Image: Kellogg Company
About This Quiz
Other than Don Draper and the many people who work on Madison Avenue, perhaps no one loves the concept of commercials. However, a catchy or memorable commercial sticks with you. There's a reason Apple's "1984" commercial is still discussed decades later.
Most commercials make their way into your brain with the perfect slogan or an earworm of a jingle. Even when it had not aired for 16 years, the general American public remembered the Meow Mix jingle that cats recite to ask for the food by name. Some commercials, such as Alka-Seltzer's "That's a spicy meatball" have staying power, even though many people assume the commercial is for Italian food, not an antacid.
Commercials permeate pop culture so much that we often find ourselves quoting them. While you may not specifically ask for "milk's favorite cookie" or the cereal that's "magically delicious," you instantly know that those slogans belong to Oreos and Lucky Charms, and you may ask for them by the slogan as a joke.
Now, it's time for the test. Did you watch a lot of TV growing up? Do you still watch a lot? Are there times you find yourself looking up old commercials on YouTube? Then this quiz is for you. Test your knowledge of famous ad campaigns!
What store's customers proclaimed, "I don't wanna grow up"?
Toys 'R' Us
Toys 'R' Us introduced the "I'm a Toys 'R' Us kid" jingle in the early 1980s. Linda Kaplan Thaler and author James Patterson co-created the jingle.
KB Toys
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Chuck E. Cheese's
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What watch company used the phrase "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking" in its commercials?
Rolex
Timex
In 1956, Timex started advertising on television. The company's commercials showed its watches surviving washing machines, paint mixers and jackhammers to prove that "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."
Armitron
Casio
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Which candy "melts in your mouth, not in your hands"?
Starburst
Skittles
Reese's Pieces
M&M's
In 1950s, Mars hired Ted Bates & Co., an ad agency, to come up with an ad that would increase sales. Advertising executive Rosser Reeves came up with "melts in your mouth, not in your hands." At the time, M&M's was the only candy sold covered in a shell.
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Which candy asks you to "give me a break"?
Kit Kat
Kit Kat was first manufactured in 1935. The candy takes its name from a 17th-century literary club that met in a pie shop owned by Christopher Catling. The club called itself the Kit Kat club, which was a shortening of Catling's name.
Hershey Bar
Snickers
Butterfinger
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What is the "happiest place on Earth"?
Cedar Point
Universal Studios
Six Flags
Disneyland
In 1955, Disneyland opened to great fanfare. Tickets cost one dollar, but rides cost extra.
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Which cereal has a mascot that says, "They're Gr-r-reat"?
Frosted Flakes
In 1952, Kellogg's introduced Frosted Flakes to the United States. Tony the Tiger has been the cereal's mascot since the beginning.
Lucky Charms
Cheerios
Fruity Pebbles
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"Once you pop, the fun don't stop," says which brand?
Pringles
Pringles' mascot is named Julius Pringle. He has appeared on the cans of over 100 flavors.
Ruffles
Tostitos
Wise
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Which candies were advertised with "sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't"?
Reese's Pieces and M&M's
Almond Joy and Mounds
Almond Joy and Mounds didn't receive their jingle until the 1970s. Leon Carr and Leo Corday wrote the jingle. The full jingle is "Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't. Almond Joy's got nuts. Mounds don't."
York Peppermint Patties and PayDay
PayDay and Milky Way
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Which fast-food restaurant's food is "finger lickin' good"?
Wendy's
McDonald's
KFC
KFC started using the slogan "finger lickin' good" in 1956. Prior to that slogan's introduction, KFC used "North America's Hospitality Dish."
Chick-fil-A
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Which paper towel is the "quicker picker upper"?
Brawny
Bounty
Bounty is a successor to Charmin Towels. The latter product was sold from 1957 to 1965. While it was a success, Proctor & Gamble decided to develop a product that was more absorbent.
Viva
Sparkle
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Which athletic wear brand encourages customers to "just do it"?
Adidas
New Balance
Nike
In 1988, Nike's first ad featuring "Just Do It" was aired. It featured 80-year-old marathon runner Walt Stack in San Francisco.
Under Armour
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Having which coffee brand in your cup is "the best part of wakin' up"?
Folgers
In 1984, "the best part of wakin' up is Folgers in your cup" became Folgers' slogan. Over the years, Folgers has commissioned country, jazz, folk, Celtic and acapella versions of the jingle.
Chock full o'Nuts
Nescafe
Maxwell House
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Every kiss begins with which jewelry brand?
Jared
Kay
In 1985, Kay Jewelers introduced the slogan, "Every Kiss Begins with Kay." Every one of Kay's commercials features the phrase.
Zales
De Beers
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"The world may never know" how many licks it takes to get to the center of which candy?
Tootsie Pops
In the late 1960s, Tootsie Roll created a commercial featuring a cartoon boy asking multiple animals, "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?" The 15-second version of the commercial is still aired on television.
Dum Dum Pops
Chupa Chups
Blow Pops
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Which insurance company is "like a good neighbor"?
Progressive
Geico
Allstate
State Farm
In 1922, George Jacob Mecherle founded State Farm. The company started as an auto insurance company, but now offers about 100 products and services.
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What fast-food restaurant used the phrase "Where's the beef?"
Wendy's
In 1984, Wendy's introduced "Where's the beef?" as its catchphrase in the United States and Canada. Later that year, Vice President Walter Mondale introduced the phrase to U.S. politics as a way to describe Gary Hart's policies as not solid.
Burger King
McDonald's
KFC
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Which meat is "the other white meat"?
Duck
Beef
Pork
In 1987, the National Pork Board branded their product as "Pork. The Other White Meat." In 2005, the National Pork Board added "Don't Be Blah" to its existing slogan.
Turkey
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Which soda was the "choice of a new generation"?
Pepsi
In the 1960s, Pepsi launched a campaign around the "Pepsi Generation." In 1984, the campaign was updated to "Pepsi: The Choice of a New Generation," with commercials featuring Michael Jackson.
Coca-Cola
Sprite
Orange Crush
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Which fast-food restaurant used to let you "have it your way"?
Burger King
To counter McDonald's, Burger King launched its "have it your way" campaign in 1973. It started with a jingle that stated, "Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce. Special orders don't upset us."
McDonald's
Wendy's
Long John Silver's
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Which soda is "the real thing"?
Sprite
Dr. Pepper
Coca-Cola
The first "The Real Thing" commercial aired in 1971. The song featured in the commercial was "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing."
Pepsi
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Which candy asks you to "taste the rainbow"?
Pop Rocks
Starburst
AirHeads
Skittles
In 1979, Skittles were introduced to the United States. The original flavors were orange, lemon, lime, grape and strawberry. Ten years later, Skittles would introduce new varieties, such as Tropical Skittles.
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Which coffee brand is "good to the last drop"?
Folgers
Maxwell House
Maxwell House's slogan, that it is "good to the last drop," is over 100 years old. It debuted in 1915. Before Maxwell House adopted it as its own, Coca-Cola originally used the slogan.
Nescafe
Eight O'Clock Coffee
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Which chip advertised "betcha can't eat just one"?
Pringles
Lay's Potato Chips
Frito-Lay's history as a company dates back to 1932. It started with C.E. Doolin's visit to a San Antonio cafe. At that cafe, he found a corn chip manufacturer who wanted to sell his business, so Doolin bought it.
Doritos
Ruffles
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Which fast food restaurant will have you saying, "I'm lovin' it"?
Burger King
KFC
Wendy's
McDonald's
Pusha T apparently wrote McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" jingle, although some dispute that fact. In 2003, McDonald's hired Justin Timberlake to sing it. It is currently the longest-running marketing campaign in McDonald's history.
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Which battery "keeps going and going"?
Panasonic
Duracell
Energizer
Energizer debuted the Energizer Bunny in 1989. In 2017, "Advertising Week" determined that the drum-beating mascot was so iconic it deserved a spot in the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame.
Sony
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Which meat is "what's for dinner"?
Chicken
Beef
The "Beef. It's What's for Dinner" commercials debuted in May 1992. The Beef Industry Council and Beef Board ran the campaign.
Turkey
Pork
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What food "tastes so good, cats ask for it by name"?
Whiskas
Friskies
Sheba
Meow Mix
Meow Mix has been around for over 40 years. The Meow Mix jingle was created in the early 1970s.
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Which car company goes "zoom zoom"?
Mercedes-Benz
Mazda
In 2000, Mazda introduced its "zoom zoom" campaign. Fifteen years later, Mazda changed its campaign to "Driving Matters."
Volkswagen
Ford
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Which insurance company says that "15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance"?
Progressive
Geico
In 1936, Leo and Lillian Goodwin founded Geico. In 1951, Warren Buffett purchased Geico stock. At the time, he was still a business student at Columbia University.
State Farm
Allstate
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"There's no wrong way" to eat which candy?
Snicker's
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
"There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's" was introduced as Reese's slogan in the 1990s. In the 1970s and 1980s, the company's commercials featured situations where two people eating would collide. One person would say, "You got your peanut butter on my chocolate!" The other would respond, "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!"
Twizzlers
3 Musketeers
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"Maybe she's born with it, or maybe it's" which makeup brand?
e.l.f.
Revlon
CoverGirl
Maybelline
Maybelline is named after founder Thomas Williams' older sister Maybel. According to Maybelline lore, Maybel accidentally singed her eyelashes and eyebrows, then concocted a mix of petroleum jelly, coal dust and cork ash to conceal the damage. Thomas refined the idea and marketed his mascara.
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Which antacid had a commercial where a man says, "That's a spicy meatball"?
Tums
Alka-Seltzer
In 1969, Alka-Seltzer aired the commercial with "That's a spicy meatball." Not long after, an Alka-Seltzer commercial featured the catch phrase, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Mylanta
Pepto-Bismol
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Which company tells women, "because you're worth it"?
CoverGirl
L'Oréal
The phrase "because you're worth it" began its association with L'Oréal in 1973. Ilon Specht, a copywriter with the McCann Erickson agency, came up with the slogan.
Revlon
Maybelline
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Which cell phone carrier asks, "Can you hear me now?"
Verizon
Verizon's "can you hear me now" commercials started in 2002. They continued for nine years. The actor, Paul Marcarelli, now appears in commercials for Sprint.
Sprint
T-Mobile
AT&T
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Which chicken brand believes, "it takes a tough man to make a tender chicken"?
KFC
Foster Farms
Perdue
Perdue has been family-owned and operated since 1920. Arthur W. Perdue founded the company. Since 1991, Jim Perdue has been the chairman and spokesman.
Tyson
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You Got:
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