50 Greatest Commercials of the 1980s
December 5, 2006 7:44 PM Subscribe
Great stuff. I always thought the best anti-drug PSA was the "This is your brain"--egg. "This is your brain on drugs"--frying egg. "Any questions?" Propaganda, to be sure, but a great commercial.
posted by zardoz at 7:58 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by zardoz at 7:58 PM on December 5, 2006
this is a really random list (and some weren't even nat'l--or from the 80s)-- where's the frying pan "this is your brain on drugs" one? and where's the Soviet fashion show fastfood one?
(the Tootsie Pops owl is from the late 60s/early 70s, and the Krazy Glue and Peppermint Pattie ones are 70s too)
/cranky
posted by amberglow at 8:05 PM on December 5, 2006
(the Tootsie Pops owl is from the late 60s/early 70s, and the Krazy Glue and Peppermint Pattie ones are 70s too)
/cranky
posted by amberglow at 8:05 PM on December 5, 2006
But where's the beef? And why didn't anyone see if Mikey liked these?
At least they remembered Bonkers.
posted by dilettante at 8:10 PM on December 5, 2006
At least they remembered Bonkers.
posted by dilettante at 8:10 PM on December 5, 2006
The Jerry Springer ad alone is worth the click; I didn't even know he was a politician in a previous life, let alone a disgraced one.
posted by The Confessor at 8:22 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by The Confessor at 8:22 PM on December 5, 2006
Batman taking the Geo Metro (#40) was incredible. "The batmobile... it's just too big."
posted by anthill at 8:30 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by anthill at 8:30 PM on December 5, 2006
I just noticed one that is so 80s my head asploded: You're a coffee achiever!
posted by zardoz at 8:30 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by zardoz at 8:30 PM on December 5, 2006
These are not the best.
Where's Joe Isuzu? Morris the cat? That McDonalds one with the singing moon?
Where's the commercial with Reagan and Gorbachev in a death-cage match on top of a very high mountain that I'm probably making up?
posted by logicpunk at 8:39 PM on December 5, 2006
Where's Joe Isuzu? Morris the cat? That McDonalds one with the singing moon?
Where's the commercial with Reagan and Gorbachev in a death-cage match on top of a very high mountain that I'm probably making up?
posted by logicpunk at 8:39 PM on December 5, 2006
Joe Isuzu? Here's Joe Isuzu. While you're at it, would you care to buy some Ginsu knives?
posted by furiousthought at 8:57 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by furiousthought at 8:57 PM on December 5, 2006
y2karl woulda done it better.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:01 PM on December 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:01 PM on December 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
12. Teddy Ruxpin
Yup, animatronic animal toys were all the rage in the ’80s, creating an entire generation of kids with unbelievably fucked-up nightmares....
13. Snuggle fabric softener
What does it say about us as a society that we’re obviously completely obsessed with talking, evil-looking stuffed animals? This one should have found its way into a horror movie.
MADtv Snuggles
I agree this is a list with some strange omissions (maybe just because they aren't on YouTube). But with Jason Alexander's McDLT ad and the Radio Shack Cellular Car Phone, they're obviously going for a retrospective point of view. Unremarkable, in other words, except for later developments.
posted by dhartung at 9:21 PM on December 5, 2006
Yup, animatronic animal toys were all the rage in the ’80s, creating an entire generation of kids with unbelievably fucked-up nightmares....
13. Snuggle fabric softener
What does it say about us as a society that we’re obviously completely obsessed with talking, evil-looking stuffed animals? This one should have found its way into a horror movie.
MADtv Snuggles
I agree this is a list with some strange omissions (maybe just because they aren't on YouTube). But with Jason Alexander's McDLT ad and the Radio Shack Cellular Car Phone, they're obviously going for a retrospective point of view. Unremarkable, in other words, except for later developments.
posted by dhartung at 9:21 PM on December 5, 2006
(funny that the name Metro is synonymous on both sides of the Atlantic with astonishingly godawful cars though)
posted by forallmankind at 9:32 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by forallmankind at 9:32 PM on December 5, 2006
That Jason Alexander McDonalds ad....it's....I....urghhh...MY EYES! MY EARS! THE NOSTALGIAS DO NOTHING!"
posted by The Card Cheat at 9:59 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by The Card Cheat at 9:59 PM on December 5, 2006
(These things are always fucking great...milk ages better than 99.99% of all advertising.)
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:09 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:09 PM on December 5, 2006
This is Your Brain on Drugs
Wendy's - Soviet Fashion Show Ad
posted by kirkaracha at 10:16 PM on December 5, 2006
Wendy's - Soviet Fashion Show Ad
posted by kirkaracha at 10:16 PM on December 5, 2006
I want to see the paper blob commercial again. (I think it was a FedEx commercial.)
posted by kirkaracha at 10:19 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by kirkaracha at 10:19 PM on December 5, 2006
I remember a classmate cracking us up with his side-splitting alternate lyrics to the My Buddy commercial: "My buddy... he's cruddy..."
posted by evilcolonel at 11:14 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by evilcolonel at 11:14 PM on December 5, 2006
What about that kid with the encyclopedias and his report on space?
posted by chillmost at 11:51 PM on December 5, 2006
posted by chillmost at 11:51 PM on December 5, 2006
What does it say about us as a society that we’re obviously completely obsessed with talking, evil-looking stuffed animals? This one should have found its way into a horror movie.
Not a fan of the Child's Play movies eh (or Gremlins for that matter)?
What about that kid with the encyclopedias and his report on space?
You mean the one with his own blog and porn (NSFW obviously) sites now, Donovan Freeberg?
posted by Pollomacho at 12:10 AM on December 6, 2006
Not a fan of the Child's Play movies eh (or Gremlins for that matter)?
What about that kid with the encyclopedias and his report on space?
You mean the one with his own blog and porn (NSFW obviously) sites now, Donovan Freeberg?
posted by Pollomacho at 12:10 AM on December 6, 2006
List compiler was trying too hard to be clever and not hard enough to be accurate.
Commenters have done a great job of stirring up the memories, though - well done, folks!
posted by batmonkey at 12:25 AM on December 6, 2006
Commenters have done a great job of stirring up the memories, though - well done, folks!
posted by batmonkey at 12:25 AM on December 6, 2006
Correction: The 50 best American Commercials of the 80s.
posted by salmacis at 12:34 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by salmacis at 12:34 AM on December 6, 2006
“Hey man, is that Freedom Rock?” “Yeah, man!” “Well, turn it up, man!” Thanks to Saucy Intruder for the bad memories...
posted by spacelux at 12:36 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by spacelux at 12:36 AM on December 6, 2006
"The Dark Crystal movie trailer - Even the clip is dark! This was Jim Henson’s foray into claymation cinema..."
???
"...huge box office disaster..."
$15,000,000 budget, $40,577,001 box office returns (US)
"...that gave the few kids who saw it nightmares for weeks"
I know most of my third grade class had seen it and I don't remember any nightmares...
posted by Tenuki at 12:48 AM on December 6, 2006
???
"...huge box office disaster..."
$15,000,000 budget, $40,577,001 box office returns (US)
"...that gave the few kids who saw it nightmares for weeks"
I know most of my third grade class had seen it and I don't remember any nightmares...
posted by Tenuki at 12:48 AM on December 6, 2006
I cannot believe the Apple 1984 commercial did not make the list.
posted by grobey22 at 3:10 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by grobey22 at 3:10 AM on December 6, 2006
I totally wanted that lady athlete from the 1984 ad -- wasn't gettin' much action in those days.
posted by pax digita at 4:45 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by pax digita at 4:45 AM on December 6, 2006
They totally made my day by putting the Freedom Rock commercial at number 2 - my hacky-sack stoner friends and I could recite it word for word, complete with the music clips. I'm amazed that it meant so much to other people too. What a flashback. Now I need a bottle toke.
Here's the thing though - the clip they show is different to the one we had - probably on WUAB43 Cleveland. Ours had a bit with one dude going "Remember the 60's? War, protest, goin to jail?"...and then the other guy says "Well all those great tunes we used to groove to back the are back!" Was that censored out or something?
The rest, not so iconic. But the bonkers one was good: 'Mah son throught Bonkers was gum. He knows it's candy now...'
posted by Flashman at 5:24 AM on December 6, 2006
Here's the thing though - the clip they show is different to the one we had - probably on WUAB43 Cleveland. Ours had a bit with one dude going "Remember the 60's? War, protest, goin to jail?"...and then the other guy says "Well all those great tunes we used to groove to back the are back!" Was that censored out or something?
The rest, not so iconic. But the bonkers one was good: 'Mah son throught Bonkers was gum. He knows it's candy now...'
posted by Flashman at 5:24 AM on December 6, 2006
Call NAtional-2 nine thousand, NAtional 2 nine... thou-ou-sand.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:41 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:41 AM on December 6, 2006
A few of my screencaps from 1983 MTV.
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="http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/6053/output913846oc.jpg">
="http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/3821/output156194mkre9.jpg">
posted by elmwood at 6:07 AM on December 6, 2006
="http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/2218/output690471rg.jpg">
="http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/6053/output913846oc.jpg">
="http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/3821/output156194mkre9.jpg">
posted by elmwood at 6:07 AM on December 6, 2006
amberglow that soviet fashion show ad for wendy's won the 1985 Clio award. and you're totally right, this list makes no sense.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:46 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by crush-onastick at 6:46 AM on December 6, 2006
rats and the clio link disappears.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:47 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by crush-onastick at 6:47 AM on December 6, 2006
OMG, I used to imitate Joe Isuzu's "pennumele, kiki bobo" all the time. Totally forgot about that.
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:03 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:03 AM on December 6, 2006
Greatest = We Found On YouTube
posted by Lord Kinbote at 7:10 AM on December 6, 2006
posted by Lord Kinbote at 7:10 AM on December 6, 2006
These 'lists' always blow! No:
Fedex guy
Wendy's Parts is parts
Intellivision
Atari for bitchy kid
posted by ernie at 7:57 AM on December 6, 2006
Fedex guy
Wendy's Parts is parts
Intellivision
Atari for bitchy kid
posted by ernie at 7:57 AM on December 6, 2006
How about that creepy Tinnitis PSA. The one with the manequin head under dramatic lighting. It ended with that nervy vibrating triple lazer bean on the manequin head! That was played an awful lot.
Also, Crazy Eddies!
and, "Surprise, surprise, Puppy Surprise… How many puppies are there inside!?"
If that Tootsie Pop commercial is from the 70's, I still think it fits in with the 80's since it was played so often through the decade.
Other inescapable ads of the time in my mind were the Craftmatic Adjustable Bed commercials "I got the microwave!"
and "The Clapper" and "Life Call". But maybe that was the very early 90's?
posted by JBennett at 8:38 AM on December 6, 2006
Also, Crazy Eddies!
and, "Surprise, surprise, Puppy Surprise… How many puppies are there inside!?"
If that Tootsie Pop commercial is from the 70's, I still think it fits in with the 80's since it was played so often through the decade.
Other inescapable ads of the time in my mind were the Craftmatic Adjustable Bed commercials "I got the microwave!"
and "The Clapper" and "Life Call". But maybe that was the very early 90's?
posted by JBennett at 8:38 AM on December 6, 2006
Oh yeah, one more that I saw an awful lot:
"Time to make the doughnuts…"
posted by JBennett at 8:42 AM on December 6, 2006
"Time to make the doughnuts…"
posted by JBennett at 8:42 AM on December 6, 2006
No, "I've fallen and I can't get up"?
"We'll send someone right away Mrs. Fletcher."
posted by drezdn at 9:01 AM on December 6, 2006
"We'll send someone right away Mrs. Fletcher."
posted by drezdn at 9:01 AM on December 6, 2006
"...huge box office disaster..."
Now with added sequel!
posted by Sparx at 2:10 PM on December 6, 2006
Now with added sequel!
posted by Sparx at 2:10 PM on December 6, 2006
The pages from 7 through 10 come up as a 404 for me, so unless I didn't effectively read for content and this is an ongoing series with installments left, I'm not sure what's up.
But so far, they haven't included the one I liked the most:
It was a commercial featuring a beautiful woman inviting a very well-dressed man into her apartment for a beautiful, romantic, candlelit dinner. The candles are lit, the wine is poured, the food is prepared, and the man is beckoned in...
Whereupon our hero, in one expertly suave move, casually puts his hand and his weight down on the round dining room table and tips it over, sending everything crashing to the floor.
The commercial was for DuPont's "Stainmaster" carpet.
Classic.
posted by Spatch at 2:29 PM on December 6, 2006
But so far, they haven't included the one I liked the most:
It was a commercial featuring a beautiful woman inviting a very well-dressed man into her apartment for a beautiful, romantic, candlelit dinner. The candles are lit, the wine is poured, the food is prepared, and the man is beckoned in...
Whereupon our hero, in one expertly suave move, casually puts his hand and his weight down on the round dining room table and tips it over, sending everything crashing to the floor.
The commercial was for DuPont's "Stainmaster" carpet.
Classic.
posted by Spatch at 2:29 PM on December 6, 2006
spatch, i loved that one.
and the sappy kodak ones, and the general foods international coffee ones, and the mariette hartley/james garner polaroid ones, and the nescafe? ones with that British couple (Anthony Head? i think--very witty and sexy and adult-seeming).
posted by amberglow at 3:41 PM on December 6, 2006
and the sappy kodak ones, and the general foods international coffee ones, and the mariette hartley/james garner polaroid ones, and the nescafe? ones with that British couple (Anthony Head? i think--very witty and sexy and adult-seeming).
posted by amberglow at 3:41 PM on December 6, 2006
Interesting that what we used to hate watching now makes us nostalgic.
posted by rfbjames at 1:24 AM on December 7, 2006
posted by rfbjames at 1:24 AM on December 7, 2006
I LOVE the Wendy's Soviet fashion show. I still say "DAYVEAR and SVIMVEAR" all the time.
And the 1984 Apple ad still gives me chills. This is awesome.
BTW-I loved the DarK Crystal. My family went to see it and a bunch of the noises the characters made were imitated all the time by my family. No nightmares here. It was great. Looks chessy now, though. Sad.
posted by aacheson at 9:26 AM on December 7, 2006
And the 1984 Apple ad still gives me chills. This is awesome.
BTW-I loved the DarK Crystal. My family went to see it and a bunch of the noises the characters made were imitated all the time by my family. No nightmares here. It was great. Looks chessy now, though. Sad.
posted by aacheson at 9:26 AM on December 7, 2006
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posted by peewinkle at 7:55 PM on December 5, 2006