Favorite Commercials

[Rick Kitchen]

The Oregon duck is Donald Duck (though with the Oregon colors), Disney gave them the rights to his image.

[Crisopera]

Are we sure that's Robert Preston in the iPhone ad?  It really doesn't sound like him, and I speak as someone who practically memorized the original cast album of Music Man in high school.

[ebk57]

Are we sure that's Robert Preston in the iPhone ad?  It really doesn't sound like him, and I speak as someone who practically memorized the original cast album of Music Man in high school.

 

Totally sure.  I grew up with that song throughout elementary school.  

 

And, just to make sure, I just googled it (since I often don't trust my "totally sure" memories)

[ABay]

Is there a link?

[ebk57]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTjejvnBJfU

 

 

[Lola16]

This is a PSA done right:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHixeIr_6BM

[Bastet]

They're in a movie theatre and not one freakin' person ignored their phone?

[ABay]

RE: the iphone ad. Tough call! In some words, it does sound like Robert Preston but in others, not so much.

[Prevailing Wind]

 

RE: the iphone ad. Tough call! In some words, it does sound like Robert Preston but in others, not so much.

I agree.  The higher notes, I'm not sure at all.  "Harold Hill" didn't sing in that register, and that's about all the singing of his that I know.  Voice doesn't match the "I like ice cream mommy. Me, too mommy" voice at all.  LOL.

[ebk57]

Here's the full number

 

 

If you go to YouTube, Mr. Preston is credited both on this video and the commercial video.  

 

This is a quote from Wiki -which must mean it's true... :-)    (but it is!)

"In 1961, Preston was asked to make a recording as part of a program by the President's Council on Physical Fitness to get schoolchildren to do more daily exercise. The song, "Chicken Fat", which was written and composed by Meredith Willson and performed by Preston with full orchestral accompaniment, was distributed to schools across the nation and played for students in calisthenics every morning. The song later became a surprise novelty hit and part of many baby-boomers' childhood memories."

 

[Lola16]

Never heard or heard of this Chicken Fat until the commercial and coming to this thread.  How did this song become a hit?!  Had to be better music back then. 

[ebk57]

Never heard or heard of this Chicken Fat until the commercial and coming to this thread.  How did this song become a hit?!  Had to be better music back then. 

 

I don't have any idea if it was a "hit", but it was played incessantly in my elementary school so we'd all get up off our large butts and move around.  

 

And I apologize if I seem a bit obsessed about giving Robert Preston due credit, but, well, I'm a bit obsessed about it...

[Lola16]

I don't have any idea if it was a "hit", but it was played incessantly in my elementary school so we'd all get up off our large butts and move around.  

 

And I apologize if I seem a bit obsessed about giving Robert Preston due credit, but, well, I'm a bit obsessed about it...

In gym class?  We didn't have music until jr high when the dreaded square dancing started.

 

I'd have thought the average age of the ad exec would start to be younger by now.  It's like it's all 50 year olds (nothing wrong with that except, well some diversity would be nice) all the time. 

[ebk57]

In gym class?  We didn't have music until jr high when the dreaded square dancing started.

 

I'd have thought the average age of the ad exec would start to be younger by now.  It's like it's all 50 year olds (nothing wrong with that except, well some diversity would be nice) all the time. 

 

I think it was in PE when I was a youngin'... but since it was 50 years ago, I don't want to swear to you where exactly it was played.  All I do know is that as soon as I heard the commercial for the first time a week or so ago, I couldn't stop smiling.

Edited June 10, 2014 by ebk57

[Actionmage]

Current aged Luke and Bo Duke out in the General Lee shilling for Auto.com or somesuch on-line car shopping site. Just saw it today and grinned. Both gents are looking good. Too bad we don't have Waylon Jennings to narrate, even if the voice they use is perfectly fine. Mr. Jennings would've made it like mac 'n' cheese- comforting.

[Prevailing Wind]

OK - the commercial is NOT Preston.  The "lost 45" is, obviously.  Even the orchestra sounds different on the commercial.

[Lola16]

Current aged Luke and Bo Duke out in the General Lee shilling for Auto.com or somesuch on-line car shopping site. Just saw it today and grinned. Both gents are looking good. Too bad we don't have Waylon Jennings to narrate, even if the voice they use is perfectly fine. Mr. Jennings would've made it like mac 'n' cheese- comforting.

Haven't seen it.  There's a General auto insurance commercial that's quite cheesy.  I thought Tom Wopat had passed but I confused him with Paul Michael Glaser it seems.

[snappymilo]

Haven't seen it.  There's a General auto insurance commercial that's quite cheesy.  I thought Tom Wopat had passed but I confused him with Paul Michael Glaser it seems.

I don't think Paul Michael Glaser is dead, is it possibly Christopher Mayer (Vance Duke) you're thinking of?

[Prevailing Wind]

Glaser's still among the living.  I don't know about any one else, but that makes me smile.  Always was fond of that Starsky boy.

[Rinaldo]

I've seen Tom Wopat being very convincing (vocally and dramatically) in a number of Broadway musicals in the last few years, so I can testify that he's definitely still with us, and still very much in demand.

[Lola16]

I don't think Paul Michael Glaser is dead, is it possibly Christopher Mayer (Vance Duke) you're thinking of?

 

 

Glaser's still among the living.  I don't know about any one else, but that makes me smile.  Always was fond of that Starsky boy.

My bad.  It's Elizabeth Glaser who passed.  PMG's wife.

[ABay]

Just saw my favorite Geico commercial, the Oldest Trick in the Book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUpbS92WrLQ

Madest thou look!

[Haleth]

Ugh, the Chicken Fat song is bringing on some disturbing flashbacks to elementary school gym class.  <shudder>

[Aquarius]

Ugh, the Chicken Fat song is bringing on some disturbing flashbacks to elementary school gym class.  <shudder>

 

Luckily I missed this phenomenon.  But I can't hear the name Jane Fonda without flashing back to high school gym class.  <shudder>

[cynicat]

Ugh, the Chicken Fat song is bringing on some disturbing flashbacks to elementary school gym class.  <shudder>

 

Oh man, I loved that song! I was probably one of those obnoxious brats who used to request it in gym class.  It brought back fond memories and made me smile

[Lola16]

I just don't understand it -- why "chicken" fat?  Aren't we to believe that chicken is lean and cow is fat?  That's what I think every time I hear the commercial which is way too often.

[Prevailing Wind]

Because chicken has two syllables.  "Go you Cow-ow fat, go" isn't as catchy.

[Ashforth]

I love Serta sheep #55 working as a speed limit sign. It's the second ad in the video.

It's the way he yells, "Slow down!" at the truck. And the swinging.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Ashforth

[Rick Kitchen]

The Oscar Meyer cold cuts ad, with the same people in the Thanksgiving ad from last year, only focusing on the grandparents.  I especially love the part where the daughter is looking at a painting (we only see the back of it), and her mother says, "Your father has taken up painting."  And the woman says, "Is this Mrs. Abbott from next door?"  I have a feeling that Mrs. Abbot is naked, and I wonder if she knows that Dad painted her that way.

[St. Claire]

Ugh, the Chicken Fat song is bringing on some disturbing flashbacks to elementary school gym class.  <shudder>

 

yeeah. I came pretty close to breaking out in hives when I heard the song on the commercial, since I have double-plus-ungood memories of the "Chicken Fat, Alley Cat" album that my elementary school PE teacher, Mr. Farrell, used to break out during our square dance unit. Mr. Farrell was a mean, horrible man and humiliated me about my inability to climb the darned rope and I think he only did a dancing until because the county school system made him do it; the square dance unit was one of the few where I was one of the more adept students (the other unit being gymnastics/tumbling) and everyone acted as though holding each others' hands to do the dances was going to give us cooties.

[Prevailing Wind]

I think all elementary school PE teachers are like that.  Except for Miss Christian.  She was wonderful, but then she got married, pregnant and quit work.  It was back in the 50s when they did stuff like that - being non-wage-earning wives, etc. She was too good to be a PE teacher, anyway.

[merylinkid]

I am falling in love with the new Cheerios commercial.   Dad asks his kid what his favorite Cheerios is (when the hell did they get more than one?).   Kid lists them all off.   Exasperated dad finally says "Okay what is your really favorite one."   Kid "The ones I eat with you, dad."   Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, right in the feels.

[Bort]

New Shiner commercial

Also, this oldie but goodie pager commercial still sends me into fits of hysterics.

The part that kills me is the guy trying to roll down his window.

[aradia22]

I like the Kindle Fire Mayday button commercials. It may just be that the woman reminds me a bit of Emma Stone. Also, I feel like I recognize the male actor from something but I can't place him.

 

Also, this. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

There's a new ad for a calling plan, and it has this group of women and one man in matching tan blazers talking to the representative about the various features of the plan and how it will benefit their company. The man never speaks, but when the woman who I guess is the boss of the group says, "Let's close." and they all fold their arms, he catches on a second too late and folds his arms too. It makes m laugh for what's probably a ridiculous reason.

[Ms Lark]

I also love the one for this internet service where the techs are installing it at a company, and one of them starts flirting with the female employee by saying, "Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven?" And she gets this pleased look on her face and says, "A little." Then the other guy takes Mr. Flirty by the collar and starts trying to haul him through the hole in the ceiling so they can get back to work. It's just adorable.

I love that one, too. It's for AT&T, I believe. Also like the new one where they're wiring an arena ceiling. Mr. Flirty has a name, now, it's Charlie. Other guy tosses a ball into the basket down below. Charlie  doesn't get sports, either! He's so goofy, he's "totes adorbs" (to quote James Earl Jones). I hope we get more wiring adventures with these two!

[bref]

There's a new ad for a calling plan, and it has this group of women and one man in matching tan blazers talking to the representative about the various features of the plan and how it will benefit their company. The man never speaks, but when the woman who I guess is the boss of the group says, "Let's close." and they all fold their arms, he catches on a second too late and folds his arms too. It makes m laugh for what's probably a ridiculous reason.

I like that one too. It's one in the "Lily" series and I have a bit of a girlcrush on her. I think the real estate ladies (and gentleman) one is cute, although apparently it has some men foaming at the mouth for its disrespectful portrait of the man in the group--how dare he be portrayed as the one following the women's lead?. BECAUSE MEN.

[riley702]

There's a new ad for a calling plan, and it has this group of women and one man in matching tan blazers talking to the representative about the various features of the plan and how it will benefit their company. The man never speaks, but when the woman who I guess is the boss of the group says, "Let's close." and they all fold their arms, he catches on a second too late and folds his arms too. It makes m laugh for what's probably a ridiculous reason.

 

 

I like that one too. It's one in the "Lily" series and I have a bit of a girlcrush on her. I think the real estate ladies (and gentleman) one is cute, although apparently it has some men foaming at the mouth for its disrespectful portrait of the man in the group--how dare he be portrayed as the one following the women's lead?. BECAUSE MEN.

Wow, I totally took that differently. I thought it was odd because of the gender reversal - the women do the macho arm fold, while the wimpy guy clasps his hands together like the stereotypical nervous little woman standing by her bad, bad man at the obligatory apology press conference (think politician or celeb caught doing something stupid and/or scandalous). 

[TommyD]

On a shallow note:

 

I am digging the Nationwide Insurance Commercial with the chick in the catwoman outfit, who "breaks in" to a high rise apartment to, I guess, replace damaged/stolen items. That babe is smokin' hot! 

[cpcathy]

I really like the "Lily" commercials, I like the one with the basketball player, where she goes, "oh, good for you." Her expression is really funny.

[Watcher0363]

On a shallow note:

 

I am digging the Nationwide Insurance Commercial with the chick in the catwoman outfit, who "breaks in" to a high rise apartment to, I guess, replace damaged/stolen items. That babe is smokin' hot! 

I must agree. She's a physically stunning woman. I thought Kate Beckinsale did that look justice, but this woman took it up a level or two.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Watcher0363

[TommyD]

I really like the "Lily" commercials, I like the one with the basketball player, where she goes, "oh, good for you." Her expression is really funny.

 

Lily is the All- American girl - pretty, outgoing, and knowledgeable about the product she sells. 

[Maverick]

I don't like Lilly.  

[xls]

This Gray Poupon parody is hilarious! They should use it.

Edited June 26, 2014 by xls

[Prevailing Wind]

 

I am digging the Nationwide Insurance Commercial with the chick in the catwoman outfit, who "breaks in" to a high rise apartment to, I guess, replace damaged/stolen items. That babe is smokin' hot!

I think she's a poor imitation of Leverage's Parker.

[Actionmage]

I love the Wellness Test that Texas Health Resources has out. It's cute.

 

Three couples are hanging out in a house. The guys congregate in the living room, the gals in the kitchen. ( I know, but wait.) Two of the guys are talking about their Wellness scores (one was 60-something, the other 71.) Two of the women are looking on, kind of 'Guys, amirite?' to each other when the third lady exclaims that she got an 82. The ladies are excited for their friend, but one lady turns to the guys and is "She got an 82!!" The guys are all 'It's not a competition' while the lady who told the guys about the high scorer starts making boo-yah noises and generally being goofy. One man looks at his fellow couch-sitter and says, "That's your wife."

 

It is actually more cute than gender-infuriating, even with the gender-norm of the ladies in the kitchen, as opposed to sharing the room with their spouses/SOs. (Only one couple was confirmed married.) I think I am biased in that I probably would be the Booyah gal for my fellow ladies. I hope it isn't just regional. I will look for a link, just in case.

 

Thank you, Tube of You!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JolbKFG_mq0

Edited June 26, 2014 by Actionmage

[heebiejeebie]

No matter how many times I see the Oscar Meyer ad with the brutally honest grandpa, I always laugh at the opener: 'when did you know grandma was the one?'    'When her sister dumped me..'

[xls]

And thanks a lot everyone for calling my attention to the "chicken fat" song; now I can't get it out of my head. :)

[shapeshifter]

I think all elementary school PE teachers are like that.  Except for Miss Christian.  She was wonderful

Mr. Unger in the 1960s inspired me to climb the rope to the top before anyone else and jump the furthest. He was small boned like me and no doubt knew that while I'd never be a star where size mattered (I was always picked last on teams), sometimes being a lightweight was an advantage. Sadly, I never did sports after 8th grade.

Anyway, I'd never heard the chicken fat song before and think it's kind of gross, even though I visually like the commercial.

My sister and I both identify with the "That's not how this works! That's not how any of this works!" in this commercial. We see the lady with the "wall" of pictures as our mother who's always asking us for technology help:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lJ0yD-9CDwI

[ABay]

All this chicken fat talk has reminded me of the Planet Fitness ad:

Edited June 27, 2014 by ABay