What is it about television ads that make them unforgettable? Is it the characters, dialogue, music or the product itself? Although this can vary for each of us, often times when you think about many of the ads that we can’t get out of our heads, or that are often parodied and talked about long after they have aired – a lot of them share a common element of catchy music and dance scenes that move not only our feet, but can also move us to buy the featured product. Here are just a handful of the companies that use dance to brand their messages into our minds, with ads that made major moves across the airwaves and pop culture history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvBB_DmVlc
This Toyota Corolla ad takes us on a trip down memory lane as it cruises through the decades in dance. From the American Bandstand era of the 1950’s to the funky grooves of the 70’s Soul Train Line, to the breakin’ 80’s, and the grunge 90’s, all the way up to the present flash mobs of today; it’s message “Style never goes out of style” resonates by connecting the sleek, stylish car with the cyclical evolution of dance.
This ad for the video game Dance Central 3 has it all from superstar singer/dancer Usher as moderator for a Political dance battle to a cop stopping traffic for a dance break, to all star athletes breaking up their soccer game to break down some wild dance moves! If this didn’t make you want to buy the game I can’t imagine what would!
A throwback to 90’s nostalgia, this was just one of the many Gap commercials at the time that featured groups of professional dancers grooving about to a variety of musical genres from soul to country, rock to Broadway and beyond. This one, titled Khaki-a-Go-Go, shows off mostly Generation X dancers doing Bob Fossey inspired moves from the 1960’s, as they show off their Gap khakis in a fun, light-hearted sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZgIYvFu-FQ
Smoothly dressed, giant hamsters break up an impending world war assault from evil robots with their hip-hopping bop to LMFAO’s “Party Rock”. Much like the running theme in many dance movies, dance literally brings people together, even when on the brink of war!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85ntIblyILk
Target is another company that has become known for using iconic music and catchy dance numbers to sell products and drive home their brand message. One of their latest commercials is set to the legendary Jackson 5 classic “ABC“, and features some of the biggest names in dance today… who just happen to be some of the youngest talent around, as they get kids and their parents prancing around with excitement to go back to school shopping for the styles featured on these fashionably, funky kid dancers.
A classic iPod ad to “Shut Up and Let Me Go” by the Ting Tings, featuring those iconic dancing silhouettes that were the theme of most of their iconic television ads for nearly a decade. The ads epitomized some of the brands product highlights; being light, allowing for freedom of movement, and being so sleek, stylish and fun that everyone just had to have one!
Ikea, which is not as known for colorful dancing ads, stepped outside of the box with a hip spot featuring street dancer Robert Muraine, who was on So You Think You Can Dance back in 2011. The concept of having him do wave style dance moves while moving Ikea’s furniture around the room in a wave like motion was meant to show us that Ikea’s furniture is as innovative as the ad promoting it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyk-2ArIicA
If this image doesn’t ring a bell, it’s quite plausible that you don’t own a television, or are one of those viewers who routinely skips through commercials. What could it be? Wait for it… Give up? I won’t leave you in suspense any longer. For the past few months Time Warner has been running a television commercial proclaiming that their service is now so fast, that you won’t have a chance to hear their awesome elevator music while waiting on hold. Part 1 is this 30 second spot showing the customer grooving away to Time Warner’s jazzy melody while waiting on hold to speak with a service representative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6YUCt6XJgQ
Part two of the Time Warner commercial is where things get interesting. The best part is that they proudly boasts that they have a channel with a compilation of their best on hold music hits for your listening pleasure. I thought this was all a joke, yet it turns out, that they weren’t kidding! I recently discovered this extended version of the ad actually exists and has a staggering number of views to boast! If you didn’t get enough of their music, or the mellow guys dance moves, then check out this link with the full version of the ad, complete with added dance steps. What do you think of the Time Warner Cable dancers moves? What moves would you do to these elevator hits, or any of the other songs featured in this post?
