This Classic '00s Commercial Needs Appreciation

If there ever was a commercial to describe an entire generation, it had to be Cingular's famed "IDK, my BFF Jill" commercial. Not only did this commercial come out before Cingular was fully recognized as AT&T, but it also came out right around the time that using cool text-based lingo such as "LOL" and "IDK" was just getting big. With the power of our catchy abbreviations, we were going to make our parents learn to deal with a new form of speech and talk about that really cute boy who sat behind us in math class that day. So, even in a world filled with all new commercials, some with all new jingles, it's this '00s commercial that deserves our appreciation for a variety of reasons.

In 2007, typing on button-filled flip phones prohibited the speed at which middle and high schoolers alike could get the message across to their friends. There were no emojis, our parents were just plain confused, and answering the phone to actually speak to people with our voices was becoming a ridiculous idea. Millennials had cellphones now, and that meant that we could talk to our friends without having to go on AIM or tie up the land line.

In the commercial, an angsty teenager is all of us as she texts and talks to her mom with nothing more than letters to say what she needs to say. However, much to her dismay, her mom is unusually familiar with everything she's saying — not that this stops the sass. Seriously, watching this commercial now is like being thrown into a strange kind of time machine. The best kind of strange time machine.

But it's not just the nostalgia that makes this commercial worth praising. It advertises the need for unlimited texting which, in and of itself, is a beautiful addition to our modern phone and internet heavy lives. Plus, considering that iPhones were just being introduced in 2007, the glory of the flip phone being used mostly for texting (and not for checking Facebook) sure puts the rate at which technology has been advancing into perspective. This commercial was released just moments before a generational obsession with things like Snapchat, Instagram, and a slew of hilarious memes began. It's the innocence of the dawning cellphone age in all of its glory.

However, that's not even the best part. Hearing the phrase "IDK, my BFF Jill" spouted by your friends and classmates in the hallway was just the beginning. AT&T followed-up their wildly successful ad with yet another one — this time including the grandmother. Their "IDK my BFF Rose" commercial introduced AT&T's family texting plan and carried on the joke just a little bit longer, even if BFF Rose is nowhere near as famous as BFF Jill.

While we may be heading into a new era, the millennial generation will always keep this commercial close to their hearts. Now excuse me while I go find my old flip phone.

Images: solarmax/YouTube