
You know that dream you have after eating too many corn dogs at the ballpark—the one where animal puppets play banjos, washboards and jugs as they sing the praises of the Minnesota Lottery with ex-professional baseball players? C'mon, it can't be just me. Former Twins greats Bert Blyleven (above) and Kent Hrbek warble along with skunks, woodchucks, gophers, squirrels, deer and other assorted wildlife in these likably looney spots from ad agency Olson. There's a pie-thieving bear in the spot with Hrbek, who looks pretty ursine himself—and full of pie—these days. (I guess he's a bearitone. Ha ha! OK, that was a balk.) The mounted bass sings along—nice touch! These commercials play like '70s Saturday morning kids' shows—The Magic Garden and The Bugaloos flash back to mind—though that hippy-era stuff was even more drug-tinged than this furry freakout. The whole crazy-critters approach may seem to strike an odd note, but for this particular client, it's a natural. Second spot after the jump.