The copier jam, the dubious e-mail, the thick-headed coworker: From the front desk to the cubicle, everyone who’s worked in a office can relate to the everyday realities of professional life. At least this is the assumption that TBS draws upon in its latest countdown special, “World’s Funniest Office Commercials.”
The special, which will premier Sunday, April 12 at 8 p.m., counts down the top 10 office-related television commercials from around the world. Its host, Mike O’Malley, best known for his role in the series “Yes, Dear,” acts as the everyday Joe, whom one might expect to find playing solitaire on the computer in his cubicle.
According to TBS, their latest comedic advertising venture seeks to continue on the success of past specials such as “Funniest Commercials of the Year,” which has aired each December since 2006. This weekend’s premier will coincide with the re-structuring of TBS’s Web site, VeryFunnyAds.com, where visitors can select from a video library of comical ads.
While the office theme may be a new twist, the show itself does not break the paradigm of similar countdown shows such as “World’s Funniest Home Videos” and VH1’s “100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s.” It follows a predictable format consisting of periodic break-ins by a celebrity host who attempts to supplement the material with his own witty quips.
If viewers can bring themselves to watch what could otherwise be mistaken as a 30-munite commercial break, they might enjoy the crown jewels of the top 10 countdown, such as the Canadian ad “Reply All,” a commercial for Cadbury Chocolate that demonstrates the perils of office e-mail lists. Another clip that might be worth sitting on the remote for is Anheuser Busch’s “Swear Jar,” a Bud Light ad where employees are encouraged to donate a quarter to the swear jar as punishment for using profanity. Predictable results ensue when it is found that proceeds from the swear will go toward buying a case of Bud Light for the office.
While many of the commercials are worth a laugh, some where only worth a chuckle, and others weren’t even funny at all. And although host Mike O’Malley attempts to convince viewers that the special is more than simply free ad space for companies such as FedEx and Motorola, viewers may still find themselves reaching for the remote just as they would for a normally scheduled commercial break.
Steve Skok can be reached at [email protected].
