Top 10 Characters From Commercials
films, commercials, television, commercial characters, trivago, allstate, old spice, maytag, marlboro, dos equis, kentucky fried chicken, mcdonalds, burger king, top 10, watchmojo,
Script written by Nick Spake
We’ll be right back after these messages. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Commercial Characters.
For this list, we’re taking a look at the most memorable and influential characters that have frequently appeared in television advertisements. We’ve included restaurant characters but excluded food mascots such as the characters from the M&Ms commercials, as they already have a list of their own.
#10: Old Spice Man
Women want the Old Spice Man and men want to be the Old Spice Man– at least, that’s how this confident character views himself. Played by former NFL practice squad player Isaiah Mustafa, the Old Spice Man initially gained popularity with the Emmy-winning ad, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Part of what’s made this campaign such an immense success is Mustafa’s fast-paced comedic timing, never missing a single beat. Even if the Old Spice Man can come off as egotistical, his delivery is so slick and witty that we’re all driven to believe anything is possible with Old Spice.
#9: Mayhem
Although we considered actor Dennis Haysbert as the Allstate representative for our list (xref), we’ve chosen to go with the guy who can be anything in your car – whether he’s your GPS, or your blind spot, or your lost phone. He can also make a pretty convincing teenage girl… until he crashes into your car, that is. Portrayed by actor Dean Winters – better known as Ryan O’Reilly from HBO’s Oz – his character was developed in response to Allstate spending less advertising money than several of its competitors, and after being launched in 2010, the ad campaign won Allstate 80 awards by the following year.
#8: trivago Guy
The trivago Guy immediately caught people’s attention due to his homeless appearance and disastrous fashion sense. Looking like he just rolled out of bed and threw some dirty clothes on, Tim Williams’ character has been the target of various parodies. Seriously, would it have killed him to put on a belt? Where this ad could’ve been seen as a failure, the German travel company decided to turn lemons into lemonade. Through a contest, people were able to submit new wardrobe ideas for the trivago guy and vote on his new ensemble. Now, he looks sharper than ever in a true rags to riches story.
#7: Mac and PC
Some people prefer Macs and others prefer PCs. Apple poked fun at their ongoing rivalry with Microsoft by taking both computers and giving them human personifications. Justin Long portrayed the hipster-ish Mac and John Hodgman played the uptight, somewhat outdated PC. While the “Get a Mac” campaign could’ve come off as mean-spirited, these ads were playful and never took cheap shots at Windows. Long and Hodgman shared marvelous chemistry as two competitors that still shared a certain degree of respect for one another. In the world of advertising, Mac and PC are truly best frenemies.
#6: Flo
Have you ever encountered a store clerk that seemed just a little too passionate about their job? That’s basically Flo in a nutshell. Featured in over 100 ads for Progressive Insurance, this perky woman is always eager to help a customer in need. Stephanie Courtney portrays her character with no shortage of gusto, always wearing a smile and nametag. Some may argue that Flo is overly enthusiastic, but it’s hard not to be won over by someone who takes so much pleasure in doing what they love. A ray of optimism, Flo earns our highest rating in customer satisfaction.
#5: Marlboro Man
We know that smoking is bad for your health and understand why tobacco advertisements are no longer permitted on television. Nevertheless, the Marlboro Man’s small screen presence certainly made cigarettes look glamorous back in the day. A rugged cowboy, this Marlboro mascot is often seen out in nature, performing manly tasks. After a hard day’s work, nothing refreshes him more than a cigarette. Unsurprisingly, several men who appeared in Marlboro ads reportedly died from smoking-related illnesses. But even if the product is deadly, there’s no denying the Marlboro man will forever be an advertising icon.
#4: Ol’ Lonely
In an ideal world, our appliances would never break down. The only downside is that all those hardworking repairmen would be put out of a job. Since Maytag’s washing machines, dryers, and other products are so reliable, Ol’ Lonely spends his days hopelessly waiting for somebody who requires his services. Alas, nobody ever calls. We totally empathize with the lonely repairman, who simply wants to function in a world that doesn’t need him. Despite his depressing circumstances, Ol’ Lonely remains dedicated to his career choice. Until a washer finally malfunctions, at least he has basset hound Newton to keep him company.
#3: The Most Interesting Man in the World
The Most Interesting Man in the World’s name pretty much speaks for itself. This guy is full of unbelievable talents that are equally awesome and hilarious. Jonathan Goldsmith embodies the character with the utmost conviction, while also being mysterious. It’s never been confirmed how much about the Most Interesting Man in the World is true and how much is exaggerated. All we know for sure is that there’s no one on this planet who wouldn’t want to drink a Dos Equis with this laidback dude. Aside from appearing in numerous commercials, he’s influenced enough memes to make Chuck Norris jealous.
#2: Colonel Sanders
Ever since KFC became one of the most widespread fast food franchises, Colonel Sanders has stood out as a commercial legend. With his recognizable white suit and facial hair, we instantly associate this man’s image with his delicious fried chicken. While Colonel Harland David Sanders passed away in 1980, he’s remained the face of the company with various actors carrying on his legacy. If the Colonel were still with us, we’re sure he’d be serving up more delicious bucket meals for the whole family. He also just might have something to say about the medulla oblongata.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Kevin Butler
Sony PlayStation
Fred the Baker
Dunkin’ Donuts
The Snapple Lady
Snapple
The Dell Dude
Dell
The Burger King
Burger King
#1: Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald has the magic to brighten up any child’s day, assuming clowns don’t horrify you. And since he’s a clown, he loves to have fun and is never afraid to show off his wackier side. At the same time, Ronald can also act as a role model spreading good cheer and life lessons everywhere he goes. Rarely too far away from Grimace, Birdie, and the Hamburglar, Ronald is the leader of the McDonalds crew and a giant in the restaurant industry. This friendly, red-haired joker has been serving up Happy Meals for decades and he’s still lovin’ it.
Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite commercial character? For more entertaining Top 10s published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Top 10 Characters From Commercials
We’ll be right back after these messages. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Commercial Characters.
For this list, we’re taking a look at the most memorable and influential characters that have frequently appeared in television advertisements. We’ve included restaurant characters but excluded food mascots such as the characters from the M&Ms commercials, as they already have a list of their own.
#10: Old Spice Man
Old Spice
Women want the Old Spice Man and men want to be the Old Spice Man– at least, that’s how this confident character views himself. Played by former NFL practice squad player Isaiah Mustafa, the Old Spice Man initially gained popularity with the Emmy-winning ad, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Part of what’s made this campaign such an immense success is Mustafa’s fast-paced comedic timing, never missing a single beat. Even if the Old Spice Man can come off as egotistical, his delivery is so slick and witty that we’re all driven to believe anything is possible with Old Spice.
#9: Mayhem
Allstate
Although we considered actor Dennis Haysbert as the Allstate representative for our list (xref), we’ve chosen to go with the guy who can be anything in your car – whether he’s your GPS, or your blind spot, or your lost phone. He can also make a pretty convincing teenage girl… until he crashes into your car, that is. Portrayed by actor Dean Winters – better known as Ryan O’Reilly from HBO’s Oz – his character was developed in response to Allstate spending less advertising money than several of its competitors, and after being launched in 2010, the ad campaign won Allstate 80 awards by the following year.
#8: trivago Guy
trivago
The trivago Guy immediately caught people’s attention due to his homeless appearance and disastrous fashion sense. Looking like he just rolled out of bed and threw some dirty clothes on, Tim Williams’ character has been the target of various parodies. Seriously, would it have killed him to put on a belt? Where this ad could’ve been seen as a failure, the German travel company decided to turn lemons into lemonade. Through a contest, people were able to submit new wardrobe ideas for the trivago guy and vote on his new ensemble. Now, he looks sharper than ever in a true rags to riches story.
#7: Mac and PC
Apple
Some people prefer Macs and others prefer PCs. Apple poked fun at their ongoing rivalry with Microsoft by taking both computers and giving them human personifications. Justin Long portrayed the hipster-ish Mac and John Hodgman played the uptight, somewhat outdated PC. While the “Get a Mac” campaign could’ve come off as mean-spirited, these ads were playful and never took cheap shots at Windows. Long and Hodgman shared marvelous chemistry as two competitors that still shared a certain degree of respect for one another. In the world of advertising, Mac and PC are truly best frenemies.
#6: Flo
Progressive Insurance
Have you ever encountered a store clerk that seemed just a little too passionate about their job? That’s basically Flo in a nutshell. Featured in over 100 ads for Progressive Insurance, this perky woman is always eager to help a customer in need. Stephanie Courtney portrays her character with no shortage of gusto, always wearing a smile and nametag. Some may argue that Flo is overly enthusiastic, but it’s hard not to be won over by someone who takes so much pleasure in doing what they love. A ray of optimism, Flo earns our highest rating in customer satisfaction.
#5: Marlboro Man
Marlboro Cigarettes
We know that smoking is bad for your health and understand why tobacco advertisements are no longer permitted on television. Nevertheless, the Marlboro Man’s small screen presence certainly made cigarettes look glamorous back in the day. A rugged cowboy, this Marlboro mascot is often seen out in nature, performing manly tasks. After a hard day’s work, nothing refreshes him more than a cigarette. Unsurprisingly, several men who appeared in Marlboro ads reportedly died from smoking-related illnesses. But even if the product is deadly, there’s no denying the Marlboro man will forever be an advertising icon.
#4: Ol’ Lonely
Maytag Corporation
In an ideal world, our appliances would never break down. The only downside is that all those hardworking repairmen would be put out of a job. Since Maytag’s washing machines, dryers, and other products are so reliable, Ol’ Lonely spends his days hopelessly waiting for somebody who requires his services. Alas, nobody ever calls. We totally empathize with the lonely repairman, who simply wants to function in a world that doesn’t need him. Despite his depressing circumstances, Ol’ Lonely remains dedicated to his career choice. Until a washer finally malfunctions, at least he has basset hound Newton to keep him company.
#3: The Most Interesting Man in the World
Dos Equis
The Most Interesting Man in the World’s name pretty much speaks for itself. This guy is full of unbelievable talents that are equally awesome and hilarious. Jonathan Goldsmith embodies the character with the utmost conviction, while also being mysterious. It’s never been confirmed how much about the Most Interesting Man in the World is true and how much is exaggerated. All we know for sure is that there’s no one on this planet who wouldn’t want to drink a Dos Equis with this laidback dude. Aside from appearing in numerous commercials, he’s influenced enough memes to make Chuck Norris jealous.
#2: Colonel Sanders
Kentucky Friend Chicken
Ever since KFC became one of the most widespread fast food franchises, Colonel Sanders has stood out as a commercial legend. With his recognizable white suit and facial hair, we instantly associate this man’s image with his delicious fried chicken. While Colonel Harland David Sanders passed away in 1980, he’s remained the face of the company with various actors carrying on his legacy. If the Colonel were still with us, we’re sure he’d be serving up more delicious bucket meals for the whole family. He also just might have something to say about the medulla oblongata.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Kevin Butler
Sony PlayStation
Fred the Baker
Dunkin’ Donuts
The Snapple Lady
Snapple
The Dell Dude
Dell
The Burger King
Burger King
#1: Ronald McDonald
McDonalds
Ronald McDonald has the magic to brighten up any child’s day, assuming clowns don’t horrify you. And since he’s a clown, he loves to have fun and is never afraid to show off his wackier side. At the same time, Ronald can also act as a role model spreading good cheer and life lessons everywhere he goes. Rarely too far away from Grimace, Birdie, and the Hamburglar, Ronald is the leader of the McDonalds crew and a giant in the restaurant industry. This friendly, red-haired joker has been serving up Happy Meals for decades and he’s still lovin’ it.
Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite commercial character? For more entertaining Top 10s published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Have an idea you want to see made into a WatchMojo video? Check out our suggest page and submit your idea.
Step up your quiz game by answering fun trivia questions! Love games with friends? Challenge friends and family in our leaderboard! Play Now!