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Their sole intention is to sell us on a product or service, but if the history of commercials
has shown anything, it’s that there’s no one right way to do so.
Take, for instance, these gems which are all so incredibly strange and unsettling that
they’ve landed in our Archive of the top ten creepiest commercials ever to be aired.
No, don’t tune out just yet, these are commercials you won’t want to miss!
And while we tune to the right station, why not hit that subscribe button and click the
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10.
Fragile Childhood – Monsters They may be the people closest to them, but
this commercial from Fragile Childhood, an organization that combats the effects of parental
alcohol use, questions how children see their oft-intoxicated guardians.
The ad is incredibly effective, not just at getting
its message across, but also at giving the average viewer chills.
Well executed costume and makeup design bring to life monsters and suspicious figures that
could give anyone nightmares. 9.
McDonald’s – Magical Hamburgers No, no, McDonald’s, you’re doing it all
wrong.
You’re supposed to draw customers in, not send them running with terrifying advertising.
The commercial aims to paint Ronald McDonald as a lovable clown but instead alarms us of
the gullibility and naivety of children.
Initially cautious of the disheveled clown, the boy is quick to run off with his new friend
after a quick exchange that reminds us too much of Georgie’s interaction with Pennywise
from Stephen King’s It.
8.
Bluetongue Brewery – Whale Safe The Australian Bluetongue Brewery is not shy
about its stance on protecting marine life and, in 2006 and 2007, showed ample support
for marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Part of that support came in the form of this very disturbing anti-whaling commercial.
While we’re happy to join Bluetongue’s stance against whaling, we may have to stray
from purchasing a beer brewed by the same mind that came up with the demented concept
for this advertisement.
7.
Dirt Devil Human possession by a demonic spirit is visceral,
eerie, and sometimes downright horrifying – and a vacuum manufacturer somehow captured
these elements perfectly.
Dirt Devil does an amazing job in making us think we’re watching a preview for the next
installment in the Exorcist series.
The commercial builds up tension and even gives us a quick fright before revealing the
rather silly nature of the ad.
6.
Co-Operative Bank – V-69 Bounding Landmine Some banks want you to take advantage of their
$200 bonus for opening a checking account with them.
Co-Operative Bank uses its marketing funds to ensure you know that it is not in support
of “oppressive regimes” across the world.
In this 1997 cinema ad, the bank walked the audience through the devastating effects of
a Valmara 69 anti-personnel mine, going so far as to describe how each row of the theater
would be affected if one exploded.
It’s okay, we’re as weirded out as you are.
5.
“Daisy” Presidential elections are no laughing matter,
but Lyndon B. Johnson took things to a new level of terrifying during the 1964 election
with the “Daisy” attack ad.
The little girl counting while pulling apart the daisy was eerie enough, but the overlaid
countdown to imminent nuclear destruction really drove home the horror.
Maybe even most unsettling was the ad’s message that a vote against Johnson was a
vote for nuclear destruction.
4.
Baby Laugh-A-Lot Do we even have to go into detail?
That laugh is a mix of maddening and terrifying and we can’t even be sure that the girls
in the video aren’t being driven to bloodlust by it.
Are those giggles of joy over the baby’s laugh or the exact moment in time their minds
fracture and send them on cannibalistic killing sprees?
3.
The Drowning Simulator It may be interactive, but Guy Cotten’s
message is just as easy to understand had it been delivered via a conventional commercial.
The simulator is a clever marketing tactic to get viewers to understand the importance
of life jackets and it should come as no surprise that Guy Cotten specializes in outdoor safety
gear.
Viewers are charged with scrolling rapidly on their mouse in a futile effort to not drown,
and while that’s creepy enough on its own, the experience is not for thalassophobics.
In the struggle to stay afloat, the camera dips beneath the surface, giving a spine chilling
view of the vast blue that’s claiming another victim.
2.
K-Fee – Wide Awake German caffeine took advertising by storm
when it released nine different commercials all designed with the intention of giving
the viewer a heart attack.
Each commercial depicts a serene setting for about 15 seconds before unleashing a horrific
fiend onto the screen.
The commercials attempted to use the concept of “screamers” to sell caffeinated drinks,
but the campaign backfired when viewers complained of the shock value.
They’re still fun today if you can find someone that hasn’t fallen for them yet.
1.
Autoway’s Terrifying Tires Very few commercials come with a warning and
release of liability – which means this must be the crème de la crème of creepy
advertisements.
You wouldn’t know it at first, but this terrifying advert, filmed on an effective
shaky cam, is trying to sell tires, but we’re not sure if it works.
Here, you tell us.
Are you thinking about your car’s tires?
Yeah, we didn’t think so.
Well, are you thoroughly creeped out?
If you found one commercial especially creepy, let us know in the comments and, while you’re
in that area, give the video a thumbs up!
Need something to take your mind off those creepy commercials?
Check out one of these two videos!