the husband the entire ordeal is the foundation for your laughter. The wife has the right comedic energy of a woman ready to pounce on the first thing that confirms her suspicion. And poor Jake, he is so timid and innocent just trying to do his job.
The point of the commercial is that State Farm is reliable any time of the day. You can count on State Farm to put family first and not break up a family. We all need a Jake on the other end of the phone.
4. Volkswagen Jetta — Shopping cart
Anybody who has ever bought a new car knows how you want to protect it against all hurt, harm and danger. The car becomes your baby and a top priority of your life.
But there comes a time when you stop parking miles away from the store or double-parking diagonally. You fall back into an old habit of trying to get the most convenient parking place. Here is where the Volkswagen Jetta classic comes into play. A few years ago this commercial starts with a man zooming up to park right in front of a grocery store.
He causally hops out the Jetta and walks off screen. In the distance you can hear a faint rumbling. The noise grows in intensity and you can identity it is a loose shopping cart heading straight to the innocent Jetta.
Oh no, that Jetta will receive its first bump and bruise. Who will save the car? What will stop this runaway cart from destroying the panel of the precious Jetta?
Don’t worry too long, the man races back into the view of the camera to deliver a flying tackle of the shopping cart. The Jetta is fine and still pristine.
For about 25 seconds you didn’t hear any dialogue, just a voiceover. Then the man lets us viewers know, “I’m OK.”
3. GEICO caveman commercial, “The Apology”
GEICO is among the best companies at producing funny commercials. And they know it when they recently introduced a campaign reflecting on their greatness (Hump Day camel, meddling mom, little piggy and of course the Godfathers of the genre, the cavemen).
In 2004, the campaign was created by Joe Lawson and Noel Ritter while working at The Martin Agency. It was born from the classic phrase, “It’s so easy, a caveman can do it.”
Apparently during a GEICO commercial shoot, the spokesperson offended the sound guy, who was a caveman because of the throwaway line. The caveman stormed off the set.
Oh, but that wasn’t the end of the situation. GEICO aired the commercial and then an apology followed with the spokesperson at a fancy country club with two cavemen members.
The nervous spokesperson was there to apology on behalf of GEICO. The cavemen were really upset but wanted to show this GEICO fella they had class and intelligence beyond switching insurance just to save up to 15%.
Doing my research, roasted duck with a mango salsa is the meal of the highly intellectual. The entire series of the GEICO caveman is comic gold. It was hard just to pull one out of the collection. But when the caveman said, “I don’t have much of an appetite,” it just boosted that commercial to the top of my GEICO list.
2. Budget Rental Car — Aromatherapy
Anybody who has been on a family vacation or needed to make a long business trip knows about rental cars. Most of us just want an affordable, dependable vehicle to get from point A to point B.
With so much competition like Avis, Hertz and Enterprise, car rental companies like Budget needed an X-factor to separate itself from the rest. Budget Rent a Car launched an advertising campaign about the great options it offers along with rentals.
Of course they used the method of exaggeration. Enter the “Aromatherapy” spot. The commercial opens with the Budget idea department meeting around a conference table, discussing the next phase of their special offers. In a move to increase the comfort of their luxury line, one person pitches aromatherapy candles.
Then we get an inside look at the vision. Both businessmen are knocked out in the backseat. The man in the passenger seat is also asleep. Then the camera pans to the driver. He is also dead to the world. Oh yes, the driver is out cold.
The car is out of control and crosses the expressway into the lanes of opposing traffic.
“We don’t really need an aromatherapy candle.”
I guess we had to settle for getting a luxury car for $50 as a bargain.
1. Outback Steakhouse – Fridge out again?
The “You’ll find any excuse to go Outback,” campaign is very underrated. It was one of the funniest advertising series to date. There are a few classics from this era with the best being a wife making her “famous” salmon loaf. The highlight of this dish that can be stored in the refrigerator is the canned English peas being poured over the raw salmon.
Enter her husband in his robe reading a newspaper. As he is trying to find his footing early in the morning, the go-getter wife informs him she made her casserole.
She goes to place it in the refrigerator. Meanwhile the husband causally pulls the plug on the ice box and leaves to go start his day.
Wait for it … the punchline is coming. As the voiceover highlights some of the deals at Outback, we return to see the husband and wife with their children at Outback.
The waiter walks up the family, “Hey, that fridge not working again?” That implies that the staff at Outback takes the time to get to know you and welcomes you back each and every time.
The husband has a look on his face that sells the whole situation. “Weird,” is his reply while looking dumbfounded.
I absolutely love this commercial and think it is the best usage of a stand-up style delivery come to life in a TV spot.
THOMAS SELLERS JR. is the editor of The Millington Star and both the sports editor and a weekly personal columnist for West 10 Media/Magic Valley Publishing. Contact him by phone at (901) 433-9138, by fax to (901) 529-7687 and by email to thomas@magicvalleypublishing.com.
