The 10 Most Memorable Commercials of All Time

People don’t hate advertisements—they hate unwanted, obtrusive advertisements. However, a group of highly creative people knows how to make good advertisements: Ads crafted in good taste speak to both the highs and lows of the human condition. A good advertisement leaves you feeling better, more informed, and/or more aware than before you watched it.

In this list, we’ll examine 10 of the most effective and memorable advertisements of all time. These commercials got it right—so much so that people still genuinely enjoy watching them, sometimes decades after they were originally produced. For example, Coca-Cola’s 1971 “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” ad has accumulated more than 5.4 million views on YouTube. Have you ever seen an ad so powerful that you remember exactly where you were the first time you watched it? If so, it’s probably on this list.

Please enjoy the most memorable commercials of all time.

Related: 10 Things We Buy Because Advertisers Convinced Us To

10 How Many Licks… to the Center of a Tootsie Pop (1969)

The original advertisement from 1969 that posed the question, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? ” is one of the most successful and beloved television ad campaigns of all time. It was created by the Doner advertising agency, and the ad is so popular that it is still shown today, more than 50 years after it originally aired.

The commercial cleverly asked a question that the audience never knew they had in mind, but once they heard it, they couldn’t help but wonder: “How many licks does it take?” The ad was a textbook example of a brilliant advertising strategy: it got the audience to keep thinking about the product long after viewing it. The ad’s charming cartoon figures made it especially appealing to children, who would then ask their parents to buy them Tootsie Pops.

The ad was an instant hit worldwide. By embedding persuasive messaging within a very simple, easy-to-understand narrative, Doner created an ad that is timeless in its appeal. This is one of the few advertisements ever created that successfully hit “escape velocity”: it could theoretically continue to be shown forever.^[1]

9 Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” (1984)

Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” commercial from 1984 is arguably one of the best-crafted advertisements ever. It had all the right ingredients: a sweet old lady with an unforgettable voice, a funny and memorable undersized beef patty on a ridiculously large bun, and a punchline that quickly spread to every corner of the world. After the advertisement became a global cultural anthem, you heard the line “Where’s the beef?” everywhere. Presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale famously used the line during the 1984 U.S. Democratic Party presidential debate with Senators Gary Hart, John Glenn, George McGovern, and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson.

The shoutout during the presidential debate cemented the commercial’s place in history forever. 1984 was a pivotal year in culture in many ways, and the popularity of the “Where’s the Beef?” commercial was one of the most exciting, funniest, and light-hearted moments in time. The advertisement was a textbook example of how effective a well-thought-out commercial can be.

The commercial gave an immediate boost to Wendy’s sales, but it also did something else that was very important. It brought the Wendy’s brand to the forefront of people’s minds. Before the ad’s success, most people considered McDonald’s or Burger King the source of the best hamburgers. Thanks to that short but incredibly catchy catchphrase, Wendy’s almost immediately became the fast-food chain with substance and humor. Among a certain generation of people who grew up or were adults during the 1980s, it would be almost impossible to find someone who wouldn’t immediately recognize “Where’s the Beef?”

Clara Peller (1902–1987), the American manicurist with a raspy voice who actually spoke the catchphrase, became a household name overnight, especially in the United States and Canada. A second commercial was made, but the popularity of the “Where’s the Beef?” campaign was short-lived. Soon after the campaign ended, Wendy’s experienced a sales slump. However, the original “Where’s the Beef?” commercial remains a peculiar phenomenon that will never be forgotten.^[2]

8 Budweiser’s “Whassup?” (1999)

Budweiser is one of the world’s most recognized brands of alcoholic beverages. The story of Budweiser began in 1860 when Eberhard Anheuser, a German-American soap and candle maker, purchased the Bavarian Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. Four years later, his son-in-law, Adolphus Busch, joined him, and together they began transforming the Bavarian Brewery into what would become the Anheuser-Busch company. In 1876, they introduced a new lager called “Budweiser,” which would go on to become one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world.

A lager is a beer brewed and conditioned at low temperatures, typically using bottom-fermenting yeast strains, such as Saccharomyces pastorianus. The term “lager” comes from the German word lagern, meaning “to store,” as lagers were traditionally stored in cool cellars or caves during fermentation.

In 1999, the Budweiser lager was further popularized in a hit advertising campaign: the famous “Whassup?” ad. What began as a group of friends casually shouting a playful greeting turned into a global commercial sensation. The premise was straightforward: a group of buddies on the phone asking each other, “Whassup?” in exaggerated, humorous, often ridiculous tones. Like “Where’s the beef?” before it, “Whassup?” became a universal catchphrase.

Interestingly, the idea for the campaign originated from a 1998 short film titled True: The Original Wassup? by Charles Stone III. The film, which featured a group of friends using the now-iconic greeting, caught the attention of DDB Chicago, the ad agency for Budweiser, and was adapted into the memorable commercial. This grassroots origin added authenticity and relatability to the campaign, helping it to resonate even more with audiences.

The successful ad was simple and authentic, masterfully connecting people to the Budweiser brand. Those around when the ad was released hold it dear in their hearts, and they will always remember “Whassup?”^[3]

7 Always’ “Like a Girl” (2014)

Social consciousness is a complex and emerging field of study that calls on us to analyze our world and be aware of social issues and their root causes. In 2024, Procter & Gamble created a powerful advertising campaign that was very different from traditional advertising. The “Like a Girl” commercial’s goal was to teach how damaging stereotypes can be to the self-image and self-esteem of girls in their most critical formative years. Always is a division of Procter & Gamble that produced the “Like a Girl” commercial.

The commercial was an immediate hit when it was released in 2014. Award-winning filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, known for her documentary Queen of Versailles, collaborated with Always to redefine the phrase “like a girl, ” typically associated with inability and weakness, as something confident, strong, and powerful. Instead of selling a product, the ad delivered a powerful message about self-confidence and how societal expectations can often destroy self-confidence. The commercial opened with a provocative question: “What does it mean to do something ‘like a girl’?” It challenged stereotypes by showcasing the contrast between how children and adults perceive the phrase.

The ad cleverly flipped the narrative, turning what was often used as an insult into a badge of honor. In the video, a cast of men and women of all ages initially demonstrates stereotypical, self-conscious depictions of what it means to run or throw “like a girl.” This was then contrasted with young girls acting out positive versions of the actions, showing girls as intelligent, capable, and competent.

Branded female empowerment campaigns were not new at the time. Similar efforts, such as Dove’s “Real Beauty” ads and Pantene’s focus on dismantling workplace gender stereotypes, have also gone viral. However, the Always’ #LikeAGirl campaign stood out because it was raw, natural, and genuine. Though societal reflection often shifts from generation to generation, “Like a Girl” started a discussion that will probably continue for the next several decades.^[4]

6 Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (2010)

Smell is probably the most visceral human sense after taste. A horrible smell can actually make a person feel sick, and an incredibly good smell can almost immediately convert a bad mood into a good one. Old Spice is a company and a brand that has spent over 80 years trying to master the human art of smelling good.

In 2010, Old Spice engineered one of the most successful advertisements of the 21st century, the “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercial. It played on the basic human desire to look good and smell good, using a provocatively muscular actor standing outside a shower with no shirt on. The subtle message was simple: This is the kind of man women want, and men envy. How does the average man achieve this level of attention? By using Old Spice products, of course.

The advertisement was a masterpiece of persuasion, making people think that they needed the product to smell good and be considered attractive. It had all of the classic ingredients of a successful commercial: humor, charm, and a careful attunement to the natural human cultural tendencies. The ad helped Old Spice gain relevance and reinforced some of the best techniques of a successful ad campaign.^[5]

5 Maxell’s Hi-Fidelity (1983)

The Maxell Corporation was founded in 1960 in Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan. The company initially specialized in producing dry-cell batteries before expanding into magnetic tape technology. By the 1970s, Maxell had become the world’s leading producer of audio and video cassette tapes. Audiophiles demanded high-quality audio at home, and Maxell delivered with its high-fidelity cassette tapes.

The Maxell Hi-Fidelity cassette commercial from 1983 is one of the most unforgettable commercials of all time. If you ask almost anyone born during the 1960s or 1970s about “the man in the chair being blown away by his sound system,” nearly all of them would know exactly what you’re talking about.

The ad was absolutely brilliant, and what made it so brilliant was its simplicity. Not a single word was spoken during the commercial. Instead, it visually demonstrated the superior quality of Maxell cassette tapes. The man in the video was the ideal personification of “cool,” oblivious to everything happening in the world as he listened to his high-fidelity music.

Like every other advertisement on this list, the Maxell commercial was unforgettable: it cemented the Maxell brand in people’s minds.^[6]

4 Nike’s “Just Do It” (1988)

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign from 1988 was inspired by the last words of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore before his execution: “Let’s do it.” Those words caught the attention of ad agency founder Dan Wieden, who presented the idea of a “Just Do It” commercial to Nike.

The slogan had every characteristic needed for a successful advertisement: it was short, catchy, easy to remember, and simple to understand. These qualities made the campaign extremely popular around the world—its straightforward message transcended cultural differences.

The first ad in the campaign featured 80-year-old marathoner Walt Stack jogging across the Golden Gate Bridge, sharing his unusual morning routine. The message was simple: age or ability is no barrier. Whatever you want to set your mind to and whatever you want to achieve, all you have to do is make up your mind and do it—just get it done!

The powerful campaign almost immediately boosted Nike’s sales and gave the brand a formidable boost. Nike struck gold with the ad, and people who saw it when it originally aired in 1988 still fondly remember it today.^[7]

3 Guinness’s “Surfer” (1999)

Stout is a dark beer that is usually warm-fermented. It’s a popular drink in the United Kingdom, and in 1999, Diageo produced a popular advertisement promoting its Guinness-brand stout. Diageo is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company headquartered in London, England.

The Guinness “Surfer” ad is beautifully shot, resembling poetry in motion. The commercial opens with a serious-looking man centered on the screen, his eyes focused upward. Then, a group of male surfers begins running into the sea, waiting for the perfect wave. Suddenly, monstrous waves crash down, white foam churning into the shape of galloping horses. The horses form a powerful metaphor for nature’s raw power.

The advertisement is visually mesmerizing, akin to a very good movie. Though the ad is short, it feels as though a lot of information is presented, making the viewer feel that they must pay attention to every detail. The familiar scenes of surfers riding waves are made unique by the seamless integration of the unexpected horses into the action.

“Surfer” won numerous awards and is still hailed as one of the greatest ads ever made. Twenty-six years after the commercial premiered, people still talk about it, and it successfully seared the Guinness brand into people’s minds.^[8]

2 Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” (1971)

If there was ever a perfect advertisement, 1971’s “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” was it. It had every ingredient of a monumental, society-changing ad: solidarity, community, a short but powerful message, and extraordinarily beautiful music. It was a cultural turning point that resonated everywhere it was shown. Advertisements like this almost make you forget their purpose is to sell a product. The most effective ads make you want to buy the product to recreate the good feelings you experienced while watching the commercial.

The ad premiered during a very turbulent time and was produced exactly when it was needed. It delivered a message of unity and peace during a period marked by unease and tension: civil unrest in the United States, the Vietnam War, and a general sense of societal division.

The commercial opens with a lone girl standing on a hilltop, holding a bottle of Coke and singing. She is soon joined by a diverse group of young people from around the world, all singing in harmony. Originally written for the ad, the lyrics were later adapted into a full-length song, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (in Perfect Harmony),” which became a smash hit.

The “Hilltop” ad became one of the most beloved and memorable commercials of all time. It richly deserves its place as second to the top on this list. From a purely human perspective, it is probably the best advertisement ever.^[9]

1 Apple’s “1984” (1984)

In the United States, the Super Bowl, the ultimate game of the American football season where the champion is decided, is traditionally one of the world’s most-watched events. Advertisers salivate at the opportunity to present their brands to millions of receptive Super Bowl viewers. In 1984, Apple, then a still-ascending small computer manufacturer, seized this opportunity with one of the most widely recognized advertisements of all time. Very few commercials can be referenced with just one word; this is one of them: 1984.

Apple’s “1984” commercial was truly an event. It was directed by famed film and television director/producer Ridley Scott, best known for directing the film Alien (1979) and producing the TV show The Good Wife (2009–2016).

Premiering during January 1984’s Super Bowl XVIII, “1984” introduced the Macintosh computer, a new design that Apple promised would challenge the status quo. The visually dark yet stimulating ad depicts a dystopian world where a heroic woman shatters conformity with a sledgehammer.

The production quality of “1984” was stunning. Its budget was enormous, and it was one of the first advertisements with a truly cinematic level of quality. Controversially, “1984” was a direct jab at tech giant IBM, the so-called “Big Brother” of the industry. The commercial positioned Apple as the scrappy underdog, empowering individuals to “think differently.”

The ad aired only once nationally, but that was more than enough. I intentionally placed “1984” at the end of this list because it is arguably the most memorable advertisement of all time.^[10]