Remember these 2000s TV ads?

After we found out that the world wasn’t ending with the New Millennium, brands started going about marketing in the new age. The 2000s was an era of technology and discovery, and so many classic adverts made their mark on our memories during this time.

So, get your thinking cap on and take a trip down memory lane with us, as we recap some of the very best 2000s adverts that might just trigger a memory or two…

Jamster, Crazy Frog – 2005

You definitely won’t have forgotten this one – when it comes to classic British adverts, the 2000s top entry surely has to be the most irritating of amphibians. Jamster’s ‘Crazy Frog’ 2000s advert was actually named the ‘most irritating ad of the year’ in 2005. The Crazy Frog character was created in Sweden and soon adopted to sell ringtones and other phone downloads – mainly marketed at kids and teenagers. 

After hundreds of complaints from parents, the advert was eventually sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority and had to be played only after the 9pm watershed.

Škoda, Cake – 2007

Any advert that uses the dulcet tones of Julie Andrews deserves to be remembered right off the bat, but Škoda’s famous ‘Cake Car’ stands the test of time on its own. Set to My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music, the ad shows a group of bakers (and the odd bricklayer) team together to build a full-size replica of a Škoda Fabia. 

Watch as the group bake huge slabs of cake for the car doors, painstakingly construct an engine out of sugar, carve wing mirrors out of marzipan, and even install jelly headlights. The charming car advert was a hit with the public, and remains one of the sweetest TV ads of the 2000s.

Barclaycard, Waterslide – 2008

Ready to feel old? Back in 2008 Barclaycard launched this feel good ad to try and persuade us all that contactless payment really was a good option. While we may have moved on even further to virtual stores and Apple Pay, but the transition from chip and pin to contactless was a big deal for credit card companies like Barclaycard. 

This 2008 advert was such a hit with the public that Barclaycard even made an iPhone game to commemorate it. Starring actor Robert Wilfort (who went on to appear in Bridgerton and Gavin & Stacey), the advert’s amazing waterslide route – seemingly spanning an entire city – even went on to inspire a follow-up rollercoaster ad.

Petit Filous, Marbles – 2005

This cute and charming commercial by Petit Filous is one of the rare examples of a classic 2000s ad that’s aged well and was – with its feminist, girl-hero narrative – arguably a little ahead of its time. 

Making the most of the brand’s French identity, the advert shows a young girl sharing her Petit Filous stash with a friend who’s been bullied out of his prized marbles. Because the calcium makes bones strong, Petit Filous will help win the marbles back, the girl promises. Presumably, she didn’t learn about how unfair the real world is until the 2010s…

Sony Bravia, Balls – 2005

The combination of 250,000 rainbow-coloured balls, the San Francisco setting, a soundtrack of Heartbeats by José González and brilliant direction by Nicolai Fugslig made this one of those 2000s adverts that just stuck with you.

This is one of those 2000s ads that chose to buck the trend of heavy CGI, to great effect. Advertising Sony Bravia’s colour TVs, the advert was shot live by Fallon without any computer trickery over three days with a crew of just 23.

What were your favourite adverts on TV during the 2000s? Let us know any we missed in the comments.