NBA: Where Amazing Commercials Happen

Company: NBA
Aired: April-May 2010
Channel: ESPN, TNT & ABC
Appeal: Positive, Endorsement


It’s that time of year again… the NBA playoffs are underway. To me, the only time better than this is Christmas; so when I first saw these ads a couple weeks ago I got really excited! The NBA advertising team annually create a new line of commercials to promote the seemingly never ending saga that is the NBA Playoffs. 2010’s theme is to use sound bytes from players and coaches post game interviews to create a rap. A fairly original idea I have never come across in advertising which may be difficult for you to grasp until you watch one. I’ve seen about a five to six different ones on TV but many more are available online. These are my favorite ones. Enjoy!

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Any true basketball fan has to love this commercial. With popular players like Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, your attention is immediately drawn in. It not only appeals to die hard NBA fans but also has the hip hop sound that can captivate many young viewers.

The BK Thief

Company: Burger King
Aired: March 2010
Channel: ESPN, TNT, TBS & more
Appeal: Humor

Ok. So I lied in a previous post. Burger King was actually my favorite fastfood place to go as a kid. Could you blame me? Ronald Mcdonald was (and still is) an extremely creepy looking clown. The bright white face with yellow and red clothes could send Freddy Krueger running.This was before the days of the Burger King mascot. For future references I will simply refer to him as The King.

A recent BK ad I spotted starring The King was one like no other I had ever come across. In advertising there is a marketing strategy which uses a negative appeal towards another company to make the advertisors product appear superior. I've seen this done countless times, especially in paper towel and car commercials. They typically won't waste time; they come straight out and say which other company's theirs is better than. Other commercials are a little more subtle like in my previous post, Battle of the Fruit. It took a little bit of thinking on the viewer's side to comprehend that the blackberry and the apple actually represented the companies: Blackberry and Macintosh. However, in this latest Burger King commercial, the message not only compliments McDonald's Sausage McMuffin sandwich but frankly states that BK is stealing their exact idea/recipe! Check it out.



The ad begins with The King dressed in all black hopping over the fence at McDonald's Head Quarters. We are then taken inside where The King is rumaging through a McDonald's file cabinet. He takes out the blue print of the McDonald's Sausage McMuffin. A voiceover comes over and states, "It’s not that original, but it’s super affordable" as The King fleas the scene on a motorcycle. I really enjoyed this ad because instead of taking McDonald's idea and trying to pass it off as their own, BK was upfront about it. Their aim was basically to announce to anyone who likes that sandwich that it is now available at McDonld's greatest competitor.

Who Wants To Learn English?

Company: Berlitz, Soesman
Aired: Banned
Channel: N/A
Appeal: Humor

Over the past week I’ve gotten the couch potato’s form of writers block. While some ads intrigued me, I wanted more! So I went in pursuit of an extraordinary commercial. I found a pair of banned ads from foreign countries. I like this first ad a lot but don’t completely understand why it was cancelled. Check it out.

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The ad begins with an older gentleman explaining to the young man (in his native tongue) how to use the equipment around him. Then all of a sudden the distress call, “Mayday, mayday!” is announced over the radio. He employee’s English is extremely limited as he explains that he is the German coastguard. When the man over the radio shouts, “We’re sinking!” The German misinterprets these words and questions him, “What are you sinking about?” Simply hilarious! Poking fun at other nations accents is fine with me because I’m sure they let us Americans have it every chance they get.

Next is yet another ad for a company to teach you the English language. I definitely understand why this one was revoked. Please finish your drink before starting this video because you will inevitably spit it all over your computer screen.

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Frankie The Fish

Company: McDonald’s
Aired: February 2009
Channel: N/A
Appeal: Humor

As a child I would get excited fairly easily. I remember some of my favorite times were obviously the last day of school, snow days and hearing that wonderful ice cream man’s song turning onto my block. Wait, I left one of the best out! When my mother would turn into the McDonald’s drive through. The mere sight of those golden arches could make my mouth water. Not only was I getting an exceptionally tasty meal but a toy comes with it too? That’s right, all for around $3 you could clog your child’s arteries and provide them with a sweatshop imported “toy” that cost ten cents and someone’s finger to make.

In 2009 McDonald’s started a new advertising campaign for the Filet-O-Fish sandwich, which is served at all the fast food restaurant locations internationally. This singing largemouth bass, which goes by the name “Frankie the Fish” has become an advertising sensation. The premise of the two men having virtually no reaction to a talking fish along with the catchy song amounted to one of the most recognizable ads in the past five years. The commercial proved to be amazingly successful, especially during the Lent season. In advertising it is very difficult to become a part of pop culture, but Frankie the Fish has done just that. The Filet-O-Fish song is even available to purchase as a ringtone. While working at Bed Bath & Beyond a couple of weeks ago, I came across Frankie the Fish. He is available to purchase and with the simple press of a button, sings the exact song from the commercial.



I personally enjoyed the original ad back in 2009 better than McDonald’s 2010 version. Unless the core concept is really strong, (Geico’s mascots) repeating commercials I feel can grow rather dull. Here are both the 2009 and 2010 Filet-O-Fish ads… enjoy!

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WOW! That’s a Bad Commercial!

Company: Staples
Aired: Jan-Mar 2010
Channel: FOX, ESPN, TBS
Appeal: Humor, Exaggerated Statement


With over 2,000 stores scattered across twenty-seven countries, Staples has become the world's largest office supply store. Thomas G. Stemberg came up with the idea for Staples in 1985, while working on a proposal for a different business. He needed a ribbon for his printer, but his local supplies store was closed. A frustrated Stemberg decided on a business idea for an office supply superstore that would prove to be more reliable than a small local dealer. With his man’s aggravation, Staples was born!

A couple of ads I’ve seen too many times are about a man’s amazement on Staple’s low prices. Now many of you are nodding your heads because you know exactly which commercials I am referring to. If not, check it out.

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When I first watched this one back in January I thought it was entertaining. When the man first shouts, “WOW!” I was immediately looked up at the screen. His voice definitely grabs your attention. Similar to the Head On ad I loathed, he continues to scream the same thing throughout the entire thirty-second spot. My favorite line is when he says, “Hot Diggity Dog!” This guy is obviously insane along with the Staples employees. If I worked there and saw a man acting like this I not only would call security but also suggest they bring a straitjacket. Two months later and Staples aired another commercial with the same actor and premise. Enjoy!

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This ad features another customer who is annoyed by this man’s crazy antics. He jumps each time the man yells. This character finally gives the viewer a chance to see how a normal person would react to the situation. (Not Mike The Situation- yes I too think of him every time I hear those words together) These ads just do not cut it for me. Yes they are memorable and the original one got enough publicity that Staples decided to build on that idea, but they are annoying. Annoying advertising can often be quite effective. Whether for good or bad reasons, if you remember, think about or even talk about the commercial ever again, the ad was a success.

I give credit where credit is due; one Staples commercial I absolutely love is their back to school ads.

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This is a tremendous marketing concept that really appeals to parents. The ad begins with the Christmas song, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” as a grown man frolics down the aisle pushing a shopping cart. His two children slowly follow with their heads down. The father shows his son and daughter each item as he throws it into the cart. The camera then pans over to the children’s gloomy faces. Simply a classic commercial that I feel hasn’t gotten the amount of attention it deserves.