Ad Reviews Archives - The Cranky Creative Blog

The Cranky Creative's Super Bowl LX drinking game

February 3, 2026 The Cranky Creative

Super Bowl LX: a drinking game for the red-pilled

A thinking person’s guide to surviving the $8M-per-30-second brainwash. Welcome back, Cranky readers, to the $1 billion psychological experiment we call the Super Bowl. While the “normies” are bawling over

Three wistful elderly ladies watch young sledders in the Amazon holiday ad, "Joy Ride"

December 14, 2025 The Cranky Creative

Amazon’s ‘Joy Ride’ ad: the sweet art of emotional manipulation

A reader named Terri recently asked if I’d seen the Amazon holiday ad, “Joy Ride.” It features three elderly women looking wistfully at a snowy hill where young people are

Windows By Andersen: Trust Your Windows to Andersen: The Cranky Ad Review

December 10, 2025 The Cranky Creative

So dumb, it hurts: the ‘Trust Your Home to Andersen’ Ad Review

Well, folks, let’s toast the end of the year with one final, satisfying roast of the modern advertising industry. Why bother trying to pinpoint the worst TV commercial of 2025

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