The Top TV Commercials of the Decade

Raikus — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:10:00 GMT

Adweek recently came out with their "Best of the Decade" list which included a "Commercials of the Decade" section. Watching some of these brought back some great memories. As a former advertising creative myself, I've always paid attention to the best and funniest TV spots. Here are some of the highlights from the Adweek list.

Honda - "Grrr"

This Honda spot was voted the best commercial of the decade (non-superbowl) by the people of Adweek. "Grrr" is a beautiful spot with some great music and CGI effect. And it's all about the product with the message running behind the scene throughout the spot. Still, I personally wouldn't have given it the number one spot. There's even another Honda commercial -- "Cog" -- that I'd put ahead of it.

Bud Light - "Swear Jar"

"Swear Jar" was voted the number one spot by Adweek readers for commercial of the decade. It's a very funny spot that takes a scenario and focuses -- like nearly all Bud Light commercials -- on the product itself. The setting is what works here. To think of your coworkers laying down language like this and it being sanctioned by management to cover the cost of some Bud Light makes it all the funnier.

Phillips - "Carousel"

In a close second (and by "close" I mean one vote), the readers voted in Phillips's "Carousel" spot. "Carousel" is a brutal and imaginative work that shows a police/bank robber shootout frozen in time. Not all is as it seems though, and the revolving shot circles back to tell a story with a great twist. It's almost early M. Night Shyamalan-esque.

Cadbury - "Gorilla"

"Gorilla" is one of my personal favorites. It's a masterful blend of music, visuals and hilarity. Using Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight," the spot opens on closeups of a calm but intense gorilla. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but the moment the camera pans back to reveal what the gorilla is doing you'll start chuckling. Then the guffaws will start flying as the drumming kicks in.

Dove - "Evolution"

They say that the point of advertising is to tell the truth -- just not the whole truth. Well this Dove "Evolution" must not have heard the last part. There's no gimmicks to this one. It simply shows what the process from real to marketing entails and it's shocking. The point of the spot is simple: show young girls that what they see on TV and billboards is unrealistic and that their beauty is a true one.

Nike - "Tag"

One of the first "urban playground" spots for Nike, "Tag" still ranks as the best one out there. The sheer scope of the shot and teamwork involved to bring the idea together is staggering. Just to entertain for a moment that a place like NYC could be turned into one big playground with everyone abiding by the same set of game rules makes you feel good. And that's exactly what Nike likes to go after -- feelings.

Honda - "Cog"

As I mentioned before, "Grrr" may have been given the "Best Commercial of the Decade" trophy, but I still believe this Honda spot is a better one. "Cog" had a simple idea, but the simplicity began and ended there. They wanted to make a Rube Goldberg type of spot using parts from the new Honda Accord. Forgoing convention and logic, the makers didn't do it with CGI or camera tricks -- they actually did it! It took two days before the perfect one camera shot turned out, but when it did it make an immortal commercial. People will still be talking about this one decades from now.

Halo 3 - "Diorama"

Halo 3's "Diorama" spot is just about as rare as it gets. It's a commercial about a video game that uses no shots from the game itself. It is completely motionless (aside from the end). Heck, it even transfers into another medium (that of sculpture). And perhaps most impressive of all is that this spot about a fictional video game with space aliens and super-soldiers actually makes you feel emotion. It's an amazing accomplishment and an amazing commercial.

Reebok - "Terry Tate"

As far as corporate motivational idea go having an office linebacker ranks high up there. As the "Terry Tate" commercial shows, any prolonged break or absence of cover sheet on your TPS report can be met with some hard NFL justice. And it seems to work. After all, I doubt Doug will be placing any long distance calls with LB Tate on the prowl.

Levi's - "Crazy Legs"

What would a top commercials post be without a Levi entry? To be fair, I struggled with this one and debated on putting "French Dictionary" (known for its excellent use of "Playground Love") or the wall-breaking "Odyssey." But in the end "Crazy Legs" won out due to its appeal to most everyone. The commercial, which was filmed using a top half actor and bottom half actor has a great use of music and scenery. Not to mention the guy sure beats the pants off that Evolution of Dance guy.

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Well there's my thoughts on the best commercials of this decade. Do you think I missed some? Have a few suggestions that didn't make the list? Feel free to comment below and let me know.

The Wastebucket : levi's

The Top TV Commercials of the Decade