I don’t really understand this Guinness commercial. A group of guys get together for a nice pint, and drinking it sends them back in time through the ages. They devolve into cavemen, then various animals, and finally turn into fish with feet. Is this meant to suggest that drinking turns you into a primal beast? Not that I would argue with that, but the point doesn’t seem very clear.
Has anyone else seen an ad for the Sponge Bob sponge? I’ve only seen it a couple of times, and I can’t find anything about it (much less a video clip of the commercial) online. It’s a funny product, partly because it’s hideously overpriced. If anyone can find a website for it, or anything of the sort, do let me know!
The service organization Rotary International does some good work, but their ads haven’t always been the most entertaining spots on TV. This new PSA, however, is very nicely made. It’s called “A new symbol for peace,” and it is definitely influenced by the indie-type aesthetic. Check it.
I know that the National Kidney Foundation was probably going for a 007 kinda thing with their latest ad’s background music, but to me it sounds more like the opening theme from TV’s Mad Men. Every time the commercial comes on I think I’m in store for some sexy retro drama, but instead it’s just an ad telling me to take care of my kidneys. I don’t even know how one goes about protecting their kidneys. Not selling them to pay the rent is about as far as I intend to go in that regard.
You can watch the TV spot (“Time is Now”) on the NKF website’s media page, or download it instantly by clicking here. And just for comparison, the Mad Men intro can be seen here.
Actor Jason Statham is pretty good looking, and I don’t mind his acting. So even though I was pretty late to the game, only discovering this ad a couple of months ago (as opposed to during the Super Bowl when it first aired), I was excited to see this commercial. Audi cleverly references the style and tone of one of Jason’s action movies, making this an ad you can almost forget is an ad.
This is just gross. I don’t know what this so-called RepHresh actually does, but I guess it’s supposed to restore your lady parts to their natural glory. The suggestions for when you should use it, i.e. “after sex…after douching,” are just priceless. But still, ew.
I’ve been looking for a copy of this Lean Cuisine ad for a while, due to the fact that it paints a very odd picture of the polarized way some people think about food. Like you’re either eating horrifically unhealthy food in binge proportions, or you’re on a diet and stuck with boring low-fat frozen dinners. It’s not like you could prepare a healthy meal using fresh ingredients or anything.
Also, I love the idea of eating a block of cheese for dinner. I’ve probably only ever put away half a block of cheese at a time, but I’ve certainly been tempted to polish one off in one sitting.
I understand that some people like to have extramarital affairs, but do they have to do it in such a sleazy way as to sign up for a website just for cheaters? Somehow it makes the whole thing seem so much seedier. Here are two of their (badly produced) commercials.
For this week’s spotlight ad, I have chosen the second installment in the Magic Bullet trilogy, which focuses on a portable version of the device known as the Magic Bullet To Go. Some highlights include:
-A much-needed dash of sarcastic, self-referential comedy, i.e. “with what, your ‘magic bullet’?”
-The fact that the hosts’ friends are truly befuddled by the device at first…more than usual.
-Everyone seems confused when the hungover smoking lady, Hazel (my favorite character from the first MB infomercial) shows up on their camping trip. Plus, she emerges from the tent of the slob character, Berman…ew! You can see their sexual chemistry in action in the photo above.
-The hosts remember what the characters like in their pancakes, which shows some nice continuity from the first MB ad. But the way the male host mentions picking fresh blueberries for the (seemingly married) friend is a little sleazy.
-The Barney character speaks very passive-aggressively and condescendingly to his wife. When she acknowledges that chopping garlic is a pain, he mutters, “how would you know?” and when he talks about having to chop onions, he glumly states, “I think she just likes to see me cry.”
You can view all three parts of the ad (each of which takes place in a different vacation destination) below. The action starts at the 2:30 mark in the first video.
I absolutely love David Lynch and his fine films, but you have to wonder who would assign him the task of directing ads for Clear Blue Easy pregnancy tests. Anyone who’s seen Eraserhead knows that, in David’s hands, pregnancy is no less than a terrifying gurney ride to hell. I keep expecting a monster baby to jump out of this lady’s stomach or something.
P.S. I was originally searching for the new Clear Blue ad where the female narrator says, “hoping for a baby?” or something like that, because the way she says “baby” reminds me a lot of those semi-funny SNL sketches with Madonna and Angelina Jolie saying “baby” over and over. If you find it, send a tip my way!
