What is the best cricket television ad ever?
Roar Rookie By Daniel Gray, 24 Sep 2010 Daniel Gray is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Australia, Brett Lee, Cricket, India, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Ricky Ponting
With this weekend’s AFL Grand Final signaling the impending arrival of 2010/11 cricket season, it’s a good time to start preparing mentally for the latest round of ads featuring our Aussie stars.
With Andrew Symonds enjoying an extended visit to the pub these days, there is a sad lack of personality among the current side.
With captain Punter and captain-in-waiting Clarke leading the charge, fans can expect to see players flogging wares with the enthusiasm of a race-caller on ecstasy. Let’s look at some of the more memorable cricket ads of recent years:
Ricky Ponting and John ‘Yoda’ Laws
I often wonder who came up with this pairing. Was it pitched as part of a dare? Were the advertising team drinking Valvoline in a meeting when they suddenly thought ‘Ricky Ponting and John Laws? Win!’?
These questions aside, was pitching a Star Wars reference at beer swilling audience of cricket fans the best move? Time (and sales figures) will tell, but in the meantime, I have no doubt there is some form of Valvoline signage mounted prominently in the extension on Ricky’s house.
Okay, not exactly an ad, but who doesn’t enjoy watching Clarke look like a goose? I found this much more enjoyable than seeing him plug razors, deodorant, adult nappies or whatever else he’ll no doubt be pitching again this summer.
Like Nostradamus before them, it seems KFC have an eerie knack of predicting the future. Mitchell Johnson? Who cares? Give us fried chicken! Seems to tie in nicely with Mitch’s form since he actually performed well in one Test at the WACA a few years ago.
I considered including our golden boy pitching Weet Bix or perhaps cavorting with a Bollywood actress here, but like Michael Clarke earlier, this memory made me smile more than any of Brett’s efforts in the advertising world.
With the Aussies likely to be schooled by India (again) in the upcoming series, I discovered that India can teach our advertising industry a thing or two on how to use cricketers to flog your products.
This little gem rates considerably higher on the ‘unintentionally amusing’ index than anything KFC, VB or Warney will reel out this summer.
The Crowd Says (11) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- Australia, Brett Lee, Cricket, India, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Ricky Ponting
September 24th 2010 @ 9:26am
Hutchoman said | September 24th 2010 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Without doubt the “how do you feel” Tooheys Draught ads from the early eighties featuring Dennis Lillee and Mike Whitney. Rolled gold there my friend, rolled gold.
They don’t make ‘em like that any more.
September 24th 2010 @ 9:48am
Brett McKay said | September 24th 2010 @ 9:48am | Report comment
I actually really like this year’s Ashes ad, the way they’ve spliced togther the footage of Ponting, Bradman, Lillee, et al, in the field, with Pietersen and Botham batting. Really clever..
http://www.cricket.com.au/
September 24th 2010 @ 10:10am
Daniel Gray said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:10am | Report comment
I’m with you, Brett. That’s a great ad, although the ending is a little far fetched, with the assumption Mitch would bowl someone in current form
September 24th 2010 @ 10:26am
Brett McKay said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:26am | Report comment
actually Daniel, the way Pietersen plays around a straight one in the ad, it’s COMPLETELY indicative of current form!!
September 24th 2010 @ 10:44am
Daniel Gray said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:44am | Report comment
I guess Mitch just needs to learn how to bowl a straight one now!
September 24th 2010 @ 10:57am
Brett McKay said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:57am | Report comment
he’s always had the straight one, it’s the swinging one he loses from time to time..
September 24th 2010 @ 10:59am
Daniel Gray said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:59am | Report comment
By straight one, are we talking about the one that continues in a straight line about a foot outside off? Seems to be his stock ball of late…
September 24th 2010 @ 11:28am
TomC said | September 24th 2010 @ 11:28am | Report comment
Who could ever forget C’mon Aussie C’mon? Every kid in the playground was singing that song when I was eight years old.
September 25th 2010 @ 7:58am
Geordie said | September 25th 2010 @ 7:58am | Report comment
My favourite one from 84. As kids we were mesmerized by how those great Windies and Pakistan players were presented as almost god-like……which for the aussie team at the time I guess they kind of were.
September 24th 2010 @ 11:37am
Jiggles said | September 24th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
The new VB add is as funny as all hell! It’s bound to get a bit of air-time throughout the ashes. If you haven’t seen it I suggest you track it down on Youtube/VB website, its classic!
September 24th 2010 @ 12:34pm
JohnB said | September 24th 2010 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
The VB ads in the last Ashes series I thought very clever – with some of them even on the 50th viewing there was a little something you hadn’t seen before. And the opening line of the C’mon Aussie C’mon song (“Lillee’s pounding down like a machine”) – great stuff.