Greatest ads on TV

[KatieLoeb]

Check out that AdAge.com article for the connection.

I'm particularly fond of the reference to the Spongemonkeys as "Spokespests".

[Raynickben]

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

[laurenmilan]

Ooh, how could I forget the two bulls talkin' about the babe cows in California? Where the happy cows are?

The best one in that campaign had to be the one with the "new girl" with the Minnesota accent, talking about how lovely it was to be so warm, and how annoying it is to be stuck in the snow dontchaknow.

"Dude, what's snow?"

Driving through Sonoma and Napa counties, the cows I passed did look like they had it pretty good. Even though their legs must be mismatched lengths, due to those steep hillsides!

[Mabelline]

When we were real little kids, my dad had us convinced the hill cows had two long legs, two short!!

[JohnnyH]

Just posted on Slate.com: The Creatures from the Sandwich Shop

[ingridsf]

"Beware of paper cuts," qualifies as an earworm in my book. Oh lord make the pain go away!

Though I must say I am starting to enjoy those Emerald Nuts commercials. They kind of suck in you in -- I figured out Egyptian Navigators all by myself!

[Schielke]

I want to state again just how much these commercials rule.

To quote Comicbook Guy: "Best Commercials Ever."

Ben

[fifi]

I must be showing my age. I have no clue what the following means:

Beware of paper cuts

earworms

Egyptian Navigators

[Al_Dente]

i don't think they're rats, mice, or hamsters. they look like tarsiers to me.

still, i dig the commercials.

[Alex]

Just posted on Slate.com: The Creatures from the Sandwich Shop

The original link is a bit off. Until corrected, this is the right one.

From the Slate.com article:

"What are these creatures? As I say, they're called spongmonkeys. I don't know why and neither did Hall. In your mail to me, you've called them: gerbils with birth defects; Mr. Potato Rats; drug-addled, castrato hamsters; and "hell lemurs" (which, while catchy, is not really accurate, as the lemur body type is far more ectomorphic). Whatever they are, they're clearly Photoshopped, and if pressed I would say the base element is a pygmy marmoset."

[alacarte]

My inner food media curmudgeon was wondering why everyone is writing about these Quizno's ads now, since they've been running for months.

Then it was pointed out to me that the New York Times wrote about them a couple of weeks ago, so all the media lemmings are falling into line, with a sudden flurry of articles as if they've just discovered this phenomenon.

Damn song is growing on me. Can't get "they've got a pepper barrrrr" out of my head. Must get coffee.

[Mabelline]

Is it just me, or would anyone else like to slap that silly bitch feeding a very classy dinner on paper plates so her sink doesn't get mussed? AAArgh...

[tommy]

My inner food media curmudgeon was wondering why everyone is writing about these Quizno's ads now, since they've been running for months.

Then it was pointed out to me that the New York Times wrote about them a couple of weeks ago, so all the media lemmings are falling into line, with a sudden flurry of articles as if they've just discovered this phenomenon.

my guess is that commercials aren't rolled out into every market at the same time. and then they don't necessarily run with the same frequency. i've only just noticed them, although i live in the NYC area and watch quite a bit of TV (but fewer commercials since Tivo).

[Jaymes]

My inner food media curmudgeon was wondering why everyone is writing about these Quizno's ads now, since they've been running for months.

Then it was pointed out to me that the New York Times wrote about them a couple of weeks ago, so all the media lemmings are falling into line, with a sudden flurry of articles as if they've just discovered this phenomenon.

my guess is that commercials aren't rolled out into every market at the same time.

Right. Where I live, I think the Spongs only have been running for a couple of weeks or so.

But speaking of great commercials, although it's not food related, I have a new favorite. I love the one where the boy and girl are in the rowboat, and it springs a leak in the bottom and begins to sink, but the girl, clever and quick thinking lass that she is, plugs the hole with a tampon, which immediately swells to seal it perfectly, little string floating in the water. I can't recall ever before having seen so graphic, and effective, an illustration as to how a product works.

It's hilarious.

You go, girl.

Edited February 24, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[Al_Dente]

Just posted on Slate.com: The Creatures from the Sandwich Shop

The original link is a bit off. Until corrected, this is the right one.

From the Slate.com article:

"What are these creatures? As I say, they're called spongmonkeys. I don't know why and neither did Hall. In your mail to me, you've called them: gerbils with birth defects; Mr. Potato Rats; drug-addled, castrato hamsters; and "hell lemurs" (which, while catchy, is not really accurate, as the lemur body type is far more ectomorphic). Whatever they are, they're clearly Photoshopped, and if pressed I would say the base element is a pygmy marmoset."

A Real Spongmonkey?

[Alex]

Just posted on Slate.com: The Creatures from the Sandwich Shop

The original link is a bit off. Until corrected, this is the right one.

From the Slate.com article:

"What are these creatures? As I say, they're called spongmonkeys. I don't know why and neither did Hall. In your mail to me, you've called them: gerbils with birth defects; Mr. Potato Rats; drug-addled, castrato hamsters; and "hell lemurs" (which, while catchy, is not really accurate, as the lemur body type is far more ectomorphic). Whatever they are, they're clearly Photoshopped, and if pressed I would say the base element is a pygmy marmoset."

A Real Spongmonkey?

Yep. Good catch. One more vote, from me, for tarsier.

But where's its hat?

[Steebles]

Fave ad right now (kinda old.. but still cracks me up) is the M&M's Wizard of Oz reconstruction w/ Dorothy.. in black and white.

"Oh.. it was a LOT better!"

And, of course, the spongmonkeys

[Jaymes]

Just posted on Slate.com: The Creatures from the Sandwich Shop

The original link is a bit off. Until corrected, this is the right one.

From the Slate.com article:

"What are these creatures? As I say, they're called spongmonkeys. I don't know why and neither did Hall. In your mail to me, you've called them: gerbils with birth defects; Mr. Potato Rats; drug-addled, castrato hamsters; and "hell lemurs" (which, while catchy, is not really accurate, as the lemur body type is far more ectomorphic). Whatever they are, they're clearly Photoshopped, and if pressed I would say the base element is a pygmy marmoset."

A Real Spongmonkey?

What? You couldn't find one grinning?

[fimbul]

I must be showing my age. I have no clue what the following means:

Beware of paper cuts

earworms

Egyptian Navigators

"Beware of paper cuts!" is a quote from one of the Quiznos ads in question.

An "earworm" is a song/phrase/word/collection of syllables that crawls into your brain (via your ear) and gets stuck in your head. "I have an earworm." = "I have a song stuck in my head." "You just earwormed me with 'Surfin' Bird'!" = "You just got that 'Surfin' Bird' stuck in my head!"

"Egyptian Navigators" are new to me. My guess is that they are slang for:

A.) French Ticklers;

B.) Israeli couscous;

C.) Spanish flies;

or D.) Jamaican bobsledders.

[Mudpuppie]

I must be showing my age. I have no clue what the following means:

Beware of paper cuts

earworms

Egyptian Navigators

"Beware of paper cuts!" is a quote from one of the Quiznos ads in question.

An "earworm" is a song/phrase/word/collection of syllables that crawls into your brain (via your ear) and gets stuck in your head. "I have an earworm." = "I have a song stuck in my head." "You just earwormed me with 'Surfin' Bird'!" = "You just got that 'Surfin' Bird' stuck in my head!"

"Egyptian Navigators" are new to me. My guess is that they are slang for:

A.) French Ticklers;

B.) Israeli couscous;

C.) Spanish flies;

or D.) Jamaican bobsledders.

Egyptian Navigators: One of the many fictional E--- N--- people who like Emerald Nuts. There's also an Encouraging Norwegian. I forget the others.

Here's a link to one of the ads.

[cremebrulee]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I thought the creepy critters were some kind of genetically-engineered bat!

[alacarte]

I must be showing my age. I have no clue what the following means:

Beware of paper cuts

I think that's the commercial that tells viewers that Quizno's will honor all coupons, even ones for oil changes or hairplugs. ergo, beware of paper cuts from the coupons.

I guess it's a better commercial than I'd thought if it captured my mindshare like this.

Speaking of outlandish and bizarre food commercials...how about the one for Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers? "It's the snack that smiles back...until you bite its head off." Yikes.

What are they smoking at ad agencies this day? And where can we get some?

[ExtraMSG]

There was a report on the news today that said these damned commercials are actually working.