When you think of the best TV commercials, what you’ll probably remember most are their sense of humor or emotional pull, or maybe that they had a clever execution. That’s the best thing about video—it’s the best way to fully and creatively express your unique brand identity. And, in recent years, TV commercials have expanded to include not just broadcast television, but also digital TV, like YouTube ads.
I’m in marketing now, but I previously worked in TV commercial production. And if there’s one thing I know about the most popular commercials, it’s that they always communicate a clear message in a unique or creative way. You’ll soon understand what I mean. Below, I’ve compiled my 17 best TV commercials of all time—both recent and new—plus why they worked and what you can take away for your own video marketing strategy.
1. Squarespace: “Marty & Francesca Make a Website”
When I think of iconic TV ads in recent memory, Squarespace is always one of the top contenders. Unlike other website platforms that often opt for a more generic and straightforward showcase of their features, Squarespace takes a more creative and sentimental approach, instead making short films that feel more human and relatable.
This directly highlights Squarespace’s unique selling point as a website platform for creatives who want to build their online brand presence. And who better to star as a creative genius than one of the greatest living film directors, Martin Scorsese? Squarespace’s latest ad features the film director building a website with his daughter, Francesca, who also has a social media following and is known for making TikToks with her dad.
Why it worked: If a well-loved, award-winning film director approves of Squarespace to build a creative website, then it surely must be up to standards. But aside from leveraging Martin Scorsese’s credibility and influence, Squarespace made its ad truly heartfelt by casting his daughter alongside him—who also has a social media following of her own—thereby bringing generations together.It shows that Squarespace truly knows its target audience, its brand identity, and what makes it unique among its competitors. These are the foundations of any good advertising campaign—the rest of the ad’s concept and treatment formed naturally afterward.
2. Verizon: “Can’t Be Broken”
When it comes to the top TV ads of all time, the Super Bowl is always a reliable resource. And one of the most memorable ads from the 2024 Super Bowl season is from Verizon, starring none other than pop culture icon Beyonce in various scenarios, all featuring Verizon’s 5G internet speed.
Of course, Beyonce is one of the most recognized artists in the world, but Verizon’s ad concept also helped pull it off effectively. It showed Beyonce in various situations—performing onstage, launching a lemonade stand, even going into space—and the online buzz she generated, all using Verizon’s 5G internet.
3. Apple: “1984”
When it comes to pushing boundaries and expectations, Apple is always a leader. That’s precisely what made its “1984” commercial introducing the first-ever Macintosh so memorable. Taking cues from the novel “1984” by George Orwell, the ad’s concept presented a dystopian-like version of reality with the exception of a runner breaking through the monotony.
The runner, of course, symbolizes Apple and its individuality and originality as a tech brand, and how its products disrupt the tech industry. We now know, of course, that it was very successful, and this commercial perfectly encapsulated that.
Do you need a TV ad? Before planning your ad, first evaluate if you need a TV commercial in your small business advertising plan. TV ads are often best for boosting brand awareness and recognition instead of generating immediate revenue. They can also often cost a large budget and are better suited for already established brands.
For small businesses looking to get started with TV advertising, I always recommend partnering with a TV advertising platform specifically for small businesses like Vibe.co. These platforms significantly simplify the production process and let you easily build ad campaigns, find your target audience, and broadcast your ad. Visit Vibe.co’s website to learn more about what it can do for you.
4. Always: “Like a Girl”
Now more than ever, brands are expected to have real human values that audiences can connect with. It isn’t enough to just sell products or services—to connect to today’s audiences, you need to have values to forge genuine connections.
That’s precisely what made Always’ #LikeAGirl ad campaign one of the best television ads in the past decade. In 2015, cultural shifts and conversations were in full swing on topics like teen girls’ confidence and body image. And Always’ heartfelt, authentic ad arrived at just the right time. It even became the blueprint for dozens of other socially aware ads after it.
5. Old Spice: “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
The most popular TV commercials often have a strong sense of their brand’s personality and target audience. One of the best examples is Old Spice’s commercials from 2010 to the present day. Today, Old Spice is known as a masculine body wash brand with a slightly absurd, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, and that’s mostly thanks to its 2010 ad campaigns that positioned itself as such.
The ad’s treatment itself is simple, featuring a male model directly addressing the camera, but it was its unique sense of humor and brand identity that really took the internet by storm. Suddenly, Old Spice wasn’t just your dad’s bodywash, but something for modern, young men. Another stroke of genius: it addressed the women in the relationship, knowing they played a significant role in their male partners’ grooming.
6. Uber: “Thank You for Not Riding”
One of the best ways to instantly relate to billions of people is to touch on a shared common experience—like the COVID-19 pandemic, which transformed the lives of pretty much everyone on the planet. And, while many brands took the new normal as a chance to launch their ad campaigns, one stood out the most: Uber’s “Thank you for not riding” TV spot.
It’s an unexpected message from a ride-sharing app, but that’s precisely why it worked. It showed that Uber cared more about its customers’ safety than financial gain—effectively gaining its brand reputation about a thousand points.
7. Airbnb: “Live There”
Today, Airbnb is a bit of a household name. But back in 2014, it was just another startup trying to capture people’s attention. And it did that successfully, thanks in part to its engaging ad campaigns that got to the heart of what made Airbnb different from regular hotels. The ad encouraged people to not just stay at a place, but to really “live” there and experience things as a local, by renting an Airbnb home.
The ad presented Airbnb as a less restrictive solution that allows you to “feel at home, anywhere,” in stark contrast to the restrictions of traditional hotels.
Why it worked: Before it launched its ad, Airbnb already had a clear understanding of its brand positioning and what made it different from its competitors, which is why its ad, while simple, was so effective. It had a clear campaign message (“Feel at home anywhere”), and used simple but heartfelt and human visuals to tell it.The ad worked as an antithesis to regular hotel or luxury vacation ads. Airbnb isn’t catered to the elite ultra-wealthy but to everyday travelers like you. It’s a celebration of the everyday moments that make travelling special.
8. Coca-Cola: “Hilltop”
No list of the best ads of all time would be complete without Coca-Cola’s iconic “Hilltop” TV ad, more commonly known as the “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” ad from back in 1971. In the 1970s, much of the world was undergoing political and social turmoil. And, without the internet, global connectivity was pretty much unheard of—but that’s exactly why Coke’s ad stood out so well.
Aside from gathering dozens of young people from across the globe, showcasing Coke’s familiarity everywhere in the world, “Hilltop” also solidified the Coca-Cola brand as one that brings people together, no matter where you’re from. That same branding is still present with Coke over half a century later.
9. Dove: “The Code”
Here’s a challenge: how can you make an ad feel relevant to modern times while continuing on a previous campaign? It sounds impossible, but it’s just what Dove’s 2024 “The Code” video ad did. For 20 years now, Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign has always been the cornerstone of its branding, and its most recent ad took on that and made it relevant to modern times by addressing one of today’s most pressing issues: AI.
Dove’s ad used AI to generate ideal standards of beauty, and then in true Dove fashion, gave it a Dove spin by asking it to generate Dove’s standards of beauty, which were notably more diverse and realistic. It perfectly exemplifies Dove’s dedication to promoting real beauty not just as a tagline, but as part of its core values.
10. Snickers: “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry”
Snickers has long made its name as a fun, comedic brand, and that’s mostly thanks to its long-running “You’re not you when you’re hungry” video ad campaign, now one of the most popular TV commercials of all time. There are many iterations of that campaign today, but it all started in 2010, with the first version starring Betty White, a well-loved television icon.
The ad is humorous and unexpected, and you don’t even realize it’s a Snickers ad until about two-thirds into the commercial. By that time the visual joke kicks in, immediately followed by the now-iconic Snickers tagline.
11. Metro: “Dumb Ways to Die”
If you’re one of the millions of people who had the “Dumb Ways to Die” jingle stuck in your head in November 2012, you have Metro Trains Melbourne to thank for that. The earworm-y song and accompanying animation with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor was part of a public service campaign by Melbourne’s train system to advocate for public safety on the metro.
But its reach ultimately went far beyond Melbourne, immediately catapulting into social media virality and garnering millions of views. It’s even grown into its own mobile game brand, making it one of the most successful public service announcements in recent memory.
Why it worked: Ultimately, a clever and unexpected concept coupled with a unique sense of humor is what made “Dumb Ways to Die” so successful. It was so completely different from what you’d expect from a PSA, being an animated jingle, that people immediately took notice.
It’s also just genuinely funny—while still sending a clear message. It also helps that its jingle was so catchy that it had people humming it around, creating a form of word-of-mouth marketing.
12. Rakuten: “Not So Clueless”
If there’s one thing that’s almost guaranteed to work in any commercial, it’s nostalgia. Nostalgia marketing has been big for a few years now, and it’s no surprise why. In a time of increasing turbulence and uncertainty, people want to cling to something familiar and comforting, like films and shows from their childhood.
That’s the idea behind what made Rakuten’s 2023 Super Bowl ad so popular, which took cues from the 1995 film Clueless and even cast its lead, Alicia Silverstone, to reprise her role, along with a few of her castmates. Being so beloved, the mini Clueless reunion went viral on social media before it even aired at the Super Bowl.
13. Herman’s Furniture: “Customer Testimonial”
What’s the best way to get your commercial noticed among the thousand other commercials? By not making it feel like a commercial. I discussed above about the power of authenticity in getting customers to connect with your commercial, and it doesn’t get much more authentic than a direct testimonial from a real customer.
Testimonials are one of the most powerful tools in marketing today—not just on social media, but also as TV commercials, because they’re authentic and relatable. The best part is they’re much easier and less costly to make than a high-concept commercial, so they’re ideal for smaller businesses, like this example from Herman’s Furniture. It’s simple, customer-focused, and straight to the point.
14. Amazon: “Alexa Loses Her Voice”
Few things get people excited than seeing a bunch of their favorite celebrities together in one ad. But that’s not just what made Amazon’s ad promoting its AI assistant, Alexa, one of the best TV ads in recent memory. It didn’t just band celebrities together, it did so in an amusing and seemingly “real” way by having Alexa lose her voice and needing celebrity voices to replace her.
Not only did the ad make for some amusing scenarios with ordinary people hearing the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Cardi B’s voices instead of Alexa, but it also subtly showcased just how useful Amazon’s AI-powered devices can be in your everyday life.
15. Budweiser: “Wassup”
Few TV commercials worked their way into the cultural lexicon quite as successfully as Budweiser’s 2000 “Wassup” commercial. The commercial itself isn’t anything complicated—just four friends greeting each other on the phone with an enthusiastic “Wassup.” In fact, it doesn’t even mention the product it’s advertising until the very end of the video, although you might notice them carrying it all throughout the ad.
16. Capital One: “The Eras”
It’s no secret that a celebrity endorser with a built-in following is a surefire way of creating a popular commercial. But when you have one with a fanbase as dedicated as Taylor Swift’s, you need to know what really resonates with them. That’s precisely why Capital One’s “The Eras” commercial worked so effectively.
Instead of just using Taylor Swift’s image as the ad’s main point of attraction, it filled it with a handful of easter eggs only Swifties would pick up, something Taylor Swift is also known for. Of course, fans immediately dissected the commercial’s easter eggs on social media, helping catapult it into online virality.
17. Cadbury: “Gorilla”
One of the best examples of out-of-the-box TV ads is Cadbury’s drum-playing gorilla ad from 2007 that’s become something of a legend among advertising executives. The reason is that while it’s one of the most popular TV commercials in the UK, where it originated, the ad itself has almost nothing to do at all with chocolate. It simply features a minute of a gorilla playing drums to Phil Collins’ song “In the Air Tonight.”
There are no clever narratives or twists—just the gorilla playing drums, but it quickly became one of the brand’s most viral ad campaigns and even boosted sales by 10%. It also solidified Cadbury’s brand as one that didn’t take itself too seriously and was in a completely different league from other chocolate brands.
7 Tips on Making a Good TV Commercial
Making a TV commercial for your business from scratch can seem daunting, but it’s definitely not impossible. All it takes is scaling your project to balance your business’ needs and budget. Not all good TV ads have an outlandish, grand-scale budget. When you think of the greatest TV commercials of all time, like the ones above, it’s always their concept or execution that makes them memorable.
What I’m saying is, all good TV commercials are backed by a creative and logistic strategy—which means you’ll need to do significant research and planning before creating your commercial. This is also known as the “pre-production” stage.
TV (and film) production is typically divided into three stages:
- Pre-production: The planning and research stage where you conceptualize your project, plan your budget, write your script, and cast your director and actors
- Production: The actual process of filming or animating your video ad
- Post-production: Editing your video, doing test screenings, and garnering feedback
Below are some other tips on creating an effective TV commercial.
- Understand your brand and what makes you unique. As mentioned, TV commercials are all about building your brand awareness and letting audiences know who you are as a brand. To leave them with the right impression, you’ll first need to understand your brand to its core, i.e., your brand voice and personality, visual identity, and even your brand mission, vision, and values.
- Know your target audience. A key part of making your commercial effective is targeting the right people. You’ll need to know your audience’s demographics, interests, and the TV (or YouTube) channels and shows they watch the most to get your commercial in front of them. It also helps to create customer personas to clearly define your audience.
- Keep your message simple. It’s worth repeating: every good commercial should have a simple, easy-to-understand message. If your message takes longer than two seconds to understand, make it simpler. Commercials are all about leaving a good impression and making audiences want to know more about your brand.
- Use a tone that matches your brand. As you may have already noticed from the examples above, commercials vary greatly in tone, concept, and treatment. Some are humorous, some inspiring, and some even downright absurd. Especially if you’re just introducing yourself to the market, make sure to use a tone that matches your overall brand voice. You don’t want to leave viewers with the wrong impression of your brand.
- Be relatable. Commercials are just like any form of visual media—to be effective, they need to be relatable. Whether you use a main character representing your target audience in a narrative or feature testimonials from real customers, your target audience should somehow see themselves in your commercial.
- Research your competitors. Anytime I’m stuck thinking up concepts for a video ad, research always helps. Take a look at what your competitors are doing and how they’re messaging to their audiences and see how you can do things differently and more effectively. Note their brand voice, commercial style, and where and how often they’re placing their ads.
- Scale your project to your budget. Not all the best TV commercials have an extravagant concept, but TV advertising still generally costs a considerable budget. It’s a good idea to know the general TV advertising costs you can expect so you can plan and scale your project accordingly.
- Do a test screening. You might know that Hollywood films get screen-tested before they officially premiere to an audience. Your commercial’s test screening needn’t be as official—but it’s always a good idea to get feedback from a variety of people, especially your target audience. If you have the time, do a group discussion or survey to get feedback about your commercial, and revise as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some of the best television commercials of all time are Coca-Cola’s 1971 “Hilltop” commercial, Apple’s “1984” from 1984, as well as Snickers’ “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” and Always’ “Like a Girl” from more recent times. Some other notable commercials that caught significant online virality are Metro’s “Dumb Ways to Die” ad and Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.”
While there is no official answer to the most-watched TV commercial of all time, the most-watched Super Bowl ad in 2024 was Booking.com’s ad starring Tina Fey, followed by T-Mobile’s “Audition” ad, as tracked by YouTube and Google¹. However, according to Nielsen in 2010², the most-watched TV commercial of all time was Doritos’ “Gym” commercial with 116.2 million views.
The most effective ads are the ones with a clear, easy-to-understand message and a memorable execution. This can mean having a creative and unique concept or a narrative that touches on people’s emotions and pain points. The most effective TV ads are also relatable and authentic to their target audience. Catchy songs and jingles are also another way to create a memorable TV ad.
Bottom Line
TV commercials are one of the most creative and boundless ways you can express your brand identity and leave a lasting impression on your target audience. The best TV commercials above prove there are many ways you can create a commercial that’s engaging, memorable, and effective, as long as you have a clear understanding of your brand, your message, and the audience you’re sending it to.
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