What are the most effective (not just memorable) TV adverts that still affect you?
Posted by girlsunderpressure@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 57 comments
I remember all those talking head countdown programmes about the best TV adverts, but I'm thinking specifically of effectiveness/impact over cinematic value, quality, humour, etc.
(So not Guinness horses on the beach or Cadbury's drumming gorilla.)
Probably the most enduringly impactful and effective advert I recall is that "Julie knew her killer" seatbelt ad from the 90s. But it doesn't just have to be a PSA type thing (eg the advert for TV adverts with the dog and the cuddly toy and the Adam Buxton song really made me believe in the effectiveness of TV adverts!!).
P.s. Julie (1998 film) - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_(1998_film)
Silent_Rhombus@reddit
Just a shot of a door, slowly zooming in. You could hear a woman shouting at a kid on the other side of the door. It was probably for NSPCC.
Absolutely scared the shit out of me when I was a little kid up too late one night, it was just so ominous.
Wide-Challenge-4874@reddit
Not for Girls - I buy Yorkies because I'm a girl. I wish it hadn't worked
spoo4brains@reddit
I haven't had a Yorkie in decades, are they still worth eating or have been ruined like most chocolate?
Silent_Rhombus@reddit
First time I really noticed shrinkflation was when I realised they didn’t spell YORKIE across the top of the chunks any more, they wrote the full word widthways on each chunk - because now there were fewer chunks than letters.
Wide-Challenge-4874@reddit
Ruined alas, though someone told me the raisin ones still taste good (can't eat them due to allergies)
girlsunderpressure@reddit (OP)
When we were about 13 my best friend's dad bought her a Yorkie out of the blue because she'd just started her periods that week and there "wasn't a girl anymore". She was mortified!!!!!!
CommercialDelay5323@reddit
For mash get Smash
iffyClyro@reddit
The VW Polo advert with the singing dog sticks in my head. Even bought a Polo GTI years later.
Also the Fabia advert where they make a car from cake. Also bought one of those at one stage as well.
Angelf1shing@reddit
The little jelly jiggle before they put the rear light in - I loved that bit!
Puzzleheaded-Key2212@reddit
Two for me The 2008 Hovis Bread Advert and the Honda Power of Dreams advert
Angelf1shing@reddit
I hated those Honda adverts so much that I have never and will never buy a Honda.
r_keel_esq@reddit
Hocus have simultaneously that Antonín Dvořák will simultaneously never be truly forgotten, but no one will know his name.
The New World Symphony will forever be known as The Hovis Theme
ginbandit@reddit
Oh those whole series of Honda ads in the early 00's were brilliant! The Rube Goldberg machine one with Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang was perfection.
Ok-Constant-2683@reddit
Birdseye Potato Waffles, they're waffly versatile
And
Smooth on the inside, crunchy on the outside, Armadillos
Angelf1shing@reddit
These two and it’s too orangey for crows. My husband, who grew up in Australia and didn’t see any of these things, now realises that about 30% of the things I say to him originated in an advert or tv show from the 80s.
No_Doubt_About_That@reddit
Freeview’s cat and budgie
ceehred@reddit
I loved the Bran Flakes advert, later immortalised by Snuff, amongst others.
I remember various public information shorts - not sure if they were shown during TV advert slots or just things we got shown at school: road safety (seatbelts) and the dangers of mucking about on electric railways. Not an advert - but the one demonstrating the impact of someone throwing a brick at a moving train still lives in my head.
Mysterious_County154@reddit
Sony Bravia Bouncing Balls
It makes me really emotional for some reason
Uhura-hoop@reddit
Is that the one with the lovely acoustic song? They use emotive music to great effect on adverts sometimes.
Respond_Sometimes@reddit
The song: Heartbeats
CheekyYoghurts@reddit
That's a cover. The original is wildly different.
That_Organization901@reddit
I love the Knife’s version. It’s so full of joy and youthful energy. It sounds like a summer memory.
MiserableSympathy230@reddit
The giant poster on the motorway way near Heathrow that had Fizz from the Tweenies smoking a cigarette looking crazy
Anyone remember that?
marquoth_@reddit
Don't really remember anything that happened in the adverts but I can hear Sean Bean's voice saying "do something amazing today. Give blood" clear as day. And that's why I do
ARobertNotABob@reddit
The stop-motion Creature Comforts adverts "...got to be easily turned off and on-able."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAZTlkfzZ1Y
-TheHumorousOne-@reddit
My parents still associate Lucozade original with a drink to have when someone is poorly.
Uhura-hoop@reddit
What an astonishing feat of marketing that was- a fizzy pop as medicine 😆😆 it’s amazing everyone fell for that really
-TheHumorousOne-@reddit
The taste of Lucozade original helped for sure lol.
Personal-Listen-4941@reddit
It was actually a problem. Lucozade had a diuretic effect. So whilst it was useful for some conditions, it was actively harmful if you had others. However hospital patients would often be bought bottles of the stuff by visitors
Wide-Challenge-4874@reddit
So do I and I'm 43 which seems about twenty years younger than people who saw the relevant ads.
Hot_Cookie2308@reddit
R White’s lemonade…..I’m a secret lemonade drinker advert was fab always used to make me laugh
SuzCoffeeBean@reddit
The Heinz one from 1997, with Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s song & the big brother helping his young siblings.
Embarrassing as it definitely is, still gets me emotional. Just watched it again and tearing up Fs lol
docju@reddit
I just watched it and while your summary is correct I couldn't help but wonder if that was a young Russell Tovey as the older sibling, and it was!
Rude_Reception9649@reddit
This road safety ad was what immediately came to mind* in terms of longevity of impact
Road Safety ad
*Of course the obvious ones like the original Tango advert and the Guinness surfing ads have always stayed with me too
JAlexander2002@reddit
Yeah that’s a very memorable ad. The one that stuck in my head growing up was the ‘Kill your speed or live with It’ ad where the body of a ginger school kid kept on following this bloke about during his day to day stuff. I’m sure that was a Think! advert too
Roxygen1@reddit
I know he was proud of killing that ginger, but dragging his trophy around everywhere was a bit much
JAlexander2002@reddit
The thing is I’m ginger and a similar age to the kid in the ad, so I looked a bit like him😂
girlsunderpressure@reddit (OP)
Ohhh that was a good one! Also the one where time reverses after the car runs over the girl who says (IIRC) "hit me at 40 and there's an 80% chance I'll die; hit me at 30 and there's an 80% chance I'll live"
spoo4brains@reddit
Ronseal, it does what it says on the tin.
So simple, and became a phrase in wider parlance.
Choice-Demand-3884@reddit
The Shackleton High Seat chair advert. If you grew up in the old Yorkshire Television region you'll know it word for word.
Mother_Ad7869@reddit
"They're easy to get in and out of, you know!" 🤗
docju@reddit
In Northern Ireland (think they are shared with the rest of the island), there were some extremely... I wouldn't say graphic because they didn't show blood, but serious and distressing ads for road safety (not speeding or drink driving etc).
Anyway, examples are here and here. No chance I am drink driving or speeding after seeing these.
girlsunderpressure@reddit (OP)
Jesus that second one.
British-Canadian@reddit
There was a public safety ad in the early 2000s about how cold and flu spread with a person on the bus sneezing and not covering his mouth. Been a Germaphobe ever since.
Stunning_Anteater537@reddit
The BT advert from I think the early or mid 90s with a huge crowd in, like a large stadium or amphitheatre.? Individuals are standing up and asking the huge crowd questions, but the one that sticks with me, is when a young mother stood up holding a newborn, and asked 'does anyone else feel overwhelmed?' and the whole stadium stood up.
girlsunderpressure@reddit (OP)
There was a similar one, I think for Ribena or Robinson's, where a girl asks what the groove under your nose is called, and that's how I know it's called the philtrum.
Stunning_Anteater537@reddit
That's the same advert! And also the only reason I know what a philtrum is 😂
Azyall@reddit
The '80s "Don't Die of Ignorance" AIDS campaign featuring the tombstone. Incredibly dark and impactful.
GlamourousFireworks@reddit
Belly’s gunna GET YA
Kudosnotkang@reddit
If you’ve got heartburn , indigestion diarrhhhhhhea-uh!
Boulderfist_CH@reddit
Got what it takes, my wife.
Got friends round, got roast pork for lunch. Plenty of taste, British pork. Real value for money.
Fred’s got plenty.
Arthur’s got plenty.
We’ve all got plenty. Plenty to go around.
My wife’s………. Got what it takes.
British Pork: what’s it got? It’s got the lot.
Do you want pork for lunch on Sunday?
- Yeah this one lives rent free.
Stunning_Anteater537@reddit
Oh my dear God, that was dooooo bloody creepy!
MJLDat@reddit
🎼Will it be mushrooms, fried onion rings?
🎼we’ll have to wait and see
Professional_Sand502@reddit
Milkway - the red car and the blue car had a race
Tizer- I’m Red I’m Red I’m tizhead I’m fizzy fizzy I’m off my head. Whether you’re dressed or in the nudie I’m your cocker your pal your best buddy.
John smiths/peter kaye - ave it!!
GeggingIn@reddit
Although reasonably new, the Freebreeze ones are quite effective marketing.
“Have you gone noseblind?” Your house could stink of rotting fish and sewers, but due to your defective nose, you’ll never know.
To stop being shunned by friends and loved ones, buy our chemical product and soak every inch of your house in it. Just in case.
WGSMA@reddit
Classic ‘Compare the Meerkat Dot Com, Compare the Market Dot Com’ adverts still hang around in my brain
It’s kinda mad how deeply the characters have become a part of British Pop Culture.
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