Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Aquarius]

I saw a Comcast ad targeting business owners worried about storms knocking their business off the net. Comcast's "solution" is to call to let them know when that happens. Shouldn't they be offering a reliable service that doesn't go down like that instead?

 

It's Comcastic!

[DeLurker]

Tamiflu's commercial with the giant woman - this has probably been brought up before, but I don't get it.  At all.  Why does having a flu make you feel gigantic?

[Aquarius]

Tamiflu's commercial with the giant woman - this has probably been brought up before, but I don't get it.  At all.  Why does having a flu make you feel gigantic?

 

Their tagline was "Having the flu is a big deal" or something like that.  Back when it was a gigantic man suffering with it.  But you're right, I don't think they say that anymore.

[Ubiquitous]

In addition to being annoying, the ad with Peter Pan makes no sense! Who is this couple he's harassing and why is he at a class reunion?

[Jamoche]

In addition to being annoying, the ad with Peter Pan makes no sense! Who is this couple he's harassing and why is he at a class reunion?

They were all in school together, only they grew up and he didn't. But now that I write that down it falls apart (quite aside from "Peter would never go to school") - this pseudo-Pan looks 13 at most. Nobody has junior high class reunions. If they'd all been 13 at the same time, did the brat go on to high school with them even though he was stuck at 13? And given how much of a jerk he is, why didn't someone stick him in a locker back then and leave him there?

[St. Claire]

They were all in school together, only they grew up and he didn't. But now that I write that down it falls apart (quite aside from "Peter would never go to school") - this pseudo-Pan looks 13 at most. Nobody has junior high class reunions. If they'd all been 13 at the same time, did the brat go on to high school with them even though he was stuck at 13? And given how much of a jerk he is, why didn't someone stick him in a locker back then and leave him there?

He may be frozen as a high school freshman (if Peter Pan had left Never Never Land to go to school). I still get irritated that he's "complimenting" a woman from the class of '65 by telling her she doesn't look a day over 70; attendees at a 50 year reunion are usually only 68.

[90PercentGravity]

Is George Cooney narrating the Marie Callender commercials?

[mmecorday]

In those Geico commercials with Peter Pan, I keep hoping that Joann will say, "Peter, guess who's here? Your old pal, Captain Hook!"

[Brattinella]

In those Geico commercials with Peter Pan, I keep hoping that Joann will say, "Peter, guess who's here? Your old pal, Captain Hook!"

 

That would just be perfect!!

[Blergh]

In those Geico commercials with Peter Pan, I keep hoping Joann will say "Peter, guess who's here? Your old pal, Captain Hook!"

That would just be perfect!!

 

 Or even better 'your old pal, Principal Hook!'

[Westiepeach]

Is George Cooney narrating the Marie Callender commercials?

No. It's Tim Allen.

[Brattinella]

 

 

 Or even better 'your old pal, Principal Hook!'

 

But there would have to be carnage.

[CarpeDiem54]

But there would have to be carnage.

I'd still like to see the old gents carry Peter the Asshole into a bathroom by his wedgy and give him a swirly. Little bastard.

[theatremouse]

He may be frozen as a high school freshman (if Peter Pan had left Never Never Land to go to school). I still get irritated that he's "complimenting" a woman from the class of '65 by telling her she doesn't look a day over 70; attendees at a 50 year reunion are usually only 68.

Did the banner say high school? I thought it was a college reunion, putting her at 72ish, which is nearly as dumb.

The problem is if Peter Pan left Neverland to go to school with these people, he'd have aged while there. But I don't think they were trying to imply he went to school with them younger. I think the point was just...if you ignore the needing to be in Neverland to not grow up bit...then taking the premise "Peter Pan never grows up" and applying it to "but he did do all other standard life milestone things, such as going to college" then at reunions he'd still be super young and they wouldn't, which also would've been true while they were at school together.

But ignores the part where: why would he do those milestoney things when his deal is to not grow up?

[Haleth]

He may be frozen as a high school freshman (if Peter Pan had left Never Never Land to go to school). I still get irritated that he's "complimenting" a woman from the class of '65 by telling her she doesn't look a day over 70; attendees at a 50 year reunion are usually only 68.

He's not complimenting her, he's being a jerk.  I get the impression that everyone he's insulting bullied him back in high school since he stayed younger and smaller than everyone else and now he's getting back at them.  

[tanyak]

People generally don't know all the things that GE is involved in, so I can see someone going "Huh? A developer for a company that makes can openers and light bulbs?" When you say "GE", not a lot of people think of nuclear reactors or TV networks.

 

I'll buy that. Then the proper response is to say, "Oh, really? What will you be doing?" And not look embarrassed that you planned a party and are holding a cake. Everyone just seems to have strange, disappointed reactions, even after he explains some of his duties. Just weird. lol 

[Aquarius]

He's not complimenting her, he's being a jerk.  I get the impression that everyone he's insulting bullied him back in high school since he stayed younger and smaller than everyone else and now he's getting back at them.

 

True, he's not complimenting her.  He's being a jerk.  But I get the impression it's because he's Peter Pan, and he's a tool.  That's what he does.

I'd still like to see the old gents carry Peter the Asshole into a bathroom by his wedgy and give him a swirly. Little bastard.

Ye-ah!

Edited November 14, 2015 by Aquarius

[ari333]

Whenever we see that Peter Pan commercial with the kid being a tool, we sing to the tune of, "nationwide is on your side;" but we sing, "Peter Pan go fuck yourself."

[ari333]

Welp, here's one. There's a cortisone 10 anti itch cream commercial in which the woman is kneeling petting her dog as she says that she is glad that she spoke to her gyno about the feminine itch and now it's not a problem.... as she clips the leash to the dog's neck collar and they walk off.

[CarpeDiem54]

Welp, here's one. There's a cortisone 10 anti itch cream commercial in which the woman is kneeling petting her dog as she says that she is glad that she spoke to her gyno about the feminine itch and now it's not a problem.... as she clips the leash to the dog's neck collar and they walk off.

Her dog was making her hoohaw itch? She was having to stop and scratch her crotch whilst walking her dog? What does the poor dog have to do with it and why does he care?

[Sandman87]

Her dog was making her hoohaw itch? She was having to stop and scratch her crotch whilst walking her dog? What does the poor dog have to do with it and why does he care?

I don't want to know the answer to any of these questions. The possibilities are too horrifying.

[Haleth]

Whenever we see that Peter Pan commercial with the kid being a tool, we sing to the tune of, "nationwide is on your side;" but we sing, "Peter Pan go fuck yourself."

Now I'm hearing Peyton Manning sing that.

[cynicat]

Her dog was making her hoohaw itch? She was having to stop and scratch her crotch whilst walking her dog? What does the poor dog have to do with it and why does he care?  

 

 

Was the dog a Schnauzer?  (*rimshot*)

 

 

[Ubiquitous]

I recently saw an ad announcing Nature Valley was making their granola bars softer, but for the life of me, I have never any complaints about that. Perhaps I am not hanging around with aging hippies?

[OSM Mom]

I recently saw an ad announcing Nature Valley was making their granola bars softer, but for the life of me, I have never any complaints about that. Perhaps I am not hanging around with aging hippies?

Those things are hard as hell. You can crack a tooth on them. Hurl them at someone and kill them. Use them as a hammer. They're hard!! Trust me. I'm so glad they're making them softer.

[90PercentGravity]

They're just below diamonds on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even sapphires are like "WTF?"

[xaxat]

In other head-scratching news: I just don't understand the GE commercial with the developer/coder. Why is everyone so confused he's going to work at GE? I can maybe get his parents not understanding (maybe), but why do his similar-age friends looks so confused? All kinds of companies need developers and people who can code. GE makes perfect sense for that. But the guy is annoying, too, because he goes out of his way to over-explain. The whole campaign has made me twitchy.

 

That whole campaign seems like such an insecure concept for one of the great corporations in the history of capitalism.

[Ilovemylabs]

The Sabra hummus commercial.  Does Dad like it or not?  "I'd eat a piece of bark if you put Sabra hummus on it."  And then, "You know what would taste good with Sabra Hummus on it?  MEAT!"  Seems like a mixed message to me.

[Brattinella]

My hubby discovered Sabra Hummus a while back.  He would eat that stuff til it came out his ears, especially the extra spicy one!

[CoderLady]

The Sabra hummus commercial.  Does Dad like it or not?  "I'd eat a piece of bark if you put Sabra hummus on it."  And then, "You know what would taste good with Sabra Hummus on it?  MEAT!"  Seems like a mixed message to me.

 

I like it. Dad will eat hippie food -- daughter says she got him to eat it on tofu -- and he's up for adding it to his existing favorites. That seems like a win in all columns.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

People generally don't know all the things that GE is involved in, so I can see someone going "Huh? A developer for a company that makes can openers and light bulbs?" When you say "GE", not a lot of people think of nuclear reactors or TV networks.

True, but if you associate GE with kitchen appliances, can openers are among the few that don't have computers in them; most do, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the company needs programmers. It might help his family understand what he'll be doing if he knew himself. He doesn't seem to even know which division of GE he'll be working for, much less what he was specifically hired to do.

[Ilovemylabs]

I like it. Dad will eat hippie food -- daughter says she got him to eat it on tofu -- and he's up for adding it to his existing favorites. That seems like a win in all columns.

Good explanation.  Thanks.

[AimingforYoko]

There's a commercial with skiers wearing L. L. Bean jackets, and they're playing a song by James Brown yelling "ain't it funky now!"  Now, I happen to love James Brown and I have most of his music, but this is dance music and it just does not fit with people going down ski slopes.  They just messed with a James Brown song and I don't understand why.

So you say:

[xaxat]

That is fantastic!

[Ohwell]

Oh James, James, James.  Now you know that wasn't right.

[Brattinella]

That was SO AWESOME!! Thanks for posting it!  I recognized a few others too, Debra Walley, Catwoman, Jerry Van Dyke, maybe. 

 

That was how James Brown always performed!

 

Eta: It was Ski Party, 1965. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059726/

Edited November 19, 2015 by Brattinella

[Prevailing Wind]

I recognized Walley and Dwayne Hickman (aka Dobie Gillis)

[Brattinella]

It also had Lesley Gore!  I recognized Dobie Gillis, too; I had such a crush!

[amass]

Why isn't the bathroom kindle kept in the bathroom?

[Jamoche]

Why isn't the bathroom kindle kept in the bathroom?

My thought exactly. Mythbusters proved everything in the bathroom is contaminated, so that'll include the Kindle. Since it's something you put your hands all over that isn't easily sanitized, leave it in there so you're only touching it before you wash.

[millennium]

A spot for Dodge Ram, a movie tie-in to the Hunger Games.   And it says:

 

"Ram salutes the heroes of the Hunger Games."

 

Do you think the people at Dodge Ram believe the Hunger Games are real? 

[Prevailing Wind]

 

Do you think the people at Dodge Ram believe the Hunger Games are real?

No. But they believe their customers do.

[Ubiquitous]

THere's a new Deluth ad, which I usually find amusing, cartoonily depicting their firehouse jeans versus a "Grab-Happy Grizzly", except in the first example the bear is taking a man out at the knees, not swatting his butt.

 

ETA: Figured out how to make YouTube clips embedded.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Ubiquitous

[Sandman87]

I was just listening to the TV while I did other things, and from what I heard the One Second Slicer "Serves seals, stacks and stores", so now I know what to get if I want to serve some seals. Except that I'm not sure if I'll be serving things to seals, or if seals are what's on the menu.

 

Do you think the people at Dodge Ram believe the Hunger Games are real?

Why not? According to a recent poll, a surprising number of people believe that The Martian is based on a true story.

[peacheslatour]

 

Except that I'm not sure if I'll be serving things to seals, or if seals are what's on the menu.

Well, you could always eat shoots and leaves.

[spaceytraci1208]

I just saw a commercial for State Farm, where the parents basically drop their daughter and her belongings curbside, and leave (after a father-daughter selfie). Now, my family didn't exactly hang out on my move-in day, but they at least helped me get my stuff in my room before peacing-out lol. Now I'm curious as to what your various college move-in experiences are/were :)

Edited November 23, 2015 by spaceytraci1208

[Sandman87]

My move-in experience was that I moved myself. I had inherited Mom's old hatchback and was only moving about 20 miles away, so I was able to get what I needed of my stuff one carload at a time.

 

 

Well, you could always eat shoots and leaves.

"Let's eat Grandma!"

 

 

ETA: Just saw an ad for the "Amope Pedi-Perfect with diamond crystals", a foot-callus sander. Who are these people who need diamonds to sand their calluses? Does Aunt Edna really have calluses that are higher than 9 on the Mohs hardness scale? Are Colossus and Cinderblock stopping in the middle of their super-fights to buff their super-feet? Or are they just marketing the gizmo to people who want to be able to sand their windows after they have a pedicure?

Edited November 23, 2015 by Sandman87

[ParadoxLost]

I just saw a commercial for State Farm

 

The one that gets me is the one where its all. "I'm never getting married", "I'm never having kids" and then all those life events happen.  Then at the end he's all "I'm never letting go" fade to black and I'm thinking, that guy just died.

 

Another one that has me wondering.  A new Polident commercial went younger in casting than normal for dentures.  I'm sitting there thinking, 'how did she lose her teeth'?  I came to the conclusion that they are advertising for meth heads. If there is some condition that causes tooth loss at a young age, I apologize.  But in fairness, once it occurred to me it did seem like the styling of the actress edged a little towards drug user.

[Prevailing Wind]

Well...my late mom, born in 1916, had full dentures by the time she was 21.  She just had bad teeth.  She used to tell me how she spent her teen years in the dentist's chair.  She consumed a lot of calcium when she was pregnant with both my brother and me, hoping we'd have better teeth.  We both still have our teeth, but almost half of mine are crowns, the rest have fillings.

 

None of us are/were (illegal) drug users.

[Bort]

WTF?! I can't believe this is a real commercial.