Every product needs to be advertised in order to receive decent revenue, and a lot of companies advertise on television. Not many people like to watch commercials, but some of these ads are just so catchy one cannot help but just sing (or speak) along whenever it airs. From animals in ads, to catchy jingles; every commercial has to have a theme. Every now and then there are commercials that are extremely annoying, but they have just the right factor included, and it gets people to remember their name. Does this concept work? Companies have been doing this since the invention of television, so something must be so effective to be able to keep these companies in business. Here are a list of companies and their commercials that just might make you wonder if annoying commercials are the way to go if you want your organization to flourish.
15 ShamWow
14 Progressive
The insurance company, Progressive, has a cute, cheery sales girl named Flo that is in their commercials. She does not fit the typical stereotype that women should stay home and bake cookies. In several commercials, she is seen as a plumber, riding a motorcycle and even as a musician.
13 Dos Equis
When thinking of “the most interesting man in the world,” Dos Equis does not really come to mind, but almost everyone knows exactly what is being mentioned. This is a great marketing technique, except for the fact that most people don’t really remember the product that is being sold, only the guy in the commercial.
12 Wendy's
You know you have a successful commercial when people are still repeating it, nearly thirty years later. Wendy’s had a commercial in 1984, with a sweet little old lady asking the age old question, “Where’s the beef?” Interestingly enough, people haven't forgot and still want to know.
11 Mac vs. PC
For many years, people consumers could not decide which computer to purchase, an Apple (Mac, for short) or a personal computer made by Microsoft (PC). So Mac decided to come out with a group of commercials to help people decide (or at least to strategically sway them to buy an Apple product).
10 Coca-Cola
In 1979, the world was wearing bell-bottomed jeans and dancing to disco. “Mean” Joe Green played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Coca-Cola had their famous, “Have a co*ke and a smile” catch-phrase. In 1979, co*ke came out with this commercial that had people singing and almost feeling sorry for that kid who gave away his drink, but were happy that he was able to catch the towel that was thrown to him.
9 Meow Mix
If you did not know the words to the annoying commercial for Meow Mix, you probably did not own a TV. The cat food company came out with a television advertisem*nt that had the words listed at the bottom of the screen. It may not have been the best commercial in the world, but the song sure was catchy.
8 Snuggle
In 1986, one may have been watching Miami Vice while being rudely interrupted by an adorable little bear named Snuggle. With soap-opera like music playing in the background, the small stuffed animal tried to tell us how soft and “snuggly” our clothes can get if we used his brand of fabric softener. Most people had a love/hate relationship with this bear. Either they loved him or they completely loathed him.
7 Stroh's
For the smartest (or at least best trained) dog in the virtual universe of advertising, Alex the dog from Stroh’s would undoubtedly be the one that takes the cake. Not only does this dog understand what is being ordered to him, he opens beer for the guys in the commercial and even pours them.
6 Domino’s Pizza
In the 1980s, people had a real problem with pizza cheese getting stuck to the top of the pizza box, or at least, that is what Domino’s Pizza would have you believe. They came out with a range of commercials, entitled, “Avoid the Noid.” This was a little creature that went around smashing pizzas so that the cheese would no longer be edible, and Domino’s put an end to this in their franchises. This commercial went on for years.
5 State Farm
State Farm, the insurance company, has had a multitude of interesting commercials throughout the years. From Scooby Doo, to professional football stars, State Farm seems to have covered them all. In this one; however, it seems to be rather clever and has people consistently repeating the phrase, “it’s Jake, from State Farm.”
4 Calgon
Mr. Lee is a “hotshot” when it comes to getting the customer’s laundry extremely clean. Most people who grew up in the 1970s and early 80s remember the “ancient Chinese secret” that he used to try to get the stains out.
3 McDonald's
There is probably not one person on Earth who has not heard of McDonald’s, let alone the thousands of commercials that they have had throughout the years. The “Fry Guys” were popular at one point, along with many others that have graced our television sets. When McDonald’s has their annual filet-o-fish advertising campaign (signifying the Lent season), they always seem to have one that stands out from the rest. This one particular year, in 2009, to be exact, McDonald’s came out with a rather catchy (yet for some people, extremely irritating) commercial with a singing fish. It was posted on Youtube and was viewed more than a million times in only four weeks during the campaign. It may have been annoying, but people were definitely watching it.
2 Geico
Apparently insurance companies are pretty witty when it comes to creating commercials. Geico has had so many different mascots throughout the years, and so many different ads that one finds it difficult to pick out just one that fits the “most annoying” category. They have used the caveman “It’s so easy even a caveman can do it” commercials, the gecko as their sponsor and even people singing, to try and sell their products. The one that appears to stick in people’s mind, though, is the current pig who started out going “wee wee wee all the way home.” Maxwell (the pig) seems to know too much about technology and could possibly be the new sponsor for this insurance company.
1 Budweiser
A lot of people love to watch football, and for those who do, the Super Bowl is the game to watch. But some people don’t even like football, and just watch the Super Bowl for the current Budweiser beer ads that they have every year. This may have been created specifically for the “big game,” but it ran for several weeks afterwards, having everyone in the nation yelling the catch phrase, “what’s up?!”
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Debbie Polosky (74 Articles Published)
Debbie Polosky is a wife and mother of two and has a degree in Information Technology that she obtained through Kaplan University. While attending Kaplan, she was a member of the Iota Sigma Tau Honor Society, successfully obtaining a 4.0 GPA during that time. She makes her own jewelry and operates it independently out of her home, while using her web design skills to create the website for her business, Alve Jade Designs. Debbie has over ten years accounting, business and customer service experience, has written several poems, books and short stories; yet after searching for what seems like an eternity, she finally seems to have found her calling. She researches information about a particular subject, then writes about what she finds; and that is what appears to be her true passion. Debbie is currently writing in the "Expensive Lifestyle" category for therichest.com. Eventually she would like to write more articles and/or stories about subjects that really make a difference.
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FAQs
Most annoying types of digital ads according to internet users in the United States as of July 2019
| Characteristic | Share of respondents |
|---|
| Audio ads (on music streaming services or podcasts) | 47.4% |
| Ads that show up based on my online searches | 42.4% |
| Static images on websites (banner ads) for products I've already purchased | 36.7% |
5 more rows2 May 2022
TV's Most Memorable Commercials
- 1959: The First Ever Barbie Commercial.
- 1965: The Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle.
- 1970: Tootsie Roll Tootsie Roll Pop.
- 1971: Coca-Cola “Hilltop”
- 1971: Keep America Beautiful's “Crying Indian”
- 1971: Life Cereal “Three Brothers”
- 1979: Coca-Cola “Mean Joe Greene”
- 1984: Apple Computer “1984”
Most Hated Jingles of All Time
Surveyors hate Liberty Mutual jingle “Liberty, Liberty, Liberty … Liberty” the most with a rating of 3.14. Followed by Pepsi Cola's “Have a Pepsi Day” and Ragu's “I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight” sitting at 3.41.
What is a bad commercial? ›
A bad ad (can we just say ba-ad?) is one that doesn't work. Because the purpose of advertising is to sell products and services, not to entertain the public. If a commercial can sell stuff and be creative at the same time, so much the better.
What are the least effective advertisem*nts on television? ›
Education: The advertisem*nts related to the education and programs are ineffective when advertised through television. The advertisem*nt cannot provide detail information through television and customer will not be interested.
What is the #1 type of digital ads Internet users consider annoying? ›
The survey found that about two-thirds of US digital buyers thought autoplay video ads with sound were annoying, making them the most annoying type of online ad.
How many people find ads annoying? ›
90% of consumers still describe targeted ads as 'annoying'. That means after $165bn has been spent on targeted mobile ads in 2019, nine out of ten users will be left irritated after seeing them. That's a lot of misplaced budget.
What makes ads annoying? ›
Some of the top reasons that ads can come across as annoying are: frequency of ads, placement on the webpage, lack of relevancy and bad targeting, and size of the ads.
What are the top 10 commercials of all time? ›
The 10 Greatest TV Commercials of All Time
- Wendy's – “Where's the Beef?”
- Tootsie Pop – “How Many Licks?”
- Coca-Cola – “Meet Joe Greene”
- Budweiser – “Wassup?!”
- McDonald's – “The Showdown”
- Energizer – “Escape of the Bunny”
- Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
- Always – “Like a Girl”
The funniest ads of all time
- John West Salmon “Bear” (2000)
- Wendy's “Where's the Beef?” ( 1984)
- Cadbury “Gorilla” (2007)
- Reebok “Terry Tate” (2003)
- Budweiser “Wassup?” ( 1999)
- Bud Light, “Mr. Really, Really, Really Bad Dancer” (2003)
- Skittles, “Piñata” (2008)
- Starburst, “Bus Station” (2007)
“Nationwide is on your side” was the best-known jingle, recognized by 92.6% of survey respondents. It was followed closely by McDonald's “Ba-da-ba-ba-baaa… I'm lovin' it” and the canyon-crossing cry of “Ricola!” The top 10 most recognizable jingles are all attached to brands between 50 and 100 years old.
What was the first jingle? ›
The very first actual radio jingle in our modern history to be broadcast is typically attributed to US food producer General Mills. Its catchy slogan for Wheaties ('the best breakfast food in the land'), sung a cappella by the “Wheaties Quartet”, aired on Christmas Eve 1926.
What is a catchy jingle? ›
A jingle is a short, simple tune, often with words, which is used to advertise a product or programme on radio or television.
What is unacceptable advertising? ›
1. Advertisem*nts that violate, or are likely to violate, laws and regulations. 2. Advertisem*nts that are contrary to social norms or public order and morals, that infringe on the rights of others or that cause a nuisance to others; including the following. (1) Defamatory, libelous or derogatory towards others.
Do people actually watch commercials? ›
In fact, it turns out the conventional wisdom is all wrong: TV advertising and program promotions reach 85% of adults daily, and viewers typically see 26 advertising or promotional breaks — accounting for 73 minutes — each day.
Has TV advertising lost its power? ›
The answer is yes. It has become a widespread opinion that TV advertising, like many other traditional forms of advertising like Radio Advertising, Billboard Advertising, and print advertising (newspapers and magazine), are on their way to being extinct.
Do TV ads still work? ›
For an advertiser, broadcast television is still an effective way to reach a large number of people. With 99% of homes having access to broadcast channels, you can target your advertisem*nt to run during specific programs (TV shows), to certain age groups, and within specific DMAs (think large geographic regions).
Do people find ads annoying? ›
According to HubSpot Research, 91% of people believe ads are more intrusive now compared to two or three years ago, and 79% believe they're being tracked by retargeted ads. So, it's not hard to imagine why people are pretty ad-averse these days.
Are annoying ads effective? ›
Most ads trigger no reaction at all. Ads that no one finds objectionable don't work, and ad strategies that don't spark internal arguments among your management team aren't usually worth pursuing. When people are annoyed by your “horrible ads,” you may have actually hit an advertising sweet spot.
Why do people avoid ads? ›
For example, scholars found consumers avoid online ads due to perceived goal impediment (Cho 2004) , perceived intrusiveness (Edwards, Li, and Lee 2002), privacy concerns (Segijn, Voorveld, and Vakeel 2021), ad irritation (Baek and Morimoto 2012), and attention-getting tactics (Campbell et al.
According to marketing experts, the average person sees between 4,000 and 10,000 ads in a single day.
Why do commercials repeat? ›
Repetition is used in advertising as a way to keep a brand or product in the forefront of consumer's minds. Repetition can build brand familiarity, but it can also lead to consumer fatigue, where consumers become so tired of an ad that they tune out or actively avoid the product.
Do people trust social media ads? ›
Fewer than 1 in 10 (6% of) respondents say they automatically believe the information they see on their social media feed, while close to 3 in 10 (27%) say they will never believe information that appears there if it's the only place they see it.
Why are ads so loud? ›
Many people complain that commercials are significantly louder than the program they are watching. But are commercials really louder than regular programming? The answer is yes. Commercials are designed to grab our attention and hold it, with catchy music, beautiful people, and of course volume.
Why do ads exist? ›
Advertising has three primary objectives: to inform, to persuade, and to remind. Informative Advertising creates awareness of brands, products, services, and ideas. It announces new products and programs and can educate people about the attributes and benefits of new or established products.
Is advertising bad or good? ›
Yes, it can be harmful. But it can also be extremely beneficial to society. Advertising is an incredibly effective and powerful way to spread the word about important issues and products, such as AIDS awareness, diabetes monitors, tobacco and alcohol risks, and other health-related concerns.
What is the funniest commercial ever? ›
The funniest ads of all time
- John West Salmon “Bear” (2000)
- Wendy's “Where's the Beef?” ( 1984)
- Cadbury “Gorilla” (2007)
- Reebok “Terry Tate” (2003)
- Budweiser “Wassup?” ( 1999)
- Bud Light, “Mr. Really, Really, Really Bad Dancer” (2003)
- Skittles, “Piñata” (2008)
- Starburst, “Bus Station” (2007)
Having the same spot running consistently is a thread of continuity which is a good thing. The fact that it's remembered,even perceiving it to be an annoyance, proves that repeating the same commercial worked. It got someone's attention which ultimately is the goal of an advertiser.
Who sings the One A Day vitamin commercial 2021? ›
Featuring a series of quick shots of diverse people demonstrating the benefits of being healthy and happy, the commercial features an edit of two songs by Nina Simone, according to Looper.
How do I get rid of all the ads on YouTube? ›
In YouTube, click your avatar icon at the upper right and select YouTube Studio. Click Continue, then on the left Content. Put a check in the box next to any videos for which you don't want ads, then in the drop-down menu on the left, select Monetization. The top box should say Off > Apply.
The 10 Greatest TV Commercials of All Time
- Wendy's – “Where's the Beef?”
- Tootsie Pop – “How Many Licks?”
- Coca-Cola – “Meet Joe Greene”
- Budweiser – “Wassup?!”
- McDonald's – “The Showdown”
- Energizer – “Escape of the Bunny”
- Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
- Always – “Like a Girl”
1. Lady Greyhound. The Greyhound Corporation and running dog logo date back to 1930, but it was the introduction of a live mascot nearly 30 years later that helped establish the bus line as one of the leaders of the transportation industry pack.
Why does TV have so many ads? ›
TV ads are everywhere because it's a way for the network to raise money.
Why do some ads get cut off? ›
It may also be related to a national/local ad feed. A certain percentage of ad time, even on cable channels, goes to local advertisers, so if the main commercial feed contains a full slate of national ads, splicing in a local ad may be off by a small amount of time.
How long is an ad break? ›
A typical break lasts about 4 minutes.
What is the song in the one a day commercial 2021? ›
The Music.
The song in this ad is “Ain't Got No – I Got Life” by Nina Simone. Such a unique sounding voice. The song was released in 1968, a combination of two songs from the “Hair” musical, on Broadway that same year.
Who sings the a1 vitamin commercial? ›
One A Day TV Spot, 'One Body' Song by Nina Simone - iSpot.tv.
What is the song in the stelara commercial 2022? ›
The upbeat initial TV ad, which debuted on the high-profile Grammy music awards show last week, uses the Stelara purple brand color throughout along with an instrumental horns soundtrack from the pop music hit “Cheerleader.”
Why can't I skip ads on YouTube 2022? ›
If you can't see the skip ad button on the bottom right corner, it means that the content creator or advertiser has decided that you will have to watch the ad. Because of this, you will not be able to skip the video no matter how much you try.
How do I block ads on Google? ›
- Open the Google settings app on your device (called Google Settings or Settings, depending on your device)
- Scroll down and tap Google.
- Tap Ads.
- Switch on Opt out of interest-based ads or Opt out of Ads Personalisation.
The reason that YouTube has advertisem*nts in the first place is that it is a free application to use, and they need a way to pay their bills, their staff members, and the YouTube partners that make the platform what it is.
