Every year, on or around the anniversary of American Independence, I change my tack a little and feature a commercial I actually like. Call me sappy, call me overly patriotic: but since our main cultural signifier is television advertising, I figure that on our birthday I ought to feature a spot that manages NOT to make us look like complete idiots.

My requirements for this once-yearly change of heart are very strict, and are as follows:

1) The advertisement MUST be truly funny without resorting to toilet humor (unlike, for example, that new Tampax commercial)

2) No exploitation of dead, desperate or washed-up musicians allowed, especially if the song used happens to be one I really like, thereby ruining it for me forever

3) It must NOT insult my intelligence

4) It must not list potential side effects, especially of the "certain sexual" variety

5) The commercial absolutely, positively, without exception MUST NOT be a revival, rehash, or rebroadcast of a successful campaign from the seventies

6) No car commercials allowed

7) Definitely no over-the-counter ointment commercials allowed either

So, with martini in hand and a smile on my face, I hereby announce the one commercial in 2001 worthy of a salute from the adMan; Mountain Dew's "Ram" spot. Honestly, I gotta tell you, I laughed harder at this commercial than I've laughed at anything on t.v. or in the movies for a long, long time. Nice job, BBDO New York - keep up the good work.