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> View all the Best Spots from December 2005
> Guest Critic: Scott Goodson
Best Spots of December: Introduction
Remaking or rerunning classic commercials seems to be in vogue these days. An anniversary of some sort is what usually sends marketers and their agencies to the archives for a blast from the past. To celebrate its 75th anniversary, last month Alka-Seltzer began running a remake of its 1972 spot famous for a husband's late-night "I can't believe I ate the whole thing" complaint. The '05 version stars the celebrity pairing of Everybody Loves Raymond's grandparents Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts. Boyle sits on the bed reciting the memorable lines, and Roberts acknowledges the remake with, "Oh, where have I heard that before?"
Even though more than 30 years have passed since the original ran on TV, the concept still holds strong, and the message is meaningful to holiday overindulgers. And fans who miss the show get to see the couple.
Speaking of overindulgence, how do you sell an artery-clogging Double Whopper? Burger King lets the King do its dirty work, and he does it so well. Promoting BK's tie-in with King Kong, the commercial opens on a blonde in a city apartment. Taking a cue from the original film, a Kong-sized King appears in the window. As the woman is about to scream, the King holds up an appeasing finger, telling her to wait, and then passes a giant burger through the window. It ends with the King using his fingers to dance with his new date. Great parody of a famous film scene.
In what could make the beginnings of an interesting film plot, a BellSouth spot uses "Kung Fu Clowns" to tout its Real Yellow Pages. A lone clown is ambushed by a troupe that arrives on a cycle. A battle over a briefcase ensues, and the clowns use balloon animals and water-spouting flowers as weapons. A Matrix-like moment takes the absurdity further.
If only Jenny Craig used a little more parody in its ad celebrating Kirstie Alley's 55-plus pound weight loss. The "It's Raining Men" musical shows Alley twirling amid bare-chested men. She's so giddy, she even does a triple flip in the air. Enough said.
What makes me giddy is the fact that Emerald Nuts decided to follow up its absurdity-filled 2004 series that played off the first letters of the brand name with new spots upping the wordplay ante. This time, it's about the entire word: "Eagle-eyed Machete Enthusiasts Recognize a Little Druid Networking Under the Stairs." Nonsensical, but the scenarios are unexpected enough to produce a few chuckles.
More wordplay comes from VW in what would otherwise be an exhaustive series of 120 15-second "feature films" for the Passat. In these spots, the visuals tell the new model's story, and the final onscreen copy finishes it. In one, an adolescent looking bored and uncomfortable takes her seat in front of the camera on school picture day. Her expressionless face remains unchanged as the photographer asks for a smile and a full set of braces glitters in the flash, highlighting the product point: "Chrome-front grill." Short, sweet and to the point.
-Eleftheria Parpis
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