There’s still a month left in the year, but Adweek jumped the gun on releasing the 10 Best Commercials of 2011, wisely reasoning that Christmas commercials and whatever the car companies debut during the useless San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl or the Beef ‘O’Brady’s Bowl (actual name) will not be worthy of such a list. If you own a DVR, the existence of commercials in your life is probably as prevalent as music videos on MTV, so with a list like this, sometimes you’re seeing the best adverts of the year for the first time, except for those that debuted during the Super Bowl. They left out the brilliant DNB Nor George Clooney Ad and it could use some more Skittles (“Taste the Rainbow, b*tch”) but it is an otherwise solid list of spots.
10. Snickers “Focus Test”
A roundtable of sharks casually discuss which human they ate tasted better. If you can’t figure out who the voice of the lead shark is, I’ll give you a hint: “Sheeeeeiiiiiiit.”
9. Nissan Leaf “Gas Powered Everything”
This one is a really smart ad, but for the fact that I never remember what it’s advertising. Also, I really want a gas-powered iPhone; it’d solve the crappy battery problems.
8. Cravendale “Cats with Thumbs”
This one is cute until it turns deadly; I like to imagine that these adorable kittens gouged out Steve’s eyes for his sloppy cereal eating.
7. Deep Silver “Dead Island Trailer”
This one is my favorite of the bunch: They manage to extract some real, heartfelt emotion out of a zombie video game. Take note, “The Walking Dead.” You should’ve replaced Frank Darabont with the director of this commercial. I got more enjoyment out of this two-minute spot than I did the entire second season of “The Walking Dead.”
6. Canal+ “The Bear”
Those wacky French and their crazy profanity-spewing taxidermied bears.
5. TalkTalk “Homes Within Homes”
This one? This one I don’t care for. They should’ve retired “Unchained Melody” after that episode of “Quantum Leap.” You know the one I’m talking about.
4. Google Chrome “Dear Sophie”
This ad for Google Chrome will climb inside you and break you. Then it’ll make you feel guilty for being a terrible father who didn’t bother to email his daughter when she was a baby. God, what’s wrong with you? You’re an awful parent.
3. Chrysler “Born of Fire”
This is that brilliant Eminem love letter to the Motor City that aired during the Super Bowl that made us all briefly want to pack our belongings and move Detroit. Then we remembered that cars are literally worth more than the homes in Detroit.
2. Chipotle “Back to the Start”
This is the greatness of Willie Nelson: He can make us love a Coldplay song. And if he can do that for Coldplay, I wonder what he can do for Nickelback?
1. Volkswagen “The Force”
Anyone that’s seen this commercial, which debuted at the Super Bowl, already knows it’s number one. There’s no contest.
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