We all have them – the unforgettable, the ridiculous, the cheesy, the silly and the amazing ads and commercials that will never be too far from our minds. Maybe we love them, maybe we hate them, but we are always ready for a walk down ad lane with friends and family to marvel at the unforgettable qualities of our favorite (or not so favorite) ads. Â
While maybe the scientific brilliance behind these unforgettable marketing ads go beyond our areas of expertise, the ability to be entranced by them certainly does not. Â
Without further ado, take a potentially whacky and nostalgic ad trip around the world with the latest installment of LenovoPRO Community Manager Staff Picks: Most Memorable Marketing Ads (Lenovo and non-Lenovo!). Â
GET ME SOME COLD CUTS TODAY!Â
Surprisingly, I recently saw a Macy’s clothing store add that had a wonderful combination of ethos and pathos, values of family, was clever and relevant. Surprising, considering I view Macy’s as an outdated business. It opened with upbeat music and a young, smartly dressed boy commenting on his fashion style and how it got it from his Dad. It was very heartwarming and makes me smile every time I watch it.Â
 On other notes of a marketing jingle: this is not a favorite – but I can’t forget it! Years ago, this ad aired promoting a carpet installing company. I have never even visited their website, but because of the jingle, I can tell you their phone number: 800-588-2300 EMPIRE! Â
One last one – because I can’t just pick one! Was a GIECO TV commercial from 2014. I was watching something with my family when this ad came on and everyone thought it was hilarious. For years after this commercial aired, my brothers and Dad would still shout “GIMME SOME COLD CUTS TODAY” whenever deli meat for sandwiches came out. GIECO, you are brilliant. Â
I LIED! I can’t help myself – I couldn’t finish my picks without calling out yours truly – a favorite Lenovo commercial wishing everyone a Happy Halloween last year – the element of intrigue and suspense featuring the infamous trackpoint. Can’t wait to hear what everyone else’s favorite ads are!Â
Beth Knittel, LenovoPRO Community Manager, USÂ
Early 2000s Japanese ThinkPad AdÂ
This year marks the ThinkPad's 30th anniversary. Lenovo Japan has so far developed various TV commercials for ThinkPad. Among them, the one that remains clearly in my memory is the commercial featuring, Ryo, the popular fashion model and the actress in Japan. You can still search for it on YouTube. The image of the outstandingly stylish and cool Ryo carrying around ThinkPad with its black, clean design has left a strong impression on me since that time. It is an image that fits perfectly. When I held a user meet-up last year, some of the users talked about this. This is a commercial from more than 20 years ago, so I would say that the image of a TV commercial is very important. Â
Mari Babikova, LenovoPRO Community Manager, JapanÂ
Baby with man’s voice: Banana BoatÂ
My favourite ad of all time is Sunscreen brand Banana Boat’s
– a timeless classic, I often catch myself singing the jingle decades after its launch! An excellent 15 second TV advertisement, the effectiveness of this ad can be seen nowadays many years after its launch and Banana Boat continues to remain a familiar product on supermarket shelves. Fellow aussies will no doubt be able to sing this word for word, and to all our global friends checking this out for the first time – beware... it will live in your mind rent-free!Â
Sylvia Tran, LenovoPRO Community Manager, AustraliaÂ
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My favorite advertising jingle is actually also from Edeka grocery store chain in Germany (somehow they've really managed to get their advertising campaigns stuck with me) with their advertising jingle/song "Super geil" from 2014(!). I think every German knows the old, stylish grandpa who considers everything "super cool" and “super sexy” (especially Edeka products) and already had this jingle as a catchy tune. For everyone else, check out the spot with English subtitles – it’s very funny (at least for Germans): Â
Diana Löchli, LenovoPRO Community Manager, GermanyÂ
Timeless Holidays Commercials
One of my favorite examples of memorable campaigns resonating over the long term are the holiday commercials you see for brands like
and . In the US (and maybe other markets, I’m not quite sure), these companies have used the same ads for decades and they still get results because they are simple, unique, and do a great job of resonating through music and solid visuals. If your company can identify a campaign, musical jingle, tagline, or specific ad that works, look into opportunities to reuse it for the long term to maximize impact and ROI.
Enjoy more small business marketing content during Marketing MANIA.
For more on community staff suggestions and picks, you might enjoy What is your go-to WFH accessory?, What model do you have?, LenovoPRO Productivity Staff Picks, & LenovoPRO NPO Staff Picks.Â
What are your most memorable marketing ads or jingles? Share with the community in this forum thread.