From the editor: On the spot

I love a good television commercial.

At their worse, they are filled with braying injury lawyers, used cars and salad spinners. In the hands of a marketing genius, however, these brief video segments tell entire stories in a matter of seconds—a task that would have eluded the great writers of any age.

Imagine Shakespeare’s agent insisting he cram Claymation raisins and 60s Motown into a half minute meant to entice average Americans to purchase tiny boxes from Sun-Maid—or whichever brands were based in California.

In my memory I hold onto such well-known gems as Coca-Cola’s heartwarming 1980 sp...