What Is The Longest Running Commercial On TV?

Most commercials get a limited runtime on television before being retired and replaced with something flashier or more relevant. Then there are the ads that stand the test of time, as Guinness World Records has noted. According to the organization, the designation of longest-running commercial belongs to the Discount Tire Company for their 1975 "Thank You" ad. The 10-second commercial depicts an older woman tossing a tire through a window and ad copy stating how any customer unsatisfied with their purchase can always bring it back. This is then promptly followed by a polite, "Thank you." It's quick, to the point, and funny, but Guinness declaring it the longest-running commercial has been met with some controversy.

Several comments on the Guinness webpage state how the title should go to the famous "How Many Licks" Tootsie Pop commercial where a cocky owl, voiced by the late, great commercial actor Paul Winchell, says it takes three before biting into it. According to the Tootsie Pop website, that ad began airing in 1970, and many people note how they've seen it on TV recently, with one person writing, "Nope it's the tootie pop 3 licks and the owl commercial. Just saw it 2022 September."

While there seems to be a bit of confusion, the official winner of longest-running commercial appears to be the Discount Tire ad until Guinness World Records states otherwise. 

There's a key sentence in the Guinness World Records webpage for longest-running commercial: "The same commercial has been aired continuously every year in parts of the USA." The word "continuously" is likely more important than it lets on, and it's clear part of the record relies on the commercial airing regularly and not simply being old and then coming back for nostalgic purposes. While the Discount Tires commercial has aired every year in select markets, it's possible the Tootsie Pop ad was taken off at some point and then reintroduced later. 

Tootsie Pop has had other ads over the years, such as one of the most '90s commercials ever, where a cybernetic skull and dinosaur destroy a city until a young boy asks them how man licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. With other ads like this airing, it's possible the original owl ad was taken out of rotation, which would mean it didn't run continuously. This would give Discount Tire the edge it needs to claim the title. 

The confusion is understandable, but it's best to assume Guinness World Records knows what it's doing. After all, this organization has monitored all kinds of bizarre records in movies and TV. And until Discount Tire decides the "Thank You" ad needs an update, it will probably retain that record for a while.