Top 5 TV Commercials of All Time

It may seem tough to choose only five out of the millions (billions?) of commercials one sees in a lifetime, but these 5 are far and away my favorites. Sadly, most of the videos are of poor quality, as they were probably videotaped in those old VCR days, but you'll get the general idea.

5. I only saw this commercial once in its original run, but the image stuck with me all these years. The illusion of a high-end cosmetics or jewelry ad is perfect right up until the big payoff.

4. Of all the Lord of the Rings parodies out there, this one is easily the best.

3. Although not straight comedy, there was always something about this middle-aged McDonald's crew with their Broadway-style song-and-dance that I found unforgettable. And eminently singable. And, of course, that's John Amos with the broom and the brush.

2. A classic bit of misdirection that never gets old, this Trix cereal ad keeps you guessing until the very last frame.

1. The "Dear Kitten" commercial for Friskies is number one for three excellent reasons: the cuteness of the kitten, the voice of the cat, which strikes a perfect balance between wisdom and boredom, and the spot-on commentary of feline behavior. There are others in the series, but they can't recapture the magic of the first and best. Purrr-fect!

Honorable Mention

This Volkswagen ad from the '70s gets its point across with a wonderful montage of slapsticky moments, any of which could easily happen to you today.