Barbie, Ken, GI Joe, and Mr. K himself are the stars of this 1996 Nissan commercial that featured the rock band Van Halen. 

We were saddened to learn of the death of musician Eddie Van Halen this past week after a long battle with cancer. He not only changed rock music; he altered the definition of guitar virtuosity. A car guy and a bike guy, Eddie was one of us. While we were thinking about Eddie, his band Van Halen, and his music, we were reminded of this wonderful 1996 Nissan commercial for the 300ZX Turbo that featured some familiar household names, a toy car, and Van Halen’s sendup of the Kinks classic, “You Really Got Me.”

Created by TBWA\Chiat\Day at a reported cost of $200 million, the Nissan “Enjoy the Ride” campaign was a masterpiece in stop-motion animation that starred toy dolls with a striking resemblance to GI Joe, Barbie, and Ken. Indeed, the identities were so obvious that Mattel Toys filed suit, citing “irrepairable damage.” (The case was settled out of court.) The script in this one-minute spot is awesome, the animation is brilliant, and of course, the music by Van Halen is spot on. And the perfect touch at the end is a brief appearance by Mr. K, Yutaka Katayama, father of the Nissan Z cars (played by Dale Ishimoto). Enjoy the video.