Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Prevailing Wind]

 

Just saw a commercial for a "not-shampoo" hair care product called Wen.

I've not seen the commercial, but apparently it's one of those 'subscription' type deals.  My ex-boss ordered some, and every two months, she gets another box of the stuff...that *I* had to stand in line for at the post office.  As I would hand the box over to her, she'd say, "I need to cancel this..." and then, two months later, another box showed up.  I'm so glad I don't work for her anymore.

[riley702]

So how did her hair look?

[Taylorh2]

I don't know how many times i've told people on other sites: Most of the offers that you see on informericals are  on a 'auto-ship' program. You will keep getting said product at the much higher price then the special offer that you started with unless you cancel

[Aquarius]

Just saw a commercial for a "not-shampoo" hair care product called Wen. They advertise that it has "a new approach" to making hair clean and manageable, but it looks to me like it just uses the same old "put it in your hair, and then wash it off" technique. Maybe you need to apply a blow torch afterward, or something.

 

It is the same technique.  The ingredients are different.  Shampoos are essentially soaps, with detergents that strip the oil from your hair.  Wen and other "cleansing conditioners" like it do not have detergents.  Essentially your hair is cleaned by a friction method, where you work the conditioner through with your fingers, and sort of scrub gently.  Your hair isn't stripped of its oils but the dirt is cleaned.

 

Works like a charm.  I've been doing it for years now to improve the waviness and overall condition of my hair, and it has.  I don't have frizzy waves any more.  Of course, I just use Tres Semme Naturals, which I get at my grocery store for $4.99 for a 25 fluid ounces. 

[Prevailing Wind]

 

So how did her hair look?

Crappy, like usual.  I'm not sure she was even using the stuff.

[anony mouse]

I love Wen. Like others pointed out, it's a cleansing conditioner - it doesn't foam up like shampoos. I don't buy it from the Guthy-Renker autoship site, though. I just go to Chaz Dean's website to buy it when I need it. No fuss, no muss. My hair has never looked better. I tried other conditioners and even the Sally beauty supply knockoff of Wen, and wasn't impressed, but I've had great luck with Wen, so give me my overpriced non-shampoo.

[xls]

I love Wen. Like others pointed out, it's a cleansing conditioner - it doesn't foam up like shampoos. I don't buy it from the Guthy-Renker autoship site, though. I just go to Chaz Dean's website to buy it when I need it. No fuss, no muss. My hair has never looked better. I tried other conditioners and even the Sally beauty supply knockoff of Wen, and wasn't impressed, but I've had great luck with Wen, so give me my overpriced non-shampoo.

I've been tempted to try it, but so many of these "seen on TV' stuff don't work. Thanks for the info. 

I bought one of those Amop'e callus remover and it really works. Kind of expensive, it can cost as much as $50 in drug stores but I see its $31 on Amazon.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I've been tempted to try it, but so many of these "seen on TV' stuff don't work.

I've seen it suggested that it's a red flag if a product is not available in stores; if it were any good, somebody would be happy to have it on their shelves. I think that ignores the possibility that the manufacturer doesn't want to share the profits, but I'm sure there's quite a bit of truth in the idea.

[Lola16]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ643U7ccpM

 

This is something called Money Super Market.

[bilgistic]

What happened to Sharon's face?

[riley702]

Too much plastic surgery?

[cynicat]

I've seen it suggested that it's a red flag if a product is not available in stores; if it were any good, somebody would be happy to have it on their shelves. I think that ignores the possibility that the manufacturer doesn't want to share the profits, but I'm sure there's quite a bit of truth in the idea

 

I like Wen as well and it definitely made my hair very soft but after 2 shipments I had only gone through 1/2 a bottle so cancelled.  I saw it displayed in Sephora, so it's possible you don't have to get that ridiculous auto-ship deal.  I'm guessing that if it's in Sephora it's not bootleg, but who knows.

[erikdepressant]

When I saw this SlimQuick Pure commercial for the first time, it looked like the LOSE 3X banner squirted out of Kate's ass.  If "BioPure Green Tea" is a weight-loss laxative, why bother putting extra protein in it?

 

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7i3v/slimquick-pure-biopure-green-tea

[Ubiquitous]

In a PSA for saving money, this man nearly injures himself chasing this man with a piggy bank for a hesd so he can shove some money into it and the man-bank asks "same time next month?" Why is he chasing this guy all over town each month instead of meeting somewhere?

[90PercentGravity]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ643U7ccpM

 

This is something called Money Super Market.

Okay, I'm completely obsessed with this. I've watched it like five times. That guy is mesmerizing. I was a little disappointed to learn that's not his real butt though.

[DeLurker]

Lowe's has a stupid commercial about updating the look of your living room inspiring you  to invent new words  ...like fist-i-cated.  Which made me think of something entirely different.

[funkopop]

The Renuzit Aromatherapy cone commercial makes me scratch my head.  I think koalas are cute but I don't plan on inviting one into my bedroom any time soon.

[xaxat]

I've seen it suggested that it's a red flag if a product is not available in stores; if it were any good, somebody would be happy to have it on their shelves. I think that ignores the possibility that the manufacturer doesn't want to share the profits, but I'm sure there's quite a bit of truth in the idea.

 

The economics of the infomercial are actually pretty interesting. 

 

 

“As Seen On TV” is a sort of informal trade affiliation and open-source brand mark representing major DRTV (direct-response television) brands in the retail business. As we’ll see, it’s the endgame behind most of today’s DRTV campaigns. The infomercials themselves are just appetizers; getting stocked at Walmart is the main course. That’s where the real money is made. (Retail sales account for approximately 90% of Telebrands’ revenues.). . . 

 

Infomercials, it turns out, make a great deal of sense as a product marketing channel – provided the marketer can maintain super-high margins, spread risk across a number of bets, keep a clear end-goal in mind (typically, wholesaling to retailers), and can master the intricacies of late-night / early-morning media planning. For every impressionable Graveyard viewer who buys a Showtime Rotisserie Grill at home, hundreds more buy them at Home Depot.

[erikdepressant]

Lowe's has a stupid commercial about updating the look of your living room inspiring you  to invent new words  ...like fist-i-cated.  Which made me think of something entirely different.

Too funny.  Their commercials are becoming really tedious to watch.  I wish Lowe's would bring back the Kitchen Cousins for their ads; Anthony Carrino causes moderate to severe engorgement of my spongy tissues.

 

[Neurochick]

I love Wen. Like others pointed out, it's a cleansing conditioner - it doesn't foam up like shampoos. I don't buy it from the Guthy-Renker autoship site, though. I just go to Chaz Dean's website to buy it when I need it. No fuss, no muss. My hair has never looked better. I tried other conditioners and even the Sally beauty supply knockoff of Wen, and wasn't impressed, but I've had great luck with Wen, so give me my overpriced non-shampoo.

 

I love Wen too and BTW, it is in stores. Sephora sells it.  

Edited April 13, 2015 by Neurochick

[erikdepressant]

I love the Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll be There," but I'm pretty sure the majority of people watching TV nowadays don't know it.  Why was it used in this annoying commercial that's been shown for two years now?  I'm thrilled Daryl has something artistic to do when he's not killing zombies, but why does Delta think WE need to be able to do this?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjFj1df5VNc

[90PercentGravity]

I hate that ad. It just sounds like noise to me for most of it. It's only when they actually add instrumentals that I recognize the song.

 

I just saw a Chevy commercial about them having something in the car that lets you send a text message "at the push of the button." They show the thing with the text message on the screen that someone is reading. WTF? How is this a thing? How stupid is it for a car company to put a console in the car to make texting while driving easier? Reading a text message or even listening to one is still a distraction.

[Muffyn]

Lowe's has a stupid commercial about updating the look of your living room inspiring you  to invent new words  ...like fist-i-cated.  Which made me think of something entirely different.

I've been to a few sex dungeons that were very fisticated.  I'll let myself out . . . slam.

[bilgistic]

I recently drove a nice Camry rental car for two days while my very basic (in the options sense, not the way the kids use it) 10-year-old Civic was having body work done. (Thanks, guy at work who hit me! She needed a refresher!) I found it so incredibly distracting to have to look at its computer monitor touchscreen to do anything--change the radio station, see if something was behind me while backing as if turning my head suddenly didn't work. I was terrified I'd wreck. I was so happy to get my old car back with its old-fashioned actual buttons that I don't have to look at. And...end old-lady rant.

Edited April 15, 2015 by bilgistic

[Sandman87]

I don't know if it's the same actress, but I saw two of our "favorite" PSAs back to back that made it look like one idiot teen is having a really bad day. First she has to peel off part of her face to buy cigarettes, then she and her friends get killed because she's texting while she's driving.

[DeLurker]

Clearly being in a PSA is BSC for your health.

[xaxat]

I feel so bad for the people in the new Taco Bell ads whose lives are so mundane that the introduction of a breakfast taco is a life changing event for them.

[smittykins]

I hate that ad. It just sounds like noise to me for most of it. It's only when they actually add instrumentals that I recognize the song.

 

I just saw a Chevy commercial about them having something in the car that lets you send a text message "at the push of the button." They show the thing with the text message on the screen that someone is reading. WTF? How is this a thing? How stupid is it for a car company to put a console in the car to make texting while driving easier? Reading a text message or even listening to one is still a distraction.

I've always wondered if having WiFi in the car would just facilitate texting and driving.

[Jamoche]

I've always wondered if having WiFi in the car would just facilitate texting and driving.

There's one car ad that boils down to "this must be a high-end car because it has wifi! I'll buy it because of the wifi!" So I'm wondering why that's a good thing and what does it even connect *to*, and google says the price is comparable to my in-house internet. Whoo, paying for all that data that's going to be used only an hour or so a day, assuming I even have passengers. Count me out.

[90PercentGravity]

OMG. Creepy boat captain alert! WTF?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3YGtQ40Qvs#t=51

[Rick Kitchen]

That whole Sizzler commercial is wtf? "Wholesome American cooking" after they showed us the sign for the "Italian bar".  The couple kissing like they're secret lovers. The far too perky people. The sweaty runner shaking her hair and spraying sweat all over the place.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

WTF?

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscFC7istC0

 

Is this an ad about having sex with furniture? Because she seems really.....infatuated.

[Lola16]

That whole Sizzler commercial is wtf? "Wholesome American cooking" after they showed us the sign for the "Italian bar".  The couple kissing like they're secret lovers. The far too perky people. The sweaty runner shaking her hair and spraying sweat all over the place.

I like the Zack Morris cellphone at 1:30 and the big hair at 2:30.

[xaxat]

I think she might be channeling her inner Norma Desmond. Which would make her infatuated and delusional.

[bilgistic]

That whole Sizzler commercial is wtf? "Wholesome American cooking" after they showed us the sign for the "Italian bar". The couple kissing like they're secret lovers. The far too perky people. The sweaty runner shaking her hair and spraying sweat all over the place.

It looked to me exactly like that creepy Scientology music video. Now we know the secret behind buffet restaurants. The Golden Corral is ruined for me.

[riley702]

It looked to me exactly like that creepy Scientology music video. Now we know the secret behind buffet restaurants. The Golden Corral is ruined for me.

That disgusting chocolate fountain so close to the restrooms didn't already do it for you? ;)

[Prevailing Wind]

The disgusting food did it for me.

[bilgistic]

I've never been to a buffet restaurant with a chocolate fountain. I feel like I've lived less than a full life.

[Rick Kitchen]

You've never eaten chocolate from a fountain that complete strangers have stuck their hands into?

[riley702]

Yeah, you're not missing anything with these particular chocolate fountains. Something contagious, maybe.

[90PercentGravity]

I must confess I once had chocolate from a fountain. It was from the 9 foot chocolate fountain at the Schokoladenmuseum in Koln. But they have it surrounded by plexiglass like the popemobile and only the designated employee can actually dip the yummy wafers into the chocolate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Schokoladenbrunnen_im_Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum.JPG

[Notwisconsin]

There was this commercial for PetCo or PetSmart which said something about "good vampires"....the ones who aren't fleas or ticks. Now I had no idea there was ever such a thing in the world of myth and literature as a "good vampire". Sexy ones, yes, but they all suck your blood and kill people.

[ABay]

Maybe they mean the vampires who sit around moping and wanting to atone all the time...Angel, Nick Knight, etc.

[GaT]

There was this commercial for PetCo or PetSmart which said something about "good vampires"....the ones who aren't fleas or ticks. Now I had no idea there was ever such a thing in the world of myth and literature as a "good vampire". Sexy ones, yes, but they all suck your blood and kill people.

I guess you didn't read Twilight LOL

[Tunia]

I love Wen. Like others pointed out, it's a cleansing conditioner - it doesn't foam up like shampoos.

 

 

Haven't used the product, so can't comment on its effectiveness, but I find it interesting that Wen has basically flipped the "conditioning shampoo" to a "shampooing conditioner".

[Bastet]

For those here who have seen great results with Wen, were any of you already doing the routine where you just rinse and condition daily and only shampoo occasionally/use a shampoo alternative?  Because I've tended to assume the "wow, my hair is so much different" testimonials were a result of switching from shampoo to Wen, rather than switching from another conditioner to Wen.  I have naturally curly hair, so I ditched regular shampooing years ago.  Making that switch made a huge difference in my hair, so I've always figured Wen would just be a more expensive way of achieving basically the same result -- I'm already washing with conditioner.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I guess you didn't read Twilight LOL

 

Vampires do not fucking sparkle. XD

[GaT]

Vampires do not fucking sparkle. XD

The special snowflake ones do :-)

[Watcher0363]

Vampires do not fucking sparkle. XD

So say we all. At least when we are anonymous.

[Prairie Fire]

Taco Bell was mentioned a couple pages upthread. This particular one just confuses me.

 

Why the hell would a guy who's apparently a real person say in an ad that Taco Bell is as good as his mom's cooking? And how bad would "Mom's cooking" have to be for that to be true? And the girl seems oddly enthusiastic about Taco Bell's breakfast taco, is her mom a shitty cook too?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmd2Ttow72I

Edited April 17, 2015 by Prairie Fire