Gen Ys Rejoice! It’s The 10 Best Ads From Your Youth!

To get you ready for B&T’s ’30 under 30′ awards, presented by The Newspaper Works, today we’ve complied a list of 10 of the most memorable adverts of the 90s and early 2000s. Get ready for some nostalgia.

Make sure you enter the 30 Under 30 Awards here.

Antz Pantz ‘Sic Em Rex’ (1990)

The Campaign Palace, Sydney.

The Advertising Standards Bureau received some classic complaints about this Antz Pantz ad. By far our favourite is: “I think using an Australian mammal to sexually satisfy women is degrading to the echidna as an endangered species.” The Aussie model in the ad – Toneya Bird – went on to marry not one but two Austrian princes.

Aussie Sunrice (1990)

Long before CGI this rice company caught our imaginations with some grainy witchcraft.

Smith Chips Gobbledock (1991)

George Patterson Advertising, Sydney.

The Gobbledock was a brown Yoda-looking alien with an obsession for eating Smith’s Potato Chips. Looking back, Gobbledock committed some terrible crimes to get his paws on Smiths chips; he stole food, stalked people, broke into houses, and vandalised property.

This menace was so popular that Gobbledock returned to terrorise chiplovers in 2010.

Goggomobil (1992)

George Patterson Advertising, Sydney.

“G-O-G-G-O”

This ad introduced Australians to a Scottish car fanatic looking for help with his Goggomobil (“not the Dart”). In 2000 Shannons Insurance used the same actor and model of Goggomobil; Telstra then sued Shannons for copying the character without Telstra’s permission.

Banana “Make Those Bodies Sing” (1994)

Streamline advertising, Sydney.

Before Gwen Stefani was hollering that bananas were the shit, there was this catchy little jingle.

Not Happy, Jan (2001)

Clemenger BBDO, Sydney.

In the original script, Jan’s boss would have shoved her head through the door, circa Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Instead, this popular Yellow Pages ad gave us a national phrase for “you’ve pissed off your employer/parents/partner.” Not happy, Jan!

Tooheys Extra Dry “Quest” (2003)

BMF, Sydney.

This campaign got a lot of people’s tongues in a twist! The Advertising Standards Bureau received 169 complaints about the tongues movement, but it also increased Toohey’s revenue by over $20 million.

The Big Ad (2005)

George Patterson Y&R, Melbourne.

Carlton pours a generous pint of self-awareness with this popular and award-winning campaign. Beer bellies charge across a mythical landscape straight off a perverted musical version of Lord of the Rings. A simple message paired with an absurdly over the top production. This ad did sell some bloooooooody beer.

Qantas I still call Australia home (1998-2009)

Singleton Ogilvy & Mather, Sydney.

The original 1997 campaign by Publicis Mojo just didn’t have enough young children dressed in white. By 1998, Peter Allen’s famous Aussie tune had been transformed by a choir of prepubescent children.

iPod silhouette campaign (2003-2008)

TBWA/Chiat/Day, America.

This campaign launched Apple into the technology cult that it is today. The ads featured silhouetted people dancing to different music genres against fluorescent backgrounds. It’s rumoured that Steve Jobs initially didn’t approve of the ads because they didn’t explain or show the Apple product. Luckily he changed his mind, because the dancing silhouette has become synonymous with Apple addicts.

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Advertising Standards Bureau David Hovenden Media Ccannes