Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Ubiquitous]

This commercial annoys me, but I keep wondering why the people in the Coffeemate commercial are giving the worst clues in the world for "snow", the word taped to a gingerbread man's forehead, and why he keeps repeating the two new (holiday?) flavors after they told him they're not the word.

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 2:34 PM, sempervivum said:

The Liberty Mutual ad with the emu and Doug getting the keys to the city: WHY does Mrs. LiMu emu seem to be channeling 1962 Carole Channing, with a bouffant blonde wig, white-framed cats eye sunglasses, and a yellow satin halter top dress?

Oh, that was sppsd to be the wife? I thought they were going to try to start a long romantic story in future commercials.

[dleighg]

4 minutes ago, Ubiquitous said:

Oh, that was sppsd to be the wife? I thought they were going to try to start a long romantic story in future commercials.

I thought she was a "groupie."

[Browncoat]

Do I really need Alexa to tell my Delta faucet to fill the dog's water dish?  (And the poor dog still can't get any water because the dish is in the sink.)

[Haleth]

15 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

Oh, that was sppsd to be the wife? I thought they were going to try to start a long romantic story in future commercials.

The "ladies" are Mrs Doug and Mrs Emu.  I heard a Limu Emu commercial on the radio in which one character explains that Limu means Liberty Mutual and Emu was picked because it rhymes.  I mean, if you have to explain the joke to the audience it's no longer a joke.  But I guess if they feel they have to put a wig and pearls on Mrs Emu for us to get that she's a female the ad agency must not have much faith in the intelligence of the audience.

[funky-rat]

On 9/14/2019 at 2:19 PM, catlover79 said:

For the record, my second car was a used 1992 Buick Skylark. OK, maybe it looked like an "old people" car (and I did buy it in 2012 from a lady in her 90s that was no longer allowed to drive), but I had no problems with it in the nearly two years I owned it. It was reliable, got good gas mileage and had very comfortable seats. The car also had a quirk - it required two different keys, one for the ignition and the other for the door locks.

Most cars used to be like that.  My first 4 cars had 2 different keys (86 Escort, 85 Sentra, 89 Escort, 85 Shadow).  The 97 Neon was my first car that had just one key.  They gave me 2 when I bought it, and they said "No, one key opens everything" when I asked for a 2nd set of keys.

Edited September 16, 2019 by funky-rat

[bad things are bad]

Maybe this ad has been discussed, it's been on for years, but every time I see it I'm definitely scratching my head. 

It's for Cesar dog food: it's a man who may be an airline pilot or flight attendant, who's feeding his dog in what appears to be a conference room in a skyscraper. 

The uniform seems oddly specific for a dog food ad

The venue seems strange--if that's your apartment, why does it look like a conference room? Or, why are you feeding your dog in a conference room??

What am I missing? (I did google and there's a reddit that says there's other footage that explains the storyline, but should you have to google to understand a dog food ad?)

[funky-rat]

21 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

Maybe this ad has been discussed, it's been on for years, but every time I see it I'm definitely scratching my head. 

It's for Cesar dog food: it's a man who may be an airline pilot or flight attendant, who's feeding his dog in what appears to be a conference room in a skyscraper. 

The uniform seems oddly specific for a dog food ad

The venue seems strange--if that's your apartment, why does it look like a conference room? Or, why are you feeding your dog in a conference room??

What am I missing? (I did google and there's a reddit that says there's other footage that explains the storyline, but should you have to google to understand a dog food ad?)

Yeah, it's been a hot topic.  Apparently, like many other confusing commercials, there's a longer version that makes a little more sense, but doesn't explain everything.  Many people (myself included) thought he was a pilot, but apparently he's a security guard, or similar personnel.  Not sure why the little dog gets fed in the conference room, or why he's got a little dog at all, since he's not a guard dog type doggie.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, funky-rat said:

Yeah, it's been a hot topic.  Apparently, like many other confusing commercials, there's a longer version that makes a little more sense, but doesn't explain everything.  Many people (myself included) thought he was a pilot, but apparently he's a security guard, or similar personnel.  Not sure why the little dog gets fed in the conference room, or why he's got a little dog at all, since he's not a guard dog type doggie.

I think he's a night security guard, probably spends most of his time staring at closed circuit screen. He brings his little Westie for company.

[Tom Holmberg]

New LiMu commercial with an actor who can remember his lines, with a typically weak, stupid payoff. They're not even trying anymore. 

[Milburn Stone]

On 9/13/2019 at 5:42 PM, Tom Holmberg said:

Stupid ad writers.  Another nonsensical ad, like the one, "I meant that Buick." It's rather sickening that someone actually gets paid for this stupidity.

It's like the creatives hypnotized themselves into believing that a generic SUV looked like a royal coach with six white horses.

[Brattinella]

43 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

It's like the creatives hypnotized themselves into believing that a generic SUV looked like a royal coach with six white horses.

I remember way back when, if he said look at my Buick, you would KNOW which car to look at!  They weren't virtually identical, like they are now.

[chessiegal]

This hits 2 companies - Trivago and Hilton. We're visiting family in St. Petersburg FL next month, and my 1st choice is always the Hampton Inn in downtown. The online booking sites always tell me there are no rooms available, this time starting with Trivago. I like Hilton properties, am an Honors member. I got on the Hilton app on my phone, maybe because I'm an Honors member (?), there were plenty of rooms available at the Hampton Inn for the dates I wanted. I booked one this morning - who knew?

Edited September 20, 2019 by chessiegal

[Prevailing Wind]

You got the last room!!!

[chessiegal]

10 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

You got the last room!!!

Hah! According to Trivago, there were zero rooms. I'm definitely using the Hilton app from now on.

[funky-rat]

12 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Hah! According to Trivago, there were zero rooms. I'm definitely using the Hilton app from now on.

I find I do best if I call directly.  They only allocate so many rooms to the discounters, and when the discounters are out of their allocation, the hotel itself often still has availability.  Also, if you tell them you were looking at another site, they will often (not always) price match, or offer someting else to get you to go direct.

[mmecorday]

I just can't stand those Hilton commercials with Anna Kendrick.

[Stella Rose]

On 1/3/2019 at 10:41 AM, mmecorday said:

He has a very Arch Hall Jr. face.

The Choppers!  One of the best - non-intentionally hilarious movies ever.  Well played!

[friendperidot]

there's an ad for some medication, for asthma symptoms, I think, it has a lot of purple balloons or not, I may be mixing up medication ads. But this one is for Fasenra. A woman and her son are walking on the beach, then they are playing volleyball with a man and his daughter, then all 4 of them are around a campfire and the woman has her arm around one child wrapped in a blanket, ruffles the other child's hair. I think this is a family of 4, man, woman, girl, boy. What confuses me is in the volleyball game, after the last point is scored and they all meet at the net, she shakes the man's hand. If they are strangers who just met over a volleyball game, I can see that, but if this is her husband, why is she shaking his hand? I was married, but I don't recall ever shaking my husband's hand, never had the least desire to shake his hand, it was usually a hug and a kiss. My parents were married over 50 years and I never saw them shake hands, ever. I saw lots of hugs and kisses, but never a handshake. I know a lot of married people and I never have seen any of them shake their spouse's hand. I know, I've thought about that entirely too much.

Edited September 21, 2019 by friendperidot
I know the difference between a mat and a net.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, friendperidot said:

there's an ad for some medication, for asthma symptoms, I think, it has a lot of purple balloons or not, I may be mixing up medication ads. But this one is for Fasenra. A woman and her son are walking on the beach, then they are playing volleyball with a man and his daughter, then all 4 of them are around a campfire and the woman has her arm around one child wrapped in a blanket, ruffles the other child's hair. I think this is a family of 4, man, woman, girl, boy. What confuses me is in the volleyball game, after the last point is scored and they all meet at the net, she shakes the man's hand. If they are strangers who just met over a volleyball game, I can see that, but if this is her husband, why is she shaking his hand? I was married, but I don't recall ever shaking my husband's hand, never had the least desire to shake his hand, it was usually a hug and a kiss. My parents were married over 50 years and I never saw them shake hands, ever. I saw lots of hugs and kisses, but never a handshake. I know a lot of married people and I never have seen any of them shake their spouse's hand. I know, I've thought about that entirely too much.

I was on the volleyball team in high school. It's a volleyball thing. You shake hands across the net and say "Good game!"

[OmegaX123]

On 9/17/2019 at 6:26 PM, Brattinella said:

virtually identical, like they are now

Funny, since the ad's point is that they're not identical, that new Buicks can look like anything from old Buicks to sporty fancy rides. The person correcting the other person's gaze is doing so because the other person is looking at what their idea of a Buick is, aka the old model 'old person's car' type, when the 'no, I meant that Buick' person's Buick is miles away from the expected.

[Brattinella]

5 hours ago, OmegaX123 said:

Funny, since the ad's point is that they're not identical, that new Buicks can look like anything from old Buicks to sporty fancy rides. The person correcting the other person's gaze is doing so because the other person is looking at what their idea of a Buick is, aka the old model 'old person's car' type, when the 'no, I meant that Buick' person's Buick is miles away from the expected.

I was referring to ALL cars now looking virtually identical, not just models of the same make.  It used to be you could pick out year model and make from one look.

[Mabinogia]

1 hour ago, Brattinella said:

I was referring to ALL cars now looking virtually identical, not just models of the same make.  It used to be you could pick out year model and make from one look.

At least Buick's used to stand out. Now they just look like all the other cars on the road. lol

There are very few cars (Mini Cooper, Bug, Fiat are the most obvious, Jeep Wrangler too) that I can pick out just from looking at the body. I can't tell one sedan from another so the fact a Buick looks like all other sedans doesn't impress me. Though, if I were going to rob a bank I'd totally get a Buick as a getaway car. No one would believe it was a Buick! SCORE!

[SoMuchTV]

Okay, those Charmin bears? Why are they sometimes blue and sometimes red? Is there more than one bear family? I'm not sure if I've been paying too much attention or not enough.

[Gramto6]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

Okay, those Charmin bears? Why are they sometimes blue and sometimes red? Is there more than one bear family? I'm not sure if I've been paying too much attention or not enough.

Maybe the red color is their Summer coat and the blue their Winter coat???😎

Edited September 24, 2019 by Gramto6
typo

[Maverick]

 There are two sets of bears, one red and one blue.   They're for the two different types of Charmin (soft and strong) that comes in different color packages.

 And I'm just going to leave this here.  Char-men.

[Stella Rose]

On 3/14/2019 at 5:35 PM, Jacqs said:

This kid is about ten. Can a man with emphysema really go from freshly spawning a kid to hospital bed in just ten years?

I love the title "Quit Anti Smoking".  I can get behind that.  Quit those anti smoking PSAs and commercials!

[Tom Holmberg]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 10:35 AM, Mabinogia said:

Though, if I were going to rob a bank I'd totally get a Buick as a getaway car. No one would believe it was a Buick! SCORE!

Next Buick ad:

Criminals fleeing in car.

Cop, firing at car: "It was that Buick?"

Witness: "No, I meant that Buick."

Edited September 24, 2019 by Tom Holmberg

[funky-rat]

9 hours ago, Stella Rose said:

I love the title "Quit Anti Smoking".  I can get behind that.  Quit those anti smoking PSAs and commercials!

Amen, and I've never been a smoker.  I wish they'd go after alcohol companies with the same zeal they go after cigarette companies.  I fear the drunk (who can drive a car, get violent with people, has their inhibitions lowered/altered, etc) more than the smoker.

[Colleenna]

37 minutes ago, funky-rat said:

Amen, and I've never been a smoker.  I wish they'd go after alcohol companies with the same zeal they go after cigarette companies.  I fear the drunk (who can drive a car, get violent with people, has their inhibitions lowered/altered, etc) more than the smoker.

Yup. Now everyone is all hyped up because of a few deaths among vapers. Well, in 2017 88,000 Americans died from alcohol (9,000 in alcohol related car wrecks). 

[funky-rat]

9 minutes ago, Colleenna said:

Yup. Now everyone is all hyped up because of a few deaths among vapers. Well, in 2017 88,000 Americans died from alcohol (9,000 in alcohol related car wrecks). 

There was a good article in the NY Daily News this morning about just that thing - how overblown the vaping thing is.  Apparently the UK National Health covers costs because it sees it as a viable alternative to help people quit.  It also said that most of the deaths/illnesses related to kids are because they're getting product from the black market.

Edited September 24, 2019 by funky-rat

[Stella Rose]

On 4/18/2019 at 1:35 PM, funky-rat said:

Agreed.  Some people (myself included) have the bad luck of having crappy body chemistry, and we sweat sometimes in areas we'd rather not.  One of the reasons I left my prior job is because one person would leave nasty notes on my desk, and several times had a supervisor speak to me (the 2nd or 3rd time, the supervisor relented that she didn't notice anything overly offensive).  I had such a complex that I upped my lunch time to an hour, and would go home to clean up, whether I really needed it or not.  I ultimately consulted with a doctor, who assured me the person was just being a jerk and was making greatly overblown comments, but still....  I wish we could just all accept each other.

I've seen ads from back in my grandmother's time that advocated making a douche with Lysol.  I can't imagine.

I would much rather have you for an office mate Funky Rat than someone doused in perfume or febreeze.  Natural scents are wonderful.  Chemical scents KILL me.  (I have not been able to go to a movie theater in over 20 years).   Instant migraine, throat closed up, and worse.

On 4/18/2019 at 1:35 PM, funky-rat said:

Agreed.  Some people (myself included) have the bad luck of having crappy body chemistry, and we sweat sometimes in areas we'd rather not.  One of the reasons I left my prior job is because one person would leave nasty notes on my desk, and several times had a supervisor speak to me (the 2nd or 3rd time, the supervisor relented that she didn't notice anything overly offensive).  I had such a complex that I upped my lunch time to an hour, and would go home to clean up, whether I really needed it or not.  I ultimately consulted with a doctor, who assured me the person was just being a jerk and was making greatly overblown comments, but still....  I wish we could just all accept each other.

I've seen ads from back in my grandmother's time that advocated making a douche with Lysol.  I can't imagine.

I would much rather have you for an office mate Funky Rat than someone doused in perfume or febreeze.  Natural scents are wonderful.  Chemical scents KILL me.  (I have not been able to go to a movie theater in over 20 years).   Instant migraine, throat closed up, and worse.

[dleighg]

I'm really wondering why a cruise ship line is using a drug-inspired song to advertise. I guess I'm just old? Or old enough to know what the song was about? One or the other. Or both.

https://www.adweek.com/creativity/jefferson-airplane-on-a-cruise-ship-lucky-generals-gets-psychedelic-for-celebrity-cruises/

[Stella Rose]

On 6/16/2019 at 10:53 AM, Prevailing Wind said:

The animal hospital where I work LOVES donated towels.

Damn near everything can be donated to someone/organization.  Too many people just throw things away.  I live near a student apartment complex that has a high turnaround.  I 'rescue' loads of clothes, blankets, coats, manual can openers, pots and pans, etc. from the TRASH BINS that I  clean/launder and keep in my car trunk to hand out to homeless people.   These spoilt kids who just trash things and get new ones rather than pack them to move just burns my ass.  Sorry if off topic.

[Bastet]

32 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I'm really wondering why a cruise ship line is using a drug-inspired song to advertise.

It's nothing new; it must be at least 15 years now since some cruise line used "Lust For Life".

[funky-rat]

10 hours ago, dleighg said:

I'm really wondering why a cruise ship line is using a drug-inspired song to advertise. I guess I'm just old? Or old enough to know what the song was about? One or the other. Or both.

https://www.adweek.com/creativity/jefferson-airplane-on-a-cruise-ship-lucky-generals-gets-psychedelic-for-celebrity-cruises/

Another one used to use "Lust For Life" by Iggy Pop - I think Carnival.  Another drug-inspired song.

M&M's used to use "This Is The Day" by The The.  It's about someone who was deeply depressed.

The NFL used "Everyday Is Like Sunday" by Morrissey for a short-lived campaign.  That's about someone who is incredibly depressed.  They never play the next line in the commercial, which is "Every day is silent, and gray". 

A store (can't recall which one) used "Here Comes The Hotstepper" by Ini Kanozie in a commercial for a shoe sale.  The next line is "Murderer!".  Not a good song to use for a shoe sale.

I don't know who pics songs for commercials sometimes.....

[mmecorday]

I will never, ever go on a Carnival cruise because of stupid Fakey Lee Gifford singing "What a fun ship! Holy cow! They'll never believe it! If my friends could see me now!" That, and I can't really afford to take a cruise.

[funky-rat]

32 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

I will never, ever go on a Carnival cruise because of stupid Fakey Lee Gifford singing "What a fun ship! Holy cow! They'll never believe it! If my friends could see me now!" That, and I can't really afford to take a cruise.

That, and the reality of cruises is vastly different from the photos that the cruise lines put out.  I don't enjoy hot climates, and I don't think I could have a good time on a cruise.  Unless it was to Alaska, or Eurpoe.

[chessiegal]

If you ever have the opportunity to take the Queen Mary 2, I highly recommend it. We took it from NYC to Southampton twice, to Hamburg once. We were supposed to take it this month to Southampton, but health issues made us cancel. ☹️

ETA: We took a Carnival cruise once. No comparison between the 2, even though Cunard is owned by Carnival now.

Edited September 25, 2019 by chessiegal

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

If you ever have the opportunity to take the Queen Mary 2, I highly recommend it. We took it from NYC to Southampton twice, to Hamburg once. We were supposed to take it this month to Southampton, but health issues made us cancel. ☹️

ETA: We took a Carnival cruise once. No comparison between the 2, even though Cunard is owned by Carnival now.

I would love to do a Viking river cruise down the Danube.

[HighMaintenance]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I would love to do a Viking river cruise down the Danube.

Peaches, I did the Danube cruise from  Budapest to Nuremberg a few years ago. It’s very Nice and relaxing with great scenery. I highly recommend it. I had to save up for it, but it was so worth it!

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, HighMaintenance said:

Peaches, I did the Danube cruise from  Budapest to Nuremberg a few years ago. It’s very Nice and relaxing with great scenery. I highly recommend it. I had to save up for it, but it was so worth it!

Thank you!

[Prevailing Wind]

I want to cruise the Snake & Columbia rivers. And do the Delta Queen up the Mississippi.

[peacheslatour]

Does that stupid Geico lizard actually fling a boiling hot, Napalm like marshmallow on the face of the guy across the campfire? 

Edited September 27, 2019 by peacheslatour

[Brattinella]

43 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Does that stupid Geico lizard actually fling a boiling hot, Napalm like marshmallow on the face of the guy across the campfire's face? 

I know!  I've been wondering that myself... a fiery marshmallow bit will stick on skin and stay there, still burning!   How could he have no reaction at all?

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

I know!  I've been wondering that myself... a fiery marshmallow bit will stick on skin and stay there, still burning!   How could he have no reaction at all?

Right? Most people would at least jump and some would smack that lizard into the next county!

[Stella Rose]

4 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Right? Most people would at least jump and some would smack that lizard into the next county!

Or toss his ass into the fire. 

Roasted gecko anyone?  I believe that is a delicacy in at least 17 countries.

[proserpina65]

On ‎08‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 9:19 PM, Bastet said:

The company is calling the commercial series "Project Body Hair" and said this in the YouTube caption for the first one:  "For the past 100 years, razor brands have pretended body hair doesn't exist. Commercials show razors gliding over smooth, hairless legs. Strange, huh? Introducing Project Body Hair. A celebration of hair... wherever it is or isn't."  And, apparently, they are the first company selling women's razors to show body hair in their commercial.

I haven't looked at any others yet, but here's the first one:

I like the "whenever - if ever - you want to shave" line and that not everyone is hairless at the end of it (because I was prepared to scoff at a razor company touting yo, people - yes, even women - have body hair and then turning around and joining the chorus advocating we remove all traces of it).

The lady on the right needs to pluck that unibrow.

On ‎08‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 6:06 AM, Ubiquitous said:

I guess it's b/c we live in a germophobic society, but why are the people in the Clorox bleach commercials disinfecting their bathtubs for no good reason? Does anyone truly disinfect their bathtub before letting their child sit on the edge while you apply a Band-Aid to their knee?

The longer version of the one with the child getting a band-aid shows that it's in a clinic in either an underprivileged area or a non-first world country, so it makes more sense.

[proserpina65]

On ‎09‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 12:34 AM, Stella Rose said:

This kid is about ten. Can a man with emphysema really go from freshly spawning a kid to hospital bed in just ten years?

Absolutely.  It's a progressive disease, so it doesn't effect a person too badly at the beginning.  My father's went from no big deal to I can't breathe in less than 10 years.  Although it was the esophageal cancer which killed him.  Also related to his decades of smoking.

On ‎09‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 10:55 AM, funky-rat said:

There was a good article in the NY Daily News this morning about just that thing - how overblown the vaping thing is.  Apparently the UK National Health covers costs because it sees it as a viable alternative to help people quit.  It also said that most of the deaths/illnesses related to kids are because they're getting product from the black market.

Actually some of those affected were not using black market products or THC.  They're not really sure what's causing the problem, but it's not overblown considering how many people have gotten ill in a relatively short period of time.

On ‎09‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 10:05 AM, funky-rat said:

Amen, and I've never been a smoker.  I wish they'd go after alcohol companies with the same zeal they go after cigarette companies.  I fear the drunk (who can drive a car, get violent with people, has their inhibitions lowered/altered, etc) more than the smoker.

You can go after all of them.  But just because you've never been a smoker, that doesn't mean someone else's smoking can't affect your health.

[funky-rat]

1 minute ago, proserpina65 said:

You can go after all of them.  But just because you've never been a smoker, that doesn't mean someone else's smoking can't affect your health.

I didn't say that it did.  But there's still a greater chance of injury to me by a drunk.  Most of the world is not smoker friendly anymore (which is fine), and no one in my family smokes, so I'm generally not around smokers.  My husband is in recovery and I'm in a sister group to his recovery group, and it's downright scary how out-of-control many are with alcohol anymore.  And many turn a blind eye.

[proserpina65]

14 minutes ago, funky-rat said:

I didn't say that it did.  But there's still a greater chance of injury to me by a drunk.  Most of the world is not smoker friendly anymore (which is fine), and no one in my family smokes, so I'm generally not around smokers.  My husband is in recovery and I'm in a sister group to his recovery group, and it's downright scary how out-of-control many are with alcohol anymore.  And many turn a blind eye.

I agree that it's definitely a serious problem.  I'm just more sensitive to the smoking issue because I lived with parents who smoked Pall Malls until I was well into my 30s (their smoking, not my living there).  So second hand smoke is more of an issue for me.  And I guess e-cigarettes do eliminate that, but they deliver nicotine pretty efficiently and are addictive, too.