The TTAC Academy Ad Awards, By Popular Vote Category. And The Winners Are ...

With both Niedermeyers away, Friday’s heroes were Steven Lang and Cammy Corrigan. The two of them, sometimes at odds over matters of faith, saved TTAC from an otherwise assured traffic disaster, caused by the absence of our dear leaders. The two most read posts on Friday’s TTAC were Steven Lang’s review of the Kia Optima in first place, and Cammy Corrigan’s “Ask The Best And Brightest: Have A Favourite Car Ad” in a close second.

Who says there is justice in this world? Steven had to get, drive, and describe a Kia Optima. Hard work. Cammy only had to ask “what are your favourite adverts or advertising campaigns from the auto world?” And the nominations kept pouring in. At the time of this typing, there were 112 comments, most of them with a link to an ad, as required. Some incorrigibles posted without a link, shame on you, stand in the corner.

Not only were the ads posted, they were watched. Due to the work of our Canadian crack coders, we can see how many times someone clicks on a link. Data derived from the click-count are the key to the easiest to write category: “By Popular Vote.” And the winners are… (ranked from most clicked on down:)

The 1984 Little GTI won the most hearts, minds and clicks of the Best & Brightest. Credit: Green Destiny, ScottyDriver.

Second in place was a more serious one, a 420 SEL Mercedes Benz traveling on a highway outside of Melbourne, some time in the late 80s. It had a head-on collision. No fun at all. Usually, not something shown in a TV commercial. But the B&B love it. Credit: Ben.

Next in line is the Isuzu Gemini, which spawned a whole genre of car ballet commercials (to be featured in a later TTAC post.) Credit: Niky

Safety (or smashed cars, you be the judge) rank high in popularity amongst the Best and Brightest, as evidenced by the strong showing of this ad for Volvo’s insipidly named SIPS (Side Impact Protection System). Credit: Cammy Corrigan.

This ad for a Toyota Vios presaged the ghost in the machine problems of possessed Toyotas. They were just a tiny bit off: Loch Ness Monster eats man. Credit: FishTank.

Next in line is an old standby on the Youtube circuit, the lady with the fake steering wheel. It also generated a whole fake steering wheel genre, not to be featured in a future TTAC post, as most of the sequels were duds. The original actually should be disqualified, as it is not a car commercial in the true sense of the word. But we are in a weekend mode and let it slide. Credit: Pgcooldad. Extra credit for nominating it as “My all time favourite non-car car commercial.”

Next comes a classic from Doyle Dane Bernbach’s and Volkswagen’s best times. The venerable “Have you ever wondered how the man who drives a snow plough drives to the snow plough?” Credit: Wgmleslie.

Ah, the Volkswagen classics. Where would advertising be without them? The squeaky earring that needed a dab of oil won the ad many awards and VW a lot of Golf customers. Credit: PaulieWalnut.

Often discussed, but finally found by intrepid B&B searchers: The “Unpimp your ride” ad, with them men and women in white. Credit: Educatordan.