But... is it pizza? Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re looking at the best pre-taped mock ads aired on “Saturday Night Live,” for both real and imagined products and companies.
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00:00This is pretty big. It gets bigger.
00:02Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the best pre-taped mock ads
00:06aired on Saturday Night Live for both real and imagined products and companies.
00:11Mom jeans fit mom just the way she likes it.
00:16Number 20. Almost pizza.
00:18Have you ever looked closely at the packaging of some processed food
00:21and realized it features some rather specific phrasing?
00:24It's almost pizza.
00:26Come on, that's pizza.
00:28No, it's very nearly pizza, but not quite.
00:30It's almost pizza.
00:32See? Come on, let's eat.
00:33That's basically the joke behind this ad parody.
00:35Kristen Wiig plays a mother who brings home something that is pretty much exactly like pizza,
00:40only it explicitly isn't.
00:42So what is it? We're not sure.
00:44Dig in.
00:45But it's food though, right?
00:47Come on!
00:48But we do know that we love Bill Hader's father's journey from perplexed to horrified.
00:52Of course, we'd be terrified if a piece of pizza shattered,
00:55regenerated, and then scurried under the fridge.
00:58Sorry, we mean a piece of almost pizza.
01:00If it's almost dinner, it's almost time for almost pizza.
01:03The thing that's much like pizza, roughly speaking.
01:06From Pfizer.
01:07Number 19. Happy Fun Ball.
01:09Combining multiple kinds of distinctly different ads
01:12makes this an all-timer early 90s sketch.
01:14It's Happy Fun Ball!
01:17Yes, it's Happy Fun Ball, the toy sensation that's sweeping the nation.
01:21Only $14.95 at participating stores.
01:24Get one today.
01:25What starts off as a cheery ad for a toy turns sinister
01:28when Phil Hartman's narrator's tone shifts from jubilant to deadly serious.
01:33It then becomes a list of unsettling warnings and side effects linked with this kid's product.
01:37Happy Fun Ball contains a liquid core which,
01:39if exposed due to rupture, should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.
01:43Do not use Happy Fun Ball on concrete.
01:46Discontinue use of Happy Fun Ball if any of the following occurs.
01:49Itching.
01:50Vertigo.
01:51Dizziness.
01:52Tingling in extremities.
01:53The idea of such a seemingly innocuous toy having such catastrophic potential is hysterical by itself.
01:59But the power of the late great Hartman's voiceover work takes it even further.
02:03Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
02:05We think we'll stay away from the Happy Fun Ball though.
02:08Number 18. KCF Shredders.
02:11If you don't remember fast food commercials in the late 90s, this sums it up pretty well.
02:16Get your face around a new KCF Shredder.
02:18Shredders!
02:20It perfectly utilizes obnoxious editing and desperate pandering to youth culture to promote,
02:25what else?
02:26Lettuce.
02:27Jimmy Fallon is the spitting image of a young,
02:29hip spokesperson for a bag full of lettuce and mayonnaise.
02:32The oil spots let you know that the mayonnaise is good.
02:35And it gets even better when we learn about the Shredders version of a kid's meal.
02:39You get a medium Shredder, small milk, coleslaw, and a rice pudding dessert cup.
02:43Kids under 12 get free How Stella Got Her Groove Back action figure.
02:46I'm old enough to be your mom.
02:48Though fast food advertising has changed considerably since this parody first aired,
02:53it's still a hilarious time capsule spoofing bygone marketing trends.
02:56Now, is anyone else hungry for some lettuce?
02:59Number 17. Wells for Boys.
03:01Most toy commercials portray childhood as full of nothing but glee and excitement.
03:06But that's not the case for everyone.
03:08Wells for sensitive boys to wish upon, confide in, and reflect by.
03:13This fake Fisher-Price ad is for a product aimed at young boys who
03:16might feel a bit different from their peers.
03:18In the wrong hands, this premise could be mean-spirited.
03:21But instead, it's a touching reminder of how important it is for kids to be embraced for who
03:26they are.
03:27He'll enjoy running his little fingers around the edge of the well.
03:31On days when he's had too much, he'll lean on it and contemplate his reflection.
03:35Some kids like to play. Others just sort of wait for adulthood.
03:39Much of its success can also be attributed to Emma Stone's
03:42outstanding work as a mother supporting her son.
03:55And what's more, this sketch was directed by her future husband, Dave McCary.
04:00Number 16. Fast Fashion Ad.
04:02Have you ever been clothes shopping online, found a link to a site with stylish looks for
04:06shockingly low prices, and then wondered how?
04:10This sketch is for you.
04:16Talk about low prices and garment variety is soon overtaken by allusions to troubling
04:21business practices, with the models becoming decidedly less carefree as it goes on.
04:31Takes aim at both the fast fashion industry and the conflicted consumers who can't quite
04:35bring themselves to not take advantage of the deals.
04:48Expertly blending satire with absurdist humor makes this one of SNL's sharpest
04:52sketches in recent memory.
04:54Number 15. Blue River.
04:56The first Blue River dog food sketch was a live bit featuring world-class work from Cecily Strong.
05:01The beloved cast member returns for this ad parody.
05:03Playing a character with a different name,
05:05but with a very similar insistence on only purchasing premium pet food.
05:18Confronting fellow shopper Heidi Gardner, she is the textbook busybody dog mom,
05:23refusing to listen to anything that contradicts her particular worldview.
05:26Host John Mulaney is also great as her immensely supportive hubby.
05:33But this is ultimately Strong's showcase,
05:43the kind of dedicated work that could someday earn her an Academy Award.
05:54Number 14. Colon Blow.
05:57You might think that a sketch about a cereal called Colon Blow would be more vulgar than anything.
06:03But this one takes a crude premise and uses it as a goldmine not only for comedy,
06:12but also special effects ingenuity.
06:15Phil Hartman plays a man sitting down for breakfast who
06:17learns about an extremely high-fiber cereal.
06:24How high?
06:24This is illustrated by immaculate effects work that sees a pyramid of
06:28cereal bowls pushing Hartman to the ceiling, though it might be more than 30 years old.
06:33Neither the effects nor the humor of the sketch have aged in the slightest.
06:52Impotence can be a serious problem, but this sketch is seriously funny.
07:03Dwayne Johnson plays a man testifying about his experience with a sketchy male enhancement
07:09product. Of course, he doesn't see it that way, refusing to listen to Kyle Mooney's
07:18doctor's refusal to write him a prescription and taking matters into his own incredibly strong
07:23hands. Johnson's ability to alternate between being earnest and threatening
07:33is fully on display here. Though he doesn't play straight-up comedic roles as often as we wish he
07:38would, this sketch demonstrates how much he gives it his all whenever he hosts SNL.
07:49Though Dunkin' Donuts locations can be found throughout the world,
07:52they're particularly associated with their home state of Massachusetts.
07:55In this very regional-specific commercial, a wholesome Dunkin' ad is derailed by Casey
08:03Affleck as the world's worst customer. Annoying and hassling staff and patrons alike,
08:15Affleck is fiercely committed to playing the kind of person you might not know personally,
08:18but have likely encountered, especially if you live in a certain New England city.
08:23Thankfully, most trips to Dunkin' are nowhere near as chaotic as the ones featured in this
08:27hilarious and endlessly quotable sketch. The rare SNL commercial to become a recurring bit?
08:43The Totino's commercials feature amazing work from Vanessa Bayer as a woman trying to maintain
08:48an image of cheerful acceptance of her unsatisfying domestic life.
09:00But the absolute best is the third and final sketch. The arrival of Kristen Stewart's Sabine
09:05leaves Bayer's nameless woman practically at a loss for words.
09:18Soon, she's experiencing passion on a level she likely never has before. Turning a junk
09:26food commercial parody into an erotic art drama is absolutely not what we expected.
09:33But Bayer and Stewart's chemistry makes us believe in love, and hungry for pizza rolls.
09:3810. Lincoln Car
09:44Sometimes, a well-written straight-up parody of an existing commercial is all you need to
09:48get a good laugh. Sometimes, having a comedic genius like Jim Carrey do a note-for-note
09:54imitation of Matthew McConaughey's bizarre Lincoln Car commercials is enough to create
09:58a classic SNL segment.
10:08But you don't buy a Lincoln because it makes sense. You do it because you love it,
10:15or because you're an Uber driver.
10:17Veering only slightly from the style and script of these ominously prosaic car ads,
10:22Carrey and the SNL writers deliver a hilariously deadpan impersonation,
10:26which sees McConaughey ask himself life's deepest questions,
10:29like what to do with a booger you're rolling around on your fingers.
10:33When I'm done rolling up this booger, should I eat it or throw it out the window?
10:389. The Undecided Voters
10:40It seems that more than 96% of voters have already made up their minds about this election.
10:47Well, I guess some of us are just a little bit harder to please.
10:51The pre-election period is a busy time for SNL.
10:54While the show's political humor is typically straightforward,
10:56utilizing news coverage and impersonations,
10:58they took a bit of a left turn with this public service announcement to attack those
11:02pesky undecided voters. And sure enough, the results were in their favor.
11:07When is the election? How soon do we have to decide?
11:11What are the names of the two people running?
11:13As America was gearing up to vote for Obama for a second time around,
11:17they took this politically apathetic but self-serious demographic to task.
11:21How long is a president's term of office? One year? Two years? Three years? Or life?
11:28The questions in this skit might seem ridiculous and exaggerated,
11:32but honestly, don't we all know someone like these sadly uninformed individuals?
11:36We are America's undecided voters. There's still a lot we don't know.
11:41And we want answers.
11:45What if you could have your period just once a year?
11:49My period? Once a year?
11:51Ever wonder what it would be like if your period wasn't once a month,
11:54but instead condensed into one period of menstruation per year? No?
11:58Well, the SNL staff has thought about it,
12:00and they decided to turn it into a nightmare-inducing bit of advertising.
12:04That's all I have time for.
12:05With classic moments by Kristen Wiig and Tina Fey,
12:08the ladies in this video perfectly parody that terrible style of infomercial acting.
12:13That is, until their period's hit.
12:15And we all just want to run for cover screaming for our lives.
12:25The list of side effects at the end is the cherry on top,
12:28with bonus points going to Kristen Wiig for making out with a dog.
12:32Do not take Anuel if you plan to ever become pregnant,
12:34as it may turn your baby into a fire monster.
12:36In the days of Audrey Kim, you may develop a leathery tail.
12:43Politicians and sports stars are not actors,
12:45and have often fallen a little flat on SNL.
12:48Peyton Manning, however, has been called the funniest athlete to ever guest star on the show,
12:53and this sketch is valid proof.
13:02The United Way ad shows a more thuggish version of Manning
13:07as the absolute worst mentor a kid could ever ask for.
13:11His methods include bullying, hitting kids,
13:14giving them tattoos, and of course, teaching them how to break into a car.
13:18When all's said and done, it makes for one hilarious send-up of NFL mentorship videos.
13:32Number six, dissing your dog.
13:39If you've ever raised a dog from puppyhood, you know how frustrating it can be.
13:43Like Will Ferrell, you likely tried all the usual tricks.
13:53But thanks to this amazing innovation,
13:55you too can now train your puppy with mockery and verbal humiliation.
13:59Featuring a five-part video cassette series,
14:01this handy training manual teaches pet owners
14:04how to verbally abuse their pets into obedience and submission.
14:15These may seem like extreme methods,
14:17but seeing Will Ferrell calmly insult his dogs is immensely entertaining,
14:21even though we feel bad for laughing.
14:29Number five, the love toilet.
14:38An absolute classic of early 90s SNL,
14:40the love toilet started off as a seemingly classy little commercial
14:44until the introduction of the product in question,
14:47which is one we hope we never have to see in real life.
14:54We all know those couples who do absolutely everything together.
14:58You know, the ones that seemingly cannot spend so much as a second apart.
15:01Well, the love toilet enables those insufferable couples
15:04to remain attached at the hip even at their most intimate moments.
15:08The romantic music video aesthetic may feel like a bit much,
15:11but it really sells the absurdity of this product.
15:14The love toilet, from my admin, the toilet people.
15:19Number four, Compulsion by Calvin Klein.
15:22He was like the air, brittle and easily broken.
15:25In season 40, SNL knocked it out of the park with this My Calvins parody,
15:30in which Kate McKinnon delivered a spot-on
15:32and seriously funny Justin Bieber impersonation.
15:35However, this wasn't the first time the SNL team
15:38used Calvin Klein as inspiration for comedic gold.
15:42In their 13th season,
15:43they produced a classic and hilarious parody of the famous Calvin Klein obsession ads.
15:50It features the late, great Jan Hooks as a compulsive cleaner
15:54who finds better uses for her cologne on her very white walls.
15:58OCD has never looked this classy.
16:08Number three, Taco Town.
16:12They're about to, all right.
16:14New at Taco Town, fast food.
16:17Though most of us partake of it from time to time,
16:20when visiting one of these fine establishments,
16:22it can be hard to not do a double take at some of the menu items.
16:25The bigger, the better, right?
16:26Proving that one can have too much of a good thing,
16:29this ad pushes over-the-top fast food to the extreme.
16:34Though Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Andy Samberg
16:37seem relatively excited about these upgraded tacos,
16:40with every layer of added food,
16:42the ad pushes further into the realm of the absurd.
16:46By the end, eating one of these monstrosities is all but impossible.
16:50A tasty bit of satire, this SNL ad never gets old.
17:02Number two, Mom Jeans.
17:10Taking bad fashion to task,
17:12this ad for mom-style jeans tells it like it is.
17:15This unfortunately cut, deeply unflattering
17:18and yet seemingly timeless style of jeans does not look good on anyone.
17:22And yet, for generations,
17:24they've somehow found their way into the wardrobes of mothers around the globe.
17:28It's weird, but we've all just learned to accept them.
17:30She'll love the nine-inch zipper and casual front pleats.
17:34Cut generously to fit a mom's body.
17:37Seeing the likes of Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph strutting their stuff
17:41and seemingly having a ball in these high-waisted wonders, however,
17:44is almost too much to handle.
17:46On point both as comedy and light-hearted commentary,
17:49this ad almost makes us want to give mom jeans a try.
17:52Just kidding.
17:53So this Mother's Day, don't give mom that bottle of perfume.
17:56Give her something that says,
17:58I'm not a woman anymore.
18:00I'm a mom.
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18:25Over its many decades of service making people laugh,
18:28SNL has also made a habit of pushing the boundaries.
18:31Back in 1991,
18:32you can bet that this fantastic takedown of heteronormative beer advertising
18:36got some strong reactions from viewers.
18:38In a classic setup,
18:40Adam Sandler and Chris Farley play two house-sitting bros
18:43clearly looking to throw a party.
18:45When all their dreams come true, however,
18:47the bikini-clad girls that typically populate beer ads
18:50are nowhere to be seen
18:51and are instead replaced by banana-hammock wearing beefcakes.
18:55The critique of nonsense wish-fulfillment beer advertising
18:59is fantastically on point
19:00and the curveball remains hilariously relevant even today.
19:14What SNL ad do you always return to?
19:17Let us know in the comments.
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