Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[proserpina65]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 11:31 AM, dleighg said:

It's not a kid, it's a young adult. The two young women were looking for a new roommate-- one wanted one that likes cats, the other wanted someone who cooks. The witch turned the first one into a cat.

I also do not know what they are selling. 🙂

It's one of Geico's Halloween related commercials.  They have a witch cooking a brew which turns one of them into a cat for a roommate, but at least they saved on renter's insurance.  I rather like the commercial although the one with the creepy mannequin tea party in the attic is funnier.

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 9:39 AM, Prevailing Wind said:

Drug reps show up at the vet's office, too, bearing pizza. Once they brought BBQ. Last week, we had breakfast to celebrate Vet Techs' Week. Fortunately, our break room is small enough that we ALL don't have to attend lectures. We wander in, visit the buffet, and take our food back to our desks. (or the countertops along the perimeter of the "treatment area" - they frequently have plates of some sort of food where folks are working through lunch to keep all the pets healthy.) Some of us get stuck sitting at the table, having to listen to a spiel about heartworm preventives.

I have seen a drug rep at my vet a few times.  Still no pizza, though.  I can't imagine having to listen to the rep without the food. :-(

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 1:46 PM, Bastet said:

That's the shorter version of the commercial.  In the longer cut, there's more in between the woman turning into a cat and her roommate getting out the cat toy.  She stares at her, asks her if she's feeling alright, etc. and then pulls out the cat toy to see how she'll respond.

I've never seen that version.  Cool.

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 4:40 PM, peacheslatour said:

I was a vet tech. We worked seven days a week, holidays and nights. Sick animals don't keep office hours. I couldn't take it and wimped out.

I could never work at a vet, not even just in the office.  Sick/injured animals make me so sad.

[Haleth]

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?  

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?  

Thank you!  Yes it is! 

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?

But someone feels like a genius for coming up with that re-branding! All those vegans would much prefer plant butter to icky margarine.

[smittykins]

I’ve wondered if “plant-based” is a way to avoid the dreaded V word.

[dleighg]

Just now, smittykins said:

’ve wondered if “plant-based” is a way to avoid the dreaded V word

yeah it works for both camps! Genius!

[Jaded]

On 10/25/2019 at 10:56 AM, chessiegal said:

GoodRX commercial with the woman in some kind of uniform (blue dress that looks like it could be for a diner waitress, maid??) with 2 young kids in tow. She says "My son really needs this drug" as they walk into a pharmacy. Why is the little boy grabbing his crotch? Is this some symptom of why he needs the drug or something that should have warranted a retake without the crotch grab? Not sure why it bothers me, but it does.

I've complained about that commercial in the annoyance thread. The Mom's tone of voice in it drives me crazy. I focusing on that made me not even realize what the boy was doing.

[jumper sage]

I think the commercial for some drug for IBS? is so stupid.  Everyone watches as the "person" go to leave for the bathroom like he is going to die.  I have family members with IBS and we no longer even notice.

[chessiegal]

24 minutes ago, jumper sage said:

I think the commercial for some drug for IBS? is so stupid.  Everyone watches as the "person" go to leave for the bathroom like he is going to die.  I have family members with IBS and we no longer even notice.

If you're talking about the one for ulcerative colitis, I can totally sympathize. My husband has been dealing with it for over 25 years. For the last 10 years it was in remission being treated with drugs. About a month ago it flared up again. So far his doctor has not gotten it under control with changes and upping of medications. It's gotten so bad he's almost housebound because he needs to be near a toilet at any given minute. It's awful for him and me.

[SoMuchTV]

On 10/25/2019 at 3:16 PM, Haleth said:

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?  

My grocery store for some reason gave me a coupon for a free pound. Yep, margarine. I’d rather have a little butter than a bunch of this. 

[Colleenna]

On 10/25/2019 at 4:52 PM, Browncoat said:

Thank you!  Yes it is! 

Actually, not necessarily. Some margarines contain milk solids. 

[Haleth]

9 hours ago, Colleenna said:

Actually, not necessarily. Some margarines contain milk solids. 

From the Country Crock website:

Quote

We crafted this delicious Plant Butter that’s made with plant based oils and features oils from avocados, olives, and almonds. It tastes like dairy butter and is excellent for cooking, baking and spreading. It is Plant-Based, dairy-free and gluten-free. In addition, Country Crock® Plant Butter production results in less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of dairy butter production.

Because avocados fart less than cows.  Oh, brother. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by Haleth

[Ubiquitous]

I might be overthinking this commercial, but there's a series of commercials with several sports mascots at a house having a party, interposed with them out of costume. Are they sppsd to be the people playing the mascots and why are they all at the same party in the same house? I'm pretty sure very college team doesn't play on one day...

[Popples]

14 minutes ago, Ubiquitous said:

I might be overthinking this commercial, but there's a series of commercials with several sports mascots at a house having a party, interposed with them out of costume. Are they sppsd to be the people playing the mascots and why are they all at the same party in the same house? I'm pretty sure very college team doesn't play on one day...

They're supposed to be fans from different schools coming together, especially since mascots represent school spirit. That's why the one at the tailgate hosted by the Michigan State mascot (Sparty) there's a bit of hesitation with him and the Ohio State mascot (Brutus), they're conference rivals.

Barring the odd Thursday or Friday night game or the team having the week off, college football is predominantly played on Saturdays, from noon EST to well past 2 am (WSU and Oregon last night).

[bad things are bad]

Quote

 Plant-Based, dairy-free and gluten-free

What about Kosher? that's a big "plant butter" market in my neck of the woods

[mmecorday]

Quote

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?

But it's margarine that gets the approval of a child who only eats buttered noodles!

I've had a life-long dislike of margarine. My grandmother tried to pass of Chiffon as butter. It may have fooled Mother Nature, but it didn't fool me!

[funky-rat]

33 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

What about Kosher? that's a big "plant butter" market in my neck of the woods

My Jewish cousins turned me on to real butter, oddly enough.  As long as it's Kosher, they're allowed to have it.  They weren't huge sticklers for keeping 100% Kosher, but I recall the symbols on the container.  My mom always did margarine (blech) because she complained butter was too fatty, and was too hard.  My Grammy called it"oleo" and she preferred to bake with it.

[dleighg]

13 minutes ago, funky-rat said:

My Jewish cousins turned me on to real butter, oddly enough.  As long as it's Kosher, they're allowed to have it.

I think the issue being referred to is not having dairy (real butter) along with meat at the same meal. That's why margarine is often used.

[funky-rat]

2 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I think the issue being referred to is not having dairy (real butter) along with meat at the same meal. That's why margarine is often used.

Understood, but butter is still required to be certified if you want to keep Kosher, aside from the table issues.  😀

http://www.ok.org/isitkosher/is-butterkosher/

[Colleenna]

3 hours ago, mmecorday said:

But it's margarine that gets the approval of a child who only eats buttered noodles!

I've had a life-long dislike of margarine. My grandmother tried to pass of Chiffon as butter. It may have fooled Mother Nature, but it didn't fool me!

Lips that touch margarine will never touch mine. 😉 Seriously --- I use only butter. I don't use a lot. It takes us over a month to use a pound of butter. There's no difference in calories between the two. As for cholesterol, my total cholesterol is 114, and half of that ---56 points --- is "good" cholesterol. So why in the world would I put a bunch of chemicals in my body?

[peacheslatour]

8 minutes ago, Colleenna said:

Lips that touch margarine will never touch mine. 😉 Seriously --- I use only butter. I don't use a lot. It takes us over a month to use a pound of butter. There's no difference in calories between the two. As for cholesterol, my total cholesterol is 114, and half of that ---56 points --- is "good" cholesterol. So why in the world would I put a bunch of chemicals in my body?

I can't stand margarine either. For years my hubs and I had both because he used it. One day he realized how nasty it is and we never bought it again.

[Silver Raven]

I really don't like dairy, period.  I only use milk in my cereal, can't stand the idea of drinking it.  Cheeses of any kind, sour cream, yogurt, they make me nauseous.  To me, butter smells and tastes rancid.

[cynicat]

27 minutes ago, Colleenna said:

 So why in the world would I put a bunch of chemicals in my body?

Butter is composed of chemicals.

[peacheslatour]

12 minutes ago, cynicat said:

Butter is composed of chemicals.

Literally everything is composed of chemicals.

[Colleenna]

26 minutes ago, cynicat said:

Butter is composed of chemicals.

Well, true. But they're naturally occurring chemicals, not lab manufactured. 

[ABay]

For some purposes, like toast or greasing a pan, I prefer margarine to butter. Baking, however, requires butter.

[amass]

6 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

What about Kosher? that's a big "plant butter" market in my neck of the woods

The new, plant-based, country crock is parve, if that’s what you mean... the original country crock was not....

(I still won’t eat it however... if I’m making a meat meal I just substitute olive oil for butter)

[mmecorday]

I saw a commercial for Colonial Penn today without Alex Trebek as the spokesperson. Now there's some guy named Jonathan who has all the charisma of a Dollar Tree dish towel. And still there are the annoying people who can't believe the premiums are $9.95. Obviously they don't see the fine print that says there's a limited payout if the person dies within the first two years of signing up for the insurance.

[peacheslatour]

12 hours ago, mmecorday said:

I saw a commercial for Colonial Penn today without Alex Trebek as the spokesperson. Now there's some guy named Jonathan who has all the charisma of a Dollar Tree dish towel. And still there are the annoying people who can't believe the premiums are $9.95. Obviously they don't see the fine print that says there's a limited payout if the person dies within the first two years of signing up for the insurance.

And that the payout for their $9.95 is $2500. That piddly little amount isn't going to help anyone.

[bad things are bad]

That's distressing...preparing for a Trebek-less future. 😞

[Colleenna]

5 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

And that the payout for their $9.95 is $2500. That piddly little amount isn't going to help anyone.

Jonathan has been around quite a while. Black dude, right? I think I first saw his ColPen commercials 6 or 7 years ago. 

[topanga]

On 10/29/2019 at 12:44 PM, bad things are bad said:

That's distressing...preparing for a Trebek-less future. 😞

Distressing indeed. I always felt a special kinship with Alex because we were both born on July 22nd. Any rumors abut a new Jeopardy host? I know it would be tacky and cruel for the network to discuss it in the press, but has anyone heard anything on the DL?

[Colleenna]

6 hours ago, topanga said:

Distressing indeed. I always felt a special kinship with Alex because we were both born on July 22nd. Any rumors abut a new Jeopardy host? I know it would be tacky and cruel for the network to discuss it in the press, but has anyone heard anything on the DL?

I would guess that will be the end of Jeopardy. 

[Ashforth]

17 minutes ago, Colleenna said:

I would guess that will be the end of Jeopardy. 

Oh, I think not. Regardless of health issues (and I'm wishing him the best), Alex would have retired at some point and a new host (using that term as gender-free) would take over.

[proserpina65]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 3:16 PM, Haleth said:

Country Crock Plant Butter. Sorry?  Isn’t that, you know, margarine?  

And it tastes nothing like butter, and doesn't work like butter in a lot of recipes.

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 9:38 PM, jumper sage said:

I think the commercial for some drug for IBS? is so stupid.  Everyone watches as the "person" go to leave for the bathroom like he is going to die.  I have family members with IBS and we no longer even notice.

If it's the ulcerative colitis commercials, I find the one with the girlfriend annoying.  Her boyfriend has a medical condition, and she's all bothered by how it inconveniences her.  So what if he has to go to the bathroom during a party?  That happens to most people.  and her parents can meet him some other time.

On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 10:49 AM, peacheslatour said:

And that the payout for their $9.95 is $2500. That piddly little amount isn't going to help anyone.

Idk, it doesn't sound like a lot depending on how many months of premiums you've paid, but $2500 is a lot of money to me, and would probably help a lot for expenses when my mother dies.  Not that she has Colonial Penn or anything like that, but I'm not turning down any pay outs from whatever life insurance she does have.

On ‎10‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 9:58 PM, Colleenna said:

I would guess that will be the end of Jeopardy. 

I doubt it.  Alex wouldn't want it to end, and I'm sure the producers have a plan.  And I wouldn't stop watching, because for me it's not about the host.  It's about making the contestants look stupid from my couch.  (I say that as someone who lost on Jeopardy.)

[friendperidot]

I think Jeopardy will continue as long as it gets ratings, there was Jeopardy before Alex Trebek and there will be Jeopardy after. 

Whether and insurance payout is piddly or not is all in the prospective, I've considered something like one of those insurance companies like Colonial Penn, because of circumstances has left me without a burial plan. I don't really give a shit if my family gets any money or not. They wouldn't pay my medical bills or any other bills anyway. Nor are they obligated to, they did not co-sign any agreements on any of my bills. And even if I won sever hundred million dollars in a lottery, I wouldn't leave them much, I'd put it almost all to go to animal charities, I'd rather see recused animals have the money than have it go for drugs.

[peacheslatour]

19 minutes ago, friendperidot said:

I think Jeopardy will continue as long as it gets ratings, there was Jeopardy before Alex Trebek and there will be Jeopardy after. 

Whether and insurance payout is piddly or not is all in the prospective, I've considered something like one of those insurance companies like Colonial Penn, because of circumstances has left me without a burial plan. I don't really give a shit if my family gets any money or not. They wouldn't pay my medical bills or any other bills anyway. Nor are they obligated to, they did not co-sign any agreements on any of my bills. And even if I won sever hundred million dollars in a lottery, I wouldn't leave them much, I'd put it almost all to go to animal charities, I'd rather see recused animals have the money than have it go for drugs.

I have a son and I want to leave him as much as I possibly can. We don't get buried in our family so that won't be a concern But $2500. wouldn't be enough to bury anyone anyway. And if they have medical bills, credit card debt and any other debts the money would be rather ineffectual. It's better to pay off your mortgage and leave no debts, if possible.

[docmatt]

There's a Microsoft commercial that reallly upsets me every time I see it.  There is a Snow Leopard Conservationalist talking about technology that allows them to discern the leopards from the background in their surveillance footage. I get that the knowledge helps them to protect the leopards, but I keep worrying that poachers have access to the same technology.

And then I'm distracted from the first minute back to the show.

[Colleenna]

11 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I have a son and I want to leave him as much as I possibly can. We don't get buried in our family so that won't be a concern But $2500. wouldn't be enough to bury anyone anyway. And if they have medical bills, credit card debt and any other debts the money would be rather ineffectual. It's better to pay off your mortgage and leave no debts, if possible.

I don't have life insurance. If I die first, my husband will be quite well taken care of by whatever is left in my IRA plus our joint savings account. We have no debt. House has been paid off for about 15 years. Paid cash for both cars. We have no children. So why should I buy life insurance?

[peacheslatour]

16 minutes ago, Colleenna said:

I don't have life insurance. If I die first, my husband will be quite well taken care of by whatever is left in my IRA plus our joint savings account. We have no debt. House has been paid off for about 15 years. Paid cash for both cars. We have no children. So why should I buy life insurance?

Exactly. We have owned our house free and clear for decades and while I do have a little credit card debt, our cars are paid for too. The thing that gets most people is medical bills. The health care industry in this country is a scandal.

[Gramto6]

6 hours ago, Colleenna said:

I don't have life insurance. If I die first, my husband will be quite well taken care of by whatever is left in my IRA plus our joint savings account. We have no debt. House has been paid off for about 15 years. Paid cash for both cars. We have no children. So why should I buy life insurance?

I don't either. I am a widow, house paid for, car paid for, no credit card debt. My two children have high paying jobs (Police & Fire Depts) with terrific benefits. They don't "need" any help from me. (I will leave what is left to them and my grands.)  My investments serve me well and I have a terrific no cost secondary on my medicare and I pay very little for anything Medicare doesn't cover. Any and all Rx's cost me a flat $2. The medical came as a benificiary of my late DH. Why would I spend money on Life Ins??

Edited November 7, 2019 by Gramto6

[Bastet]

Life insurance is generally not advised unless there is someone relying on your income; if you die, the life insurance benefit replaces that for them.  If you don't have any dependents (or you do but have significant assets to leave them so there's no need for an income replacement to keep them provided for after your death) and aren't going to leave your heirs saddled with more debt than assets, there's no point in paying life insurance premiums.  But the commercials, of course, make it sound like everyone should have it and you're a big asshole to your adult children if you don't.

[funky-rat]

My parents cashed theirs in.  My dad can get free burial as he is a vet.  My mom can be buried with him for a very nominal cost.  Their house is paid off.  They have a home equity loan, but it's not outrageous.  They use it to purchase cars, as the intrest is like 1% on it, and she can pay stuff off quicker.  I won't carry any past retirement age.  And I only have enough to pay off our bills and final expenses (neither of us want to be buried).  We have no kids.  It all seems pointless once you no longer need to work, provided you don't have a lot of debt.

[peacheslatour]

12 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I don't either. I am a widow, house paid for, car paid for, no credit card debt. My two children have high paying jobs (Police & Fire Depts) with terrific benefits. They don't "need" any help from me. (I will leave what is left to them and my grands.)  My investments serve me well and I have a terrific no cost secondary on my medicare and I pay very little for anything Medicare doesn't cover. Any and all Rx's cost me a flat $2. The medical came as a benificiary of my late DH. Why would I spend money on Life Ins??

Who do you get your secondary through?

[Gramto6]

6 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Who do you get your secondary through?

United Health Care. It is a Cadillac policy. DH worked for Pepsi for 27 years in the credit department.

[peacheslatour]

11 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

United Health Care. It is a Cadillac policy. DH worked for Pepsi for 27 years in the credit department.

Thanks for the info. We're going to be getting Medicare in a few years. That's what my parents have. They got theirs through AARP.

[theatremouse]

Please return to discussing commercials that make you scratch your heads.

[cynicat]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you have to advertise that you have insurance against mistakes in your deliveries, I think you're making way too many mistakes.  Perhaps it would be a better investment putting the money into fixing the problem.  

[mmecorday]

And the people receiving the pizzas act like they're getting a check from Publisher's Clearing House. It's just Domino's Pizza!

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

And the people receiving the pizzas act like they're getting a check from Publisher's Clearing House. It's just Domino's Pizza!

Plus they stand around on the front porch with the lid open thus the pizza will be cold. Bleh, cold Domino's.