Shows / Retro Ad Review
Retro Ad Review
Retro Ad Review is a podcast where we explore nostalgic commercials from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. We go into the details behind your favorite commercials, from the story of their creation to their impact (or lack thereof). Coke, McDonald's, Nike...we cover them all. So, if you like watching the ads more than you like watching the Superbowl, have a listen! Don't forget to follow us on our Instagram and Facebook: @retroadreview
Episodes
- Retro Ad Review
Halloween 2026 Commercials: Reese's, Spirit Halloween, Goosebumps
We're getting ready for Halloween here at Retro Ad Review. We'll need a costume from Spirit Halloween, some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups candy to buy (then eat…
- Retro Ad Review
Popcorn Commercials: Jiffy Pop, Cracker Jack, and Orville Redenbacher
Midnight snack or movie treat? A simple but beloved food, we're talking popcorn! We look at Jiffy Pop, Cracker Jack, and Orville Redenbacher. Grab a bucket and…
- Retro Ad Review
Basketball shoe commercials: Air Jordans, Converse, and Reebok
This is about basketball shoes and the journey we've gone through as a society to find the perfect sneaker for the sport. Hear how Nike, Converse, and Reebok…
Retro Ad ReviewSanta Commercials: Norelco, Coca-Cola, and Cheese
Ho Ho Ho! Just in time for the holidays, it's our annual Christmas episode. We've dedicated it to the big man himself, Santa Claus! We're looking at how the…
- Retro Ad Review
Video Game Cereal Commercials: Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Pokemon
In the 1980s, it was discovered that video games were part of a balanced breakfast, so the geniuses at Namco and Nintendo decided to inject some 8-bit glory…
- Retro Ad Review
Cookie Commercials: Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Fruit Newtons
Chips Ahoy there, matey! It's time to talk about everyone's favorite treat: cookies! grab a glass of milk and get ready to hear the fanciful stories of Oreos…
- Retro Ad Review
Film + Fast Food Commercials: Ghostbusters II, Batman Returns, Shrek
Nothing says summer of yore like talking about big blockbuster films. But what really made those films great? That's right, fast food tie-ins. We're looking at…
- Retro Ad Review
Video Game & Junk Food Commercials: Sonic, Nathan Drake, and Banjo Kazooie
What goes better with a video game than some junk food? We explore food commercials that feature famous video game characters Sonic the Hedgehog, Nathan Drake…
- Retro Ad Review
Valentine's Commercials: eHarmony, Ashley Madison, Plenty of Fish
It's the season of love. And what better way to spend it than listening to us talk about websites that claim to hook you up with an attractive person? We take…
Retro Ad ReviewChristmas Commercial Controversy: Folgers, Kmart, and Mr. Kipling
Our gift to you this holiday season is to bring you commercials that caused controversy! Sometimes Christmas commercials can bring a warm fuzzy feeling and…
- Retro Ad Review
Cryptid Commercials: Bigfoot, Nessie, and the Jersey Devil
It's conspiracy time! But the fun ones. We're looking at commercials that make a nod to our favorite cryptids. Jack Link's has Bigfoot, Playstation has the…
- Retro Ad Review
Back to School Commercials: Coco Puffs, Lisa Frank, and Staples
Summer is gone so you know what that means...it's time to get depressed about going to school! One of the worst things about August as a kid was seeing…
- Retro Ad Review
Lost Media Commercials: Boo Berry, Freddie Freaker, Esurance
We're looking at commercials that have a lost element to them. Some recovered, some still missing pieces. If you like this episode, we'll do more in-depth ones!
- Retro Ad Review
Movie Song Parodies Commercials: Coke, Starbucks, and Walkers
Commercials that feature songs from movies but parodied! Yes, we are layered here. Listen to Thirstbusters (a.k.a. the Ghostbusters Theme) for Coke, Glen!…
- Retro Ad Review
Contro-mercials: Ads that caused controversy
Not every idea is a good idea. We've check out three Superbowl (!) commercials that didn't get the praise and adulation they were expecting. Find out what…
Retro Ad ReviewChristmas Commercials: Hess Trucks, Coca-Cola Polar Bears, and Ice Skating with McDonald's
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! It's time for the annual look back at classic holiday commercials by your favorite mega corporations. We watch Ronald McDonald on…
- Retro Ad Review
Halloween Commercials 2023: Kleenex, K-fee, and Phones4U
Boo! This year, we're looking at a few spine chilling commercials from outside the USA. Hear about the cursed Japanese Kleenex commercial, the heart-stopping…
- Retro Ad Review
Post Cereal Commercials: Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, and Honey Bunches of Oats
We're going grape nuts in honor of this episode. We take you through the history of the Post cereal company and then dive into the classic commercials of Grape…
- Retro Ad Review
Movie Commercials: Kicking off franchises
We're looking at film franchises! More specifically commercials associated with the first film of a blockbuster series. Listen up as we pick apart the Alien…
- Retro Ad Review
Toy-tal Recall: Toy commercials with Cabbage Patch Kids, Sky Dancers, & Pokemon
We're back on the toy tip! This time we're looking at toys that were recalled after some famous incidents. Be careful Cabbage Patch Kids, Sky Dancers, and…
- Retro Ad Review
Lollipop Commercials: Tootsie Pop, Charms Blowpops, and Dum Dums
How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The answer: depends! From Tootsie Pops to Charms to Dum Dums, we're looking at lollipops in…
- Retro Ad Review
Burger King Commercials: Shaft has a burger
Who's a complicated man but no one understands him but his woman? Shaft! Who is the man who featured in a ton of Burger King commercials? John Shaft! Burger…
- Retro Ad Review
Halloween 2022: Spooky Commercials
Boo! It's Halloween! Which means we're doing the annual commercial Halloween special. We've got Freddy Krueger's hotline, Elvira's Coors Light beach party, and…
- Retro Ad Review
Commercials Featuring Movie Product Tie-ins: Part 2
Movies are great. But what's better are the product tie-ins! We look at what the brilliant sequels to Alien, Batman, and Home Alone had to offer. Hint: branded…
- Retro Ad Review
Candy Commercial: Nobody Better Lay a Finger on My Butterfinger!
Hey! It's time to talk about Butterfinger. The candy everyone is kind of "meh" about. We cover the history of the brand as well as some of their commercials…
Retro Ad ReviewVideo Game Commercials: Before they were famous
Video games have launched careers. Don't believe us? Then listen to how Jack Black, Tobey Maguire, and Ethan Suplee got a boost into their illustrious acting…
Retro Ad ReviewPets.com Commercials: The Sock Puppet Saga
Ever wondered what happened to the Pets.com sock puppet? Wonder no more! We've outlined the entire history of this beloved talking piece of 100% cotton and…
- Retro Ad Review
Song Parody Commercials II
Companies use well-known music in their commercials A LOT. But the more playful ones make up their own lyrics to with the song! Yes, we're once again looking…
- Retro Ad Review
Valentines Commercials Featuring Men Named Valentine
Valentine's doesn't have to always be about hearts and candy. It can also be about dudes named Valentine! For this special time of the year, we've rounded up…
- Retro Ad Review
Wrestlers in Commercials: Randy Savage, Sting, and John Cena
Are you ready to ruuummmmbllleeee?! That's the wrong sports reference for today's episode that all about wrestlers! When they're not slamming dudes into the…
- Retro Ad Review
PSA Commercials: This is your brain on drugs
Is your brain an egg or butter? We look at some top tier drug PSAs including Frying Pan, Like Father, Like Son, and Nothing Happens. So fry those eggs and tell…
- Retro Ad Review
Christmas Commercials: Going Toy Crazy
Sometimes people go crazy over plastic dolls. This especially happens during Christmas. In this Christmas edition of Retro Ad Review, we cover the toy crazes…
- Retro Ad Review
Before They Were Famous: Commercials With The Stars
Ever watched an old commercial and thought, "Hey, it's that guy!" This episode is all about famous folk who were in commercials before they were household…
Retro Ad ReviewWe Love These Cereal Commercials
We love cereal! Mainly because they really played too many cereal commercials on TV growing up. Whatever your age, you too have been inundated with cereal…
Retro Ad ReviewScary Spooky Video Games Commercials: Halloween Edition
It's the scary season! To keep in theme, we've collected some of the spookiest video game commercials we could think of! So trick or treat your ears to the…
Retro Ad ReviewSong Parodies Commercials: Do the Cool Whip!
From Cool Whip's take on the Cool Jerk to Good Humor's version of Scatman, we're listening to song parodies featured in many of our favorite commercials. Have…
Retro Ad ReviewCommercials that People Hate (or Just Don't Like Very Much)
Ever met a commercial you didn't like? We've rounded up some of the weirdest, slightly off-putting commercials we could find. Say hello to Spongmonkeys…
- Retro Ad Review
Minty Fresh Breath Commercials: The Mints Episode
We're feeling fresh today so we're looking at some of our favorite mints. Do you prefer Tic Tacs, Mentos, or Icebreakers? And YES we look into the history of…
- Retro Ad Review
Wrigley's Gum Commercials: Statement of the Great Mint
Juicy Fruit, Doublemint, Extra...all the gum belongs to Wrigley's! They've come up with some iconic and interesting commercials over the years, so we're taking…
- Retro Ad Review
The Marvelous Kurger Bing: Great Burger King Commercials
In this episode, we look at the many musical commercials of Burger King. We check out the Marvelous Magical Burger King, witness the Backstreet Boys selling…
- Retro Ad Review
Your Favorite Couch Potato Chips Commercials
We all love sitting in front of the TV with a big bag of chips. But what's your chip of choice? We showcase three commercials from Pringles, Cheetos, and…
- Retro Ad Review
Board Games Bonanza: Classic Board Game Commercials
Love board games? This one's for you. We look at the (frankly sordid) histories of Monopoly, The Game of Life, and Operation. If you don't listen, you'll end…
- Retro Ad Review
Bud-Weis-ERRRRRRR: Iconic Beer Commercials
Whether you're a beer aficionado or not, you couldn't help but love the classic ads that Budweiser put out. We look at three of the top commercials ever…
- Retro Ad Review
Creepy PlayStation Commercials
Were you scarred by the series of PlayStation ads that went all CrEepY? We were, too! That's why we're facing our fears and looking at some of the most…
- Retro Ad Review
St. Patrick's Day Commercials: Back 2 tha Hood
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We're celebrating all things Irish by reviewing commercials that may or may not accurately represent the Irish people and/or their…
- Retro Ad Review
Action Figures Ads! Now with Karate Chop Action!
Action figure commercials have always been a staple of children's programming. Who didn't want a cool Batman toy with rocket launchers? We look at some of the…
- Retro Ad Review
Ads to Help You Fall in Love: Happy Valentine's Day!
Share some headphones with your loved one and listen to our latest episode all about the love holiday. We watch Valentine's themed commercials from M&M's…
- Retro Ad Review
Rapping Video Game Commercials are the Worst
To capitalize on the rapping craze of the 80s and 90s, video game companies decided they should inflict bad rapping into our ears. That's right. We're talking…
- Retro Ad Review
Here in My Car: The Best in Car Commercials
Do you love cars? We're no experts, but we will talk about them for you! Listen in for some fun facts about the Delorean, the Pontiac Azteck, and the joy of…
- Retro Ad Review
New Year Commercials: Happy New Year 2021!
Happy New Year, everyone! We look back fondly at...any other year than 2020. Remember MCI? Remember Dick Clark? Remember Care.com? We look at their New Year…
- Retro Ad Review
Christmas Commercials 2020
Merry Christmas, everyone! And what's Christmas without warm and fuzzy corporate sales pitches? We look at Hershey's Jingle Bells, Cheerios and Ebenezer…
- Retro Ad Review
I Want Candy! : Addictive Candy Commercials
This is a very special episode where we celebrate all things candy and go off on the abomination that is M&M World! If you like Baby Bottle Pop, Tootsie Pops…
- Retro Ad Review
I Want Meow Mix! : Cat Food Commercials
Meow! If you're a cat lover, then you'll love this episode! We look at cat food commercials including Meow Mix, Whiskas, and Temptations. Bonus: We breakdown a…
- Retro Ad Review
Getting to Know the Little Lad: Truly Weird Commercials
These commercials are wEirD! From Starburst's Little Lad to The Burger King to the very strange Mr. Delicious from Rax, we've got some oddball commercials for…
- Retro Ad Review
Halloween II: The Revenge
It's the spooky season as they say! And we're getting into it by exploring a few scary commercials. We've got McNuggets, Count Chocula, and Creepy Crawlers…
- Retro Ad Review
Skinner Likes Dog Food: Dog Food Commercials
Sorry, this isn't a Simpsons episode. It's actually about dog food. Can you believe there are classic commercials about dog food? We explore Mighty Dog…
- Retro Ad Review
It's Time to Get (Mr.) Clean: Cleaning Product Commercials
No one likes housework but we all gotta do it. Rather than cracking open that bottle of Pine-Sol, put on the headphones and have a listen as we go through the…
- Retro Ad Review
Go to School Whether You Like It or Not: Back to School Commercials
It's back to school time, the worst time of the year! We check out what Walmart, McDonald's, and Frosted Flakes had to say about the kids going back to their…
- Retro Ad Review
Kids, Don't Do Drugs: The Best Drug PSAs
As society crumbles around us, we look back to a simpler time when Don't Do Drugs ads saved us from the brink of a drug fueled nightmare world. Join us as we…
- Retro Ad Review
I'm Billy Mays for Retro Ad Review
Do you spill juice on a consistent basis? Did someone saw your speedboat in half? Then have I got the product for you! This episode covers your favorite…