Retro Ad Review
By Retro Ad Review
So, if you like watching the ads more than you like watching the Superbowl, have a listen!
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Retro Ad ReviewDec 06, 2021
Movie Song Parodies Commercials: Coke, Starbucks, and Walkers
Commercials that feature songs from movies but parodied! Yes, we are layered here. Listen to Thirstbusters (a.k.a. the Ghostbusters Theme) for Coke, Glen! (a.k.a. Eye of the Tiger) for Starbucks, and Say You, Say Me for Walkers Crisps (a.k.a. chips).
Contro-mercials: Ads that caused controversy
Christmas Commercials: Hess Trucks, Coca-Cola Polar Bears, and Ice Skating with McDonald's
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! It's time for the annual look back at classic holiday commercials by your favorite mega corporations. We watch Ronald McDonald on ice, the first appearance of the Coca-Cola polar bears, and the gaudy Hess trucks. Find out their stories and where the rank in the hallowed halls of Christmas commercials.
Halloween Commercials 2023: Kleenex, K-fee, and Phones4U
Post Cereal Commercials: Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, and Honey Bunches of Oats
We're going grape nuts in honor of this episode. We take you through the history of the Post cereal company and then dive into the classic commercials of Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, and Honey Bunches of Oats. Grab a bowl and listen in.
Movie Commercials: Kicking off franchises
We're looking at film franchises! More specifically commercials associated with the first film of a blockbuster series. Listen up as we pick apart the Alien figurine, the Batman (1989) cereal, and the VHS ad for Home Alone (no rebate included).
Toy-tal Recall: Toy commercials with Cabbage Patch Kids, Sky Dancers, & Pokemon
We're back on the toy tip! This time we're looking at toys that were recalled after some famous incidents. Be careful Cabbage Patch Kids, Sky Dancers, and Pokemon because these are some bad bad toys. Tune in to find out why.
Lollipop Commercials: Tootsie Pop, Charms Blowpops, and Dum Dums
Burger King Commercials: Shaft has a burger
Who's a complicated man but no one understands him but his woman? Shaft! Who is the man who featured in a ton of Burger King commercials? John Shaft! Burger King appeared to have an obsession with Shaft at one stage in the stories fast food chain's history. We look at three BK commercials that highlight the famous private dick! Shut your mouth and listen up.
Halloween 2022: Spooky Commercials
Boo! It's Halloween! Which means we're doing the annual commercial Halloween special. We've got Freddy Krueger's hotline, Elvira's Coors Light beach party, and Nike's slasher spoof. Put on your finest scary costume and have a listen.
Commercials Featuring Movie Product Tie-ins: Part 2
Movies are great. But what's better are the product tie-ins! We look at what the brilliant sequels to Alien, Batman, and Home Alone had to offer. Hint: branded cereal! Pop on those headphones and have a listen.
Candy Commercial: Nobody Better Lay a Finger on My Butterfinger!
Hey! It's time to talk about Butterfinger. The candy everyone is kind of "meh" about. We cover the history of the brand as well as some of their commercials that DON'T include the Simpsons. That's right, there were ads without Bart in them. Listen up to this crispety, crunchety episode!
Video Game Commercials: Before they were famous
Video games have launched careers. Don't believe us? Then listen to how Jack Black, Tobey Maguire, and Ethan Suplee got a boost into their illustrious acting careers thanks to video games! Featuring commercials from Pitfall, the Atari Lynx, and the Sega Game Gear.
Pets.com Commercials: The Sock Puppet Saga
Ever wondered what happened to the Pets.com sock puppet? Wonder no more! We've outlined the entire history of this beloved talking piece of 100% cotton and tell you about the rise and fall of dotcom company, Pets.com.
Song Parody Commercials II
Companies use well-known music in their commercials A LOT. But the more playful ones make up their own lyrics to with the song! Yes, we're once again looking at commercials that feature parodies of popular songs. Press play and listen to Walmark, Kirby, and Hellmann's butcher your favorite classic tunes!
Valentines Commercials Featuring Men Named Valentine
Valentine's doesn't have to always be about hearts and candy. It can also be about dudes named Valentine! For this special time of the year, we've rounded up commercials featuring men bearing the name of the holiday. So sit down with Scott, Steve, and Bobby Valentine and listen up!
Wrestlers in Commercials: Randy Savage, Sting, and John Cena
Are you ready to ruuummmmbllleeee?! That's the wrong sports reference for today's episode that all about wrestlers! When they're not slamming dudes into the floor, wrestlers have been known to shill various products such as soda and men's razors. So snap into a Slim Jim and listen to this episode!
PSA Commercials: This is your brain on drugs
Christmas Commercials: Going Toy Crazy
Sometimes people go crazy over plastic dolls. This especially happens during Christmas. In this Christmas edition of Retro Ad Review, we cover the toy crazes of yesteryear! Check out the stories behind the Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo, and Beanie Babies. Merry Christmas!
Before They Were Famous: Commercials With The Stars
We Love These Cereal Commercials
We love cereal! Mainly because they really played too many cereal commercials on TV growing up. Whatever your age, you too have been inundated with cereal commercials. So let's embrace it and go through the history of three famous breakfast mascots: Sonny the Bird (Cocoa Puffs), Cornelius Rooster (Corn Flakes), and Sugar Bear (Golden Crisp)!
Scary Spooky Video Games Commercials: Halloween Edition
It's the scary season! To keep in theme, we've collected some of the spookiest video game commercials we could think of! So trick or treat your ears to the stories behind Splatterhouse, Parasite Eve, and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem!
Song Parodies Commercials: Do the Cool Whip!
From Cool Whip's take on the Cool Jerk to Good Humor's version of Scatman, we're listening to song parodies featured in many of our favorite commercials. Have a listen and maybe a little dance!
Commercials that People Hate (or Just Don't Like Very Much)
Ever met a commercial you didn't like? We've rounded up some of the weirdest, slightly off-putting commercials we could find. Say hello to Spongmonkeys, Head-on, and Little Baby's Ice Cream!
Minty Fresh Breath Commercials: The Mints Episode
We're feeling fresh today so we're looking at some of our favorite mints. Do you prefer Tic Tacs, Mentos, or Icebreakers? And YES we look into the history of those annoying Mentos commercials! Tune in.
Wrigley's Gum Commercials: Statement of the Great Mint
Juicy Fruit, Doublemint, Extra...all the gum belongs to Wrigley's! They've come up with some iconic and interesting commercials over the years, so we're taking a look at a few from the chewing giant. Let's go Wrigley's!
The Marvelous Kurger Bing: Great Burger King Commercials
In this episode, we look at the many musical commercials of Burger King. We check out the Marvelous Magical Burger King, witness the Backstreet Boys selling out, and puzzle at Darius Rucker's magical land of Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch. Tune in and get a song about burgers stuck in your head for free!
Your Favorite Couch Potato Chips Commercials
We all love sitting in front of the TV with a big bag of chips. But what's your chip of choice? We showcase three commercials from Pringles, Cheetos, and Doritos and go a bit into the history of these famous snacks. It's a treat for your ears!
Board Games Bonanza: Classic Board Game Commercials
Love board games? This one's for you. We look at the (frankly sordid) histories of Monopoly, The Game of Life, and Operation. If you don't listen, you'll end up in the poor farm.
Bud-Weis-ERRRRRRR: Iconic Beer Commercials
Whether you're a beer aficionado or not, you couldn't help but love the classic ads that Budweiser put out. We look at three of the top commercials ever produced by the alcohol giant. Get a load of Spuds Mackenzie, the Budweiser Frogs, and the Whassup! Guys. It'll be a treat for the ear.
Creepy PlayStation Commercials
Were you scarred by the series of PlayStation ads that went all CrEepY? We were, too! That's why we're facing our fears and looking at some of the most unnerving PlayStation commercials ever produced. Hear the stories behind that PS3 Baby ad, the Alien Girl, and David Lynch's foray into shilling game consoles. Listen up!
St. Patrick's Day Commercials: Back 2 tha Hood
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We're celebrating all things Irish by reviewing commercials that may or may not accurately represent the Irish people and/or their culture. Listen to the stories behind these Lucky Charms, Guinness, and Irish Spring ads.
Action Figures Ads! Now with Karate Chop Action!
Action figure commercials have always been a staple of children's programming. Who didn't want a cool Batman toy with rocket launchers? We look at some of the classic and EXTREME action figures including He-Man, GI Joe Extreme, and the Batman & Robin film merchandise. Listen in and collect them all!
Ads to Help You Fall in Love: Happy Valentine's Day!
Share some headphones with your loved one and listen to our latest episode all about the love holiday. We watch Valentine's themed commercials from M&M's, 1-800-Flowers, and Kay Jewelers. Get the "Every Kiss Begins with Kay" jingle in that head now!
Rapping Video Game Commercials are the Worst
To capitalize on the rapping craze of the 80s and 90s, video game companies decided they should inflict bad rapping into our ears. That's right. We're talking rapping and video games. Why not listen to the music stylings of Super Mario Bros, Atari, and PaRappa the Rapper?
Here in My Car: The Best in Car Commercials
Do you love cars? We're no experts, but we will talk about them for you! Listen in for some fun facts about the Delorean, the Pontiac Azteck, and the joy of Happy Honda Days!
New Year Commercials: Happy New Year 2021!
Happy New Year, everyone! We look back fondly at...any other year than 2020. Remember MCI? Remember Dick Clark? Remember Care.com? We look at their New Year commercials and look forward to yesteryear.
Christmas Commercials 2020
Merry Christmas, everyone! And what's Christmas without warm and fuzzy corporate sales pitches? We look at Hershey's Jingle Bells, Cheerios and Ebenezer Scrooge, and a special Christmas Coke commercial (you'll have to listen to find out which one). Open our gift to you by tuning in!
I Want Candy! : Addictive Candy Commercials
This is a very special episode where we celebrate all things candy and go off on the abomination that is M&M World! If you like Baby Bottle Pop, Tootsie Pops, M&Ms (but hate M&M World), then you have to listen to this.
I Want Meow Mix! : Cat Food Commercials
Meow! If you're a cat lover, then you'll love this episode! We look at cat food commercials including Meow Mix, Whiskas, and Temptations. Bonus: We breakdown a sentence fully made up of ONE word. Listen now!
Getting to Know the Little Lad: Truly Weird Commercials
These commercials are wEirD! From Starburst's Little Lad to The Burger King to the very strange Mr. Delicious from Rax, we've got some oddball commercials for you weirdos.
Halloween II: The Revenge
It's the spooky season as they say! And we're getting into it by exploring a few scary commercials. We've got McNuggets, Count Chocula, and Creepy Crawlers. Tune in and let us know you favorite Halloween commercial!
Skinner Likes Dog Food: Dog Food Commercials
Sorry, this isn't a Simpsons episode. It's actually about dog food. Can you believe there are classic commercials about dog food? We explore Mighty Dog, Kibbles and Bits, and Beggin' Strips. Woof!
It's Time to Get (Mr.) Clean: Cleaning Product Commercials
No one likes housework but we all gotta do it. Rather than cracking open that bottle of Pine-Sol, put on the headphones and have a listen as we go through the biggest hits of cleaning products, from Mr. Clean to Swiffer.
Go to School Whether You Like It or Not: Back to School Commercials
It's back to school time, the worst time of the year! We check out what Walmart, McDonald's, and Frosted Flakes had to say about the kids going back to their desks.
Kids, Don't Do Drugs: The Best Drug PSAs
As society crumbles around us, we look back to a simpler time when Don't Do Drugs ads saved us from the brink of a drug fueled nightmare world. Join us as we watch Lou Albano and Peewee Herman tell us not to "cwack cocaine."
I'm Billy Mays for Retro Ad Review
Do you spill juice on a consistent basis? Did someone saw your speedboat in half? Then have I got the product for you! This episode covers your favorite pitchmen, from Billy Mays to the Shamwow guy. Crack open the OxiClean and listen up.
Old People Need Products, Too! : Ads for Old People
Ch-ch-chia Crap: Crappy Gift Commercials
We're back! And today we're looking at crappy gifts that you get for people. From Chia Pets to the Clapper to the all-encompassing Snuggie, we explain why they're so great and terrible at the same time.
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Cereal Commercials: Part of a Balanced Breakfast
Do you love cereal? Then this episode is for you! We look at the rappin' Fruity Pebbles, Tony the Tiger's Frosted Flakes, and the limited time only Nintendo Cereal (circa 1989). Grab and bowl and listen.