Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Bort]

31 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

There's an ad for Tide Clean & Simple where a little girl is eating a popsicle and falls onto the floor.  I can't find the ad on video to post it here, but it looks to me like the mother just puts a holder on the popsicle and hands it back to her off the floor.

She doesn’t drop it on the floor, the popsicle is dripping and the mom puts a cupcake wrapper on the stick to catch the drips.

[Ubiquit0us]

22 hours ago, chessiegal said:

He didn't look dismayed. He looked delighted.

Ha ha, I picked up a "You did WHAT?!?!" tone to his voice, perhaps because he wanted to goto bed, maybe he's just a poor actor. 

3 hours ago, kariyaki said:

She doesn’t drop it on the floor, the popsicle is dripping and the mom puts a cupcake wrapper on the stick to catch the drips.

I have to admit that idea never would have occurred to me! 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Ubiquit0us

[Prevailing Wind]

4 hours ago, Ubiquit0us said:

I have to admit that idea never would have occurred to me! 

Apparently, you don't watch enough "Life Hacks" videos on Facebook.  LOL.

[sempervivum]

On 12/6/2020 at 4:40 PM, Ashforth said:

Not like the "damn, I was going to smoke a little weed, have a snack and go to bed" reaction that one might expect from a guy of his age after working a late shift. (Seen through the lens of my experience)

Having an acquaintance with more than a few chefs/restaurant workers, yeah, Chef Sonny Boy was most likely planning on some consciousness-altering, not a cheese-heavy multi-casserole meal with the fam in the wee hours. 

[Red Bridey]

So I often am bemused by commercials that are re-edited after airing for a while and sometimes I ponder why exactly the decision was made to make a change. Sometimes it's obvious, like a New York State lotto commercial that now has the principal characters in masks while the rest if the commercial is identical. The one I am currently scratching my head over is for Hershey's Chocolate. Twin girls answer questions and get chocolate as a reward. Now the commercial has been edited to add a card with their names...Ava and Olivia (maybe?). But my problem is why does Hershey feel the need to identify these girls? It makes absolutely no difference in the context of the ad...they aren't called by their names in the commercial. So as a viewer, the content hasn't been improved with the addition of names for these girls so who cares? I clearly have too much time on my hands!

[Ubiquit0us]

If the little girl in the Dominoes pizza(?) commercial recognizes the NASCAR(?) racer by name, why does she think he's wearing pajamas? 

[Ubiquit0us]

15 hours ago, Jaded said:

I watch the Buzzr channel and a few others on the Pluto app pretty frequently. I mention that because this commercial comes on during every single break sometimes twice at a time. It's driving me bonkers due to how often it's on along with the fact that it's one of the commercials that raises the volume.
 

 

What the fuck is that creature tied to the front of the truck? Why the hell did the driver do such a terrible thing? 

Why didn't they try to clean it up before putting it in their car? 🤔

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, Ubiquit0us said:

What the fuck is that creature tied to the front of the truck? Why the hell did the driver do such a terrible thing? 

Why didn't they try to clean it up before putting it in their car? 🤔

Okay, that's terrifying.

[Haleth]

LOL, yesterday on the Annoy thread I commented that I wouldn't let my kid pick up that filthy thing.  Yuck.

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

LOL, yesterday on the Annoy thread I commented that I wouldn't let my kid pick up that filthy thing.  Yuck.

I wouldn't want to but I would because that kid was showing a lot of compassion.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The Greenies commercial where the dog rips the branch arm off of the snowman, and the snowman screams is bizarre.  Is that supposed to make me want to buy the product?    It would be a good commercial promoting the product, except for the screaming snowman.  

I still think the Mercedes commercial is a stuffed animal coming to life.     Strange either way. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[peacheslatour]

Just now, CrazyInAlabama said:

The Greenies commercial where the dog rips the branch arm off of the snowman, and the snowman screams is bizarre.  

I love how the kid just falls face first in a dead faint.

[peacheslatour]

6 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I love how the kid just falls face first in a dead faint.

Correction: he falls over backward.

[Ubiquit0us]

I'm not sure about the TV version of this commercial, but at the beginning of the radio version of Safe Touch(?) commercials, there's a quick 1950's-style jingle that is totally incomprehensible, save for the "... part-time family guy!" at the end. For the life of me, I cannot tell what they're singing!

[aghst]

There's a Toyota commercial running with a song of a distinctive style playing while showing a young black girl in some Holiday scene.

Anyone know the artist that song seems to be mimicking?

OK, the commercial is called Mailbox:

 

One of the commenters identified the song as Come Home by an artist named Amatorski.

Never heard of that artist but the way her voice is produced and the lilting pace, it sounds like some other, better-known artist whom I can't put a finger on.

 

Apparently the song was used in the UK series called The Missing, (now they call it Baptiste).  I did watch the show though don't remember the theme, which sounds different than in the Toyota ad.

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by aghst

[sempervivum]

I don't know if it counts as a 'commercial', but the teaser for 'The Real Black Chyna' on We TV has one scene that I'm baffled by. She's mostly naked (unsurprisingly) and her bits are blurred out, but there's something going on with her midriff. It kind of looks like a big donut or something, and I don't get why she'd want to show this weird thing off.  Black Chyna Teaser

[CrazyInAlabama]

On the left side she now has some huge tattoo, but I bet the waist thing was painted on abs for photos or something.    Yes, people do that.    I've also heard you can get plastic surgery abs, with lipo suction, or even implants.  

Edited December 17, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[peacheslatour]

34 minutes ago, sempervivum said:

I don't know if it counts as a 'commercial', but the teaser for 'The Real Black Chyna' on We TV has one scene that I'm baffled by. She's mostly naked (unsurprisingly) and her bits are blurred out, but there's something going on with her midriff. It kind of looks like a big donut or something, and I don't get why she'd want to show this weird thing off.  Black Chyna Teaser

I don't know but does the Mattel Corporation know she's hoarding all their plastic?

[Ashforth]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

There's a Toyota commercial running with a song of a distinctive style playing while showing a young black girl in some Holiday scene.

Anyone know the artist that song seems to be mimicking?

OK, the commercial is called Mailbox:

 

Is there some reason to say she's a young Black girl instead of a young girl? If it was a young White girl, would you feel the need to point that out? I'm genuinely curious, not trying to be rude.

[peacheslatour]

Poor Tucker, the dog in the Nutro commercial. At first he's like "Ohboyohboyohboy walkies!! "The he's like "Sure, I'm up for a walk!" The he's "A walk, I guess." And Finally "NOPE". He's such a cute dog. I just want to hug him.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I still hate that Greenies dog chew bone commercial with the dog grabbing the snowman's arm, and the snowman screaming.    That's just sick.  

[Haleth]

I know it's been discussed but I finally watched the whole commercial with the little girl making ornaments for a far away tree and her military daddy pops out from behind the tree.  (I don't know what the commercial is advertising.)  But why is there a mailbox waaaaay out in the middle of nowhere?  There isn't a house in sight anywhere in the area of the decorated tree.  Did mom put it up saying it was a magic mailbox that would whisk the ornaments across the world to dad?  I don't get it, but the happiness of the adorable little girl gives me warm fuzzies.

[Prevailing Wind]

What the hell are "pre-biotic oats" and why would I want it my face cream?  Aveeno, could you please explain?

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 12/21/2020 at 6:25 AM, Haleth said:

I know it's been discussed but I finally watched the whole commercial with the little girl making ornaments for a far away tree and her military daddy pops out from behind the tree.  (I don't know what the commercial is advertising.)  But why is there a mailbox waaaaay out in the middle of nowhere?  There isn't a house in sight anywhere in the area of the decorated tree.  Did mom put it up saying it was a magic mailbox that would whisk the ornaments across the world to dad?  I don't get it, but the happiness of the adorable little girl gives me warm fuzzies.

It's a Toyota commercial, and Toyota has a lot of commercials available.   I think there's a link on either this thread or another one to the entire catalogue of their commercials.

The mailbox isn't that far away, it's out by the road.    The story is the girl is making the ornaments, and mailing them to her Dad who is deployed.   Then at the end, the girl and Mom are going to the mailbox, but when they get there the tree by the mailbox is decorated with all of her ornaments, and the Dad comes out from behind the tree.   

Toyota has a lot of commercials, and I usually refer to them by what happens or who is in them, so I think saying the race of the little girl just is a way of saying which commercial it is.   I wish they would have a screen or something at the beginning of the commercial saying what the title is.   I think they're all on You tube.  

That's a big problem with commercials, when you don't even remember what the product is.   That's why Taco Bell finally dumped the Chihuahua, she (the Chi. was actually a girl puppy) didn't sell tacos.   

 

Edited December 23, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama
Fixed the Christmas tree lot, to by the mailbox tree

[Popples]

17 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

It's a Toyota commercial, and Toyota has a lot of commercials available.   I think there's a link on either this thread or another one to the entire catalogue of their commercials.

The mailbox isn't that far away, it's out by the road.    The story is the girl is making the ornaments, and mailing them to her Dad who is deployed.   Then at the end, the girl and Mom are going to a Christmas tree lot, and when they get there the tree by the entrance is decorated with all of her ornaments, and the Dad comes out from behind the tree.   

Toyota has a lot of commercials, and I usually refer to them by what happens or who is in them, so I think saying the race of the little girl just is a way of saying which commercial it is.   I wish they would have a screen or something at the beginning of the commercial saying what the title is.   I think they're all on You tube.  

I think the commercial is super adorable, but I wouldn't have been able to tell you what product it was supposed to be selling for $1 million.

[Ashforth]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The mailbox isn't that far away, it's out by the road.    The story is the girl is making the ornaments, and mailing them to her Dad who is deployed.   Then at the end, the girl and Mom are going to a Christmas tree lot, and when they get there the tree by the entrance is decorated with all of her ornaments, and the Dad comes out from behind the tree. 

But the mailbox is beside the decorated tree, and there doesn't seem to be any indication that it's in a Christmas tree lot. I think it's a very sweet commercial. I didn't get at all that the ending happened in a Christmas tree lot. I thought it was at the mailbox where they went to mail the ornaments.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Maybe it was the tree at the end of their property.     Either way it's adorable, but I don't see how it sells Toyotas. 

[Ubiquit0us]

There's a PSA that makes the rounds on occasion, probably around holidays about the bad things that will happen if you get caught drunk driving. One of the things they always say is that you'll lose your girlfriend, which always struck me as odd because I find that improbable, unless the only reason you're dating is because you have a car.

[Ashforth]

3 hours ago, Ubiquit0us said:

There's a PSA that makes the rounds on occasion, probably around holidays about the bad things that will happen if you get caught drunk driving. One of the things they always say is that you'll lose your girlfriend, which always struck me as odd because I find that improbable, unless the only reason you're dating is because you have a car.

I think it's because she loans you the money for your bail and a lawyer, and you then cheat on her with her best friend and never pay her back. Finally, she takes you on Judge Judy, where you smirk and say it was a gift. 

[Neurochick]

Alice in Wonderland? 

Acid Trip?

Both?

Not nice of the guy to slam the door in the rabbit's face but maybe it's because he's the only person in the commercial NOT on acid. 😁

[Prevailing Wind]

Not only does he slam the door, he SMILES about it, like he's glad he dissed the bunny.  Nincompoop.

[Neurochick]

28 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

Not only does he slam the door, he SMILES about it, like he's glad he dissed the bunny.  Nincompoop.

True.  But if I saw a bunny trying to get into the theater, I might have doubted what I saw.

[Ashforth]

9 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

True.  But if I saw a bunny trying to get into the theater, I might have doubted what I saw.

The bunny wasn't wearing a Citizen watch, so he was persona non grata. What a strange and unpleasant commercial. Way to go, Citizen!

[Maverick]

 I think that would be leporidae non grata. 

[KWalkerInc]

This is not the commercial's fault, but I was very confused for a second or two during an ad for Omaha Steaks.  They had a special offer on the screen for "Free Chicken + Pork," but I wasn't really paying attention and looked at the screen quickly and initially thought it said "Free Chicken Pox."  I was wondering, "Why in the hell would anyone want that?"

[Haleth]

9 hours ago, Ashforth said:

The bunny wasn't wearing a Citizen watch, so he was persona non grata. What a strange and unpleasant commercial. Way to go, Citizen!

I know for a fact that bunnies can tell time.  We had one that knew when it was time for my husband to get home from work and would wait by the door for him.  (They would then sit on the deck together and sip martinis.)

[crazycatlady58]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

I know for a fact that bunnies can tell time.  We had one that knew when it was time for my husband to get home from work and would wait by the door for him.  (They would then sit on the deck together and sip martinis.)

Your bunny would sip martinis?

[peacheslatour]

13 hours ago, Neurochick said:

True.  But if I saw a bunny trying to get into the theater, I might have doubted what I saw.

But he had a TICKET!

[chessiegal]

The guy in the Qunol turmeric ad is a dead ringer for a local dentist who advertises on tv. Both of them in blue scrubs. I don't watch The Bachelor or other shows like it, so I found out the Qunol guy is Dr. Travis Stork who appeared on The Bachelor. Every time I see that ad I wonder why a local dentist is promoting turmeric. 😄

I could not understand what the Motaur in the Progressive gym ad said to the guy who told him there was a 30 minute limit on the treadmill. Evidently others could not either, because when I googled "Progressive motaur gym" the first suggestion was  what does the motaur say? Turns out it is "Tell that to the rain." I never noticed the ad starts with a shot outside with rain coming down the gym window.

[Haleth]

15 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

could not understand what the Motaur in the Progressive gym ad said to the guy who told him there was a 30 minute limit on the treadmill. Evidently others could not either, because when I googled "Progressive motaur gym" the first suggestion was  what does the motaur say? Turns out it is "Tell that to the rain." I never noticed the ad starts with a shot outside with rain coming down the gym window.

That’s an expression that means “I don’t care.”

 

44 minutes ago, crazycatlady58 said:

Your bunny would sip martinis?

With a carrot instead of an olive. 😉

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, Haleth said:

That’s an expression that means “I don’t care.”

Even when I couldn't understand the words he was saying, I knew that's what he meant. I just couldn't hear the words. It sounds like he says mumble mumble mumble.

[Prevailing Wind]

5 hours ago, Haleth said:

I know for a fact that bunnies can tell time.  We had one that knew when it was time for my husband to get home from work and would wait by the door for him.  (They would then sit on the deck together and sip martinis.)

Taking to small talk.

 

[sempervivum]

Biore ad- print says something like 'world's best blackhead remover', then voiceover 'warns' the audience how shocking what they're about to see is. Model pulls the black fabric (or whatever it is) off her nose, and shows the little points of gel (or whatever it is). I don't actually see any dirt or anything that looks like blackheads, so why am I supposed to be either shocked or impressed? 

Also, I just don't believe it. If these people watched Dr. Pimple Popper, they'd know that woman has forearms of steel because of how much pressure it takes to remove gunk from pores.

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 7:25 AM, Haleth said:

I know it's been discussed but I finally watched the whole commercial with the little girl making ornaments for a far away tree and her military daddy pops out from behind the tree.  (I don't know what the commercial is advertising.)  But why is there a mailbox waaaaay out in the middle of nowhere?  There isn't a house in sight anywhere in the area of the decorated tree.  Did mom put it up saying it was a magic mailbox that would whisk the ornaments across the world to dad?  I don't get it, but the happiness of the adorable little girl gives me warm fuzzies.

I'm guessing they live on a large piece of land, and the road is a good distance from the house.  But I kinda like the idea of a magic mailbox.

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 8:58 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Maybe it was the tree at the end of their property.     Either way it's adorable, but I don't see how it sells Toyotas. 

That's my take - if the tree was where you could see it from the house, her dad being home and decorating it with her ornaments wouldn't have been a surprise.

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

That’s an expression that means “I don’t care.”

The Motaur's an asshole in that commercial.  He's monopolizing a treadmill AND probably giving everyone carbon monoxide poisoning.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I find the Mo-Taur commercials revolting, and Mr. Mo-Taur is a jerk.       Not as revolting as the Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume commercials. 

[PrincessPurrsALot]

On 12/23/2020 at 7:55 AM, peacheslatour said:

But he had a TICKET!

And he had to hop the whole way there.  Others took public transit, drove or took cabs.  The poor bunny is all hopped out and he is denied entrance to the theatre.  He could end up in rabbit stew!  

On 12/23/2020 at 8:11 AM, chessiegal said:

I could not understand what the Motaur in the Progressive gym ad said to the guy who told him there was a 30 minute limit on the treadmill. Evidently others could not either, because when I googled "Progressive motaur gym" the first suggestion was  what does the motaur say? Turns out it is "Tell that to the rain." I never noticed the ad starts with a shot outside with rain coming down the gym window.

Put on a raincoat you half motorcycle ass and stop polluting the gym!  Drive so far you get out of the storm!  

[janie jones]

On 12/23/2020 at 9:19 AM, sempervivum said:

Biore ad- print says something like 'world's best blackhead remover', then voiceover 'warns' the audience how shocking what they're about to see is. Model pulls the black fabric (or whatever it is) off her nose, and shows the little points of gel (or whatever it is). I don't actually see any dirt or anything that looks like blackheads, so why am I supposed to be either shocked or impressed? 

Also, I just don't believe it. If these people watched Dr. Pimple Popper, they'd know that woman has forearms of steel because of how much pressure it takes to remove gunk from pores.

I'm not sure what ad you're talking about, but every Biore pore strip ad I've seen accurately depicts what those things can pull out of your face. You might be right that it's gel and not someone's actual skin gunk, but the commercials aren't farfetched.

[Ubiquit0us]

In the latest Volkswagen commercial with the beleaguered accountant,  it ends with him asking where they're going  as they leave the city limits. Why do I think the man is going to never be seen again? 🤣

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, Ubiquit0us said:

In the latest Volkswagen commercial with the beleaguered accountant,  it ends with him asking where they're going  as they leave the city limits. Why do I think the man is going to never be seen again? 🤣

I wonder why Paul Giamatti is playing a character and Kieran Culkin seems to be playing himself.  Funny commercials though.

[janie jones]

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

I wonder why Paul Giamatti is playing a character and Kieran Culkin seems to be playing himself.  Funny commercials though.

I wonder that, too.

I find it a little confusing when famous people play characters in commercials. Like, I saw several Apartments.com commercial before I realized Jeff Goldblum was playing a guy and wasn't just a celebrity spokesperson.