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With Ads of the Weird, MSNBC.com takes a look at some of the oddest, most eye-catching, controversial and just plain interesting advertising out there today. Primary writer Allison Linn covers the retail and advertising industries for MSNBC.com. The Ads of the Weird team is always interested in hearing what ads have caught your attention, whether it's online, on television or in print.


AT&T gets sweet

Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 11:11 AM by Rob Neill
Filed Under:

We’re really not that big of fans of holiday-themed commercials (yes, we remember what we wrote last week). Most of them have way too many jingle bells and soft-focus shots of houses in a perfect blanket of snow for our taste.

But given the crush of cookies and sweets in the office this week (our dentist will not love our workplace), we were pleased to see some treats that weren’t going to add to our gluttony.

Even if, sigh, they do work for AT&T.

AT&T

The spot is for the company’s Go Phone. (We’ll sigh again and promise not to roll our eyes at the company’s shoddy customer service or unhelpful support line that had us on hold this morning … no really.) And the ad looks like the abovementioned typical holiday blather with smiley animated gingerbread peeps.

Then they open their frosted mouths and we get a harried blue-collar dad and spoiled children. Much more in line with our experience this time of year.

Comic gold: Dad telling one kid “Well I want people to stop eating my house, but that ain’t gonna happen.”

And it doesn’t at the end, revealing a little gingerbread cheesecake (to mix dessert metaphors). This month seems to be full of roofing disasters.

We were set to congratulate the creators, but since Aardman Productions was also behind Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run, we have a lot more to thank them for.

Watch the ad here.

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Comments

Now, I could be wrong about this, but the voice of the dad sounds like Steve Buscemi and the son sounds like Norm McDonald.  That makes this commercial even better.

Chad, Watertown, SD (Sent Thursday, December 27, 2007 3:51 PM)

Even better-Steve Buscemi and Norm MacDonald, together in one commercial!

Joanne, Newnan, GA (Sent Friday, December 28, 2007 5:39 PM)

Wow, the movie Fargo in a ginger bread house commerial. Way to go Mr. Buscemi!!!

Dan, Chanhassen, MN (Sent Tuesday, January 01, 2008 1:43 AM)

the "ginger-Dad's" beard appears out of nowhere after we see him beard-less, and then (see picture with article) there is 'frosting' in his hand as well?
Is he using the house glue to give himself a beard a-la Santa? is it a continuity mistake?
it's confusing.  

Challis, Little Rock, AR (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:07 PM)

I  love this ad

raymond roanoke va. (Sent Saturday, January 19, 2008 4:24 PM)



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