World’s best ads ever #98: Tootsie Roll’s ‘How many licks’ becomes a favorite across the generations
We asked our readers to vote for their favorite commercials of all time. Top creatives from the World Creative Rankings and The Drum’s Judges’ Club then ranked the ads. Now, we bring you the definitive 100 best TV and video ads of all time.
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? Three! Everyone knows that’s the correct answer if you consult with an owl after a lazy tortoise is no help whatsoever.
Yes, the popular lollipop is so delicious that we can’t help but crunch down to its chewy center. That’s why ‘the world many never know’ how many licks it actually takes – except for the fact that Tootsie commissioned a genuine study that found it actually takes 364 licks.
The ad has appeared throughout the decades and continues to be a fan favorite no matter how many viewings (or licks).
Editor’s note: Tootsie Roll’s ‘Whatever I think it is I think I see’ also received our top jingles recognition.