John West Salmon Bear
UK seafood company John West’s circa 2000 commercial begins with a serene, nature documentary-style shot of bears fishing, as a narrator describes the scene in his best David Attenborough impression. Then things takes an unexpected turn. The ad’s effective use of three time-honored comedy traditions — the abrupt shift in tone, animals, and, yes, the well-timed groin kick — quickly made it a viral sensation in those early internet days. The ad shot to the top of every “best commercial list” and by 2006 it had more than 300 million views, making it the sixth most viewed online video at the time. It also won a number of awards and was voted “funniest ad of all time” in Campaign Live’s 2008 poll. It was filmed on Invercauld Estate, near Balmoral , on the River Dee in the Scottish Highlands . The video campaign won multiple advertising industry awards.
QUICK FACTS
- Release Date
- Nov 20, 2000
Storyline
UK seafood company John West’s circa 2000 commercial begins with a serene, nature documentary-style shot of bears fishing, as a narrator describes the scene in his best David Attenborough impression. Then things takes an unexpected turn.
The ad’s effective use of three time-honored comedy traditions — the abrupt shift in tone, animals, and, yes, the well-timed groin kick — quickly made it a viral sensation in those early internet days. The ad shot to the top of every “best commercial list” and by 2006 it had more than 300 million views, making it the sixth most viewed online video at the time. It also won a number of awards and was voted “funniest ad of all time” in Campaign Live’s 2008 poll.
It was filmed on Invercauld Estate, near Balmoral, on the River Dee in the Scottish Highlands. The video campaign won multiple advertising industry awards.
Other Details
- Release Date
- November 20, 2000
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