Best TV Commercial of 2016 ?

sheepherder · 10-29-2016, 12:21 PM

It's been pretty slow here lately, so here's a bit of miscellany...

There's been a TV commercial playing in WNY lately, it's probably been playing elsewhere for some time. (we're about 3 months behind SoCal). It's a Geico commercial without Flo, or the duck, or the gecko. It starts on a warm sunny Summer day, two kids sitting at a table on the front lawn. One black kid, one white. There's a black guy sitting a short way behind them. There's a sign on the table: "Lemonade", and a pitcher of yellow liquid and some cups on the table. The black guy is reading a newspaper or something.

(That's the 'setup'. I've watched at least three different versions of this commercial. One is only 30 seconds; the other two are the full 60 seconds.)

A woman walks up and says "Is that ice tea?". The two kids jump up and point at the 'lemonade' sign. (In one version, they just point at the sign). The black guys says "It's lemonade, lady. Read the sign!". She walks away and next a guy leading a dog walks up and says "Is that iced tea?". The black guy says "Read the sign. It's lemonade." The guy and dog walk away. Now a blond woman walks up smiling and says "Iced tea?". The black guy says "Read the sign lady! It's lemonade! Read! Delicious!". She walks away. The screen goes to a voiceover "Iced tea at a lemonade stand? Surprising! What's not surprising is Geico blah blah blah..."

In one version there's a post-script scene: a car driving by honks and a guy yells "Iced tea?. The black dude yells back "Lemonade! Read the sign, man!".

When I first saw this commercial I didn't 'get it'. I don't watch a lot of TV but I do enjoy watching Law & Order [the original series, ran 20 years, some 456 episodes] re-runs. I couldn't figure out the humor in the commercial - all Geico's commercials are humorous. Some pretty funny.

The second time it came on I watched the table. Maybe the pitcher had iced tea in it? No, that's not it - iced tea is brown, not yellow.

Spoiler alert!

The third time it came on I watched the black dude in the background. Maybe the newspaper? He looks kind of familiar...I suddenly realize he's a detective in the TV series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"...His stage name is 'Ice-T'.

Now I'm laughing my ass off! Great commercial! A bit over my head (I'm a moron), but I finally 'got it'!

Ice-T at a lemonade stand!

The commercial seems to be evolving - maybe because of viewer reaction (or lack, in my case). The two kids no longer jump up. And the Ice-T dialog may have changed slightly.

But it's still funny! It gets my vote for Best Commercial of 2016!

It must be on YouTube by now. Google Images has a lot of cutscenes that are new to me, must be more versions of the ad coming. I don't watch the SuperBowl - was it a halftime commercial? Check it out if you haven't seen it!

Zorba · 10-29-2016, 02:01 PM

Flo belongs to Progressive, not Geico. The duck is Aflac.

sheepherder · 10-29-2016, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorba

Flo belongs to Progressive, not Geico. The duck is Aflac.

Damn, you're smart! No wonder members are selling me 1917 Erfurt artilleries and 1921 artillery DWM's...

ithacaartist · 10-29-2016, 06:43 PM

Maybe it's only easy to the extent that just a few cave men can remember...

DonS · 10-29-2016, 06:59 PM

Never get tired of seeing that commercial. It's great.

cirelaw · 10-29-2016, 10:01 PM

Flo belongs to us all~

BogeyB · 10-29-2016, 11:35 PM

I like the Heinz commercial that has a herd dachshunds dressed up as hot dogs.

Mike

Mister Sunshine · 10-30-2016, 03:02 PM

Progressive Insurance is owned by a man named Lewis. He is a far left progressive, also the name of his company. When my car was being appraised after being rear ended, the appraiser said Progressive was terrible insurance.

10-29-2016, 12:21 PM	#1
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	Best TV Commercial of 2016 ? It's been pretty slow here lately, so here's a bit of miscellany... There's been a TV commercial playing in WNY lately, it's probably been playing elsewhere for some time. (we're about 3 months behind SoCal). It's a Geico commercial without Flo, or the duck, or the gecko. It starts on a warm sunny Summer day, two kids sitting at a table on the front lawn. One black kid, one white. There's a black guy sitting a short way behind them. There's a sign on the table: "Lemonade", and a pitcher of yellow liquid and some cups on the table. The black guy is reading a newspaper or something. (That's the 'setup'. I've watched at least three different versions of this commercial. One is only 30 seconds; the other two are the full 60 seconds.) A woman walks up and says "Is that ice tea?". The two kids jump up and point at the 'lemonade' sign. (In one version, they just point at the sign). The black guys says "It's lemonade, lady. Read the sign!". She walks away and next a guy leading a dog walks up and says "Is that iced tea?". The black guy says "Read the sign. It's lemonade." The guy and dog walk away. Now a blond woman walks up smiling and says "Iced tea?". The black guy says "Read the sign lady! It's lemonade! Read! Delicious!". She walks away. The screen goes to a voiceover "Iced tea at a lemonade stand? Surprising! What's not surprising is Geico blah blah blah..." In one version there's a post-script scene: a car driving by honks and a guy yells "Iced tea?. The black dude yells back "Lemonade! Read the sign, man!". When I first saw this commercial I didn't 'get it'. I don't watch a lot of TV but I do enjoy watching Law & Order [the original series, ran 20 years, some 456 episodes] re-runs. I couldn't figure out the humor in the commercial - all Geico's commercials are humorous. Some pretty funny. The second time it came on I watched the table. Maybe the pitcher had iced tea in it? No, that's not it - iced tea is brown, not yellow. Spoiler alert! The third time it came on I watched the black dude in the background. Maybe the newspaper? He looks kind of familiar...I suddenly realize he's a detective in the TV series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"...His stage name is 'Ice-T'. Now I'm laughing my ass off! Great commercial! A bit over my head (I'm a moron), but I finally 'got it'! Ice-T at a lemonade stand! The commercial seems to be evolving - maybe because of viewer reaction (or lack, in my case). The two kids no longer jump up. And the Ice-T dialog may have changed slightly. But it's still funny! It gets my vote for Best Commercial of 2016! It must be on YouTube by now. Google Images has a lot of cutscenes that are new to me, must be more versions of the ad coming. I don't watch the SuperBowl - was it a halftime commercial? Check it out if you haven't seen it! Attached Images __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

10-29-2016, 06:43 PM	#4
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,374 Thanks: 7,447 Thanked 2,613 Times in 1,380 Posts	Maybe it's only easy to the extent that just a few cave men can remember... __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

10-29-2016, 11:35 PM	#7
BogeyB Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Mc Donough, GA. Posts: 422 Thanks: 0 Thanked 227 Times in 99 Posts	I like the Heinz commercial that has a herd dachshunds dressed up as hot dogs. Mike __________________ MAGA Always!! NRA Benifactor, GCA

10-29-2016, 02:01 PM	#2
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	Flo belongs to Progressive, not Geico. The duck is Aflac.

10-29-2016, 06:59 PM	#5
DonS User Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 31 Thanks: 3 Thanked 45 Times in 13 Posts	Never get tired of seeing that commercial. It's great.

10-29-2016, 10:01 PM	#6
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	Flo belongs to us all~

10-30-2016, 03:02 PM	#8
Mister Sunshine User Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Cherry Valley, Ca. Posts: 94 Thanks: 0 Thanked 29 Times in 20 Posts	Progressive Insurance is owned by a man named Lewis. He is a far left progressive, also the name of his company. When my car was being appraised after being rear ended, the appraiser said Progressive was terrible insurance.