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Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, movie, music and pop culture links, as well as gossip and idle chat from around the Web.

Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



TV commercials: Ads that bring the funny

Posted: Monday, July 30, 2007 1:11 PM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
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I've been busy with the TV critics' summer press tour, but yes, the TV commercial contest is still on. We've received plenty of nominees for worst ads (can anyone beat the creepy Sour Skittles milking man?), but are still kind of hunting around for a GOOD ad.

Our past winners have been the Citibank identity theft ads, the HP "Frames" ad, and the talking cows for Real California Cheese. The HP ad was a marvel of technology and photography, but the other two winners both won, in part, because they hit viewers right on the funny bone.

Humor in ads is a difficult technique for companies and their ad agencies to pull off. What's funny to one generation can be insipid or incomprehensible to another. Even in the same family, one person can find an ad to be hilarious while another dismisses it as stupid. Someone, somewhere, must find Sponge Bob No Pants (video) to be just a laugh riot, but most viewers who've commented here watched it in complete silence (and with some horror).

I do get a kick out of certain funny ads. Mac vs. PC ads (video) almost always makes me smile, although I'd still rather hang out with PC than Mac. The Jack in the Box ads where breakfast (as embodied by a giant fried egg) is excited to be served all day is entertaining, as are many Jack in the Box ads.

I recently spotted a commercial while in Los Angeles that may be regional, but gave me a chuckle. It was about David Beckham coming to play for the L.A. Galaxy (video). While a version of the Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" played in the background, viewers saw European soccer fans sobbing and looking sad as they read articles and watched clips about Beckham leaving, then flipped to U.S. fans rejoicing as he moved here.

Beatles' songs are notoriously expensive to license, and ad agencies that try for them have always got to face the fact that the song is so beloved that merely seeing it used to sell products may turn off consumers. But this song use worked for me, with the smart contrast of "you say goodbye, and I say hello." I'm pretty fed up with Beckham news, but the ad still made my "funny" list. (It also made my "good use of music" list, a rare combo.)

Think about the ads that have made you laugh, as well as those that have reached for humor and completely belly-flopped, and share your thoughts in the comments.

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Comments

I always have to chuckle at the continuing series of DQ waffle cone ads following the torrid romance of the waffle cone and the soft serve.

Steve, Springfield, Ill. (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:21 PM)

I think some of the most dumbly creative ads are for Comcast. "Save a Lot," and a team of people is indeed, saving an empty lot; "Save Big Bucks," and a lifeguard is giving mouth-to-mouth to a deer. Damn easy. Witty and funny.

Amy, Berkeley, CA (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:32 PM)

A commercial that I really like that I haven't seen mentioned here is not one that made me laugh, but it definitely put a smile on my face.

It is the Clorox commercial with the two little boys jumping up and down and they have mud ALL OVER THEM.  It is sooooo cute.  And it says that a mud bath beats a real bath any day.  

The only problem I have with the commercial is that the little girl is in the house with her mother doing the laundry.  Way to reinforce gender stereotypes, Clorox!

Desiree, Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:39 PM)

A new ad I saw this week is a candidate for the worst.  The new "Viva Viagra" ad where the men are in a garage band singing about their faithfulness to their wives and the joys of Viagra to the tune of Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas" makes me cringe.  And now I can't get the song out of my head.  again.

Lisa Kennewick, WA (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:54 PM)

It's probably a regional one that Fox Sports runs...dunno how that works.  But the Colorado Rockies have some gosh darn funny ads.  They have one where the players are trying to "help" around the field.  One's drawing the base line while dancing to his iPod (and a horribly screwed up swervy line is the result but he looks so happy doing it), and another does the team's laundry and dyes everything pink only to be smacked on the back of the head for his good efforts.
They also have one where the players go "mascot tipping" and sneak up on their silly dinosaur mascot while he's asleep and push him over.  They have several others, but they're all equally amusing...they have good ad guys whoever they are.

Leslie, New Mexico (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:56 PM)

I have a high threshold before so-called "funny" ads make me laugh, but I think the commercial for the Tide pen where Kelly Ripa sings a song while she removes a stain from her date's shirt, in the restaurant, is absolutely hysterical.  Her wildly enthusiastic facial expression gets me every time.  It's the only commercial that I stop the TiVo fast-forward for.  It's nice to be able to laugh, out loud, at a commercial.

M P Brennan (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 6:53 PM)

I like the Vytorin ads where they make the relatives look like the food depicting that heredity and diet can cause high cholesterol.  Every time that ad runs, I clambor to see how closely they captured the food with the relatives attire.  Very creative.

Marilyn, Gainesville, FL (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 8:16 PM)

Can I just say that the DQ commercials deserve an honorable mention? You know, the ones where theres 2 people in the car, having a discussion while eating a blizzard... solid gold, baby.

Brittany- Waynesboro, PA (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 8:39 PM)

The new "Viva Viagra" commercial with the 50/60-something guys sitting around jamming about how happy they are with their...um...blue pills. It was just so unreal that I burst into laughter. My husband, (50-something) laughed too - then proceeded to drive me nuts by singing it until I threatened him with severe bodily harm...and not ever needing a blue pill again!    

Lily, Reno NV (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 10:19 PM)

Here's a link you may be interested in.  Slate Magazine had an article about how all ads can be grouped into one of 12 categories and an explanation of what those groups are.  I'd never thought of it that way, and it's made me watch ads in a whole new way.  

http://www.slate.com/id/2170872/

Serena Harlow (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:24 AM)

Perhaps I am one of the rare ones, but I find the "Sponge Bob No Pants" commercial extremely funny.  It's exactly what my husband would do had he thought of it first.

Jennifer, Asheville, NC (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:54 AM)

This has been around for a few years, but I love the Staples (I think it's Staples) ad for back to school that uses the song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and has the dad zipping around the store on the shopping cart joyfully picking out school supplies while the kids look on sullenly. I now sing the song any time I go into an office supply store, much to my husband's chagrin. Then again, I'm an insane graduate student who likes going back to school.

Heidi, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:20 AM)

I love the craftsman tool ad that runs during NASCAR races:  during a bowling tournament, the ball return machine goes haywire and starts shooting bowling balls everywhere.  People are ducking and glass cabinets are smashed by the flying balls.  I laugh even before the balls come shooting out!

Annette, Brighton, MI (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:22 AM)

There was a Xerox ad about 30 years ago that showed a high school football game that was won in the last seconds thanks to a Xerox copier. I saw it only once and died laughing. Wish I could see it again.

Neil B Coaling AL (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:51 AM)

i think that the cingular dropped calls ads are hilarious!! the one where the woman tells her husband she's pregnant, but doesn't hear his overjoyed response is classic- "way to step up there"!!
and their newest one, about a butcher asking the meat supply company manager if his wife was the reason his order was late is too funny!

april morgan, california, md (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:57 AM)

I nominate the coldstone creamery commercials in which the subjects worse nightmares are in the store and they have to decide whether the ice cream is worth it. They are very funny. Bigfoot having to face a brazialian bikini waxer...priceless

Jess, Dover Delaware (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 9:15 AM)

I thought that the "Sponge Bob No Pants" ad was the most creepiest, because "Dad" was bathing, with the door open, with his two kids standing in front of the open door. All I heard in my head was, "Pedophile". Where's Chris Hansen when you need him.

BEM, Tampa, FL (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 9:32 AM)

I love the AFLAC Duck commericals. They always make me smile.

Katherine LeDuc, Escanaba MI (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:10 AM)

the funniest ad i have seen in sometime was a one timer during this years super bowl.  it was two animals holding a mouse and trying to figure out how to use it.  thier comments and the mouse's reaction were great. just saw this once but it was great

bill sprung, breckenridge, mn (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:15 AM)

Enough of the Beckham-related crap.  If Pele couldn't make this country love footie, nothing will.

(And considering I'm a Manchester United fan, that's saying a lot.)

Lemur, Neptune NJ (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:31 AM)

I haven't seen mention of it yet, but I LOVE the Comcast Slowsky turtles.  They are an absolute riot, no matter which commercial it is!  And the first time I saw that skittles milking man one- I wasn't sure whether I should laugh at the ingenuity of it or cringe in disgust that someone ACTUALLY thought up something like that!

Melissa, Washington DC (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:37 AM)

I just saw an ad for a fast-food place (McDonald's I think) in which two women are sitting at a table eating one of their salads, and a song comes on every time they shake the packaged chicken cubes onto the salad...the song and the women's reaction to it is what makes it hilarious!

Josie, Miami, FL (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:52 AM)

The best ad I've seen in a while is the KFC ad where the guy is told he's being laid off, then gets everybody's attention and tells them they can get the same teriyaki chicken down at KFC for $3.99. It may be the sweetest "revenge ad" I've ever seen.

Norm Ponder, Lancaster, CA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:08 AM)

I just started seeing an ad, for some kind of gum, I believe, where the guy is in an airport security line. After beginning to chew the gum he starts to do a striptease with his belt, shoes and everything they make you "take off" at the screening booth. Disco music plays in the background. I fly a lot so thought this was kind of charming.

Shannon, KCMO (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:20 AM)

There are two commercials that I can't stand: one is for Febreze where the woman sprays it in her car and then she starts sniffing it and she drives in circles backwards.  It really aggravates me.  The other is for Geico where it shows a video of a guy's face upside down and he has those googly eyes stuck to his chin and he is eating with his mouth open.  That commercial makes me gag everytime.  I DO have a better way to spend five minutes: change the channel.  I hate these two commercials!!!  

Cristina, Fort Collins, CO (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:30 AM)

Sorry to add to a long list but as far as bad ads, the 'Viva Viagra" one must have Elvis Presley spinning like a top.  All the talk about how Viagra + Los Vegas = Irresponable sex is one thing, but to me the add is just in bad taste bad taste.  This one gets my vote for worst commercial ever.

A. Baker (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:44 AM)

The Target ads that also use this song, while not funny, aren't too bad really. Visually they are interesting, and the music is suitable as well

Elizabeth,Tucson (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:03 PM)

I like the new Band-Aid commercial that has a little girl and boy singing about how band-aid sticks on their knees and helps them heal. It is so cute. They are both no more than 4 years old. At the end of the commercial it shows them playing. This commercial makes me smile every time!

Tia Goodyear, AZ (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:22 PM)

I haven't seen this on TV, just online, but this Skittles ad is hilarious

http://glumbert.com/media/skittles

Scott (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:28 PM)

OK, there is a new ad from Honda that makes me hysterical every time I see it ..
It's the one where the guys are talking and one of the guys says since he got the new car he has the extra money to get the dog fixed .. cut to the dog who then neighs like a horse ... and the guy says it just creeps out the other dogs. I don't know why but I literally cry from laughing so hard every time I see it.

Linda, Las Vegas NV (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:39 PM)

The Fruit of the Loom "Apple of My Eye" ad with the apple singing "Apple of My Eye" in concert with Vince Gill (and the other Fruit in the band) while showing the Apple-dad and his Apple-son in home videos in the background.  Cute, funny, and good to listen to, too.    

Ursula, Kokomo, IN (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:45 PM)

My whole family really enjoys the new Hillshire Farms meat ads with the guys bar-b-queing and singing. It's hilarious!

Chris (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:49 PM)

Even though I cannot stand Comcast, I think their "Save a Lot" commercial is hysterical.  The guy with the bullhorn marching around gets me everytime.  I also like the "Save some Cabbage" when the rescuer tells the cabbage to stop freaking out.  

Kelly, Doylestown, PA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:35 PM)

I've been enjoying the recent Hanes commercials with Michael Jordan and Cuba Gooding, Jr. I'm usually laughing at the end. "I'm wearing your underwear!"

Barb, Springfield, Oregon (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:36 PM)

Maybe you have to be a fan, but I think NASCAR and its sponsors have some of the best, most clever ads on TV. Take Michael Waltrip and his sponsor, NAPA, for instance. Toyota's inclusion in Nextel Cup racing this year was a huge deal, lots of fanfare. Only problem was that the Toyotas sucked. So drivers like Waltrip and Dale Jarrett were stuck barely and rarely making races. So they gave up on trying to convince fans that the Toyota was a great thing. One commercial had Waltrip and Jarrett in their racesuits walking down a hallway with Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55" blasting overhead. Jarrett says "seems a little loud." So Waltrip opens a closte door and there's Sammy, jamming. Waltrip says "can you turn it down a little?" Hagar says "Sure. Can you drive a little faster?" Waltrip closes the door and says "He's always like that on Mondays." The second commercial that just made me belly laugh is Waltrip in his NAPA suit talking about what bad season it's been but talking about fan support as he opens letters. One letter asks "so waltrip, have they turned Turn 3 into a school zone?". He goes on to the next letter from "N.A. Pa in Atlanta. (Pause) Well,that's not very nice."

I just think that, by and large, the NASCAR affiliated commercials are way more entertaining, and the drivers more personable, than the bulk of commercials on today. It's like good Super Bowl commercials all race long.

Jennifer Richey, Birmingham Alabama (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:42 PM)

I hate the so-easy-a-caveman-could-do-it commercials for GEICO, I think.  DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!!  And it's one TV show I absollutely will not watch.    

Pat from Virginia Beach (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:57 PM)

I saw an ad for a Flav R Flav roast spoofing the Mac/PC ads that was pretty funny...

Dinana Canby, OR (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 2:20 PM)

I love the Sonic (fast food restaurant) ads. Whether it's the doofy guy and his wife or his buddy, they crack me up!

Deidra, Washington, DC (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 2:21 PM)

I have a sick sense of Humor so I loved the looooong scoot dog ( coulda been a stanley steamer commercial), I liked the one with the garden regrow spray and the dead dog come out of the garden alive again and scare the hell out of the lady gardening "Rusty?!?!?".  I also laughed at the bunny bionics ( i have no idea what the commerical was for ) but the were trying to rematch all the colored lucky bunny feet back to the bunnies that lost them.  

Demoness NYC (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 2:34 PM)

I really love the Maytag commercial with the Maytag repair man fixing the stuffed animal machine.  The cute little teddy bears with their faces on their stomachs is a riot.

Julie Richond VA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 2:36 PM)

The new Miller ads where the delivery driver goes into the store in one and the restaurant in the other and takes back the miller highlife because their prices are too high.  Makes ME laugh everytime and I'm a "tea" totaler.

Maurice Burrumm, Portland, Ore (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 2:56 PM)

I like the Dairy Queen commercials where the waffle bowl and the ice cream cone are "hot" for each other.  I've seen two of them now and they are both pretty good.

Cathy Peterson, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:06 PM)

I always enjoy the commericals for Target. They are always visually stimulating and usally make good use of music. It's kind of funny how I can always tell that its a Target commerical even if I have never seen it before.

Wendy, Leavenworth KS (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:26 PM)

Note: this one is for the grown-ups.

The funniest commercial I remember - and I've only seen a few times - involved Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott on a golf course. Ronnie is having trouble with his golf swing, so Montana asks "What's the matter, Ron? Masculine itching?". Montana extols the virtues of "Itch Stopper Plus" directly to the camera, holding up a jar of gooey petroleum-jelly-like product that's bigger than a softball. He explains the causes of the discomfort, complete with a rotating 3-D computer graphic illustrating the problem. Montana then shows how the product can be used by scooping two fingers full of dripping goop from the jar and leaning forward to apply it to Lott - when the commercial stops abruptly for text and a voice-over that say "Get TiVo - and skip the stuff you don't want to see"

The personal-care-product spoof is pitch-perfect. The actors are slightly stilted; the birds chirping in the background have clearly been added in post; when Montana turns to the camera, sappy generic piano music starts up under his monologue; the computer graphic even has the disclaimer "if discomfort persists, consult physician". The only give-aways are the outrageousness of the product, Lott's "Boy Howdy!" and Montana's look of barely contained laughter as he says "...applied to the affected area."

(found on YouTube as "Masculine Itching")

Eric, Oak Park, IL (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:39 PM)

i cant believe no one has mentioned the beef jerkey commercials "messing with saquatch" they are the funniest ones i have seen in years.

barbara letson, memphis, tn (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:40 PM)

These are regional commercials, but if you want to see something funny go to YouTube and search for "Badger Car Salesman".  They are pretty popular here in the Triangle (NC).

Lacey, NC (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:46 PM)

The worst commercials ever have to be the Hillshire Farm commercials.  They are all horrible!!!  It is enought to make me never buy their products again!!

Sue , Sun Prairie, WI (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:52 PM)

I really like those "Go Meat" commercials, especially the one with the guys yelling meat cheers while in their backyards grilling!

So inventive!

mef (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:02 PM)

I love the Aflac Duck commercial with Yogi Barra.  And I love the Windex commercial where the birds close the patio door (cleaned with Windex) and the guy runs smack dab into it.

Judy T. Columbus, GA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:06 PM)

The funniest ad I have seen lately is the Orbit gum commercial where there are three people fighting, the funny thing about it is the use of non dirty words but you get the idea. It starts off with "You son of bisquit eating bulldog - What the french, toast..." and continues. Look it up on youtube for a good laugh.

Mike Hestness, Bothell WA (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:15 PM)



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