The Best - This past summer's winner is Miller Genuine Draft. Their commercials featured people partying to music as words such as "Every cap is a tap" and "We shrink it, you drink it" flashed on the screen. These ads just worked. Why? Well, for one thing, everyone in the commercial just seems to be having a genuinely good time. It makes you want to call up a bunch of friends, have them over, put on some tunes, and crack open a beer. Second of all, the ad somehow managed NOT to seem as if it were pandering to any one specific group. The people in the ad were undoubtedly good looking, particularly some of the women, but they couldn't be easily classified in a specific social setting. Were they Gen X? Was this a frat house? It was neither, and that's what I liked about it. But, best of all, MGD wasn't trying to make this ad more than it was. It wasn't trying to make beer a statement about life. It wasn't making a goofy joke that had nothing to do with beer. And it wasn't pretending that MGD was a high-quality micro-brew. It was simply illustrating that when it comes down to it, a beer such as MGD is best for having fun and playing Beirut.

The Worst - This was easy. Far and away, hands-down, the loser of beer commercials this past season is Coors. These pretentious ads featured Dan Patrick from our beloved Sportscenter singing the praises of John Elway while wearing a serious look on his face. Then the Comeback Kid himself would come on the screen and say something about why his beer has to be original. Awful! Why do I despise this ad so much? For one thing, it is so disconcerting seeing a supposedly objective journalist from a show I respect (read: worship) talking about the amazing talents of John Elway because he is paid to do so. Sure, he was a great quarterback, but this guy is talking of him as if he were a God, and he's not even there! Featuring athletes in commercials assumes that we admire them, but there's something not right about openly praising them in the commercial itself. And then Elway comes on the screen and says something inane like, "Coors in a yellow can, now that's original!" Is it me, or has the standard for originality dropped that low? Actually, I think of the Slinky as original, but to be honest, I never really think of Coors in a yellow can as that original. John, use your celebrity to endorse whatever you want, I would if I could. But, you're not this arrogant, are you?

Enough Already - The frogs of Budweiser. Enough! You're milking a joke longer than Jim Carrey did in "Liar Liar." It was kind of funny to begin with, but not that funny.

We Want More! - Miller Lite, bring back those ads with the guys who hide out in a store as their wives shop. That was fantastic! You should create more situations with men avoiding their marital obligations. Perhaps they find a hiding place at a marriage planners office, or while they consult an interior decorator. Or maybe they have a little club set up at the movie theater while their wives are watching a cheesy romantic movie. Either, way, we want more ads that play upon our weaknesses.

We're Not Convinced - Zima has done a pretty good job with it's ad campaigns featuring guys who need Zima to get unstuck from a certain situation. But they have a long way to go before I'm putting down my hard-earned cash to drink a clear beverage. Here's a little tip: change the taste, make it more, er, beer-like.

Whatever Happened To...? - The guy from Latrobe, PA, sitting on a bridge and fishing while enjoying a Rolling Rock. I always thought this campaign just began. It had a lot of promise, but it wasn't explored to it's fullest potential.