9 of the most iconic TV ads Brits will never forget

TV adverts feel like a thing of the past since on-demand streaming success swooped in and disrupted the traditional TV industry.

Take Netflix, for instance, with its 282 million paying subscribers worldwide – and that's not counting those who swindle the fee by jumping on friends' accounts.

While TV ads generally marked the time people got up to make a brew, some memorable gems will forever be ingrained in our memory.

From dancing eyebrows and babies to a British bulldog declared a national treasure, here are nine iconic adverts that deserve digging up:

Real-life tenor Wynne Evans began playing the Go Compare Tenor back in 2009.

The adverts, though some would call them 'annoying', have become a huge staple of British TV and turned Evans into a celebrity in his own right - regardless of his very obvious singing talents.

Go Compare 'Tenor' Coffee Shop Advertwww.youtube.com

Cadbury's - Drumming Gorilla (2007)

Without context, a gorilla in a studio playing the drums to Phil Collins's 1981 hit In the Air Tonight sounds like a dystopian nightmare. But it somehow worked for Cadbury's and soon went on to become the nation's favourite ad, boosting sales by 9 per cent.

Once Argentinian director Juan Cabral got the team on board with his vision, the next step was to source a gorilla outfit.

He recalled a very promising gorilla costume knocking around that had appeared in the 1995 film Congo. They beefed up the chest and added intricate details such as the gold tooth.

The next task was who was going to get inside the costume.

They hired actor Garon Michael, who had experience in costume work and worked alongside the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Mark Wahlberg.

Surprisingly, filming only took a day, editing another two. It was then premiered during the finale of the eighth series of Big Brother in 2007.

Cadbury's Gorilla Advert Aug 31st 2007www.youtube.com

Cadbury's - Eyebrow dance (2009)

The chocolate company once again raised eyebrows – pun intended.

Following the success of the gorilla ad two years prior, Cadbury's used the same company to create their new campaign.

Before long, the entire nation was having a go at replicating the ad and mostly failed.

Cadbury "Eyebrows"www.youtube.com

The Spice Girls, Rugrats, and Furbies – the 90s certainly left their mark on pop culture.

But let's not forget about that famous advert that offered a lesson or two on the "full moon, half moon," and "total eclipse" – and left us in dire need of a Jaffa Cake.

Jaffa Cakes Half Moon Full Moon Total Eclipse Advertwww.youtube.com

Evian - Dancing Babies (2013)

Soundtracked by 1990s Ini Kamoze hit Here Comes the Hotstepper, Evian certainly made their advertising mark with the dancing babies.

They even secured a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for being the most viewed advertising video. A further 50,000 people got involved with their own photos for Evian's interactive Baby Inside ad in 2011.

Dancing Babys - Evian Commercial | 2013 |The New Funny Evian Commercialwww.youtube.com

Bradford firm Safestyle UK was famed for its Northern catchphrase engrained into the brains of Brits: "You buy one, you get one free."

However, the face of the ad, Jeff Brown, was later ordered to pay £53,000 or face jail in 2016 after failing to file tax returns.

Safestyle UK Buy one get one free TV adwww.youtube.com

Hastings Direct classic TV Advert 2005 | Hastings Directwww.youtube.com

Churchill - Oh Yes (1996 –)

Who would've thought a nodding British bulldog would have won the hearts of the nation?

Oh yes. The Churchill Car Insurance dog endeared UK audiences over the course of two decades. It was first introduced into the ads in 1996 and originally featured the voice of comedian Bob Mortimer.

However in 2019, the mascot had a controversial 3D makeover, and people were less than pleased about it.

The company suggested their recent ads were targeted towards a "modern, busy audience" and "evokes the feeling that being covered by Churchill offers".

churchill oh yeswww.youtube.com

Budweiser - Whassup (1999)

The iconic Budweiser ad aired between 1999 and 2002, adding to the wave of viral ads.

It sought inspiration from a short film titled True by Charles Stone III, in which a group of men phone each other while watching the match. The dialogue being – you guessed it – "whassup."

Due to its overwhelming success, the brand later revived the ad with a quarantine-themed remake in 2020.

“In times like these, something as simple as a hello, or in this case ‘whassup,’ means a lot," Budweiser’s vice-president of marketing, Monica Rustgi, shared at the time.

"Following the unbelievable success of the original ad campaign, we found this to be a meaningful opportunity to revisit the original spot’s simplicity and focus on human connection in a time when people may be feeling hopeless, uncertain, and alone.”

budweiser wassupwww.youtube.com

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