Diet Pepsi – Could I Borrow a Diet Pepsi? (1986)
What would not a man do to please an attractive neighbour who comes to his apartment for a Diet Pepsi? The legendary escapade of Michael J. Fox, who was at the height of his fame in the 1980s not only thanks to his role as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, may be familiar to Czech viewers who have come to love the satirical TV show Česká soda. The punchline of the joke is the same in both cases. Fox, of course, has drunk all the Diet Pepsi, which he is certainly not about to admit. He is thus able to do practically anything to get the lady her coveted soft drink. Not a window ledge, rescue ladders, or the street during rush hour can stop him. When he triumphantly returns with a bottle of Diet Pepsi, he thinks he has scored. But it would not be a proper joke without a final twist. Presently, an equally attractive roommate of the first visitor who shares her fondness for Diet Pepsi comes to the apartment. For Michael J. Fox, this undoubtedly means another dangerous quest for the holy grail of soft drinks.
Video: Diet Pepsi – Could I Borrow a Diet Pepsi? (1986)
Nike – Why You Leave Me Hangin’? (1989)
The tradition of TV ads that illustrate what happens when you take common English idioms literally is undoubtedly rich. In the late 1980s, Nike decided to poke fun at the oft-used phrase “to leave someone hanging”. Basically, it is a situation where you leave someone waiting or you leave them in the lurch. The company is undoubtedly to be thanked for introducing basketball legend Michael Jordan to the world of TV advertising for the first time on this occasion. He has since become the brand’s major ambassador and the face of many spots that are still considered the best of the ‘gold reserve’ of TV advertising. Here he is paired with director Spike Lee, whom he literally leaves hangin’. Jordan is tall, Spike Lee not so much, and the basketball hoop net is usually not just above the floor. The comic potential here lies in one thing that is unique to every language in the world - phrases incomprehensible to foreigners that, if interpreted literally, can lead to downright absurd situations.
Nike – Why You Leave Me Hangin’? (1989)
Eggo – Lego My Eggo (1995)
It is not advisable to make fun of old people in a TV ad unless the punchline of the joke is that they have the upper hand. This is exactly the case with the old Eggo waffle ad. It works with the message that delicious waffles are a prize to be fought for. That is what the family in the ad understands... Everyone wants a fresh waffle for themselves. The authors of the advertisement give the overall impression of a sports match, and this family feud has even earned its own commentator. However, no one can beat the supersonic grandmother who surprises everyone with multiple rolls in the air and becomes the rightful owner of the golden waffle, leaving the rest of the family staring in silent astonishment. But what the heck, old age does have some benefits, doesn’t it!?
Video: Eggo – Lego My Eggo (1995)
Snickers – I’m Batman (1996)
In this case, it was a relatively simple advertisement, which was a product of its time. The US lived and breathed American football in the 1990s when the ad was aired for the first time, so it makes sense that a brand like Snickers (which repeatedly struck a lighter note in its presentation and targeted leisure and entertainment) joined in. In the short spot, we can see a player who hits his head so hard during a game that he starts hallucinating that he is Batman, which is not met with understanding on the part of the team’s coach. The punchline is very simple and fits into the larger context of Snickers ads, which have always promoted the idea that your favourite candy bar will always make you feel good. While this narrative line was only perfected by the brand with an ad featuring comedian and actress Betty White, in this 1996 clip we can see the germ of what the company wanted to focus on in its marketing communications. Given that the joke was pretty much tied to the context of the time, it is fair to say that the ad has not aged in a flattering way from today’s perspective. But it fit the context of its time and undoubtedly made many Americans laugh.
Video: Snickers – I’m Batman (1996)
Geico – A Caveman Could Do It (2004)
Do you know that feeling when you think you are saying something funny, only to have it come back like a boomerang, with the intended joke unintentionally offending someone? That is exactly the idea behind a very short spot by the insurance company Geico. It heralded a long marketing tradition whose main protagonist is a caveman. As Geico’s insurance agents would surely explain, using their website is so easy that even a caveman could do it... This, however, can be a problem to say out loud if you have one on your crew that is currently filming your advertising presentation. The ad itself captures well the feeling of awkwardness that usually overwhelms you in situations like this. The Geico caveman is one of the most legendary comic creations in the world of TV advertising. It is no wonder the company stuck with it for years after the original ad was published. The caveman has been in many situations since then that more or less revolve around how he deals with life in modern society and - as tradition dictates – there is always someone to insult him, intentionally or not.
Video: Geico – A Caveman Could Do It (2004)
Starburst – Berries and Cream (2007)
Do you know that feeling when you think you are saying something funny, only to have it come back like a boomerang, with the intended joke unintentionally offending someone? That is exactly the idea behind a very short spot by the insurance company Geico. It heralded a long marketing tradition whose main protagonist is a caveman. As Geico’s insurance agents would surely explain, using their website is so easy that even a caveman could do it... This, however, can be a problem to say out loud if you have one on your crew that is currently filming your advertising presentation. The ad itself captures well the feeling of awkwardness that usually overwhelms you in situations like this. The Geico caveman is one of the most legendary comic creations in the world of TV advertising. It is no wonder the company stuck with it for years after the original ad was published. The caveman has been in many situations since then that more or less revolve around how he deals with life in modern society and - as tradition dictates – there is always someone to insult him, intentionally or not.
Video: Starburst – Berries and Cream (2007)
Red Bull – When Pigs Fly (2010)
The cartoon ads for the energy drink Red Bull probably need no introduction to the Czechs. Their localisation is so well-done that one might even succumb to the illusion that this is marketing intended primarily for the local market. But the opposite is true. The motto “Red Bull gives you wings” has become popular all over the world and so have the short advertising episodes that make the most of this slogan. Probably the most memorable of them all is the one with the flying pigs. The specific storyline is probably not that important, but the whole ad is proof that it is never too late to choose your words appropriately. Especially if you are conditioning something on something else that could theoretically happen. What automatically comes to our mind in Czech is the Czech idiom saying literally “when there is drought after the rain” (meaning “never”). The Red Bull ad plays with a less likely scenario using the equivalent English idiom “when pigs fly”. If you have the energy drink at home, you should better think carefully about what you say, otherwise, you may end up like the mother in the spot who will probably have no choice but to oblige her son in the end. While the ad works with a motif that is very familiar to the consumer, Red Bull repeatedly convinces viewers that its slogan is definitely reusable. And in a form that will be appreciated especially by those who like black humour.
Video: Red Bull – When Pigs Fly (2010)
HBO GO – Who’s That? (2014)
Our list would not be complete if we failed to mention at least one example of comic confusion or mistaken identity. To give an example, a family watching a movie in an ad for the streaming platform HBO GO, which no longer exists, is a great illustration of what may happen when you watch a Game of Thrones-type fantasy with viewers who are several generations older than yourself. HBO makes the most of the self-reflection of its own original production and of the common clichés that have come up repeatedly with the megahit. In particular, the fact that the series has so many characters that no one knows who is who. Characters, names, titles, relationships, intrigues... all of this is primarily intended for the die-hard fan, and so in the case of the casual viewer, it is not surprising that they will have a lot of questions during a one-hour episode. A lot, really. And it could just as easily be that Richard Madden turns into Paul Rudd right before their eyes. But devoted fans will not be thrilled by the momentary interest, as the teenagers in this funny ad prove.
Video: HBO GO – Who’s That? (2014)
Waze – Air Dancer (2020)
How not to offend anyone with an ad? Make yourself the target of the joke - or go even further and play the role of the villain. An ad from Waze, which makes its living creating targeted online ad campaigns for other companies within navigation software, shows that the creators decided to combine both approaches. The ad is a tragicomic tale of the average American sky dancer (or tube man - both of which are concepts that are hard to explain outside the US - but fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul will know) who loses his job one day because he is an outdated marketing tool. He blames his unfortunate fate on Waze whose online targeted ads put him out of work and destroyed an entire marketing tradition. The sky dancer gets depressed, fails to provide for his family, and even starts having problems with alcohol and subsequently with the law. Waze’s aggressive marketing can go that far - destroying an entire marketing tradition! But after a while, our hero decides to finally do something with his life - and given his characteristics, opening a dance studio is the obvious first choice. Now he finds himself in a position where he needs advertising. And that is provided by... You know whom.
Video: Waze – Air Dancer (2020)
BIC EZ Reach – Pass It (2022)
A decade ago, no one would have guessed that the pairing of Californian rapper Snoop Dogg and celebrity businesswoman Martha Stewart was the comedy gold you needed in your life without actively realizing it. This unlikely duo launched their regular TV Potluck Dinner Party in 2016. In the show, they cook together (making for example cannabis-infused brownies) while talking about life. Snoop and Martha have become an iconic duo, in part because their collaboration as such is a well-intentioned joke. In fact, it is something so unlikely translated into reality that it makes every minute of watching it a real treat. It is thus not surprising that their BIC lighter advert is riding a similar wave. Sure, the brand’s name is mentioned more times than is normally appropriate in a short ad, but you will also get to see, in absurd detail, the reasons why you should fall in love with these lighters. What would otherwise be considered pushy and aggressive marketing is presented here as humorous hyperbole that viewers associate with Snoop and Martha’s cooking. If you turned down their dinner invitation, you probably do not know what you want out of life anymore.
Video: BIC EZ Reach – Pass It (2022)
All of the aforementioned ads could have simply fallen on deaf ears, yet they did not. When you are working with humour in advertising, you have to be careful not to be tasteless or embarrassing - unless that is your creative intent. The creators of these ads managed to excel in this difficult discipline, which is why their work is still talked about even though it may be decades old. A joke in TV advertising simply works. People have enough to worry about in their own lives - the last place where they expect moralizing or too serious messages is a commercial break while watching their favourite shows. To assess the effectiveness of ads, you can do a test yourself. Try listing in one column the serious ads you spontaneously recall, and in another the ones you remember because of their funny punchline. We bet that the second column will be much longer.
