I’ve always been interested in advertising and marketing. How in an increasingly competitive world a product, company or person can project a controlled image and make themselves stand out. Especially those who continue to evolve their image over time. Inspired by my recent trip to the Guinness Storehouse, which included a floor dedicated to its TV advert history, here are eight of my favourites. Do any of them stand out particularly to you? The first one is the most famous, and was voted the best advert of by Channel 4 and The Sunday Times, but there is a wide selection here so would be curious what you all think.
Alex Raphael 
It HAS to be the Joe Mc Kinney dance one from 1994 💛💚💛 The best ad ever !!!
Ha! I remember that one at the time. He was quoted as saying that he couldn’t go anywhere near a pub as they would play that music whenever he walked in haha.
Actually I’m not sure of the year. I thought it said 1994 on the video but it appears not. It must be later than that surely !
It’s true! I’ve checked it. What’s funniest is that he actually spent two years touring Europe, promoting the ad.
Have you read Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs? He talks a bit about working in the advertising industry and it’s very funny.
Sounds a fun read. Are there any adverts or advertising campaigns that you’ve really bought into?
Hmm good question. I’m sure there have been effective campaigns but none come to mind. Sometimes I notice what I think is a great commercial but I don’t buy the product and other times I’m sure I’m totally unaware of how much the commercial actually sunk in and influenced my purchase.
That’s true. I think some of the best advertising works with slogans too. If you can get your name into the slogan that must be worth double. Always Coca Cola, For everything else there’s Mastercard, Beanz meanz Heinz etc.
That’s funny! Beanz meanz Heinz…that’s an old slogan right? Heinz baked beans are not popular in the US at all and I don’t think most people think of them as beans or that slogan so that’s actually a really interesting difference (bc you’re in the UK right?) Here Heinz is only known for Ketchup first and barely anything else. The big beans company here is Bush’s and then probably Van Camp’s. I need to google Heinz beans commercials now because you’ve got me strangely interested in this haha.
This might interest you http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2091815/Beanz-Means-Heinz-named-advertising-slogan-time.html
Have a break. Have a Kit Kat is great too.
Wait wait waiiiiit is Have a break. Have a Kit Kat and oldie or is that their slogan still in the UK? Because our’s is “Gimme a break. Break me off a piece of that KIT KAT BAR” it’s a catchy song. Familiar or is that a different ad? I have a bad feeling I’m going to go down the rabbit hole just watching a million ads on youtube. It really is interesting though to see what sticks.
That is interesting, I’m looking through the top ads now. I remembered after commenting yesterday that our version of Heinz Beans has no Z on the end but usually if they are for sale at all it’s the Beanz, imported, and found in the international aisle. Kind of interesting…wonder why that didn’t catch on here. Campbell’s soup is super popular too and they make beans but the beans are not that popular. I don’t know why that is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLJgyr-g3Ck heh! I want a Kit Kat now.
I’ve always remembered the Cindy Crawford Pepsi commercial from when I was little and the Madonna one that was pulled.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that Cindy Crawford one. I can’t stand Pepsi though. She does look amazing there. The Madonna one was pulled because of her offensive music video wasn’t it?
Yep! I think it was on one time.
Reblogged this on Lost Dudeist Astrology.
Thanks for this 🙂
I like the current Gareth Thomas one
Along with the wheelchair basketball and Ashwin’s story, they are very particularly inspiring. If I made a bigger list, they would have been on it 🙂
I’ve always liked The Surfer. I sometimes like to think about it as I wait for my Guinness to settle – well at least for the first three or four I do – after that it all gets a little hazy!
Ha! Well said. The top two are my favourites. No surprise they were done by Jonathan Glazer, the same guy. Both so brilliantly imaginative. Are there any adverts of any product you really like?
Soppy old bloke that I’ve become I really do like the John Lewis Man on the Moon Christmas ad. Beyond that I tend to be more taken by songs they use that I’ve never heard than the ads themselves! ( Such is the worst of Shazam!). Got ads you like other than the Black Nectar?
The John Lewis ones are very impressive. I’ll do a post at some point in the future, but the first ones that come to mind are these two https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnQKET83qKg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL4LEfRr1TI
Well, The Surfer was done by Jonathan Glazer, right? Love his music video work (especially in Rabbit in your Headlights). And Under The Skin was great too. Talented guy. Great adverts here, Alex! 🙂
At the moment I’m going to be between Ireland and James Bond posts, but I will be doing one on music videos soon. How many of the adverts did you recognise?
What a wide variety and such originality. I could not possibly choose. 🙂 Happy Sunday, Alex!
So glad you liked them. I hope you had a lovely weekend too.
The Rhythm of Life one is such an excellently executed idea.
Brilliant. It makes me think of the Fatboy Slim video Right Here Right Now too. I’ve always been interested in advertising, but seeing all those Guinness adverts up close really got me thinking about how creative they have been. Volkswagen, Coke, Levis and Nike all have had great advertising in the past, which have helped them get over less favourable PR stories.
Right Here Right Now is one of my favourite songs ever, love the mix of strings and beats that drop.
Just had to listen to it again 🙂
You and I seem to share similar tastes in music.
I take that as a big compliment
And so you should, plus you’re a Bond fan which is even better.
I like the penguins. Probably just because I like penguins.
I love them too. I’d love to have one. A stuffed toy called Percy is as close as I’ve got so far.
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I love how Tolkien the Surfer Ad was and that Snail catching air time made me burst out laughing, but I’m with Vinnie on the Rhythm of Life. 😀
It is an excellent advert for sure. Can you imagine if adverts were always that good?
It’d be cool; but there’s no improving Guinness. 😀
LOVE the Captain Ahab one 🙂
It’s astonishing isn’t it? Really pushes the boundaries of just what an advert can be. Any adverts of any other products had a big impact on you?
I really liked the advert last Christmas by Sainsbury’s that showed the football match in the trenches between the Germans and the English. That could bring a tear to the eye!
In fact that would be a good follow up post to this Alex! Big Christmas adverts! Obviously John Lewis roll one out every year now but you’ve got the originals too, like the Coca Cola lorry one – “holidays are coming….”
I’ll have another think of any adverts I’ve really liked over the years.
A lot of people felt differently about that advert to you, which goes to show how difficult it is to make an advert and judging how people will react. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2834465/Watchdog-primed-investigate-Sainsbury-s-Christmas-advert-complaints-flood-use-WWI-imagery-promote-company.html
Thanks for the idea. I do need to do some Christmas-themed posts soon.
240 people isn’t really a lot though 🙂 not out of millions of TV viewers. Tiny percentage! They’ll always be the sad people who have to ring Ofcom over everything! Haha.
Are you a Daily Mail reader? No judgements!! I love the website but I hate the paper lol. The comments section is legendary isn’t it!!!!!!
I buy it on Saturdays for the TV guide and I read the sports section online. Paddy Power tend to dominate the most controversial ads ha.
If you’re ever at a loose end, just read through the comments on the online version. They. Are. Priceless!
Good to know 🙂
🙂