You are now entering Ad Space, a realm of commercials, brought before us so we might examine how they work, and discuss why we both love and hate them so. So it is written …

Hey, y’all, taking a break from our usual format this week. Instead of looking at an ad for a specific product, we’re gonna be looking at a few commercials, all advertising different things, but all following the same formula.

Celebrity endorsements have been a thing in commercials pretty much as long as there’s been commercials. But these ads take a much more specific approach: having actors from a beloved and nostalgic movie/TV show reprise their famous roles and re-enact some of the most memorable scenes from their signature work … except tweaked so now it’s all about shilling cars or snack foods or whatever.

It’s like retroactive product placement – they’re not yet at the point of trying to edit these commercials into the original footage, acting like the product placement was always there … but give them time.

Walt & Jesse Cook Popcorners

Phil Connors Just Needed a Jeep

Basil Fawlty Did NOT Get Specsavers

Of these, the Breaking Bad one is probably my favorite, just for the fact that Popcorners is deliberately comparing their product to an illegal, addictive substance.

“We got six signature flavors, yo.”
“Seven! You make seven!“
“Seven.” “Seven works.” “Yeah.”