Advertisers have used marching groups in commercials many times over the years. With the advent of online video, many are preserved online for your viewing pleasure.
1975 – Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Marching Band had its first national commercial appearance for Coke’s “Look Up America” ad.
1981 – “Now your thirst is as grand as your big marching band—Coke is it!” according to the catchy jingle in a lively commercial starring the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band.
1982-1984 – McDonald’s featured its own All-American High School Band.
1999 – An NFL Blitz commercial showing quarterback Kordell Stewart forcefully knocking down band members with footballs drew the ire of music educators.
2004 – The University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band is on fire (literally) in an ESPN College GameDay commercial.
2004 – The Ramona High School Dynasty Band from Riverside, Calif., is shown repeatedly stalking a Hyundai Sonata owner.
2009 – Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa enlisted the help of a marching band to celebrate TD Bank’s name change. The group included members of the Colonia (N.J.) High School Marching Patriots.
2010 – Wyclef Jean livened up a block party with the Ritz Marching Band, complete with cracker-shaped cymbals.
Wyclef Jean stars in new Ritz spot by multivu
2011 – The University of California, Los Angeles, Bruin Marching Band left the field to grab some Chicken McNuggets in a McDonald’s spot that aired frequently during that year’s college football bowl game season.
2011 – Transformers’ Bumblebee terrorized the Cajon High School Marching Band from San Bernardino, Calif., in a CGI-heavy Chevrolet ad that aired during the Super Bowl.
2012 – The West Vancouver (Canada) Youth Band opens a Campbell’s Healthy Request commercial, entitled “The Rhythm of Life,” still currently airing.
2013 – A “Dare to Fly” commercial for Nike’s Air Jordan XX8 features men in marching band uniforms dancing around basketball players.
