Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[xls]

Some skin cream commercial, I thought I heard;"Protect your skin, protect your booty" 

[xls]

I just realized how horrifying that wolf part looks!

Then there's this new anti-smoking spot-they didn't card this girl?

 

Agreed, and this reminded me of a similar commercial I SWEAR I saw a few weeks ago for a metal TV-dinner type tray. It ran as one of those typical amazing-solution-to-a-not-real-problem ads, and I kept waiting for the punchline, or to find out who was behind the satire. But no, it seemed to be an actual product for actual sale. I scoured google just now trying to find it on one of those "as seen on TV" sites but without any luck. Can anyone confirm that I actually saw this?

This it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFKjSANwGO4

Edited July 27, 2014 by The Crazed Spruce
fixed youtube tags

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Then there's this new anti-smoking spot-they didn't card this girl?

The anti-smoking one isn't really new, since I've seen it repeatedly, but it is horrifying. Not to mention a little stupid. I don't smoke anymore, but I don't get how anyone would believe that you pay for a pack of smokes with a patch of skin from your face. Can't they at least come up with something that makes sense?

[xls]

The anti-smoking one isn't really new, since I've seen it repeatedly, but it is horrifying. Not to mention a little stupid. I don't smoke anymore, but I don't get how anyone would believe that you pay for a pack of smokes with a patch of skin from your face. Can't they at least come up with something that makes sense?

That was the first time I saw it, so I thought it was new. I doubt these shock adds really work with any one, though. Nobody thinks it will happen to them, you know?

[bref]

That made me laugh like hell, @xls, but alas is not what i was looking for. The one I saw was for something that looks like this. 

and yes, it was being promoted as something revolutionary!

[xls]

That made me laugh like hell, @xls, but alas is not what i was looking for. The one I saw was for something that looks like this. 

and yes, it was being promoted as something revolutionary!

Looks like a prison tray or something. :)

[Jamoche]

Once again, Oikos has me wondering why they think women think John Stamos is All That.

 

(Not that I'd trust anyone who thinks women think yogurt is tasty.)

[Sandman87]

The anti-smoking one isn't really new, since I've seen it repeatedly, but it is horrifying.

 

Last night I saw a new one from the same campaign, or at least one I hadn't seen before. A guy was using pliers to yank his teeth out for the cashier.

 

There was a medical study a couple of years ago which showed that smoking can harm your fingers' health by affecting blood circulation, in addition to causing tobacco stains. I just hope this ad campaign never hears about it.

[Prevailing Wind]

 

(Not that I'd trust anyone who thinks women think yogurt is tasty.)

Actually, some yogurt IS tasty.  I've trying Liberté - it's full-fat & has cane sugar & no-added-hormones cow's milk.  I think it's the full-fat that sends it over the top in yogurty-goodness.  Once they take the fat out, yogurt is definitely icky.

[Jamoche]

Actually, some yogurt IS tasty.  I've trying Liberté - it's full-fat & has cane sugar & no-added-hormones cow's milk.  I think it's the full-fat that sends it over the top in yogurty-goodness.  Once they take the fat out, yogurt is definitely icky.

Can you just imagine the look on the faces of ad execs confronted of the idea of selling full-fat anything to women? We're not supposed to like that.

[MrMattyMatt]

Can you just imagine the look on the faces of ad execs confronted of the idea of selling full-fat anything to women? We're not supposed to like that.

Exactly!  For God's sake it's a small cup of yogurt and they constantly have to point out how it has 2 calories so you don't have to feel guilty!   For what?  Skipping a healthy breakfast?

[Taeolas]

We saw a commercial for the Gerber Grow Up insurance plan during the baseball game the other day, and my mom informed me that a "grow up" is a term for a marijuana farm. I'm such a loser that I have to get pot slang from my mother. Pathetic.

 

Actually the term is a "Grow Op", short for "Grow Operation". Don't think I've ever heard it called a Grow Up, but it could easily be misheard that way (and maybe that is starting to catch on). Considering how long the Gerber Grow Up plans have been around, I think they predate it in any case. :)

[St. Claire]

I am so glad I am not the only person who thought the Joel McHale Berocca commercial was a fake. I am coming to loathe that commercial instead of just being confused or annoyed by it.

[InDueTime]

I saw this Depend ad yesterday afternoon:

 

If it's no big deal to wear them, it seems that there wouldn't be a need to broadcast that one knows someone who wears them.  Who spends their idle time thinking about what someone wears under their clothes?

[Watcher0363]

I saw this Depend ad yesterday afternoon:

 

If it's no big deal to wear them, it seems that there wouldn't be a need to broadcast that one knows someone who wears them.  Who spends their idle time thinking about what someone wears under their clothes?

The guys wife from the State Farm commercial and guys with cameras in their shoes.

[JayInChicago]

I LOVE THE BLUEBERRY FART MARKER COMMERCIAL!!!

[bilgistic]

If it's no big deal to wear them, it seems that there wouldn't be a need to broadcast that one knows someone who wears them. Who spends their idle time thinking about what someone wears under their clothes?

I'm going to go on record saying that I don't understand this commercial, and I'm too traumatized to watch it again to try to figure it out. The speed-walking, the droopy drawers, the one guy with a lazy eye--it's all just too much. I don't need a commercial about incontinence products. I'll find 'em on my own if I need 'em. DO YOU HEAR ME, POISE? Shut up about "SAM" in my pants!!

[Blakeston]

Haven't seen that one, but they have another set in a conference room, where a wolf's head pops out of the guy's stomach for a piece of beef jerky.  I get the same Alien flashback when I see it.

With a wolf or a bear, I can at least understand the concept - the person is as hungry as a bear, or a wolf. But an eagle? Who's hungry like an eagle?

[Prevailing Wind]

It's probably good to know if your companion is wearing Depends, so you'll know where that smell is coming from.

[Sandman87]

I've been seeing an ad lately for a company that will send you catheters by mail. At one point they show an animated cartoon of a catheter rubbing against what appears to be someone's shoulder, while the announcer tells us that it won't scratch the skin because it's so highly polished. Apparently I've been wrong about catheters all this time, and they're supposed to be used as disposable back-scratchers.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

And now, because these are the kind of things I think about, I'm wondering how the hell you "polish" a catheter.

[MrMattyMatt]

That catheter commercial used to play here ALL the time on multiple stations.  Granted I live in Florida in a retirement zone, but do that many people really use catheters?  

[Aquarius]

I've been seeing an ad lately for a company that will send you catheters by mail. At one point they show an animated cartoon of a catheter rubbing against what appears to be someone's shoulder, while the announcer tells us that it won't scratch the skin because it's so highly polished. Apparently I've been wrong about catheters all this time, and they're supposed to be used as disposable back-scratchers.

 

Hee.  That only appeared to be a shoulder.

 

I live in New Jersey and the catheter commercials play all the time.  I too have wondered - how many people use catheters that makes mail order such a big business? 

[bilgistic]

I've been seeing an ad lately for a company that will send you catheters by mail. At one point they show an animated cartoon of a catheter rubbing against what appears to be someone's shoulder, while the announcer tells us that it won't scratch the skin because it's so highly polished. Apparently I've been wrong about catheters all this time, and they're supposed to be used as disposable back-scratchers.

That commercial makes my skin crawl. I just imagine some jagged piece of metal scraping across my irritated, red, inflamed skin. (I have eczema and allergies, so at any given time, I might be itchy and red.) They got their point across to me with that rudimentary cartoon rendering. I almost can't watch it...but then I HAVE to. The evil!

[Ubiquitous]

That made me laugh like hell, @xls, but alas is not what i was looking for. The one I saw was for something that looks like this. 

and yes, it was being promoted as something revolutionary!

so THAT'S how I keep the food on my plate from intermingling!

[Watcher0363]

so THAT'S how I keep the food on my plate from intermingling!

I wonder what the data mining links would look like for a person ordering that plate online.

[bilgistic]

When we were young, my younger sister used to have a melamine plate with "sections" because she didn't want her food "touching". She'd eat all of one item at a time, finishing each one before going to the next.

[merylinkid]

The Verizon points commercial makes no sense.   For some reason the moronic husband (a whole other rant) is standing in the backyard trying to get birds to land on him.   Why?   Who the hell knows.   Meanwhile his wife is inside jabbering on about getting verizon points.   How you get points and what you use them for is never explained.   Because we have to see the husband have multiple birds land on him until an eagle comes along and takes off with him.    WHY would I get verizon and accumulate points again?

[theatremouse]

They're assuming everyone will surmise points=rewards=get enough you will get free stuff? I don't understand the eagle thing beyond....wife is so preoccupied with reading her "great offer" from Verizon she ignores her husband no matter what he's doing, no matter how outrageous? My problem is it sort of seems to imply the husband with nature vs the wife absorbed with materialistic things...or maybe they mean "smart wife paying attention to bills" vs "silly husband being goofy in the backyard". Or maybe they mean both. It's a mystery.

[AntiBeeSpray]

And now, because these are the kind of things I think about, I'm wondering how the hell you "polish" a catheter.

Good point. XD

 

Unless they were already polished, it would be really tough to do that.

[Katmai]

I'm super creeped out by the current Old Spice commercials using a dummy that falls into all sorts of places and the females are so thrilled and okay with him because he smells like Old Spice. I don't know who thought this mascot was better than the real dude who was featured in their commercials several years back, who was overly-cheesy and had a deep voice. This creepy robot makes me really miss the other guy. But really, does anyone younger than, say 65, use Old Spice? If so, my apologies for thinking it's an old-school scent/product.

[RubyWoo72]

^^I do. It is old-school, technically, but the "new" scents, like Matterhorn and Fiji smell feminine while still keeping the funk away. My husband is always amazed how quickly *he* goes thru deodorant.

[Rick Kitchen]

Why has Jack in the Box gone for a creepy looking dummy now instead of the "real" Jack?

 

And don't tell me they weren't smoking something just before this ad was taped.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1v6gcq0pEE

[RubyWoo72]

Why has Jack in the Box gone for a creepy looking dummy now instead of the "real" Jack?

And don't tell me they weren't smoking something just before this ad was taped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1v6gcq0pEE

Smoking, indeed. I think they've been targeting the Stoner demographic for quite a while now:

[Rick Kitchen]

I love that ad.

[bilgistic]

That jalapeno burger looks absolutely revolting.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

So McDonald's apparently has some kind of new burger out, only the ad confuses the shit out of me. The guy is talking about how good the burger is and everything, and then he flips up the top of his cowboy hat, and a burger is sitting inside. What. The. Hell?

[peggy06]

Once I saw a McDonald's breakfast commercial that used one of the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies.  It was brilliant.  Never saw it again.  Probably too smart for TV.  Or McDonald's.

Ah, I remember that ad! I thought it was really well-done and a fun use of the music. It was shown pretty often where I live, and never failed to get stuck in my head all day. "Breakfast, McDonald's breakfast, made from the very best ingredients we do it all for you!"

 

In general, I'd say both McDonald's and Coke have had more hits than misses in their advertising.

Edited August 5, 2014 by peggy06

[Taylorh2]

Macthekat:  My son is 19 and he like Old Spice.

[BennyB]

Just saw the first commercial today for the next Summer Olympics which will be held in 2 YEARS from now in freaking 2016.  WTF!!!!

[90PercentGravity]

Chickens singing about Africa to sell Chinese food? Huh??

[Prevailing Wind]

I didn't mind the Oly commercial.  It left less time for the politicians to be slamming one another.  Now that our primary/runoff is over in Georgia, all we're getting now is crappy ads for the NOVEMBER election.  Three more months of crap!  AUUUGGGHHHHH.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

It must be kind of like Groundhog Day. If the little bugger sees his shadow, you get X Amount of douchery.

[LoneHaranguer]

Why does "the most interesting man in the world" tell you to "stay thirsty"? Most beverage companies would want you to guzzle their product (although they're not allowed to go beyond something like "drink up" about anything alcoholic).

[OSM Mom]

Maybe if you're always thirsty you'll want to keep drinking the beer? I've got nothing.

[90PercentGravity]

If you drink enough beer your kidneys get weak and you are thirsty more?

[Rick Kitchen]

In that credit card ad, Tina Fay is yelling. "Dingus for everybody!"

 

What is a dingus?

Edited August 7, 2014 by Rick Kitchen

[Cobalt Stargazer]

According to Urban Dictionary, dingus is another word for spaz. I've also heard it used as a slang term for man parts, but I'm pretty sure that's not how its intended in that ad.

[OSM Mom]

I've only heard it as slang for man parts. So the ad was a total surprise to me. Lol

[Crisopera]

"Wafels & Dinges" is a Belgian-themed foodtruck in NY.  Wafels are pretty much self-explanatory; but dinges are apparently all the other dishes they sell.