Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[KLovestoShop]

I hate the freak for Philly cream cheese.  Someone needs to schmear his face in cream cheese that’s gone bad. 

[blackwing]

16 hours ago, theatremouse said:

The voiceover and text onscreen says drivers who switched to them save on average $700 a year. So they're implying that savings is "making (him) money". I assume the hood ornament is singing along to imply both he and his car are happy about his choice.

I understand that, but the song choice is just odd to me... it would make more sense if they used a song that said "saving me money".  And I still submit the hood ornament coming to life is just so very odd.  I'm trying to imagine the pitch for this ad... I picture Jon Hamm intoning in a conference room, "there's this guy, driving in a convertible, enjoying life.  He breaks into song about making money.  Slow pan of the camera to the front of the car.  The hood ornament comes to life and starts singing along to the song.  They both love making money.  Genius."  So weird.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, blackwing said:

it would make more sense if they used a song that said "saving me money".

I don't think there are as many odes to frugality out there to choose from as there are '80s ditties about accumulating wealth.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I don't think there are as many odes to frugality out there to choose from as there are '80s ditties about accumulating wealth.

Well, there is Don't Bogart That Joint but I think it's more a sixties thing.

[janie jones]

I just like that the prevalence of the commercial gives me more opportunities (see what I did there?) to tell my husband that it's our song, given that I've got the brains and he's got both the looks and the brawn.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I don't understand the Skittles commercial with the man in the room, and he opens one little door, and Skittles pour out.  That part I understand.    However, when opening another little door, and the lion tries to claw him is bizarre.  I don't see that as selling Skittles. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Prevailing Wind]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I don't understand the Skittles commercial with the man in the room, and he opens one little door, and Skittles pour out.  That part I understand.    However, when opening another little door, and the lion tries to claw him is bizarre.  I don't see that as selling Skittles. 

I don't see that as selling *anything*.  I get the idea he's moving in and see the little doors & opens them. Didn't the look the place over before he moved in?  Did he not know the wee doors were there?

[smartyshorts]

11 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I don't see that as selling *anything*.  I get the idea he's moving in and see the little doors & opens them. Didn't the look the place over before he moved in?  Did he not know the wee doors were there?

Maybe that was the selling point...he really wanted to try those little doors!

 

Dunkin Donuts has a commercial about getting everything (and everyone ) running again with iced coffee...but the whole crowd of people "running" though the city all have giant iced coffees with NO TOP on them!!! It stresses me out so bad.

How is that even possible?  How is iced coffee not sloshed all over everything and everyone?  Have you ever gotten a drink without a lid and straw from a fast food place?  Ever??  

[peacheslatour]

12 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I don't see that as selling *anything*.  I get the idea he's moving in and see the little doors & opens them. Didn't the look the place over before he moved in?  Did he not know the wee doors were there?

Judging by that disgusting "Skittlespox" commercial, I think their marketing dept. has settled on "absurdity" as their market niche. I don't like Skittles, they're just disappointing M&Ms.

[cynicat]

17 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Judging by that disgusting "Skittlespox" commercial, I think their marketing dept. has settled on "absurdity" as their market niche. I don't like Skittles, they're just disappointing M&Ms.

There are times when if I don't understand a commercial, I figure I'm not their demographic.  Since I believe they mainly market towards kids, that might be it.  Then again, sometimes it's just that the commercial is just really bad.

[chessiegal]

4 hours ago, cynicat said:

There are times when if I don't understand a commercial, I figure I'm not their demographic.  Since I believe they mainly market towards kids, that might be it.  Then again, sometimes it's just that the commercial is just really bad.

Skittles commercials are definitely aimed at kids. I have a high tolerance for silly - the Skittle ads don't bother me, but my 4-10 yo grands think they are funny. And they like Skittles (I don't).

[SoMuchTV]

Okay, I'm not here to complain about all the TMI personal hygiene product ads.  But I have to comment on one I just saw for some kind of maxi-pad type product.  It promises "up to zero leaks" and "up to zero bunching".  Leaving aside the math aspect (up to zero? where are we starting?), they're basically promising anything between no results and perfect results?

[proserpina65]

On 7/10/2021 at 9:21 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I don't understand the Skittles commercial with the man in the room, and he opens one little door, and Skittles pour out.  That part I understand.    However, when opening another little door, and the lion tries to claw him is bizarre.  I don't see that as selling Skittles. 

I find that commercial amusing, and yet I agree that it doesn't make me want to eat Skittles.  To be fair, none of the commercials over the past few years have sold the product to me either.  They're all weird and/or disgusting.

On 7/11/2021 at 12:33 PM, peacheslatour said:

Judging by that disgusting "Skittlespox" commercial, I think their marketing dept. has settled on "absurdity" as their market niche. I don't like Skittles, they're just disappointing M&Ms.

I occasionally want Skittles because they're fruity, but the commercials are mostly yucky.

[janie jones]

On 7/11/2021 at 9:03 AM, smartyshorts said:

How is that even possible?  How is iced coffee not sloshed all over everything and everyone?  Have you ever gotten a drink without a lid and straw from a fast food place?  Ever??  

I mean it wouldn't happen with iced coffee, because they make it behind the counter, but if you're getting a fountain drink, they just give you a cup. I typically don't take a lid and straw. Plus a lot of places/companies have straw bans. But still I agree; it'd be sloshing around if you were running. I'd take a lid if my cup was going to be jostled.

On 7/12/2021 at 6:04 PM, SoMuchTV said:

Okay, I'm not here to complain about all the TMI personal hygiene product ads.  But I have to comment on one I just saw for some kind of maxi-pad type product.  It promises "up to zero leaks" and "up to zero bunching".  Leaving aside the math aspect (up to zero? where are we starting?), they're basically promising anything between no results and perfect results?

That's probably exactly their intention. It can't be false advertising if you tell people that any results are possible.

[Prevailing Wind]

My mom had one in the early 90s. Her hearing was so bad, she couldn't even hear the chirping.  When I'd come to visit for the weekend, she'd put it in a drawer so it wouldn't chirp at all - I slept on the couch right beneath where the clock was hanging and the room wasn't all that dark overnight, so there would be birdsong all night long - that she couldn't even hear.  She also had a plush toy of the Taco Bell Chihuahua that when you squeezed its ear, it would say, "Yo quiero Taco Bell."  It doesn't take much to amuse some people.

[madmax]

3 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

I thing the clock is cute, but I would think after awhile the singing birds would get on my nerves.

A friend of mine had one and every time we went to her house, I'd think she had a bird trapped inside somewhere.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, madmax said:

A friend of mine had one and every time we went to her house, I'd think she had a bird trapped inside somewhere.

Well then, at least it was realistic.

[smittykins]

My mom has one of those clocks, and she gave one to me, but I never used it(I’m a renter and I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to hang it with).

[peacheslatour]

13 minutes ago, smittykins said:

My mom has one of those clocks, and she gave one to me, but I never used it(I’m a renter and I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to hang it with).

You should try it out just to see what it sounds like.

[Nicmar]

On 7/17/2021 at 4:39 AM, icemiser69 said:

I saw this commercial this morning. 

How old do you think the footage in this commercial is?

I know that it is a commercial for the 25th anniversary bird clock, but the commercial itself looks to me like it is late 70s early 80s.   The kids' clothing itself I think makes it look that old. However, the lady is wearing a necklace that looks like it came straight out of the June Cleaver collection which makes the commercial look much older than that.  The clock does have a sensor that turns off the bird whistles when it gets dark.  I don't know when that technology was developed.

I thing the clock is cute, but I would think after awhile the singing birds would get on my nerves.

The numbers aren't that big.  I would have to rely on the birds to know what time it is.  It is twenty-five minutes past the cardinal, I am going to be late for my appointment.

I would love to get one for work!! lol

[Leeds]

 

On 7/12/2021 at 6:04 PM, SoMuchTV said:

Okay, I'm not here to complain about all the TMI personal hygiene product ads.  But I have to comment on one I just saw for some kind of maxi-pad type product.  It promises "up to zero leaks" and "up to zero bunching".  Leaving aside the math aspect (up to zero? where are we starting?), they're basically promising anything between no results and perfect results?

Yet another reason to use tampons.  (And not Tampax, which are crap.)

"Use a line every day."  I love that they're pushing cocaine on primetime TV these days.  Oh, you mean Align.  This is what happens when I don't mute the commercials.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Leeds
Basic grammar that I've known for decades.

[trudysmom]

On 7/8/2021 at 11:21 AM, blackwing said:

Why is he singing "let's make lots of money"?  Why does the hood ornament come to life? 

I can't tell you how creeped out I am by that  hood ornament thing.  Of course I also hate those blow up wobbly things you see at some businesses, ugh.  But that silver liquid metal woman-thing is just wrong.

[CrystalBlue]

2 hours ago, Leeds said:

 

Yet another reason to use tampons.  (And not Tampax, which are crap.)

"Use a line every day."  I love that they're pushing cocaine on primetime TV these days.  Oh, you mean Align.  This is what happens when I don't mute the commercials.

Don't you love just comedienne Amy Schumer's Time To Tampax commercial?  (Neither do I.)  The young woman Amy saves from being Tampax-less by offering her five different boxes is weird.  Does she carry a small suitcase full of Tampax boxes around with her?  Even more "Say What?" is the gal ordering one for today and one for tomorrow.  OK then, you use one super per day?

Edited July 22, 2021 by CrystalBlue

[Gharlane]

On 5/17/2021 at 11:31 PM, Prevailing Wind said:

I have scrutinized that Amazon commercial. Dude pouring milk is still in the kitchen, to the left of Dude with coffee cup. Two ladies at the table and Dude who is probably Grandpa tripping & dropping cake on Grandma. I, too, wonder who falls asleep at their birthday party, but more than that, I wonder about the extreme diversity of that family - Black, Hispanic, and White (in alphabetic order) all in the same family? (I'm assuming coffee dude is Hispanic.)  Are there really families that diverse?  Mine are all white folks, so I can't go by my experience, but I AM curious. 

I thought they were family friends, but yeah, I have noticed a lot of "diverse" families on TV lately. 

 

On 5/24/2021 at 5:04 PM, dleighg said:

I have only seen the 30 second version of this ad, but the extra 30 seconds don't help me out. Does Expedia help you when you miss your plane? Does it help you when you find out you booked a crappy hotel? I've used Expedia (with care) and my understanding is that making changes is next to impossible because of the way their booking process works. You can't (for example) add a day to your hotel stay, even if there are rooms available, since the hotel "owns" those extra days, not expedia. 

That commercial gave me the creeps. I got the impression she was being stalked.

 

On 5/29/2021 at 4:17 PM, CrystalBlue said:

Another pointless SF with Jake commercial.  At least the twins aren't bestowing pizza or cuts of meat or hand-carved knobs on Jake.  Lame and weak.  Like another stupid commercial, State Farm is there.

At least it's not another Liberty Biberty commercial.

 

On 7/17/2021 at 5:39 AM, icemiser69 said:

I saw this commercial this morning. 

How old do you think the footage in this commercial is?

I know that it is a commercial for the 25th anniversary bird clock, but the commercial itself looks to me like it is late 70s early 80s.   The kids' clothing itself I think makes it look that old. However, the lady is wearing a necklace that looks like it came straight out of the June Cleaver collection which makes the commercial look much older than that.  The clock does have a sensor that turns off the bird whistles when it gets dark.  I don't know when that technology was developed.

I don't think that's footage from the original bird-clock commercial, but does this mean that singing plastic fish is going to be making a comeback soon?

 

[Moose135]

2 hours ago, Gharlane said:

At least it's not another Liberty Biberty commercial.

I loved the Liberty Biberty guy!

[Gharlane]

Speaking of that company with stupid lame commercials, in the one with Doug and the emu having a cook-out, why are the chickens on the grill arranged like that? Do people cook chickens in a sitting position? They looked creepy.

[chessiegal]

45 minutes ago, Gharlane said:

Speaking of that company with stupid lame commercials, in the one with Doug and the emu having a cook-out, why are the chickens on the grill arranged like that? Do people cook chickens in a sitting position? They looked creepy.

I know the commercial, but hadn't paid attention to the chickens. Sounds like they were doing beer can chicken - you put the beer can in the cavity and cook them on the can. The beer is supposed to keep them moist.

[Prevailing Wind]

Yup. Those are beer can chickens.  And you KNOW Doug is the kind of guy that would focus on the beer rather than the chicken.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Prevailing Wind

[sempervivum]

Maybe it's just me, but those 'Skims' commercials (undies being marketed by Kim Kartrashian) mostly just make me think 'Wow, Kate Moss looks really flat chested in that bra'. Although I guess it's better than watching Kim and Krew waving their silcone fun-bags around.

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Gharlane said:

Speaking of that company with stupid lame commercials, in the one with Doug and the emu having a cook-out, why are the chickens on the grill arranged like that? Do people cook chickens in a sitting position? They looked creepy.

Lol. NM

Edited July 22, 2021 by peacheslatour

[bankerchick]

I'm still not sure after multiple viewings what the woman is actually saying in the Resolve commercial, but it sure sounds like, 'I'm not sure this will work on my kid's fucking stains.'

[sempervivum]

I'd like to know what Mr. Biggs is saying in the Car Shield ads where he tells Ice T that when he saw Ice doing commercials for Car Shield he knew it must be a good product because Ice has always been 'official' 'officious' 'efficient' (?)

[Tom Holmberg]

I can't see myself buying a house from that guy in the Redfin commercials. Just saying.

[trudysmom]

Why does the guy in the Oreo commercial have a blue face in the beginning then a regular face a few seconds later?  It's disturbing.

[Tom Holmberg]

On 7/23/2021 at 10:47 AM, sempervivum said:

I'd like to know what Mr. Biggs is saying in the Car Shield ads where he tells Ice T that when he saw Ice doing commercials for Car Shield he knew it must be a good product because Ice has always been 'official' 'officious' 'efficient' (?)

Close caption says "official."  I guess that's hip hop slang.

[mmecorday]

Quote

Maybe it's just me, but those 'Skims' commercials (undies being marketed by Kim Kartrashian) mostly just make me think 'Wow, Kate Moss looks really flat chested in that bra'. Although I guess it's better than watching Kim and Krew waving their silicone fun-bags around.

Silicone Funbags is now the name of my punk group. I think Kate Moss looks great now. She was so emaciated back in the 1990s. Heroin chic should have never been a trend.

Speaking of funbags, I thought for something to be milk, it technically has to come from a mammary gland. Almonds don't have them. So shouldn't it be called an almond flavored beverage? I really don't believe that Almond Breeze is "irresistibly delicious" or that it deserves the worshipful gaze of the little girl who has just polished off a glass of it in that commercial.

 

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, mmecorday said:

I thought for something to be milk, it technically has to come from a mammary gland.

That's what the dairy industry is up in arms about.

[dleighg]

6 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

That's what the dairy industry is up in arms about

I tend to agree to a certain extent (the idea of "milking" almonds is strangely hilarious), but then again, there is coconut milk, which no one raised a fuss about until other "milks" started appearing in the dairy section for us to put on our cereal.

[Prevailing Wind]

I've seen a billboard: "Nut milk is NOT milk."

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I've seen a billboard: "Nut milk is NOT milk."

The Diary industry has to try to keep their market share, I guess.

[Tom Holmberg]

19 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I've seen a billboard: "Nut milk is NOT milk."

Do you live in Wisconsin? They used to not let yellow margarine in the state.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Tom Holmberg

[Prevailing Wind]

54 minutes ago, Tom Holmberg said:

Do you live in Wisconsin? They used to not let yellow margarine in the state.

Georgia. The billboard is on the way to the Atlanta airport.

 

[sempervivum]

23 hours ago, Tom Holmberg said:

Do you live in Wisconsin? They used to not let yellow margarine in the state.

Yeah, I remember that. Seems like only yesterday- however, it's been legal for 52 years. 

[Tom Holmberg]

14 minutes ago, sempervivum said:

Yeah, I remember that. Seems like only yesterday- however, it's been legal for 52 years. 

It was banned for 72 years. 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/special-reports/dairy-crisis/2019/08/28/protect-dairy-industry-wisconsin-tried-keep-yellow-margarine-out-oleo-run/1950671001/

 

[Tom Holmberg]

On 7/26/2021 at 5:11 PM, Prevailing Wind said:

I've seen a billboard: "Nut milk is NOT milk."

[Gharlane]

Why is that woman in what I think is a credit card commercial sneaking away for vacation from her own house?

[BookWitch]

Kayak commercial

Does anyone else get an Ellen vibe from this woman? Almost sounds like her.

 

[Dirtybubble]

"Hinge the dating app that can be deleted."

Umm can't EVERY app be deleted?  Why is Hinge acting like this is some wild accomplishment?

 

[Maverick]

 If it's the one saw, it's "the app that's designed to be deleted."  Meaning, that the goal of the app is the same as your mother's:  to get you married off.

[peacheslatour]

16 minutes ago, Dirtybubble said:

"Hinge the dating app that can be deleted."

Umm can't EVERY app be deleted?  Why is Hinge acting like this is some wild accomplishment?

 

That's like Chime implying that they're the only ones that have direct deposit, when literally every bank does it.