1. Coca Cola: I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke (1971)
Before streaming gave us skip buttons, commercials were unavoidable and sometimes unforgettable. Coca Cola’s hillside choir felt like a warm handshake across a divided world. Ordinary faces sang together, promising simple harmony through a shared bottle. It was soft and human, not pushy, and that is why it landed. People hummed it at school, at work, on buses and sidewalks. Decades later it still feels like a sunlit snapshot of hope. The ad sold soda by selling togetherness, which is stronger than sugar. It made marketing feel like music, and memories fizzed for years. It kept simple promises people wanted.
2. Apple: 1984 (1984)
It starts cold and gray, then a single runner breaks the spell. Apple’s 1984 spot turned a computer launch into a moment of rebellion. A hammer smashes the giant screen and suddenly tech feels personal, even liberating. It aired during the Super Bowl, then echoed through classrooms and boardrooms. People did not just see a product, they saw permission to think differently. The ad made risk look exciting and comfort look old. It also set a new standard for cinematic advertising. In sixty seconds Apple framed the future as a choice, and invited everyone forward. That invitation still feels fresh.
3. Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef (1984)
Sometimes a simple question cuts through. Wendy’s Where’s the Beef turned fast food into a national debate about substance. A tiny bun with an oversized patty mocked empty promises and made people laugh. We repeated the line at lunch counters and in living rooms. It felt playful but also practical, the way friends tease each other about choices. Sales rose because the message was sticky and clear. You could taste the joke and the burger at once. That is the magic of a perfect tagline, small words with big appetite. It made value conversational, not corporate, which people trusted.
4. Budweiser: Whassup (1999)
Pick up the phone and say what everyone is saying. Whassup spread because it sounded like friends goofing around after work. The Budweiser spot captured that loose late-night energy we all recognize. It felt unscripted, like the camera wandered into a real hangout. Suddenly the greeting lived in dorms, offices, and pickup games. No product lecture, just a vibe that made beer feel social. It showed how language travels when brands listen to how people actually talk. In the end, a simple hello turned into a worldwide punchline people loved. It was contagious, friendly, and proudly low effort fun.
5. Nike: Just Do It (1988)
Some lines feel like they were waiting for us. Just Do It arrived without fuss and became a daily whisper. It did not brag about features, it nudged you to move. Matched with sweaty faces and quiet grit, the words felt honest. You did not need a stadium, just a sidewalk and resolve. The slogan worked for pros and beginners alike, which made it timeless. It turned effort into identity, and sneakers into a promise. When life got noisy, those three words cut through and felt true. That is rare in advertising, and rarer still in memory. It stuck.
6. Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (2010)
Some ads wink at you and refuse to let go. Old Spice reinvented itself with a man stepping from showers to boats to horses in seconds. Isaiah Mustafa’s charm made the absurd believable, and the words tumbled out with rhythm. Suddenly deodorant was not boring, it was playful and shareable. People quoted lines in offices and copied gestures at parties. It became an early YouTube favorite, replayed because it was fun. Old Spice stopped feeling like your grandfather’s brand and became everyone’s inside joke. That flip from stale to fresh is why it remains unforgettable. Smelling good never looked cooler.
7. Pepsi: Cindy Crawford (1992)
Sometimes beauty sells without words. Cindy Crawford stepping out of a red car to sip a Pepsi was so simple it turned into spectacle. The denim shorts, the hair, the vending machine, it all worked as a silent postcard of the nineties. Kids watching gawked, adults smiled, and Pepsi looked glamorous. It was not a jingle or a skit, just a moment captured right. Even decades later it gets replayed and remade, because people remember how it felt. Brands dream of that kind of shorthand. In one sip Pepsi became more than a drink, it became an instant icon.
8. Snickers: You’re Not You When You’re Hungry (2010)
Hunger makes us cranky, but Snickers made that flaw funny. Betty White on a football field taking a hit captured the idea instantly. A bite of chocolate and the world was right again. The beauty of the campaign was how flexible it became. Anyone could be “not themselves,” from celebrities to kids, and the joke stayed fresh. It was relatable humor because everyone knows that mood shift. The ad gave Snickers a personality, not just a flavor. That is why it kept running for years and stayed effective. It reminded us that even snacks can diagnose us with a smile.
9. McDonald’s: Two All Beef Patties Jingle (1974)
A song can be a commercial’s secret weapon. McDonald’s Big Mac jingle listing every ingredient like a tongue twister was fun to chant. Kids tried to memorize it, parents joined in, and suddenly the burger was everywhere. It made ordering interactive, like reciting a club code. The rhythm and speed turned a sandwich into a challenge, and people loved showing off. Beyond sales, it gave McDonald’s a tune that lived outside the restaurant. That is how music stretches an ad into memory. Even now, people can hum parts of it. One burger turned into a cultural quiz with a beat.
10. Energizer Bunny (1989–Present)
The joke was simple, but it marched forever. The pink Energizer Bunny interrupted other commercials, pounding a drum and outlasting everyone. The line “keeps going and going” became more than a slogan, it was a promise. People laughed at the parody style, but they also remembered the battery. That balance of humor and function made it clever. Mascots come and go, but the bunny never stopped. It was silly, but it delivered a message kids and adults could both repeat. Even decades later, the character still pops up, proving that persistence sells when wrapped in charm. That drum never quits.
11. Always: Like a Girl (2015)
Some ads aim higher than sales. Always showed kids acting out what it meant to run or throw “like a girl,” and the difference was striking. Younger children were strong and confident, while teens shrank and mocked themselves. The message turned a phrase often used to insult into encouragement. It was not funny or flashy, it was reflective. People shared it because it touched something personal, not because it entertained. It showed brands could join real conversations and shift them for good. Always made empowerment part of its product story, and that honesty resonated. It stuck by being brave.
12. California Raisins (1986)
Not every ad needs polish, some need personality. The California Raisins, claymation figures singing “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” became unlikely stars. They were quirky, catchy, and hard to forget. What started as a way to sell dried fruit turned into albums, toys, and even TV specials. It was proof that creativity could carry even the plainest product into the spotlight. Kids collected the figurines and parents chuckled at the song. For a brief moment, raisins were cool. That is advertising at its strangest and best, where imagination sticks harder than logic. It was weird, but wonderful.
14. Volkswagen: The Force (2011)
Childhood dreams powered this one. A little boy in a Darth Vader costume tried using the Force on everything around the house. Nothing worked until his father secretly started the car with a remote. The joy on the boy’s face was the punchline, and families everywhere melted. It was a sweet nod to Star Wars fans and parents alike. Volkswagen did not brag about engines, it showed love and playfulness. That is why the ad went viral, replayed millions of times online. It blended nostalgia with humor, making a car feel magical. For many, that commercial was pure delight.
15. Absolut Vodka: The Bottle Campaign (1981–2000s)
Consistency became Absolut’s secret. The brand leaned on its bottle shape, placing it in endless clever settings from snowy landscapes to neon art pieces. Over decades, the idea never tired because it kept surprising. People looked for the bottle in every version like spotting a hidden signature. It turned an ordinary vodka into something stylish and familiar. The ads spilled across magazines, billboards, and even galleries. Each variation reinforced the brand without shouting. That quiet repetition-built recognition and loyalty. Sometimes the smartest campaigns are not loud but steady. Absolut proved subtlety can become iconic when it lasts.
17. Apple: Get a Mac (2006–2009)
Apple’s knack for simple clarity shone here. Two actors, one as a casual Mac and one as a stiff PC, chatted through short skits. The humor was light, but the contrast was sharp. You wanted to be on the side that felt easygoing and cool. The ads never shouted specs, they relied on personality. That made computers feel less technical and more personal. The series ran for years, and each spot kept the tone consistent. It showed how casting and tone could shape perception. For Apple, it worked perfectly, turning design into charm and winning new fans.
18. Bud Light: Real Men of Genius (1998–2008)
Radio can sometimes outshine TV. Bud Light’s Real Men of Genius celebrated everyday oddities with over-the-top narration and mock-heroic songs. “Here’s to you, Mr. Footlong Hotdog Inventor.” The humor was exaggerated, but it felt like a wink to listeners. People repeated lines at cookouts and tailgates, making the ads part of casual conversation. The campaign ran for years because the format never got old. Each spot felt fresh, while the theme stayed constant. It was clever because it celebrated quirks, not perfection. Bud Light made fun feel familiar, and that is why it worked everywhere.
19. Coca Cola: Polar Bears (1993–Present)
Winter and Coke became a pair with this ad. Animated polar bears watching the Northern Lights while sipping Coke created instant warmth. The spot was simple, yet magical, turning soda into a holiday tradition. Families looked forward to seeing the bears every year, and that repetition built nostalgia. It was not loud, but it was lasting. Coke tapped into the quiet joy of seasons, not just thirst. That is why the bears still return decades later. Mascots may fade, but these snowy characters stuck. They proved that sweetness in tone matters as much as sweetness in taste.
20. Apple: iPod Silhouettes (2003–2008)
Sometimes color is all you need. Apple’s iPod campaign with bright backgrounds, black dancing silhouettes, and white earbuds was instantly recognizable. It turned music into motion, and the product into part of culture. The songs chosen often became hits, launching artists to new audiences. The visuals made owning an iPod feel like joining a movement. You did not just buy a device; you bought an energy. That is why the ads linger in memory even after the iPod itself faded. They proved technology could be art when presented with style. It was joy, pure and bold, set to music.
Commercials may have been designed to sell products, but the best ones sold ideas, feelings, and memories. From jingles that stuck in our heads to ads that shaped conversations, these campaigns proved that sometimes a 30-second spot could leave a lasting mark on culture.
This story The 20 Most Unforgettable Commercials of the Last 50 Years was first published on Daily FETCH
