America's Favorite Non-prehistoric Cartoon Family - The Simpsons Thread

[Johnny Unusual]

Ritz Bits

The Product: Ritz is the buttery cracker that... it's a cracker. I Ritz isn't a "default" but it's very close to it. Very good, though. Ritz Bits are said cracker in the form of a small sandwich cookie. Cheese and peanut butter are their main flavour. This is specifically Ritz Bits s'mores. It kind of muddies the waters because the cracker part is not a graham cracker instead of a Ritz cracker.

Also, how come Ritz Bits instead of Ritz Bitz? Seems like a slam dunk.
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yeah, it's about ridiculous lengths for gluttony. I feel like even by Simpsons gluttony logic, though, Comic Book Guy isn't going this far for crackers.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
I guess. It's weird to see what I must assume is a product aimed for gradeschoolers with a Simpsons ad in the 2000s. The early 90s, which is ironically when the show was considered an infant terrible in pop culture, feels like when they were pushing the Simpsons onto kids more. I guess I could have mentioned that in the sugary cereal but I'm so candy-brained I forgot to clock as something in the kids demographic. But more specifically, this is in little baggies, perfect for taking to school. No teacher would be upset but this feels like the cusp of when the times a grade schooler would be into the Simpsons comes to an end.
Overall
A pretty blah one and not even because Comic Book Guy has been way overused. Really feels like no one is trying here. I feel like this was a Butterfinger ad that never got used and was repurposed.
Here's a Comment

He meant the whole box including its contents.

Thanks. This clears up so much.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Mastercard

The Product: Mastercard is a credit card. But the key difference is... um... are there differences between creditcards? I guess that only Discover Card was a punchline for a good while.
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yes, it's a riff on the popular "priceless" ads but with every one punctuated by a Simpsony punchline. The format of the priceless ads are often a character or characters need to pay for things and the narrator clocks in each one. Often this includes the frustrations about what is being paid for or the ingredients to come to a reveal about what the paid for stuff build to. It ends with priceless, with the idea being that whatever was being lead to is one perfect little moment. And the Simpsons gets to toy with that by having Homer having a different idea than the narrator about what that is.

It is also very Simpsons in that era in that it is joke dense. None of the jokes land really well but they do feel like they are trying. So this is really representative of 2000s era Simpsons.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Yeah. Again, this is a product with an ad campaign so successful it's clear the idea is to stay out of the way while the Simpsons gently pokes fun at it. By this time, the ads were already toying with the formula so it just makes sense.
Overall
Again, this one feels like one of the more Simpsony ones but also in it trying to cram in as much humour as it can, it feels a little too cramped. It's certainly not bad as these things go and though we aren't talking about "Homer strangling his son to sell something" level of living up to the show at the time, this really feels like the writers room throwing a bunch of ideas that they know will have mostly fun visuals for the audience. But also... bees in the car makes no sense. Even as a wacky non-sequitur, this is pretty dumb. Hitting Hans Moleman feels particularly lazy, though.
Here's a Comment

Homer buys everything at Kwik-E-Mart, Homer helped at the mechanics, Homer gets a haircut and Homer drinking beer at Moe's Tavern.

Yeah, I'm sure Homer stopped by the mechanic to give them a hand.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Domino's
The Product: Domino's, the pizza chain known for two things; one pizza so bad that they had a campaign to say "OK, our bad, we think we got it this time" (in all honesty, I don't hate it as much as most but that's because there's a popular regional chain called Greco I think is worse) and the Noid, the stop motion bunny villain who hates pizzas and convinced a very unwell man it was a conspiracy against him.
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Weirdly yes and no. Mostly yes, in that the last gag where Homer chases a delivery truck like a dog is a very Homer move. Man becomes inhuman when gluttony is involved. But Homer not being able to get a bite in edgewise is unthinkable outside of competing against a dog for potato chips. It's one thing for it to be Homer vs. Bart with one item but the whole family? And also, the Simpsons ordering one pizza that size also seems unlikely... especially since I feel confident the rest of the family would want some meat on their pizza and Lisa would not. So close but I can't help picking these little elements apart.

Interestingly, once again the pimply faced teen is the driver (this time the actual one and not just an analogue but he looks subtly off model to me.) Keep in mind, this is the mid-2000s and I'm convinced this is basically when companies would want the image of their service people to be more photogenic so I'm a bit surprised here.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
The pizza is presented as desirable and reminds one of family togetherness. Yeah, this works.
Overall
A much more generic ad for the show but we are getting into an era where I would have assumed the Simpsons would be appearing in fewer ads. But the Simpsons movie was already announced for next year I bet so they were probably in everyone's minds again.
Here's a Comment

I was trying to find a living domino piece speaking in a thick “British” accent, how did I get here

Dude, how did you get THERE?

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Sabritas/Tazos
The Product: I talked about Sabritas, now I have the joy of talking about Tazos. Remember Pogs? Well, around the same time, Lay's started releasing their own version around the world called Tazos. If you are thinking: "oh, this must have been a Mexican exclusive, these things were in MANY countries, including the US. But the big difference is Tazos came with chips and they had longevity. How long did they last? The last set came out in 2020 (and weirdly was Pac-Man themed). Other themes included Star Wars, sports, many anime, Jurassic World, Bad Bunny and the Simpson of course, to name a very few.

There was a very Pog-like game but after that, Tazos kept going by changing a bit, including octagonal shapes, being able to link them up and... general card shapes. While Pogs became a punchline, Tazos hung on for a healthy 25 years.


The commercials:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Having Jessica Lovejoy is a Tim Long-esque pull. I can definitely see Tazos as a thing Bart gets into for exactly one episode before either Bart becomes bored with it or conversely everyone else does and Bart can't find anyone interested in the now uncool talent he has. The whole thing being a dream feels very much like early 90s Simpsons.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Mostly in the sense that now you could get to be the guy who looks cool... throwing around little paper discs.
Overall
This feels much more like a generic commercial compared to how they try pretty hard with Mastercard or Domino's. If anything, it feels like a 90s throwback

 

[Johnny Unusual]

According to the Simpsons wiki there's a 2007 Subway ad with the Simpsons but I can't find it (It might not be real. The description is "Homer gets a subway sandwich, and Bart takes it away." and that's pretty much any of these ads.)

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Renault Kangoo
The Product: The Renault Kangoo is a family of van that began being released in 2007

The commercials:

Is it... The Simpsons?
I got to say, for the first 20 seconds of a 1 minute ad, I would say no. Specifically, Homer just having donuts everywhere is such a weird choice. Yes, he liked donuts and would like them everywhere at all times but somehow... this feels like someone who thinks they get the show writing a gag. "Homer likes donuts so he just starts giving donuts and packing donuts and donuts are everywhere."

But then it gets Simpsons in a way I don't expect from an ad. Bart is being his descructive self, just smashing donuts in a scene that reminds me of this (despite Bart's claim in another episode, yeah, sometimes he just does like some mindless destruction). And it just gets more Simpsons in ways I don't expect. A sex joke that turns into a bait-and-switch to something more wholesome. Demonstrating how the car ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE TO NEGLECT THE ELDERLY. So, yeah, it has a weird start that feels like it's catering to iconography (the pink sprinkled donut) then digging into feeling like the show.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Again, getting out of the way of the show being the show counts for a lot but it integrates the features well. I like that the Simpsons dysfunction fit into it, especially their unkindness to grandpa. That sure is a choice.
Overall
The Mastercard one was a superbowl ad but this almost feels more like a Superbowl ad, partially the live action animation mix but also trying to do the show justice.

I'm so used to the voices baring fidelity to the sound of the American actors in France so Grandpa's voice threw me.

 

[Daikaiju]

But also... bees in the car makes no sense. Even as a wacky non-sequitur, this is pretty dumb.

With how often bees make hives in older cars? Not so much.

 

[Kirin]

I feel like French Marge is a little over-the-top in the gravelly department but I suppose it’s a matter of taste. Or maybe it’s just that she seems mixed louder than English Marge, I dunno.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpson Game I
The Product: The Simpsons Game. The Simpsons by this point were no strangers to video games. But the games were pretty infamously bad except the Simpsons beat em up game which was great, though really lacked the voice of what the show would become. The game quality started getting a bit better when it moved from platformers to Simpson flavouring other games like wrestling and bowling and getting actual mixed reviews with Road Rage and actual good reviews with Hit & Run, games inspired by the Grand Theft Auto series. But the Simpsons Game featured writing from the creators and seemed to be the game fans were waiting for. And it was... it was pretty alright, to my memory. Some funny writing and original material.

The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yep. If you are looking for original animation... I can't even tell if that's original to have Krusty jump out like that. But the writing, while very commercially, does a good job with the fact that Krusty doesn't give a crap unless it is about him.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Sure, but mostly because Simpsons games are not known for being good and this one looked a lot more ambitious.
Overall
It's fine for what it is. Simple and unambitious but it gets the spirit of it.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpson Game II
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yeah but we are looking at late stage Simpsons. Where the Simpsons peaked is a matter of debate and internet whining but despite this being in the same year as a pretty solid feature film debut and a big game, the Simpsons are getting into a decline of the quality of gags. This ad is FAR from the worst of bringing Simpsons humour to ads but it also feels like when the gag-heaviness is wearing thin and the structure seems a little rougher.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Sure, in that it's the Simpsons promising the game will be more Simpsons. This is the one that feels more heavily promoted by Simpsons folks.
Overall
This isn't bad but a small, quick leaps of logic brings to mind the disconnectedness I feel from scene to scene in the show itself around this era (and is more pronounced in the 2010s) It feels like on paper Homer lets Bart have the game for saving him but it doesn't read that way. I guess he did it because he was wrong about mortality? I know I'm nitpicking but I'm really just *feeling* this gut level. Someone else might look at this and ask "what the Hell are you talking about" and I'd get it.

 

[Kirin]

Huh. I was not even aware of the existence of that game. I guess I was a bit tuned out of game news in that era.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Mr. Donut
The Product: Mr. Donut is a donut chain that opened in the US but was bought by Dunkin' Donuts and replaced them. But that' just in North America. Over the world Mr. Donuts still exist and are doing quite well, especially in Asia. In Japan, it is the biggest donut chain, taking what was at the time thought of as a children's food and appealing to the broader youth with it's American aesthetic (music and scenery) and doughnuts. This ad is for a donut flavoured ice cream being served.
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
... This might be the most nothing? According to the Simpsons wiki, if such things are to be believed, the dialogue is Homer is talking about how much he loves Christmas and the donut ice cream and Bart wondering "how do they do it?" There's no humour or Simpsonisms here. Also, their tree is right next to the eating table and things are just slightly off with the whole layout here.

The wiki describes what they are doing as praying and the Simpsons praying before a meal is much more of an early Simpsons thing, isn't it. But I also feel like the touchstone here for Japanese audiences would be "itadakimasu!", the phrase of gratitude before eating. This feels like a "split the difference" between the two.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Oh sure. This is far from "get out of the Simpsons way" but from the pictures, yeah, give me the donut ice cream.
Overall
A very slight ad, to be sure. Very little to say.
Here's a Comment
Someone was just posting every time they watched the ad. Worrying.

 

[Purple]

I'm sure it's right around the corner, but my understanding is The Simpsons never really took off in Japan (where they did get a dub but on a very obscure/premium channel) and thus, I think to this day? The cast is primarily known to most people there as "the C.C. Lemon family."

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I won't say "right around the corner" but in the near future. The plan is to cover campaigns that were one offs (or recurred infrequently) then get to the one that went on for a bit, then finally tackle Butterfinger

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I'm behind so I'll post a couple today.



Coca Cola: Hard Times
The Product: Coca Cola, the beloved cola controlled by a company whose crimes are incalculable. So they chose the perfect protagonist for their ad...
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yes but very specifically THIS ERA of the show. This was a Superbowl Ad from 2010 and it's clear that the Simpsons creators had a lot of say on how to do it as long as the ending was "coke it great". In the 2010s, there were a lot more attempts to do shorter bits that tried to be somewhat artful, like a near silent story relying on visual gags. Sometimes they would also be a little more saccharine.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Coke made a man who lost everything happy. It's a good enough angle.
Overall
This one is well crafted on a technical angle for sure but it also is one of those sappy little stories that doesn't get a big laugh. Weirdly, because this is silent the only voice actors used are Maurice LaMarche (who isn't even a regular player on the show, but has popped in from time to time) and Pamela Hayden as Milhouse. As a Superbowl ad, I think Coke got their money's worth and while it didn't make me laugh, it swung for the fences in being joke dense and telling a little story. Granted, joke dense has sometimes been a flaw in the later years but I feel like these ones don't feel clunky at least.
Here's a Comment

PUV : When you weigh the whole life more , the cartoon , the comeback until gamble coming back

I missed you, unhinged commenters.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Wonderful Pistachios
The Product: The Wonderful Company sells pistachios and other things. They also supply false water supply information during the 2025 California wildfires...
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
In the basest of senses. Homer says Woo-Hoo and D'Oh. Bart has a sling shot. It's pretty dull stuff.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Not really. And I really like pistachios. But having them shot comically into my mouth is not how I want to consume them.
Overall
This was part of a campaign that had a lot of pop culture icons doing these ads, though the only one I remember is Stephen Colbert as his Stephen Colbert character but there were a few of these. That one really isn't good because it feels heavily "lol random" in a basic ass way and similarly this is a completely dull and hollow trotting out of the Simpsons. It should be noted it said the ad was 2012 but the Simpson wiki also describes an identical ad from 2018 (though maybe it's a re-edit or airing of the former with new graphics or something).
Here's a Comment

I can barley talk because my cheeks are a bit bloated. Wonderful Pistachios! (Eats The Pistachios)

Is this a reference I don't know? Or is this a suggested sketch. Anyway, eat barley and pistachios.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

And the last of the non-extended campaign ads.

Sabritas/Tazos II
The Product: Sabritas are back... in Tazos form.
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
This does feel like a series of wackier Simpsons sight gags to be sure. Not their best, granted but in keeping with the show's tone. However, speeding it up slightly for a shorter run time does make it feel almost more pointedly wacky and hectic, fittingly slightly more in line with how the Simpsons portrays "Mexican comedy shows". Bart being really good at a thing feels very early 90s but I think it does happen a lot... with the added context that either Bart sucks and trains to be good, then the tables turn in some way or Bart is naturally great and the tables turn. Like him being into this thing he is good at either goes awry for him or inadvertently kicks off the actual main plot, like he hits something that reveals a previously unknown secret to a character.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
This is as fun as possible as you can make pogs, I guess.
Overall
Even when keeping in line with the show's tone, it is always weird to me when we see the characters trying very hard to make something else look cool. The Simpsons is good at undercutting and making a product look cool usually looks embarrassing. Not as embarrassing as trying to make a person look cool (the really weird Lady Gaga episode and the deeply misguided and awful Elon Musk episode)

 

[Tegan]

Did we ever get confirmation that the Elon Musk episode was paid for by Musk? Or at least by his request? It's spoken of like it's an open secret that he paid money to have Lisa Simpson say he was smart, and I would absolutely believe it, but I've never heard anything from the cast or crew to that effect.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Commercials
Vol. 2: The Simpsons: Tapped Out
This is actually the last protracted ad campaign from the series (so far) for their popular mobile game. I can say with some cringe, I too played this game where you send Simpsons to do stuff for a few hours and collect points to buy houses and make a neighbourhood. TV series having mobile games seemed like a whole thing. Even Family Guy had a mobile game, which seems like some sort of perfect storm of "no". I say that but I do still play the Marvel match 3 game so who am I to mock

The game began on 2012 and the idea was you could build your own Springfield, placing houses and characters as you could afford them, many of them being references to the latest episode or something seasonal. I liked the idea of building the town but I kept getting handed locations and character that were too outlandish or less interesting. Basically, you get points by giving them tasks that were in character (often a reference to the series) and the longer it took the more you got so you could update once a day. The game also featured original animation for the early game and a few on updates. The game did good business but officially went offline of January 24, 2025.
The Simpsons Tapped Out 2012 Launch

The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yeah, definitely. People from the show were involved with the game. There aren't really any good laughs in this one but it very much feels like what the show was at the time.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
More or less. "Here's a fun game that emulates the show."
Overall
I feel like the pacing in this ad is alright as it is not trying to be super joke thick but it's in there. The Moleman joke doesn't land for me but compared to most ads, it isn't a conceptual problem. It's a weird little sight gag that doesn't feel forced. It just isn't that funny to me. I think the ad is understated for this show, instead trying to focus on the concept that you are God to little Simpsons and they are into it. So not a bad direction.
Here's a Comment

My mother is 64 years old and has been playing this game since 2015, when I bought her a tablet as a Christmas gift. Last month, she told me she received a message saying the game would end and asked if I could do something about it so she could keep playing. I was very sad to tell her that there was nothing I could do, as every app has a lifecycle. She was very upset about it.

OK, that one is a bit sad. Hope she didn't pump money into it though.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpsons Tapped Out 2012 Christmas Update

The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Sure. Mostly, the key jokes is simply people sometimes just tap through dialogue as fast as they can.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
I suppose. I appreciate a self-depreciating ad but this is done in a very soft way.
Overall
This is a short one and the material isn't jam packed, it feels more about the one tapping joke, even though there's Bart breaking Santa's slay, which I guess can count as a bit.
Here's a Comment

I’ve played tapped out but I have I problem I’m wondering you guys can figure out:I play the game but when I rejoin the next day it doesn’t let me in could you explain how I could sort this problem out please?

The best part is this is from a year ago.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpsons Tapped Out: Are You Tired...

The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Oh. OH. OK, this ad is the MOST Simpsons of the ads I've seen so far, despite the fact that the commercial focuses on a one-off character. This feels like the least compromised by commercial endeavors because it is a commercial for a time waster game about a character who wastes his life with the product. The gags are mostly decent for what a commercial brings and it feels well-paced and constructed. Yeah, this one might be the most Simpsons, I think.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Well, yes and no. It ruins your life but because you are having such a good time otherwise. That's the way to approach the Simpsons supporting your product, I think.
Overall
Yeah, very positive feelings on this one. It's clear since a lot of people who worked on the show worked on the game and ad campaigns, they are free to do what they want and this is the way the Simpsons should be approaching advertisements; with a sense of irreverence, including to the product itself.
Here's a Comment

That boss is a douche, he had to steal HIS family. Couldn't find a different woman, could he

Feller, don't judge. She needs this right now.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpsons Tapped Out: Halloween Update 2013
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
So specifically though that it's a highly abridged remake of the Treehouse of Horror XIII opening segment

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
It makes it look kinda lazy, really
Overall
Like, even as a Halloween opener, this is not one of their best, so recycling into a commercial is extra "bleh".
Here's a Comment

That is why THoH are always creepy as hell.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Simpsons Tapped Out: Holiday Update 2013
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Very much so. After last ad's non-original viewing, we get something that looks like Simpsons.

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
I suppose. If you are already into mobile gaming with gacha or points elements, this is the time when you are going to be given a lot as a gamer.
Overall
Late stage Simpsons sure but... it's kind of better late stage Simpsons. It's not too clever but it is using ad time to mock the idea of something being "general holiday winter season" that learns so deep into one specific holiday and that's a decent and pointed gag. More pointed than one expects from a commercial. To be fair, that's also because this isn't the Simpsons shilling for another product but for one of their own.
Here's a Comment
I saw people posting some random words and names and it took a while to realize these were gamertags.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Commercials
Vol. 2: Toyota
This is the shortest run of consecutive ads as part of a campaign on the list but an important one. This was in the early days of the show when it stopped being the Bart Simpson show and really came into its own as the how we recognize today. Seasons 1 and 2 are important building blocks but season 3 is when the show becomes itself. This is not a slight on those seasons. Not a big fan of the first but it has some really undervalued merits and season 2 is actually fantastic but in a far more subdued and character focused way compared to the rest of the series.

Toyota is the world's largest car manufacturer. Though Toyota produced their first car in 1936, it was in the post war years when the company took off by working with American manufacturers, developing a philosophy called the Toyota Way and creating the Toyota Production System to develop a "lean" manufacturing system. Toyota has had it's share of controversies but it didn't stop it from becoming a juggernaut in the automotive world.

In the years 1992-1993, Toyota entered into a short lived ad campaign with one of the biggest cultural touchstones of the early 90s.
No Peaking
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
The whole thing is not only completely un-Simpsons, they were only there in the last second.

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
In ways unrelated to the Simpsons, I guess. Though this feels like I really can't tell the difference between the new and improved car beyond colour.
Overall
I'm not certain but this feels like though this ad got on TV that this was also for shareholders to announce the deal to produce these ads as some sort of surprise. OK, that might feel more like a "comic con" style reveal than what happened at the time but as a reveal, it feels more like "AND THE SIMPSONS EXIST". The premise is, I guess, that the Simpsons are such an every-family and very middle class so this represents an affordable car for everyone but it feels like such an unrelated element into the playful "no peeking!" conceit of the ad.
Here's a Comment

No !!!! Peeking

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Flanders
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Despite the claim, this is not a 90 ad, it's a 93 ad. But it does feel like it was made in the second season (it's likely this ad was started in the third season when it still was feeling a bit like the second but was transitioning into being a zanier show). Yeah, this one Flanders feels SO that era of Flanders; a genuinely good guy who is basically Homer's perfect yuppie counterpoint. Bart's thing is going on but his prank isn't the star of the show, though it comes into important play, it's really Homer, the guy known for being jealous of Flanders.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Yes, but it is a bit weird. See, I think the reveal is supposed to be that Homer was matched by Flanders and he didn't like it. But Flanders, not by intent, is always BESTING Homer in this era by having better stuff or a better life. So it's showing two products and it feels like it is saying the wagon is inherently better. It would make more sense if Homer had last years model, which is good, but take a look at the new one it's even better. Now to be fair, a wagon is good for the Simpsons but I feel like Homer would not be excited by having more room in the car. So they look good but it hits a little weird.
Overall
This one really gets the show in this era. The shilling is tied to them being a family rather than these outsized characters. I think the Simpsons as car spokesmen make a lot of sense because so much of family life is driving from place to place together and it's more engaging than "I'm going to steal your food" that make up 50% of these ads. And I really have big affection for the second season era tone.
Here's a Comment
Most people where also complaining about the incorrect claim of the year this aired or waxing nostalgic for cards but this one is kinda sweet.

Homer should be proud of his new car

Well said.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Grandpa
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
This is a weird one. Grandpa is acting like Grandpa but he needs to like ONE thing for the commercial to work. OK. But the way Bart is taunting Homer doesn't quite feel like Bart in a way I can't articulate. But maybe that's just me. Bart, like many of the Simpsons, has been around long enough that he can go into lots a varied modes and still feel, as the French say, Bartesque. But then when Grandpa puts on his... driving hat? And the kids do the same. It feels lost. Now replacing Homer with Grandpa from the image in the last ad feels right (actually that weird smile and him looking around is off kilter enough to really tickle me) and Homer still waiting into the evening, while not main show calibre, is following the formula of Simpsons gags.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Sure, even Grandpa likes it.
Overall
This is not bad (again, Grandpa's goonish smile makes my heart smile) but it feels like the main idea of the gag almost feel like a season 1 structure, but the cartoonishness feel more like latter season 3. After such a season 2 tone in the last ad, it's throwin me. I think the hat thing feels weird (unless there's a cultural touchstone within that I'm missing) but it's solid.
Here's a Comment

I remember

Cool but the sparseness of the response feels more like a video for a national tragedy.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The Commercials
Vol. 2: C.C. Lemon
C.C. Lemon is a Japanese lemon soft drink released by Suntory, the company better known for Japanese whisky. Released in 1994, the drink later would stand out with some hot spokesman... the Simpsons. But here's the thing; while the Simpsons hit worldwide, the show never gained as much popularity in Japan. The show aired and was dubbed for a decade but eventually is only available in English with subs and people weren't beating down the door to watch it.

But the Simpsons were perhaps perfect for this product with their bright yellow skin perfect to represent the lemon drink. The Simpsons even appeared on a ton of promotional items for the drink; lunchboxes, magnets, drink holders, etc. This is one of the rare cases where the product, in this context, is bigger than the Simpsons. Yet even in promotion, they do retain characteristics that you might not think would appear in the ads, like Homer REALLY slumming it at home.

CC Lemon: Watching TV
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
I... don't... know

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
They drank it!
Overall
I could neither make much out or understand the Japanese? Anyone able to translate that first ad?
Here's a CommentI went to Japan, and I finally tried the CC Lemon for the first time. No joke! I actually did! It was really good!

I went to Japan, and I finally tried the CC Lemon for the first time. No joke! I actually did! It was really good!

Hero

 

[Ghost from Spelunker]

The Commercials
Vol. 2: C.C. Lemon
C.C. Lemon is a Japanese lemon soft drink released by Suntory, the company better known for Japanese whisky. Released in 1994, the drink later would stand out with some hot spokesman... the Simpsons. But here's the thing; while the Simpsons hit worldwide, the show never gained as much popularity in Japan. The show aired and was dubbed for a decade but eventually is only available in English with subs and people weren't beating down the door to watch it.

But the Simpsons were perhaps perfect for this product with their bright yellow skin perfect to represent the lemon drink. The Simpsons even appeared on a ton of promotional items for the drink; lunchboxes, magnets, drink holders, etc. This is one of the rare cases where the product, in this context, is bigger than the Simpsons. Yet even in promotion, they do retain characteristics that you might not think would appear in the ads, like Homer REALLY slumming it at home.

CC Lemon: Watching TV
The commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
I... don't... know

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
They drank it!
Overall
I could neither make much out or understand the Japanese? Anyone able to translate that first ad?
Here's a CommentI went to Japan, and I finally tried the CC Lemon for the first time. No joke! I actually did! It was really good!

Hero

I know of C.C. Lemon from the Yakuza games.
Makes you wonder what else C.C. Lemon is in.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

CC Lemon: Homer and Bart Without Clothes
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Not quite. Bart does imitate Homer in some episodes, especially when Bart recognizes a certain misbehaviour. Bart CAN be impressionable but usually he looks to other sources. But yeah, there are episodes where Bart is inspired to take after dad More often the idea is when they are on the same page independent of imitation. But also, while the Simpsons does off-colour jokes in relation for parent-child relations, it's weird Homer is telling Bart "you got a can and I got a bottle" in terms of penis size comparison.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
It depends on your feeling of the Simpson family penises being compared to the drink. Putting that very far aside, it's trying to sell itself as a "post shower" drink. Is that a thing in Japan. I definitely know post-bath drinks, particularly at a public bath or onsen, something to cool off after comfortably heating your body off. But I feel like I don't see a lot of post-shower refreshments. Or I'm simply not clocking this as a thing. Anyway, sure, I'll have a soda after a shower, I guess.
Overall
Yeah, it's a bit weird in some choices. It's not like I hated it because as weird as the penis size joke is, the show itself has definitely dipped into this "why?" territory in worse ways.

 

[Purple]

I know of C.C. Lemon from the Yakuza games.
Makes you wonder what else C.C. Lemon is in.

My understanding is that in Japan it goes: Coke, Pepsi, C.C. Lemon. That's the big three, and they're everywhere.

Also dear gods Bart's expression.