The 20 Most Brilliantly Unusual Print Ads of 2011

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (22)

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IKEA

Crispers

Axe Body Spray

MTV PSA

Lebeau Auto Glass Repair

Canal+

Anti-Drug PSA

Volkswagon

Pantene

Samsung Washing Machine

McDonald’s WiFi

Band-Aid

Alzheimer’s Erasers

Anti-Graffiti PSA

HP Printer

Laser Hair Removal

Alpika Baby Cream Toast

Heineken

Stationary of Horror

Harnn Massage Balm

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Comments

...Axe?

Really?

Posted by: Snath at December 28, 2011 5:29 PM

Re Pantene ad--I instantly thought of Ringu/Ring movies. Not the mental image which will lead me to buy Pantene shampoo. And I totally don't get Samsung washing machine ad (is it barfing up dirt?).

Posted by: Fluffyhamster at December 28, 2011 5:58 PM

The hair removal ad freaks me out. "Hate to shower? Just shed your skin with Epidermis Begone!"

Posted by: Bob Frapples at December 28, 2011 6:23 PM

that gardener has a sweet ass.

Posted by: gp at December 28, 2011 8:04 PM

While I find Axe body spray to be worse than Hitler, I have to confess that I adore that fallen angel ad. It's like a gorgeous 1-minute movie.

Posted by: Skyler Durden at December 28, 2011 9:06 PM

I don't understand the Heinekin ad.

Also, it scares me.

Posted by: ZombieNurse at December 28, 2011 10:11 PM

I don't get the HP printer ad

I don't get the Heineken ad

And that bookshelf made of books looks sturdier than anything from Ikea.

Posted by: John G. at December 29, 2011 12:41 AM

They are all disturbing. Shame on you.

Posted by: Spender at December 29, 2011 2:15 AM

Generally speaking the groom's sister has no major role unless the bride asks her to be a bridesmaid. Including you in the service to do a reading is great. Your speech at the reception (which you will have to compose yourself or get someone to help with it) could be light hearted comments and recollections of your brother growing up and finding love with his new bride. You will also be required to wish them happiness and you may even offer a toast.

Posted by: weddings toasts at December 29, 2011 3:57 AM

John G.: I think the HP ad is for a 3D printer. Hence the baby at the wall. I think it's rather clever, assuming I'm right.

I don't get the Heineken ad, either. I'm not sure there is something to get.

The milk toast ad is pure gold.

And it's "Volkswagen", not "Volkswagon".

Posted by: FabMax at December 29, 2011 6:46 AM

I hate being the one to make this tired, old point...so I won't - here's Banksy:

'The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists..'

On the plus side, I knocked over the Sunsphere.

Posted by: zeke the pig at December 29, 2011 6:54 AM

In the Heineken ad, is the guy supposed to be a zombie? Because he's got zombiesque coloring and weird zombie-like eyes.

Posted by: tamatha at December 29, 2011 9:48 AM

In the MTV condom PSA, Swishy McRollerskates looks like Terry from Reno 911! and Waylon Smithers had a love child, so I think it's highly unlikely that he'd be sporting wood.

Posted by: Groundloop at December 29, 2011 10:09 AM

When I was in college, back in the 1970's, I majored in marketing. I had a course where I had to watch 2 hours of commercials with no programming breaks, every class period. Then we would discuss what made a good ad. Basically it came down to:

1. Was it entertaining?
2. Did it catch your attention?

But most importantly:

3. Did you remember the product after you've seen the ad or commercial?
4. Did it make you want to buy that product?

Sometimes an entertaining ad didn't make us want to buy the product. Sometimes a really stupid ad, that we absolutely hated, made us remember the product despite ourselves.

I don't get about a third of those ads up there, but they are rather memorable, if only for the WTF response.

Posted by: BWeaves at December 29, 2011 12:17 PM

"John G.: I think the HP ad is for a 3D printer. Hence the baby at the wall. I think it's rather clever, assuming I'm right."

I don't know that it's necessarily for a 3D printer. The tiny little print in the bottom corner talks about high quality printing. I assume the ad means something along the lines of "use our high quality printers when the having real thing isn't available/practical".

Posted by: elsie at December 29, 2011 1:24 PM

That's "Stationery", not "Stationary". Although it is, technically.

Posted by: Obst N. Gemuse at December 29, 2011 2:53 PM

No more toast for me thanks.

Posted by: John W at December 29, 2011 5:13 PM

Euro ad agencies are staffed by some seriously deranged people.

Posted by: Jerry at December 29, 2011 5:51 PM

What Snath said.

Posted by: boo at December 29, 2011 7:29 PM

Some of them are pretty clever, but the hair removal and the hand under the skin one are a bit too freaky.
Don't get the Samsung one at all, it looks like a shirt is vomiting mud. Huh?

Posted by: lucy2 at December 30, 2011 9:39 AM

I think the Samsung ad is trying to say that it gives your clothes such a workover when cleaning that it is akin to riding a vomit-inducing rollercoaster. Thought the autoglass ad was brilliant.

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Posted by: checking account at January 31, 2012 3:25 AM

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The 20 Most Brilliantly Unusual Print Ads of 2011

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