There's so many adverts on Norwegian TV that make me smile or leave me scratching my head, I'm surprised I didn't write this post months ago! Watching TV adverts is not just a good way of finding out about brands and how they're marketed and/or viewed by Norwegians, it's also a good way to pick up some language.
Walk with me through this slice of Norwegian culture!
Only Jarlsberg is Jarlsberg (cheese)
One of Norway's biggest exports, I love the nuttiness of Jarlsberg! I also love this advert. The premise is simple – Jarlsberg is better than all the other “yellow” cheeses. The wife/girlfriend comes home with a different brand saying they're all the same, “cheese is cheese”. He's pissed off, so the next time she comes home he's replaced the dog. “A dog is a dog”
There's a few others in this series but I prefer this one 🙂
George Clooney – DNB (Bank)
Perhaps the only Norwegian advert to be well known outside the country… because George Clooney is in it! This tells the story of the greatest hangover ever. The lady wakes up to find a ring on her finger, a wedding dress on the floor, and George Clooney looking at houses online. It advertises a savings account – noones this lucky, so you'd best save up.
The George Clooney DNB Parody – Sparebank1
A brilliant parody from a rival bank 🙂
“We don't send money to Hollywood, but share it locally”
Widerøe (domestic airline)
This advert focuses on the relationship between a little boy and his grandfather, with the background message that Widerøe fly to most of Norway's tiny rural airports. It reminds me of the loving-teasing relationship I had with my late grandfather years ago (I guess that's the point!) and it just makes me smile. Even though the kid freaks me out a little. This video has English subtitles, by the way 🙂
Stratos (chocolate)
The dancing blue cow! I love this for no other reason than the crazy cow-bell moment in the final few seconds. Stratos is basically Aero, by the way.
Komplett.no – Trusted by Geeks
These two guys feature in several adverts for this electronics webshop, but this is the first one I saw. The advert references the company's beginnings in 1996, with the founders dreaming (a loose translation here!) “one day we'll be the best in all the north – and we'll have robots!” It then cuts to the same two geeks, older, standing over their automated warehouse.
Nerdy as hell, but I love it.
Kvikk Lunsj – Takk for turen
Ah, Kvikk Lunsj, the legendary snack for hikers and skiers up and down the country. This advert was made to mark the 70th anniversary of the humble chocolate bar but barely references it, focusing instead on the brand's intrinsic link with the great Norwegian outdoors. It features Norway's network of volunteers setting up the trails relied upon by hikers and skiers all year round. The literal translation of “Takk for turen” is “thanks for the trip”, but “tur” in Norwegian means more of an expedition, the experience as a whole, whether hiking or skiing. Imagine a car company using “thanks for the ride” to celebrate 70 years and you're half way there!
Over to you – what are your favourite TV adverts in Norway?
I like the Norsk Tipping ones and also the Vossafår set:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoak51EyZBo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ovygOT6JSE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8T-HpkVc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB8V6SNBsTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2WV5nFhmxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vib9AgedNc0
This is for Kims potato chips. Some mix-up at the store 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWcI8q1cPoM
Another cheese commercial, this time Norvegia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCSkIDDNvW0
At last, a serious one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFvj34fUMcE
Let the dogs do their job!
I love how many adverts in Norway use ‘visual’ stuff more than just spoken to get their advert accross (also appealing to the non-norsk speakers’.
I liked the mobile phone directory one, where the guy gets in the back of the taxi after a night out at a conference with his name tag on.. Taxi driver asks ‘where to?’ Guy says ‘Home’ before passing out. So the taxi driver looks at his name tag, does a search on his mobile, finds his address, takes him home.
Another I REALLY like is a young boy shooting a football at an empty goal. Repeatedly over days. Then he sets up a romantic meal for his parents, candles, soft music, the works… Then cuts to a while later, baby’s crib set up, and he pops a little pair of football boots on top of the baby. I THINK it was to advertise chocolate, but really can’t remember…
🙂
Goota love YouTube!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAOWGkND4zA
(Taxi driver one)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bggFBWn7YoI
(young boy / goal shooting)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4O4gDdwxWM
Also Made me giggle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pTxycr9N90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcz0wvU65z4
(not seen this one for years!!)
and browsing through for advets I may have missed…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ym6w7Gikg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDnJ6IBkLGk
There’s also a Lotto one with Peter Schmeichel (he turns out for a REALLY crap football team, after one of the players wins the Lotto) which really struggling to find
Eeeee… having a fun day looking these all up!! 🙂
oh scrub that- Chris managed to find the Peter Schmeichel one!! 😀
The blue he-cow freaks me out. And even more, knowing there is a she-he-cow.
Sick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTZECMGAH-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl0aIVc27iA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmOZ2X6yaQc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnysb3uW_iU
and OOOOOHHH How could I forget Mr Milk????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZYY77-7Ao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZytVCs4fzI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pyEcRy0jvA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5601ljY-r0c
I was just in Norway and there was a commercial with a cat being annoyed by a dripping facet, looks up plumbers online, selects a plumber with a fish on his shirt and the ad ends with milk coming out of the faucet. Anyone know where I can find this one?
Hi David, that’s a dead cert for the next version of this post! In the meantime, here you go 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6LTsYkR0KM
Hello,
I was just in Norway (Oct ’17) and saw an ad that made me burst out laughing. But I don’t know what it was for and can’t seem to find it online. perhaps you have seen it? It shows a couple at home, the guy is in the kitchen (as usual in Scandinavian ads!) and the girl is on the couch, stressed out. She starts to sigh, and keeps going and going until her whole body deflates on the sofa. This is funny probably only to me, who sighs like that when I’m stressed! Do you know what it was an ad for??
Thanks
Hei, good page/posts. I lived in Norway 2001-2005 and there was an ad of some Vikings sailing off, getting lost and finding land. When they went ashore to the nearest village they realised they’d come home (empty handed) and were swiftly clubbed on the head by their wives! Would love to see that one again.