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Year in Review: Funniest Ads of 2014
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It’s that time of year again! As we wrap 2014 and get ready to say hello to 2015, it seems as if the Internet is filled with nothing but top ten lists to highlight everything from the most streamed songs to the best cat pictures. We decided to join the rest of the Internet in reflecting on the past year, and since we are an advertising agency, here are our picks for the ten funniest ads of 2014.
1. Old Spice “Mom & Dad Song”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMDJ52A_YE4
Everyone still loves the campy “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercials from 2010, and four years later, Old Spice gave us more over-the-top commercials to make us laugh. As the sequel to the “Mom Song” ad, this commercial throws in the perspective of dads about their sons growing up, and smelling like a man
2. HBO Go “Awkward Family Viewing”
All you wanted to do was relax and watch your favorite HBO show on the couch. But then your parents join you and start asking a million questions, or they happen to walk in during a racy scene. We’ve all been there, which is what makes this commercial for HBO Go so brilliant and hilarious.
3. Newcastle Brown Ale “If We Made It”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90rVManrVug
One of the funniest ads of the year wasn’t even an official “ad”–it was a two-minute monologue by Anna Kendrick about almost starring in a Superbowl commercial. Part of the “If We Made it Campaign,” Newcastle Brown Ad imagined how awesome it would have been to have a Superbowl commercial if they could have afforded the hefty price tag.
4. Old Navy “Art is Dead, Jeans are Alive”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap89uPrNUFI
This year, Amy Poehler has played a judge, hostess, art critic and pop diva in her hilarious Old Navy commercials. Even though her stint for Old Navy has come to a close, fellow comedian and Saturday Night Live alum, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is doing an excellent job keeping things funny.
5. Smirnoff “The Mixologist”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B3Dwmxo4OM
This commercial mocks all the pretentious mixologists out there serving overly complicated drinks. Part of Smirnoff’s “Exclusively for Everybody” campaign, this ad shows how fun parties can be when they are for everyone.
6. RadioShack “The 80’s Called…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5i91rOlFMY
Being able to make fun of your self is usually a sure way to make other people laugh. During the 2014 Superbowl, RadioShack acknowledged (with the help of some favorite pop culture icons) the brand may have been stuck in the ‘80s for a little too long, but they are now with (and even ahead of) the technological times.
7. Dollar Shave Club “Free Gift”
http://youtu.be/JbsJPO-ZreM
Riding off their successful 2012 YouTube ad, the charismatic CEO (Michael Dubin) of the razor blade start up decided to spread the Dollar Shave Club message on television this year. With the same humor used perfectly in the YouTube spot, Dubin emphasizes inconvenience of buying razors at the store and the convenience of his blades.
8. DirecTV “Creepy Rob Lowe”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfzh8Zfi5U
Everybody loves Rob Lowe–but not creepy Rob Lowe. According to DirecTV, you can choose their service (like Rob Lowe did), our you can choose cable instead, like Rob Lowe’s creepy doppelgänger. And since everyone loves Rob Lowe, the choice seems pretty obvious.
9. Volkswagen “Wings”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljI2S7rwZ1Y
Although German engineers (probably) don’t grow wings every time a Volkswagen hits 100,000 miles, this funny idea showcases the popularity of the car brand… and how difficult it is to impress teenagers.
10. Beats Music “Goldilocks”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdH8Glg5ybs
If there is one thing Ellen DeGeneres is best known for, it’s her love of dancing. This clever Beats Music commercial effectively and hilariously ties in her dancing skills with a well-known children’s fairy tale.
Cover Photo Source: dcwcreations / Shutterstock.com
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Our-Space-The-San-Jose-Group.png[/author_image] [author_info]Jenny is a Junior Executive at SJG. She earned her BA in Psychology and a minor in Educational Studies in 2014 from Colgate University. Outside the office, Jenny loves to travel (usually to Disney World), bake and watch copious amounts of TLC.[/author_info] [/author]