Commercials are everywhere these days. Television. YouTube. Spotify. In the sidebar while NFL teams are in the huddle. Frankly, they can get pretty annoying. I mean, how many more “Dilly Dilly’s” can one person take?
Obviously, some commercials are more successful than others. So, why not make the best of a bad situation? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular commercials out there today.
GEICO – Washington Crossing the Delaware
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH9yvMGeHfo&ab_channel=GEICOInsurance
Let me preface this by saying that Geico makes some excellent commercials. Their tagline is well-known in American households and they really have a feel for what makes people laugh.
Here we see Washington standing in his famous pose, with his men laboring to push him across the turnpike. A driver lays on his horn and Washington yells at him in a fit of road rage reminiscent of George Costanza. The look on the driver’s face is just priceless.
In the end, Geico manages to tie in this ridiculous scene with their message. Great execution.
The Verdict: 9.2/10
Progressive Insurance – Group Session
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=YV5002PiP88&ab_channel=ProgressiveInsurance
Here, Progressive abandons their regular salesperson character, Flo, and her typical white uniform in favor of an attempt at humor. They try to get laughs with a “Dad Support Group” for people turning into their father.
While they play on the typical American, suburban dad stereotypes, they do it in a dull way. The lighting is dim and piano elevator music plays in the background. They just don’t pull it off.
Good idea with a lot of potential. Poor execution.
The Verdict: 5.6/10
DIRECTV – Soda with $200 Gift Card
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIXehQ60u-8&ab_channel=DIRECTV
DIRECTV is still pitting itself against cable, despite the fact that many have already moved on from it. However, this commercial still works. Similar to Geico, they contrast their message against comical situations.
The part with the guy on the airplane always gets me. Next time you see this commercial, don’t look at the guy in the seat. Focus on the kid doing the kicking. You can see the intense focus on his face. He is fully committed to giving this man the worst flight experience of his life.
DIRECTV pulls it off. This commercial is hilarious.
The Verdict: 9.2/10
