most of us hate commercials interrupting our shows, but every now and then there will be an ad that will make everyone stop in the room and stare at the screen. when all the elements come together, from the music to the imagery, humor or intrigue, millions of us will move from our tv sets to our youtube channel to see it and share it. more and more intelligent brand campaigns are geared towards our growing online watching and sharing compulsions. this intersection is key for advertisers since it can change the audience from passive watchers or avoiders of the spot altogether, to active promoters of your creative. bingo.

lately about one billion of us are watching Lady Gaga vids, but here is also a list of some of our favorite tv ads gone viral and why we think they strike a chord:

“Let Your Game Speak” Nike Commercial

even if you don’t watch a lot of basketball, you’re bound to recognize at least one well known michael jordan moment that is being portrayed by kids in this commercial (and if you don’t, you’ll be mesmerized anyway). humor is often considered an essential component in virality, but this commercial disproves that. if you don’t believe us, take a look at some of the comments below the video. what are the implications of this commercial for nike? first, it sends the message that anyone can be great. secondly, it brings a sense of nostalgia to sports fans who are fond of michael or respect michael jordan’s career.

“Push It” By Nextel

watch this commercial once and it’s stuck in your head for the rest of the day. plus, who doesn’t want to see a bunch of business guys getting down to salt n pepa. this video is all about juxtapositions.  groove with none.  work with play.  getting down and being uptight.  we can’t help but laugh at seeing three dorky guys with an 80s style boombox, but then we get the reality check of work.  but it’s the nextel brand that saves the day!  because it’s their quick and efficient technology that gets us back to our groove.

“The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” Old Spice Commercial

hey girls, old spice wants you to buy their products for your man. why? so he can be like this man on a horse on an exotic island with diamonds and two tickets to that thing you love. okay, so maybe that won’t happen…but at least he’ll smell like him. this is one of the best spoofs of “manly behavior” we have seen in years. watch out axe body spray.

“Parisian Love” Google Commercial

this commercial tugs at your heartstrings. what makes it so great? first off, its point of view since you feel like you’re the one living it out. secondly, it’s easy to relate to it since most of us have googled  similar everyday things.

clearly there is a formula to viral videos– elements such as humor, nostalgia and familiarity are common. what other key features are important? any other viral ads you love?