This just-plain-adorable spot places the iPhone on the Island of Misfit Toys, which you may recall from the classic 1965 claymation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The phone is a misfit because, according to Verizon and the cute screwed up toys in the ad, the iPhones cool features are countered by the poor 3G coverage of AT&T.
It seemed so clever to me until I realized that this wasn't the first time a Rankin/Bass animation had been morphed into an ad. Please recall this spot from Christmas 2007:
The Aflac Duck, created by Kaplan Thaler Group and voiced by the incomparable Gilbert Gottfried, substitutes as the lead for Santa's sleigh in the stead of an incapacitated Rudolph.
A little disappointing that Verizon didn't do their homework on this one (or they didn't take into account that both commercials would appear during the same Thanksgiving Day Parade, as they did today). The spot is just so well done that I may forgive them on this one. At least it isn't Luke Wilson throwing postcards all over a map.
Regardless, hope you all enjoyed your turkey day. Gilbert wishes you all a Happy Black Friday:
