Pretty much as long as they have been on TV, the Muppets have found their way into commercial spots – promoting everything from cars and cameras to coffee and karaoke. Just last week, a smart camera service called Portal kicked off “A Very Muppet Launch,” featuring your favorite fluffy personalities in all their quirky glory. The idea of using puppets to advertise may seem a bit unconventional – but with over 50 years of experience under their belt, Jim Henson‘s puppet wonders show no sign of disappearing anytime soon.
Behold, here are all of our favorite Muppets commercials, ranked. It’s okay if you can’t contain your excitement for this, because Kermit can’t either.
#5. “No Room for Boring”
Car commercials can be excessively boring. Sure, those smooth shots of spiffy, shiny vehicles ripping around corners on exotic coastlines look professional, but do they catch your eye? No. That’s why Toyota decided to spice up this spot with a cameo from Animal, as well as some other members of the Muppet gang.
#4. “Be More Tea”
In this ad for Lipton, Kermit reminds us that tea has this magical way of making everything just a little bit better. This ad would also mark the birth of one of the most iconic memes in history – the Kermit tea-sipping meme.
#3 – Marathon Gasoline
These Jim Henson creations are not exactly part of the modern Muppets troupe, but they indubitably are recognizable as part of the Muppet-verse. In this spot for Marathon gasoline, they decided regular puppets just wouldn’t cut it and that it was necessary to fashion singing gas-nozzle marionettes. A solid choice.
#2. Kermit with Ford Escape
The Muppets’ foray into the auto industry wasn’t limited to just one brand; Kermit was the star celebrity endorser in this Ford Escape commercial. It isn’t always easy being green.. but Kermit shows us how it can be.
#1. Wilkins Coffee
While all the commercials in this post are entertaining, these black-and-white Wilkins coffee commercials truly take the cake. Apparently, back then, banging people over the head with your message was considered quite effective. (And if that didn’t work, they figured they’d just blow your mind.)
“Why are we climbing this tree!?”
“For Wilkins Coffee.”
“I don’t want any!”
*kicks him out of tree*
“It’s autumn and the nuts are beginning to fall.”