OK Gang. Time to take a break from the serious business of team prognostication. I saw a list of the top 1o Super Bowl commercials of all time, and it got me thinking. I’ve worked in the ad business in print, radio and television- and some of the best work I’ve seen comes from the world of NASCAR.
It may drive you crazy to hear your favorite driver say ” The Leaks Less Adult Drip Pans Rusty Wreck sure was awesome today” while he slugs down a capped bottle of Miller Lite (smooth move Kurt Busch) but those sponsors you sometimes love to hate pay righteous bucks to get that fire-suited pitch man to say all the goofy things he does. At times, I’m sure that’s why Carl Edwards doesn’t actually haul off and slug his rival du jour. I’m quite sure Aflac wouldn’t go for that.
But for all the irritation it creates, they sponsor it., ‘cuz they all know we’ll buy it (a paraphrase of Jay Busbee).
And out of it comes some good commercials (these are hyperlinked for your viewing pleasure. Gotta love YouTube):
HONORABLE MENTION
“Vitamin Water Revive” starring Kasey Kahne. This stuff is supposed to be good for ya, but I like it ‘cuz it tastes like Hawaiian Punch. I get a kick out of it, because here’s this tribe of Yak herders, supposing to be providing Kasey Kahne spiritual refreshment, and he’s talking smack about a Yak.
Just try to imagine a Yak race, and you get the mental picture I do. Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are.
“Nextel- Out Of Gas” starring Jeff Gordon. I think I like this spot just for the old school Chevy convertible myself and watching Jeff Gordon rocking out. Watching the old man pass him on a bicycle is pretty funny too.
THE TOP 10
#10- “Nextel- Driving Advice from Elliott Sadler” starring Jimmie Johnson and Elliott Sadler. It’s been a couple of years since this ad aired. The fact that Jimmie Johnson just keeps on winning championships, and poor Elliott, well you know, he hasn’t won in a while….it just makes the comedy of this ad all the more amusing.
#9- “Toyota- Fan Controller” starring Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Michael Waltrip. In Advertising Creative 101, you learn that kids and animals are a sure fire winner every time. The fact these (at that time) Toyota drivers got controlled by kids makes this ad even more fun to watch. This is this 60-second version, so you see some footage you may not have seen before.
#8- “AMP Energy Camel” Ad starring Dale Earnhardt Jr. This spot, featuring the wildly popular Dale Jr. has a couple classic lines. “…don’t go leaking any fluid on me.” The “..I got a breath mint. I’m just sayin.’” is good too.
#7- “NAPA- I’m At The Wrong Track” starring Michael Waltrip. How do I say this? Michael Waltrip is to NASCAR what the Chicago Cubs are to baseball. It’s just funny to see how serious and emotional the commercial starts, only to take a comic turn. Like Elliott Sadler, Mikey will be gold in the TV booth.
#6- “Gillette Phantom” starring Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. My favorite, next to Kasey’s “Bozo” look, is the “3 Stooges” head on Kurt Busch.
#5- Budweiser, “Forgotten Lipstick” starring Dale Earnhardt Jr. All I can say, ladies- this may explain why Junior is still a bachelor at 34. I just discovered this spot today. The fact my wife, the more casual fan, has seen it before me, incites jealousy.
#4- “Thanks Dale” also known as “Dale Races The UPS Truck” starring Dale Jarrett, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte and the #8 car. In a show of class, we had to get one serious commercial in here. The old spots with Dale’s dad Ned were pretty funny too.
#3- “Domino’s Pizza Race Day (King Daddy)” featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip. Like Martin and Lewis, Matthau and Lemmon, Earnhardt and Waltrip were a great comic team during their DEI days together. I also liked their NAPA ad where Mikey tries to show off the “hip hop” moves he learned from Junior. Classic.
#2- “Gillette Young Guns 1″ starring Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Matt Kenseth shows some great comic chops in this original Young Guns ad. Look at the expression on his face when he says “Nuthin’.” Anybody whose a parent knows this expression.
And my personal favorite though they’ve driven me insane with it…..
#1- “Geico- Lauren Wallace 2″ starring Busch Series driver Mike Wallace and Eddie Heffernan as “Lauren Wallace.” Marketing genius on display. If you’re a parent, you get what I mean. Remember when your kid tried on your shoes? Or how about when he or she pretended to drive the family car? This ad ties that in with that young punk feel like we got from that new driver in Days Of Thunder.
How many of you really thought this guy was Mike’s 3rd cousin, once removed?
The fictitious Lauren Wallace is a genuine cult figure.
I could go on all day with these. I’m sure you have your own opinion of different ads. I was tempted to put in the AMP “Gorilla” ad just because I love the blues and the commercial features the classic “Boom Boom” by John Lee Hooker. Mikey’s NAPA “fan letter” spots are a hoot, along with the one where Sammy Hagar asks Waltrip to drive faster.
Later ya’ll. I hope you enjoyed it.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Love It!
I always loved Jeremy’s Octane 93 commercial myself! Oh, Yeah!
One of my all time favorites, Schrader and the Little Debbies commercial with the standup driving the car and Schrader at the store display.
My favorite is JR’s ‘07 superbowl commercial with the barbarians,,”just because it says Bud on the car doesn’t mean i have bud in the car,”
One of my all time favorites is the Pepsi add starring Jeff Gordon and the “Pepsi girl”, Hallie Eisenberg. This is the ad where Jeff is racing along and his spotter tells him he’s got traffic coming up from behind. You then see Jeff get passed by Hallie and her “grandfather” on her bicycle.
As I am not a Jeff Gordon fan, maybe its seeing Jeff get passed by a girl on a bicycle that makes it funny to me.
My favorite was the Chevy commerical with Dale Sr and Dale Jr where Dale Sr is trying to teach Jr something and Jr is in the back seat saying yada yada yada! It was a great commerical but a short lived one due to the death of Sr.
How about the Gatorade commercial where Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin are “behind the wheel” instructers at a driving school! Both get frustrated with the slow pace and take control of their cars to the chagrin and terror of the students and move forward mowing down everything in their paths on the course! Hilarious
I personally LOVED the Jimmie Johnson/Mark Martin Driving School Gatorade Commercial! I just wish that it was still available for viewing somewhere on YouTube. THAT commercial was SO GOOD!