Today is going to be so much fun! We were having a meeting last week when the conversation came around to awesome television commercials. Everyone had some great ones to share with some really interesting insight as to why each particular commercial works so well. When advertising is done properly, it has incredible power. We can go on journeys, we laugh, we cry, we feel motivated to do our taxes…

Here are our favorites right now along with some cool thoughts from your favorite GLAD WORKS team members!

Gina:

I absolutely love this one for TurboTax. The copywriting in “The Year of the You” is sheer genius in the way that it transforms the act of doing your taxes, which everyone hates, into a reflection on the story of your year. A boring task is turned into an opportunity to report on your year your way rather than having someone else put the pieces together for you. It actually makes me want to do my taxes. It makes it even seem like fun. That’s powerful stuff right there!

The next one I love is “They Lived” by Subaru. I cry every single time I see it even though it’s very simple. Seeing twisted and mangled cars being towed and hauled away paired with the simple words “they lived” hits me in the gut every single time. Subaru has a reputation for making safe cars, and the tag line at the end, “Love it’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru” adds that extra bit of impact and drives (no pun intended) their point home beautifully. The ability to protect the ones you love is one more thing to add to that list of what makes a Subaru a Subaru. Awesome. 

Brittany:

Remember the moonwalking pony ads everyone was going crazy for a while back? Three, a British mobile phone network, is at it again with “Sing it Kitty.” The ad features a cute little girl and her kitty riding through town on a bike, rocking out to We Built This City by Starship. The two friends are sharing a fun moment and while you’re watching it, you can’t help but smile and think of whom you’ll share the ad with (I shared it with a friend who has a daughter the same age as the little girl in the commercial). 

But what does this have to do with mobile networks? It’s all about sharing and that magical moment that happens when you share something silly with another person. As the ad says at the end, “we all need silly stuff.”  And sharing silly stuff is an awesome way to make a connection with someone.

Piero:

I always enjoy the Allstate commercials because they’re funny and fun to watch. They do lots of unexpected things and I think the silliness of the commercials draws away from the stiff corporate image that plagues insurance companies. Why can’t insurance be fun?  Everyone needs it, we can’t escape it, so why not poke a little fun at life’s little incidents?

Matt:

I’ve always been a fan of the Travelocity Travel Gnome commercials. The gnome is iconic to the brand and the commercials usually have a fair amount of wit to make them memorable. Any way that an ad can conjure up some sort of emotion in the viewer is a great way to make sure it’s not soon forgotten.

Adam:

The BMW missed opportunities ad is my current favorite because it speaks to me on many levels. I roll on the floor with laugher every time the guy says “140 characters?  I just don’t get it.”

It also resonates with me because I’m constantly chasing and seizing opportunities. When I see a good thing, I know it right away and I never let it go, unlike the poor sap in the commercial!  I think this ad targets it’s demographic perfectly.

Melyssa:

I am a bit obsessed with the Sprint “Framily Portrait” commercials. They’re entertaining to watch and each one tells the story of a diverse network of people called a “framily” who stay connected to one another through Sprint’s Framily plan. I love the way the ads are shot in a way that engages the viewer and gets the point across with very little copy. Images can at times express far more than words can and this advertisement proves it quite beautifully.

Kristen:

Okay so this one is a bit of a tearjerker, but that’s why I love it. Like what Matt said, any time you can get the viewer to experience an emotion, it’s a good thing!  Unlike the Allstate commercials that Piero loves, this Thai Life Insurance Company “Unsung Hero” ad goes straight to the heart. It makes you think about what’s important in life and why your own life is important.

The ad asks a simple question: “why do some people have plenty of money but no joy?” It then follows a young man who goes about his community performing random acts of kindness, finding joy in helping others. The man witnesses the happiness he brings, feels love and gets things money can’t buy from a life lived making the world a better place. Just get the tissues ready. What happens to the little girl will do you in.

What are some of your favorite television ads right now, GLAD WORKS friends?

Tell us in the comments!