Ad Reviews Archives - The Cranky Creative Blog

Puma's AI-generated ad puts the advertising industry on notice

April 15, 2025 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Puma’s world’s first fully AI-generated ad

Sporting goods brand Puma released the first-ever AI-generated commercial on March 18, 2025 — and the ad world will never be the same. Partnering with digital agency Monks, Puma produced

Liberty Mutual's branded idiocy: the future of advertising?

February 6, 2025 The Cranky Creative

Liberty Mutual’s branded idiocy: is this the future of advertising?

I admit, I didn’t used to “get” Liberty Mutual TV commercials. From the intelligence-insulting “Truth-Teller” ads, to LiMu Emu & Doug, to Zoltar and “Liberty Bibberty” and the utterly braindead

Car company Jaguar ‘Bud Lights’ itself with new woke ad

November 25, 2024 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Jaguar ‘Bud Lights’ itself with ridiculous new ad

With its controversial new ad campaign, “Copy Nothing,” British luxury car company Jaguar becomes the latest brand to sacrifice its reputation and sales at the altar of “modern audiences.” I

cranky creative ad review of Pepsi chase cars advertising campaign

September 13, 2024 The Cranky Creative

Short Pepsi film shows how obnoxious brands have become

Just when you thought ads and advertising couldn’t get any more obnoxious, here comes Pepsi with a ‘short film’ showing everything that’s wrong with the industry and the culture today.

Chevy's new Christmas ad, A Holiday to Remember, Shamelessly Exploits Alzheimer's Syndrome

December 23, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Merry Christmas? Chevy plays the Alzheimer’s card in viral holiday ad

Earlier this month, Chevy set the world alight with a “must-see” five-minute ad titled “A Holiday to Remember.” Billed as “heartwarming” and “a tear-jerker,” the ad garnered rave reviews from

Cranky Ad Review: I couldn't take my eyes off this ad for Medicare

November 22, 2023 The Cranky Creative

I could not take my eyes off this ad for Medicare

Someone at QualifyNow Medicare wanted my attention — and by God, they got it. I don’t know if it was the giant word ATTENTION emblazoned in all capital letters across

November 16, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Peloton TV commercials are ESG gold

Luxury stationary bike company Peloton must have gotten really freaking spooked by the backlash it received from professional agitators and perpetually offended amateurs for its holiday 2019 “Grace from Boston”

GM says it's Earn a Living ad is a celebration of its employees

September 30, 2023 The Cranky Creative

What is the point of GM’s ‘Beautiful People’ commercial?

It’s a valid question. I myself wasn’t aware of the ad until just now when I noticed someone had found my blog with a Google search for the words in

September 23, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Apple’s cringey ‘Mother Nature’ ad gets climate science hilariously wrong

Apple debuted a new iPhone last week, but that’s not what’s got people talking. No, what’s got people talking is a five-minute video shown during the company’s annual keynote event

virgin-atlantic-tv-commercial-woke-or-no

August 30, 2022 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Fly the freaky skies with Virgin Atlantic

As brands and advertising agencies continue to get woke, Virgin Atlantic and its new advertising agency Lucky Generals join the fray with “See the World Differently,” a 60-second ad that

publix-back-to-school-with-publix-tv-commercial

August 23, 2022 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: ‘Back to School with Publix’ is a heart-tugging failure

I’m going to take some heat for this one. “Back to School with Publix” is a good-looking, heartwarming ad. But it’s not a good ad, despite all of the positive