Goodbye to the Normals

Gaining 4 out of 5 points on the cuteness scale, I recently feel in love with this short about a little British boy running away from home. In Goodbye to the Normals, the cutest kid ever sits down with his parents to tell them that he's hoping a boat to America and never coming back.

Recently, I’ve seen this short mentioned on many a blog and websites. But, this morning I read on Adfreak that this popular vid is actually promoting Robbie Williams new album, Rudebox. I’m not sure it was produced independently or by the label, but either way…it's still pretty darn cute.

Hammer & Coop

Part "Knight Rider", part "Starsky & Hutch", MINI recently launched a series of webisodes that bring slick 70’s style to the vlogger generation. Starring a “man with no past” who rocks retro-dig and a mean mustache, Hammer and Coop is the classic man and his car cheesy action-thriller.

Of course, where there are fast moves, skidding tires, and talking cars there is bound to be at least one babe in a bikini. Maybe some ninjas? I’m not quite sure where they come from, but if you can cover a period script and bad acting with some ninjas and a tricked-out Coop, I’m down.

Rolling Rock's Gone Ape

When Bud and MGD are bigger sellers and can afford the high price of TV spots, what is a small higher-quality brewery to do? With excessive competition in the funny, original beer ads category, Rolling Rock's answer was to cause controversy.

Last week, Rolling Rock posted this funny, bikini-clad advert for Rolling Rock on the web. To get consumers looking for the ape spot, the brewing company also started to run an ad on TV that pretended the ape spot had created controversy.

My personal qualm: The web ad isn't nearly provocative enough to be pulled from television. I feel like people who go to the web looking for this ad will feel gypped, by its friendly and not even mildly offensive nature.

Xbox Cops and Robbers

In a closed course-game of “good guys” and “bad guys”, every one has a chance to put on a badge or ski mask and wreak havoc. Weaving through traffic and jumping off buildings, at the end of round one… they switch? Is this what people did before the advent of 3D video games?

This made-for-TV game of hide-and-seek is nothing short of child’s play. Created for Microsoft's Xbox 360 “Jump In” campaign, this spot shows a group of adults playing a full-scale game of cops and robbers.

Kids, don’t try this at home.

Windy Miller Oats

Willy, the claymation character from the British TV series Camberwick Green, has viewers "choking on their breakfasts," in the TV commercial for Oatso Simple porridge.


I had to watch this one a few times to realize that the farce revolves entirely around a crazy naked uncle. Much like the opening to the second Austin Powers movie, the creators of this "natural" oatmeal ad had to find creative ways to cover his private parts.

It is hard to tell if there is any real "flashing" involved, though The Mirror claims that "Windy accidentally revealed Guber's big secret when he moved a bowl from the microwave." There's definitely an extra piece of Plasticine in his nether regions," said one viewer. Quaker Oats, who made the advert, said there have been no official complaints so far.

Pre-School Political Ad

Not the most politically savvy journalist you’ll ever meet, politics seems a lot like pre-school to me. With all the mud sligging and cake walking, it seems that localized campaigns get more childish every year.

This campaign spoof convinced me once and for all that if local electoral candidate don’t get his or her way, they may through a temper tantrum or squirt milk out their nose.