Bailey's Favorite Christmas Commercials
For someone who detests capitalism as much as I do, old commercials hold an inordinately dear place in my heart. TV commercials are always unbearable in the present, but give them a decade or two to age (or for the company to dissolve)and I find myself entirely charmed and taken in by these thirty-second nuggets of aggressively manipulative salesmanship. By far, my favorite type of commercial is 'the holiday advertisement,' especially those that can be found on my old Christmas VHS recordings. Don't touch that dial! Here are ten of my all-time favorite Christmas commercials, with video links, so that you can take a holiday walk through memory lane as well.
This classic, simple, musical ad has stood the test of time for over thirty years, still airing during the holiday season today. Who wasn't inspired to ring Hershey's Kisses like bells after watching this commercial?
French Vanilla Cool Whip (2004)
This commercial for the discontinued French Vanilla Cool Whip flavor is less-remembered, but I think it's one of the catchiest jingles I've ever heard. It's stayed with me in the 15+ years since it first aired on television, to such a degree that whenever I hear a "fa la la la la," I quietly append a little "french vanilla" to the end of it.
"'Tis the season to be sharing, Fred!" Here's one that I, along with many of us that grew up with this commercial year after year, know line by line. Not just the Flintstone edition of "Deck the Halls," but every...single...beat of this ad. There are few things as delightful as discovering that you're in a room with someone who knows this commercial like you do, locking eyes, and reciting it in perfect synchronicity like you're a couple of cereal sleeper agents.
This is another one of those ads that continues to air every year. It continues to be as funny as ever, as both Santa and the M&Ms discover the truth of their existence.
Campbell's Soup Commercial (1993)
Who doesn't remember coming inside from playing out in the snow and being so freezing and covered in snow that you feel like a snowman? I love the adorable concept of this commercial as Campbell's soup melts a snowman, revealing the boy that's been outside a bit too long. Sidenote: Even though this commercial is from the '90s, does this look to anyone else like the most '50s-looking kid you ever did see?
This is another extremely catchy tune that never fails to get me excited as the decked out Coca-Cola Christmas truck rides through the night with the spirit (and the rhythm) of a steam engine. This ad always makes me excited and want to go outside and chase a truck. This must be how dogs feel.
Pillsbury Holiday Cookies (2000)
No list of Christmas commercials would be complete without one that features a family baking cookies. To this day, whenever I see the Pillsbury brand, I think of "My heart to yours," even though I believe they have dropped that slogan.
This commercial is much more recent, but it's one of my all-time favorites, as Frankenstein’s monster takes a chance and celebrates Christmas. Who knew Brad Garrett could make me cry?
Oreo has always had one of the best jingles in the biz, and this quiet Christmas edition is by far the best, as a little boy leaves Oreos for Santa, who quietly enjoys them as the boy sleeps nearby. It's cute as anything and always likely to leave me reminiscing about my childhood during the holidays.
This was a commercial that frequented my holiday VHS tapes. I think what I love most about it is how relaxing it is for a McDonald's commercial. There's no Ronald and none of McDonald's typical fast-paced editing. It even goes so far as to imply these holiday nuggets are a little...fancy? I don't even like chicken nuggets, but I'd be lying if I said I don't want to try that cranberry dipping sauce with a twist of orange.
What are your favorite retro holiday commercials? Have you seen that M&Ms commercial on television yet? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more holiday hoopla!
Copyright © 2020 Bailey Lizotte
