There's still a month left in the year, but Adweek jumped the gun on releasing the 10 Best Commercials of 2011, wisely reasoning that Christmas commercials and whatever the car companies debut during the useless San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl or the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl (actual name) will not be worthy of such a list. If you own a DVR, the existence of commercials in your life is probably as prevalent as music videos on MTV, so with a list like this, sometimes you're seeing the best adverts of the year for the first time, except for those that debuted during the Super Bowl. They left out the brilliant DNB Nor George Clooney Ad and it could use some more Skittles ("Taste the Rainbow, b*tch") but it is an otherwise solid list of spots.
10. Snickers "Focus Test"
A roundtable of sharks casually discuss which human they ate tasted better. If you can't figure out who the voice of the lead shark is, I'll give you a hint: "Sheeeeeiiiiiiit."
9. Nissan Leaf "Gas Powered Everything"
This one is a really smart ad, but for the fact that I never remember what it's advertising. Also, I really want a gas-powered iPhone; it'd solve the crappy battery problems.
8. Cravendale "Cats with Thumbs"
This one is cute until it turns deadly; I like to imagine that these adorable kittens gouged out Steve's eyes for his sloppy cereal eating.
7. Deep Silver "Dead Island Trailer"
This one is my favorite of the bunch: They manage to extract some real, heartfelt emotion out of a zombie video game. Take note, "The Walking Dead." You should've replaced Frank Darabont with the director of this commercial. I got more enjoyment out of this two-minute spot than I did the entire second season of "The Walking Dead."
6. Canal+ "The Bear"
Those wacky French and their crazy profanity-spewing taxidermied bears.
5. TalkTalk "Homes Within Homes"
This one? This one I don't care for. They should've retired "Unchained Melody" after that episode of "Quantum Leap." You know the one I'm talking about.
4. Google Chrome "Dear Sophie"
This ad for Google Chrome will climb inside you and break you. Then it'll make you feel guilty for being a terrible father who didn't bother to email his daughter when she was a baby. God, what's wrong with you? You're an awful parent.
3. Chrysler "Born of Fire"
This is that brilliant Eminem love letter to the Motor City that aired during the Super Bowl that made us all briefly want to pack our belongings and move Detroit. Then we remembered that cars are literally worth more than the homes in Detroit.
2. Chipotle "Back to the Start"
This is the greatness of Willie Nelson: He can make us love a Coldplay song. And if he can do that for Coldplay, I wonder what he can do for Nickelback?
1. Volkswagen "The Force"
Anyone that's seen this commercial, which debuted at the Super Bowl, already knows it's number one. There's no contest.
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Yay Lists!
I got more enjoyment out of this two-minute spot than I did the entire second season of “The Walking Dead.”
Well, until Sophia was shot. That shit made me LOL.
Written by Dustin
Seriously, you don’t have to put your last name. We’ve already accepted you as a step-dad.
Bashing The Walking Dead’s second season, and posting some cool commercials with cats. You seem like a cool dude, Dustin.
That Willie song brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it.
I hate him for making a Coldplay song do that to me
You should’ve replaced Frank Darabont with the director of this commercial.
Yes, by all means, make The Walking Dead look like a Coldplay video.
HBO needs to hire the director of #6 for the Storm of Swords seasons.
The “Georgia on my Mind” scene was still better than the “Unchained Melody” scene. I will cry every time, even if I’m not on my period.
The fact that you seriousy think the Nissan Leaf ad is ‘really smart’ shows how ignorant the average American is.
70% of electricity generated in the United States comes from the burning of fossil fuels.
I miss Matt.
Big fan of the “cats with Thumbs”.
How did the KIA dancing hamsters not make this list?
Can I just admit that the “Dear Sophie” commercial has made me all teary-eyed on multiple occassions?
… And the “Walking Dead” fall finale might have made me a little teary-eyed, too. Don’t judge me.
I’m a big fan of Pajiba, Dustin – great to see you on WarmingGlow – welcome. @Felchy – you’re a buzz kill, this is a TV blog, not a platform for politics
Also fuck that gas powered everything commercial. Most electricity is still provided through the burning of fossil fuels. They are really talking about efficiency gains in the consumption of fossil fuel not cutting it out and the presentation obscures the greater problem of an over reliance on any one fuel source. Its near sighted idiocy at its worst. Also I would like to think that there would be better catalytic conversion on mini engines.
I like the cats and the bear director. Maybe it’s because I have a warm fuzzy place in my heart for animal commercials.
@Patty, me too and I hate that commercial for it.
/father of two daughters
The December commercial that this list is missing? The T-mobile one in which it sounds like they are singing “Walking in an Orgy Wonderland”
The Volkswagen ad makes me smile every time.
I feel better about my visit to Chipotle tonight knowing that the pig I will consume lived a happy, cartoony life.
@thinkart I wasn’t trying to get into politics. I just wanted to point out the false premise on which the Nissan Leaf commercial is based. IMO that makes it a terrible commercial that should derided, not praised.
Bring back Danger!
Politics and accuracy aside, I just don’t even understand the point of the Nissan commercial. It kind of makes it look like the way we have things right now isn’t so bad.
Meh…when Google is bought by Iran and they delete all that stuff, Sophie’s Dad is going to wish he had my closet full of mini DV tapes and scrapbooks.
Nailed it, Nissan! If only *everything* ran on magical wall electricity, we could pull ourselves right out of this energy mess! HOW DID WE NOT SEE THIS SOONER?!?!?
/builds wall
//plugs 38 devices into it
///wins Nobel Prize
Are any of these really the best commercial of the year?
Nope! Chuck Testa.
Dustin infringing upon Kurp’s territory by doing a list post… controversy a-brewin’ in the Warming Glow household already!
I honestly thought that the Nissan Leaf commercial was as insulting to my brain as the Modern Warfare 3 commercial. I also truly hope that the Nissan Leaf is able to get more than a craptastic 40 miles per full charge unlike the horrible Chevy Volt.
Although “The Force” is cute as hell, I think we can all agree that “The Bear” is the obvious number 1 here.
Now I want to hear Willie Nelson sing How You Remind Me. Thanks.
@UU right there with you. #7 and #4 get me all misty eyed like some sort of a bitch, and does my avatar look like a bitch?
/no offense Patty Boots