Everyone’s got their preference when it comes to commercials and the spokespeople that come with them. But do you know the names of the people behind your preferred pitch campaigns? Just to be sure, check out this handy list of actors who were in your favorite commercials.
Isaiah Mustafa
Look at your deodorant, now look at this text. If that rings a bell, then you definitely know Isaiah Mustafa’s outrageous Old Spice ads. But you may also remember this familiar face from guest spots on NCIS: Los Angeles, as well as his role as the older Mike Hanlon in IT: Chapter Two. Does anyone else think that Isaiah's Old Spice powers could vanquish Pennywise?
Stephanie Courtney
Insurance ads seem to have some of the most colorful and notable personalities in the landscape of modern advertising. Actor Stephanie Courtney’s presence in that pantheon is even more interesting to behold when you take into account that not only is she Flo from Progressive, but she was also an employee of Sterling Cooper as part of Mad Men cast on AMC.
Kevin Miles
While Kevin Miles has acted on TV shows like S.W.A.T. and Criminal Minds, his biggest claim to fame is being the second “Jake from State Farm.” Any good neighbor who doubts that fact should consider the following: it’s a character so popular that not only has he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he’s also a player in 2K Games’ NBA 2K22.
Milana Vayntrub
Milana Vayntrub has been on everything from E.R. to This Is Us, with a role in the hysterical horror-comedy Werewolves Within in-between. But to the world at large, she’s a spokesperson for wireless carrier AT&T, fielding only the most ridiculous questions to come into the showroom, as well as some unfortunately real online trolls.
Colin Ferguson
Do you ever look at the current Maytag Man and think, “I’d trust him with my life against perilously quirky sci-fi scenarios in a small town?” That’s not only oddly specific, it’s exceedingly accurate, as actor Colin Ferguson is also known as Sheriff Jack Carter from the hit SyFy series Eureka!
Deidre Henry
Deidrie Henry has played the role of Annie from Popeye’s Fried Chicken for quite some time now. That just might explain why viewers of series like Justified, Shameless, and The Rookie may find themselves craving that very food late in the night, as her trusted visage has appeared in those very programs.
Paul Marcarelli
If you need a cellular plan that you can trust, who are you gonna call? In some cases, you’d be calling actor Paul Marcarelli, who was initially known as the “Can you hear me now?” guy for Verizon. Years later, Marcarelli would be part of ads for Sprint and T-Mobile invoking those ads from the past, turning against the network that gave him his start.
Dennis Haysbert
Actor Dennis Haysbert has a voice of authority, with roles in long-running series like 24 and The Unit to back that claim. So it’s only fitting that he was drafted by insurance company Allstate to make sure that the world knew it was in good hands. Also, the man literally has a voice that commands a room, so it was a smart hire all around.
Jonathan Goldsmith
Some say that Jonathan Goldsmith is one of the most memorable pitchmen in the advertising industry. That’s because for several years he was known as “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” who only drank Dos Equis beer. Admit it: you just said his famous closing line, didn’t you?
Diane Amos
For over 30 years, Diane Amos has represented Pine Sol’s “queen of clean” on the airwaves. But the next time you watch Patch Adams, Nine Months, or even Nash Bridges, you just might spot her there as well. Just don’t expect her to always be cleaning up someone’s mess.
Matthew McConaughey
Yes, Academy Award winner/best-selling author/Texas titan Matthew McConaughey is known for a notable series of ads. The Dazed and Confused legend’s spots for Lincoln were so iconic, in part because of McConaughey’s enthusiasm for ad acting; but also because Jim Carrey got to spoof the ads on a round of SNL’s Celebrity Jeopardy.
Hallie Eisenberg
Here’s some trivia for you: did you know that Jesse Eisenberg is the brother of Hallie “The Pepsi Girl” Eisenberg? It’s absolutely true, as is the fact that in her younger years, Hallie was the choice of a generation to promote the Pepsi brand. That gig would eventually lead to roles in films like Bicentennial Man, How to Eat Fried Worms, and even her part in Holy Rollers, alongside brother Jessie.
Geoffrey Holder
Fans of the James Bond movies know actor Geoffrey Holder as the mysterious Baron Samadei from Live and Let Die. But on top of that position of infamy, Holder was also a spokesperson for “un-cola” 7-Up, showcasing a personality as bubbly as the very drink he promoted.
Laurel Coppock
To some, actor Laurel Coppock represents a welcome face in comfort shows like The Office, Workaholics, and Arrested Development. But to others, she’s the tried and true face behind Jan, the knowledgeable spokesperson for the Toyota brand of cars. Honestly, that's the type of person you really want to see when buying a new car.
Ricardo Montalban
Sadly, “rich Corinthian leather” isn’t anything fancy, just a marketing term that ‘70s car ads coined to sell the vision of luxury. However, you can’t blame people for buying into it when Star Trek and Fantasy Island veteran Ricardo Montalban had the voice to convince the world that it was indeed a thing.
Kaley Cuoco
Actor Kaley Cuoco’s claims to fame include her notable roles in The Big Bang Theory and one of Max’s best original series The Flight Attendant. Taking over the Priceline.com ads from William Shatner, her negotiation skills have helped many a fictional vacationer grab the getaway they deserve. The gig kind of represents the personal cross-section of Ms. Cuoco's skills when you put it in the context of those series.
Jason Alexander
You definitely know Jason Alexander as one of the key players that made Seinfeld one of the best sitcoms of all time. But, did you know that not only did he do ads for Rold Gold Pretzels during those halcyon days, he also led a singing mob of fast food enthusiasts to clamor for the McDLT for McDonald’s in the ‘80s?
Wendy Kaufman
Sometimes an ad actor is so popular, they can build a career off of just that gig. Snapple’s Wendy Kaufman is one such person, as she catapulted to stardom answering fan letters as “Wendy from Snapple.” Though you have to wonder if Wendy's answering Snapple's fan mail, who's answering hers?
George Clooney
Academy Award winner/professional thief George Clooney is known for many things in his wide-spanning resume. But the Ocean’s Eleven star actually added advertisements to his prolific presence, as Clooney can be spotted in some very witty ads extolling the virtues of Nespresso coffee machines. C'mon, who doesn't want to have coffee with Danny Ocean?
Morgan Smith
Some may know Morgan Smith from her pretty impressive TV resume, which has seen her as part of the casts of HBO hits like Veep and Boardwalk Empire. Or, if you’re an advertising aficionado, you’d probably remember her as Red, the Wendy’s girl. Either way, the audience wins, don’t they?
J.K. Simmons
Winning an Oscar doesn’t mean you can’t have fun selling fake calamities to promote real protection. J.K. Simmons is living proof of that fact, as his ads for Farmers Insurance have helped those looking for coverage make the smart choice. Either that, or he's inspired a theory that J. Jonah Jameson is moonlighting as an insurance agent to cash in on the destruction Spider-Man's arch-villains carry out.
Clara Peller
The ‘80s had its fair share of iconic ads that became worldwide sensations. Thanks to Clara Peller’s convincing delivery of “Where’s the beef?” in Wendy’s commercials, sales for the burger chain skyrocketed, leaving the world with another catchphrase when dealing with looking for the goods.
Orlando Jones
Actor Orlando Jones made his name through impressive credits like being an early cast member of MadTV and roles in some of the best ‘90s movies like Office Space. But in addition to those storied credits, he was also a noteworthy spokesperson for soft drink 7Up; which led to the very t-shirt-worthy phrase, “Make 7-Up Yours.” Watch your emphasis on that line if you decide to use it.
Cecily Strong
For someone who has wild SNL memories, actor Cecily Strong still got to play with the absurd in her ads for Verizon Wireless. Though it must be said that while there’s some tomfoolery going on in those commercials, none of it is as extreme as what Strong got to work with on NBC’s landmark comedy.
Dean Winter
When you see Dean Winter, there are probably three roles you immediately think of. For commercial fans, it’s absolutely got to be Mayhem from the Allstate ads. But if you’re a TV fan, you’d probably best recognize Winter as either Dennis “The Beeper King” Duffy from 30 Rock or Detective Brian Cassidy in the cast of Law & Order: SVU. That sounds about right for a man who's made chaos a brand name.
Michael Vale
If you or anyone you love has ever set off to do a task with a shrug and an utterance of “Time to make the donuts,” you have actor Michael Vale to thank for that. Playing the iconic Fred the Baker in Dunkin’ Donuts’ long-running ad campaign, his catchphrase is still used to this day to signify that it’s time to get to work.
Brandon Moynihan
Before Hotels.com had the smart idea of creating the character Captain Obvious, that title was usually used in sarcastic insult. After Brandon Moynihan embodied the role and made it his own, he not only became an ad icon, he even got a cameo in Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral series. Thanks Captain Obvious!
Gillian Vigman
Comedy and Star Trek fans would recognize Gillian Vigman for her part played in films such as Step Brothers, and her role as Dr. T'Ana on Paramount+’s Star Trek: Lower Decks. But she’s been harboring a secret: she was once married to the Jack in the Box mascot…at least, she was in a series of ads.
J.B. Smoove
J.B. Smoove is such a comedy goldmine the man can make pretty much anything funny. We’ve seen as much in his role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but Smoove has also used those talents to help sell White Claw Vodka from time to time. It’s always nice to see refreshment and laughter go hand in hand.
Beck Bennett
SNL alum Beck Bennett has had some pretty sweet gigs throughout his career. As if being on NBC’s flagship sketch show wasn’t enough, Bennett was also the voice of Launchpad McQuack on the modern reboot of Ducktales. And in the ad world, Beck made a series of AT&T ads where he fielded the questions of precocious youth; which happened to become so iconic that Tom Hiddleston actually got to parody them himself when promoting Thor: The Dark World.
David Leisure
David Leisure is one of the consummate “that guy” comedians. Popping up in everything from Airplane! to The Golden Girls, Leisure has made the world laugh through various exploits. Though his ad history probably reigns supreme, as the former “Joe Isuzu” pitchman was known for selling his namesake auto brand through the power of hilariously inaccurate lies.
Dick Wilson
If your ad character is so popular it becomes part of a Weird Al lyric, that’s pretty powerful. Though that was merely icing on the cake for veteran television actor Dick Wilson, whose role as Charmin’s Mr. Whipple character was known far and wide for warning consumers not to squeeze the product.
So the next time you're tempted to skip an ad break or walk out of the room to kill time during a broadcast, think twice. You never know where your next favorite commercial, and the actors that make them possible, are going to turn up next!
