The ad-world’s biggest bout: beard vs. mustache
Season 2
Aaron Burr!
1993 wasn’t ready. 30 years later, we’re still wrapping our head around what happened. Some say the world hasn’t been the same since.
In this nail-biter season finale, your two favorite hosts go head-to-head about the controversial nectar of the cows. A battle so fierce, Matt is pushed to his breaking point.
I’ll Call Now
If you were alive and watching TV in the 90s or early aughts, you saw this ad. Unless your name was Erik.
Matt and Erik tackle the steamiest pile of sitcom tropes you ever did see in this week’s episode. And if you like trash barges full of text on your TV screen, strap in for one doozy of a TV ad.
Peter Comes Home
Take a trip down memory lane with Erik and Matt. Or maybe Holiday Road. This time, the guys take on a Folgers Christmas classic.
Sound innocent? Think again! The coffee people are manipulating our minds, Peter isn’t who he says he is, and it all ties back to black ops in the jungle. According to Erik, at least.
I Put That S*** on Everything
Matt got denied buying beer, and Erik forgot what was in a Bloody Mary. In this episode, the guys talk hot sauce. Frank’s RedHot Sauce.
From a unique campaign with an even unique-er star to the secret tool that led the condiment to unparalleled success, watch two grown men kill half an hour at work.
Directed by Wes Anderson
Chaos, confusion, and a few what-am-I-even-watching-right-now moments. Perhaps, if you’re lucky, even a point or two being made. We’ll see about that last one.
Erik and Matt tackle Wes Anderson.
No, not for real. It’s more about his ads. No long-haired directors were harmed in the making of this episode!
When I Grow Up
What do Erik & Matt want to be when they grow up?
They’re still not sure. But they know a good ad when they see one.
The fellas discuss Monster.Com’s ad from Super Bowl XXXIII and reminisce fondly on the 1990s.
One-Second Ads
The long night is over.
Season 2 has landed with the best one second(s) of your life. The boys are back and talking about Miller High Life’s One-Second Ads from Super Bowl XLIII. Pour one out for the beloved Windell Middlebrooks and the High Life deliveryman we all wish was our best friend.
Season 1
Fox Hat
We’re going to Octer Mocktie. Ochre MacTree? Whatever.
Matt’s a liar. Erik’s not a Miller guy. Small furry creatures can be made into hats. And it all happens at wherever-the-heck in Scotland.
It’s the Miller Beer Fox Hat episode!
German Coast Guard
Erik and Matt discussed this Berlitz ad ages ago, then Matt promptly lost the footage.
Lucky you he found it again.
Hear how much Erik loves the German people, how Matt disappointed his high school music teacher, and how cool Beethoven and Schiller still are.
Priceless
Matt and Erik discuss how a campaign’s message transcended its individual ads.
The guys talk mediocre ’90s baseball, buying stuff they can’t afford, and how the “Priceless” campaign became a meme. Before there were memes.
Failure
The Failure episode.
The boys discuss the massive success of Michael Jordan’s failure. Matt recalls a time when “ball was life”. Erik finds a teachable message for his kids. Even Coco Chanel manages to make an appearance.
Go Forth
Wherein Walt Whitman finds new employment as a jeans salesman.
Erik puts on his skeptical hat and asks why all these kids are too sexy for their shirts, while Matt gives away a bit of his origin story.
Carvana
It’s the flamingo shirt episode!
But really, it’s about selling cars. The guys discuss an ad series that makes fun of itself. All from the perspective of the enemy. And whether it worked.
Funeral
In this episode, Erik & Matt take a look at an ad that helped “start it all” – this podcast.
The ad is for Volkswagen, and it’s probably not one that you’re expecting (or maybe you are, we don’t know what you’re thinking).
Coleman Sweeney
Shooo-weeeee do we have a hell of an ad for you in this episode.
The real ad (there’s two?!) in this episode is a masterclass in creating a hated character to get your message out to the world.
Nobody Is Normal
Have you ever felt like an outcast? Like you did’t belong, or needed to hide your true self?
We discuss a marvelous ad that takes on those feelings of inadequacy and makes the claim: Nobody is Normal.
The Texter
In this episode of Erik & Matt Like Ads, the guys talk about Paula Cole, using censorship to your advantage, why hyper targeting sucks, and much more.
Like, probably way too much more. There’s a lot of banter in this one.
Bike Wash
In this episode, Erik & Matt discuss an ad that takes a shot at an industry leader.
Then, they discuss whether or not it’s smart to do this while taking shots at one another.
It’s the bike wash episode.
Best Unbox Ever
Has an ad ever made you cringe? Because this one will.
Erik & Matt discuss why this ad works on a number of levels. Its controversial message might challenge your worldview–but it’s an evergreen message that needs to be told.
You’re Not You When You’re Hungry
In our pilot episode, Erik & Matt discuss a familiar campaign.
Snickers’ “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” has been around for a while and tend to be quite memorable.
But what makes these ads so memorable?
Ready to expand to your full potential?