Ads can be annoying, but some are unforgettable!
Take 5 look back at those that have stuck with us, counting down the top 10 famous Aussie commercials we just can’t get out of our heads.
A date with Rhonda
Aussies fell in love with the young red-haired woman named Rhonda who went on holidays to Bali and began a romance with Ketut, the waiter.
Ketut (Kadek Mahardika) told Rhonda (Mandy McElhinney) that she looked “hot like a sunrise”, but audiences were left wanting more when Rhonda returned home and met an old flame, Trent.
The ads for insurance company AAMI achieved something few commercials have done before: they became as addictive as a soap opera.
And while we won’t see them on screen anymore, at least we have the comfort of knowing that, in the end, Rhonda and Ketut lived happily ever after together.
Aussie’s fell in love with Rhonda and Ketut!
(Image: YouTube)Corny catchphrase
Who knew that sinking your teeth into a corn cob could spell the end of a drought?
Well, that’s what an ad for McCain super-juicy corn had us believe, after two kids chomping on the veg created bursts of water.
It also delivered the famous catchphrase: “Marge! The rains are ‘ere.” Ah, McCain, if only it was that simple.
The rains are ere!
(Image: YouTube)Bingle jingle
Long before her infamous naked photos, Lara Bingle turned the world’s attention to Australia by asking one simple question: “Where the bloody hell are you?”
The ad for Tourism NSW got everyone talking, and has become widely used amongst Aussies ever since.
Lara got the worlds attention.
(Image: Tourism Australia)Walk of shame
When her boss discovered that slack secretary Jan hadn’t booked their ad in the Yellow Pages, she uttered the famous line: “Not happy, Jan!”
It was later subverted to “Not happy, John” by those opposing the re-election of Prime Minister John Howard, in 2004.
Her famous line was remembered for years to come!
(Image: YouTube)Cheeky claim
Few things are as Australian as Vegemite, but part of what made the savoury spread so memorable was the jingle in ads for the product, promising to put a rose in every cheek.
It’s a safe bet that we’ll be enjoying our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea for years to come.
Happy little Vegemites!
(Image: YouTube)Winging it
Before we starting busting a move to the Macarena, audiences loved to tuck their arms into wings and cry “I feel like chicken tonight!” after watching the ads for Chicken Tonight’s range of sauces to add to your chicken dinner.
I feel like…chicken tonight!
(Image: YouTube)Buzz off
They’re the uninvited guest at practically every barbecue or outdoor event, but there’s one fly that Australians love: Louie.
Louie the Fly first appeared on our screens back in 1957 spruiking Mortein pest spray. The jingle, which started with: “I’m Louie the Fly – straight from rubbish tip to you” was sung by Neil Williams.
Louie became a household name.
(Image: YouTube)Neil’s daughter Carla Dyson explained to the National Film and Sound Archive that “Dad often forgot which commercial he sang in until it was aired on the TV.
“He commented to Mum after this session that he had sung about many products, but this was the first time he had been asked to be a fly. He laughed it off.”
Mum’s the word
Joking with the Pizza Hut delivery guy is practically a national pastime.
Arguably the best known in the country was Dougie the Pizza Delivery Guy, who featured in a series of TV ads and was played by actor Diarmid Heidenreich.
Ever the cheeky larrikin, Dougie had the hide to ask for a tip after delivering one man’s pizza.
He received the following sage words: “Work hard… and be good to ya mother.”
Joking with the Pizza Hut guy was so popular.
(Image: YouTube)Smooth operator
As if Aussies needed an extra excuse to bite into a Caramello koala, back in the ’90s we had the classic TV ad which saw the furry bear strumming a guitar and cooing: “They call me Caramello… koala.”
Go on, you know you want to start singing it, too.
Who knew this Koala had a voice as smooth as caramel?
(Image: YouTube)Foxy food
Sports-mad foxy moron Sharon Strezlecki from Fountain Lakes might have lived much of her life in her second-best friend Kim Craig’s shadow, but she found a new bestie in reality TV star mega celebrity Kim Kardashian.
Sharon (Magda Szubanski) and Kim teamed up in an ad for Uber Eats.
Foxy ladies!
(Image: Uber)Sitting on the lounge in their netball uniforms, the pair discuss what they’ll order from the delivery service.
In an interesting piece of trivia, due to both women’s busy commitments, their lines in the ad were filmed separately – meaning Sharon and Kim never actually met in person.
WATCH BELOW: Lara Bingle talks about motherhood.
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