Here’s a blast from the past…
Do you remember this commercial? This 1996 Toy Story-esque ad for the Nissan 300ZX Turbo featured Van Halen’s stompin’ remake of the Kinks’ ”You Really Got Me” and used stop-motion animation to depict a G.I. Joe-esque character picking up a Barbie-esque character. The ad was so good that Mattel sued to take it off the air. It’s not only the best car commercial to ever air during the Super Bowl, it’s one of the best car commercials ever.
Van Halen’s commercial reward — The band members each received a limited-edition 1996 Nissan 300 ZX for Nissan’s use of their ”You Really Got Me” remake.
Here’s a NY Daily News article about the popular commercial.