Best Ads From The 1990s, Best Decade Ever (part three).

January 1, 2000 killed a great historic creative vibe.

Even the artwork was sublime. Gaze at “Montagne de Futons" (Mountain of Futons) by Tsuyoshi Ozawa, 1993, at la Collection Lambert en Avignon, France.

Used futons?

Feel that? That’s your inner sleep spirit sighing in awe and wonder.

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Before the internet starting killing creativity in the oughts (not just in advertising), my industry was producing great work on the regular. Here’re six more examples. And here are Part One and Part Two of this series from this week.

1. BUD (1998)

Beer advertising had seen nothing like it, and never will again. Four friends watching a game, drinking a Bud. Tallking about nothing. Like they say in spot, it was “true”. You believed they were friends, you barely noticed it was an ad—an ad that became a timeless cultural phenomenon. Amazing achievement.

It was an idea taken from a 1998 short film, True, written and directed by Chuck Stone III, about himself and a group of longtime friends. Ad agency: DDB, Chicago.

2. NIKON (1991)

A camera ad with no photos? What is this insanity. A perfect example of how the simpliest ideas are the best, and also, the hardest to create, because our brains don’t naturally work this way. Ad won a Gold Pencil at the One Show. Copywriter: Richard Kelly. Art Director: Ron Rosen. Ad agency: Scali McCabe Sloves / New York.

3. NIKE (1997)

Of course Wieden & Kennedy produced great Nike ads here in The States (ie: The “Instant Karma” commercial from 1992 directed by David Fincher). But I’m particularly fond of the 1990s UK work done by London ad agency Simons Palmer.

Above, some top British footballers of the time, including Eric Cantona and Robbie Fowler, hold a Sunday morning scrimmage on Hackney Marshes (with dogs running loose), accompanied by Blur. Just pure fun and joy. Directed by Jonathan Glazer.

4. NIKE (mid-1990s)

The best sports ads = tension. Simons Palmer also created these great posters. L—Maybe the best ever Nike-Jordan ad. R—The “Advantage Sampras” ad won a Graphite Pencil at the 1995 D&AD Awards.

5. TANGO Blackcurrant (1997)

I wrote about the more notorious Tango Orange Man spot two years ago.

There have been many great “Epic” style commercials in ad history. But none quite as weird or as entertaining as this one. It’s a :90 one-shot spot that just keeps growing, keeps coming at you, keeps getting better. Great script (especially spokes-lunatic Ray Gardner’s description of the French exchange student), great acting, EPIC finish above the white cliffs of Dover. Directed by: Colin Gregg. Ad agency: HHCL (Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury and Partners), London.