Top 10 Weirdest Commercials of the 2000s

#10: Mr. Six (2004)

Six Flags

Disneyland has a beloved cartoon mouse for a theme park mascot, and Six Flags had… a dancing old man? In 2004, the amusement park chain debuted Mr. Six. In this advertisement, we see the dispiriting effects of all work and no play on a town. That is, until a Six Flags bus pulls up and off it steps a glasses-and-tuxedo-wearing elderly man. Though he initially appears quite frail, he soon bursts into an elaborate dance routine to Vengaboys' "We Like to Party," which gets stuck in your head as soon as you hear it. From there, everyone is off the park, and Mr. Six is still dancing. If you begged your parents to go to Six Flags, this commercial probably had some influence.

#9: Piñata Man (2008)

Skittles

Skittles is known for its slogan “Taste the rainbow.” But “Taste the weirdness” might have been more suitable for this commercial. While chocolate-flavored Skittles weren’t a particularly crazy idea, whoever came up with this ad is definitely a creative thinker. In an office breakroom, a severely injured man enters and drops a bag of Chocolate Skittles in front of an employee. As it turns out, the injured man is a human piñata who's furious about the beating he's received. The actor playing the piñata man delivers each line with such gravitas, he can make you forget you’re watching a commercial, much less one for candy.

#8: “Apply Directly to the Forehead” (2006)

HeadOn

The makers of this ad likely weren’t even trying to be weird, and that’s exactly what makes it so strange. While a headache relief product is a great thing to promote, we find this approach rather counterintuitive. A voiceover says "HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead" three times in a row while a woman uses the product. That's basically the whole commercial., and it doesn’t get any less weird with time. Though, now that we think about it, it might've been the perfect concept. Because after watching this, we’re immediately looking for anything to stop our headache.

#7: Dentures (2004)

Lay’s

Super Bowl XXXVIII (38) was infamous for its halftime show, but it also had one of the funniest commercials we’ve ever seen. A man drops a bag of Lays potato chips that he swiped from his elderly parents. Not wanting to share, the older man trips the woman with his cane before hobbling over to claim his snack prize. He thinks he's won, but she has the upper hand, or teeth, as she reveals his dentures. Then, as a final insult to them both, the son comes back for his chips, giving his dad a kiss goodbye. This is a perfect little slapstick short film that effectively promotes its product while also being hilarious. We can’t watch it just one time.

#6: “Dude, You’re Getting a Dell” (2001)

Dell

Nothing screams "early 2000s" quite like Dell advertising mascot Steven, aka "the Dell Dude." New York University acting student Ben Curtis promoted Dell PCs in 26 commercials, typically signing off with his enthusiastic catchphrase. While Steven seemed like he might be more at home on a surfboard than on a computer, these commercials did remind us not to judge a book by its cover. In 2003, Dell fired Curtis after he was arrested for buying marijuana, which he says resulted in him being blacklisted from acting for a few years. However, Curtis has continued to work in recent years, appearing on shows like "Orange Is the New Black" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Dude, you're getting a comeback.

#5: Baby Commercials (2008)

E-Trade

Some people find talking babies hilarious and adorable, others find them quite unsettling. But even if you belong to the second category, it’s hard to argue against the genius of these ads. Using a financial services company can make you feel like a bit of a baby in terms of comprehension. So, E-Trade cleverly created ads centered around a baby telling us about the ease and advantages of using their company. This campaign was launched with the 2008 Super Bowl and was suspended in 2014, as E-Trade announced they were taking their marketing in a new direction. And in case you wanted to feel old, that original baby is now a teenager. Maybe they’ll grow up to be a stockbroker?

#4: Berries and Cream (2007)

Starburst

Skittles isn’t the only fruit-flavored candy to get seriously weird with their advertising in the 2000s. In 2007, Starburst introduced their new “Berries and Cream” flavor with a character quite out of time who reacts with unsettling exuberance upon learning of the new candy. The other actors in the commercial look positively baffled after seeing “The Little Lad” perform his song-and-dance routine, and we’re right there with them. In 2021, the ad received renewed popularity on TikTok, and Starburst launched a contest for fans to win their own "Little Lad" Halloween costume. There's really no telling what will make a comeback when.

#3: Baby Commercial (2006)

PlayStation 3

If you were turned off by the E-Trade baby commercials, we can’t imagine how you felt about this one. In an otherwise empty room sits an animatronic baby and Sony's then-newest video game console. The baby awakens, and upon seeing the PS3 coos excitedly before launching into what sounds like a grown man’s maniacal laughter while visions of video games enter their tear-filled eyes. Oh, and the robot baby’s tears appear to recede back inside their eyes. The PlayStation 3 is a product that basically sells itself. But we’re not quite sure what the point of such a creepy commercial was.

#2: Spa (2006)

Sprite

We love Sprite for its refreshing lemon-lime taste. But this commercial makes it seem like there might be something a little extra in the caffeine-free soft drink. Part of a series called “Sublymonal Advertising,” this ad opens with a robotic female voice welcoming us and telling us not to blink. Then, we see a man lying on an exam table with lemon and lime slices over his eyes having Sprite dripped onto his mouth. If that wasn't weird enough, this ad uses fast editing and all kinds of bizarre imagery and effects to further the out-of-body feel. We might stick with Diet Sprite after seeing this.

#1: Spongmonkeys (2004)

Quiznos

There are all kinds of beloved mascots for fast-food chains, from Ronald McDonald to the Burger King. But these ones are memorable in all the worst ways. Spongmonkeys were grotesque-looking creatures that sang off-key about how much they love Quiznos and their subs. The ads were certainly original, but originality doesn't necessarily translate to quality, and they certainly didn’t make us want to eat at Quiznos. After freaking out legions of viewers, Spongmonkeys quickly went extinct. A Quiznos representative later described them as "permanently retired." Whoever came up with them might've needed to find a new career as well.