Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Annber03]

That's like the ad for osme kind of drink, can't remember the name, that uses the instrumental part of Yaz's "Only You" in the commercial. Love that song, but...not sure what it has to do with a drink :p? 

The ad does always make me want to go listen to the song afterward, though, so there's that. 

[Shrek]

19 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

The song choice for this ad has me scratching my head.  

I get that the instrumental part is banging and they cut it so the lyrics are not heard, but I still know them.  "'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, that's life. Tryna make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die" does not belong in an ad.  I also know this song from the end of Cruel Intentions where it actually fits.

I have no issue with using any tune without the words, especially when most people wouldn't even know the words anyway & if you want to sing the words that's on you, not the commercial. I have much more of an issue when commercials use a song & change the tune slightly along with someone singing who mangles the song & sounds terrible, which is any song that isn't the original singer/band.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I can't believe the commercial I just saw for Native whole body deodorant, where one woman is a centaur.   

 

[Prevailing Wind]

13 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I can't believe the commercial I just saw for Native whole body deodorant, where one woman is a centaur.   

 

And she whinnies!

[mmecorday]

I keep seeing this ad for Amazon Prime with this sad-faced woman who moves into what looks like a small, Soviet-era apartment with a balcony. To alleviate her blues, she starts buying live plants from Amazon. By the end of the commercial it looks like the plants have completely taken over her apartment and her balcony. But she sort of looks happy-ish. So maybe Amazon is telling us that when we're sad, we just need to make our homes look like Life after People. 

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

I keep seeing this ad for Amazon Prime with this sad-faced woman who moves into what looks like a small, Soviet-era apartment with a balcony. To alleviate her blues, she starts buying live plants from Amazon. By the end of the commercial it looks like the plants have completely taken over her apartment and her balcony. But she sort of looks happy-ish. So maybe Amazon is telling us that when we're sad, we just need to make our homes look like Life after People. 

The weirdest thing about it to me is that apparently she's inspired to do all this by watching Good Omens.  Is gardening a big deal on that show?

[meep.meep]

No.  It's on Prime.  The commercial is showing how she can buy all this stuff on Amazon.  I thought she was supposed to be in NYC.

[Prevailing Wind]

I'll buy plants from Amazon if Crowley delivers them.

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

The weirdest thing about it to me is that apparently she's inspired to do all this by watching Good Omens.  Is gardening a big deal on that show?

Not since the Garden of Eden.

I'm trying to imagine Crowley's disgust at having to deliver flowers.

[InDueTime]

Everytime I see this Progessive ad, I have questions.

Why didn't the guy's date contact him to say to meet him at the prom? If the dad already knew his daughter wasn't there, why did he have him come inside the house? Also, why does the dad think anyone would give one single damn about his staircase?

[CrystalBlue]

2 hours ago, InDueTime said:

Everytime I see this Progessive ad, I have questions.

Why didn't the guy's date contact him to say to meet him at the prom? If the dad already knew his daughter wasn't there, why did he have him come inside the house? Also, why does the dad think anyone would give one single damn about his staircase?

Argh, that music.

[Gharlane]

5 hours ago, InDueTime said:

Why didn't the guy's date contact him to say to meet him at the prom? If the dad already knew his daughter wasn't there, why did he have him come inside the house? Also, why does the dad think anyone would give one single damn about his staircase?

The prom date and her father are assholes, that's why.

[proserpina65]

On 5/31/2024 at 7:08 PM, meep.meep said:

No.  It's on Prime.  The commercial is showing how she can buy all this stuff on Amazon.  I thought she was supposed to be in NYC.

Ah, that makes sense.  Didn't realize it was on Prime.

13 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Argh, that music.

It's a parody of every late 80s-early 90s team comedy, so the music is appropriate, if supremely annoying.

I actually find the commercial really funny, but it does tend to have problems if you think about it.

[dleighg]

one of the several Otezla ads-- this is the one with the woman who imagines herself on a fashion runway. There's a woman in the front row of the audience who lifts her sunglasses to look-- she looks like Nina Garcia from Project Runway. I know it's not her, but I imagine it's not an accident. Anyone else see this?

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

It's a parody of every late 80s-early 90s team comedy, so the music is appropriate, if supremely annoying.

The song was released in 1999, and I thought it was even later than that until I looked it up, so it doesn't evoke that era/genre for me. 

But it doesn't bug me, either -- it's a dumb scenario, and not remotely amusing to me, but in a way that just rolls right past me rather than annoying me.

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

The song was released in 1999, and I thought it was even later than that until I looked it up, so it doesn't evoke that era/genre for me. 

But it doesn't bug me, either -- it's a dumb scenario, and not remotely amusing to me, but in a way that just rolls right past me rather than annoying me.

Wow, was it really that late?  Oh well, it fit the vibe of that kind of teen rom-com for me, with it's whole "dorky girl made over for the prom, coming down the stairs to meet her amazed date" thing.

[Prevailing Wind]

Oh, we live in such interesting times.  Sonic has just invented crinkle fries!

[chessiegal]

27 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

Oh, we live in such interesting times.  Sonic has just invented crinkle fries!

But they're cheap. Doesn't matter which size you order, it's $1. I like the line at the end - does anyone buy anything but a large?

The Sonic commercials have worked on me. I went recently based on the commercials reminding me there is one near me. I enjoyed the food.

[proserpina65]

57 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

But they're cheap. Doesn't matter which size you order, it's $1. I like the line at the end - does anyone buy anything but a large?

The Sonic commercials have worked on me. I went recently based on the commercials reminding me there is one near me. I enjoyed the food.

I do.  I rarely want the large container of fries.

Never been to the Sonic near me, but know that I know they have crinkle cut fries, I might have to make a trip.  So I guess you could say that commercial worked on me, no matter how stupid it was for them to act like crinkle cut fries are so unique.

[Ohiopirate02]

27 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

I do.  I rarely want the large container of fries.

I'm the same.  I don't like cold fries and end up throwing away the final quarter to third of any large order of fries I eat.  

[Prevailing Wind]

I've stopped getting fries & get 4 chicken nuggets instead. Probably the same amount of fat, but a bit more protein.

There isn't a Sonic near me; the closest one I know of is closed & boarded up, so even if the commercial worked for me, I'm still SOL.

[chessiegal]

I was at a doctor's appointment about 10 years ago soon after Sonic opened in my area. The receptionist was confirming my address when she looked at me and said in a hushed tone - you have a Sonic, right? I had no idea Sonic was the claim to fame for my little unincorporated area. 🤣

[Ohiopirate02]

 

I was at a doctor's appointment about 10 years ago soon after Sonic opened in my area. The receptionist was confirming my address when she looked at me and said in a hushed tone - you have a Sonic, right? I had no idea Sonic was the claim to fame for my little unincorporated area. 🤣

Sonic's food is mid at best.  I don't go there for their burgers or hot dogs or whatever.  I go there for their drinks.  They have a ton of different syrups in addition to Coke products so they have fun flavors. And, most importantly, they have the Good Ice.

[SweetieDarling]

The commercial for the Aroma 360 scent diffuser for cars

 

 

Makes me think of this:

 

[Baltimore Betty]

On 6/11/2024 at 12:25 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

they have the Good Ice.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to know that others value or rate ice as good, if you know, you know.  

Their food is awful.

Edited June 18 by Baltimore Betty

[mmecorday]

What I thought Shaq said: "New Icy Hot Pro Massaging Bone."

What Shaq actually said: "New Icy Hot Pro Massaging Balm." 

[millennium]

Why is Lady Gaga moonlighting as a photographer?  Does she need the money?

What kind of crazy photo shoot is it where the photographer gets glammed up by a team of hair and wardrobe stylists and make-up artists but the subjects look like a bunch of everyday people from the mall?

How is Lady Gaga able to get back on her feet after being crouched down on her knees while wearing 7" heels?

Who's taking the photo when Lady Gaga is posing with the models?

In the troubled times we live in, these are the things that keep me awake at night.

[dleighg]

the JG Wentworth Structured Settlement people with the opera singers. Now the same song, the same opera singers, are no longer performing on stage, but are apparently in a bowling alley/rollerblade rink/video game arcade. WHY????

[chessiegal]

23 minutes ago, dleighg said:

the JG Wentworth Structured Settlement people with the opera singers. Now the same song, the same opera singers, are no longer performing on stage, but are apparently in a bowling alley/rollerblade rink/video game arcade. WHY????

I've seen them on a bus. They get around! 😄

[annzeepark914]

I have no idea what product is being promoted in the ad featuring the woman stuffing her clothes with straw, schlepping out to a pole, hoisting herself onto the cross pole and screaming at the crows. What is Kayak & what's the connection with this scarecrow woman?

[dleighg]

Kayak is yet another booking company that purports to get you the best deal on your hotel or flight or whatever, and it's easy. The ad is showing someone who doesn't believe in "easy" and wants to do everything herself, so she has to be the scarecrow. At least this ad is much better than the one where the guy doesn't use a vacuum and instead floats himself all over his floor sucking up debris. Yes, with his mouth.

[Gharlane]

On 6/20/2024 at 2:30 PM, millennium said:

Who's taking the photo when Lady Gaga is posing with the models?

A huge mirror?

[Baltimore Betty]

On 6/22/2024 at 1:05 PM, dleighg said:

Kayak is yet another booking company that purports to get you the best deal on your hotel or flight or whatever, and it's easy. The ad is showing someone who doesn't believe in "easy" and wants to do everything herself, so she has to be the scarecrow. At least this ad is much better than the one where the guy doesn't use a vacuum and instead floats himself all over his floor sucking up debris. Yes, with his mouth.

Every time I hear the scarecrow lady I think it is an ad for a scary movie, she creeps me out.

With his mouth?!?!?

[dleighg]

2 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

With his mouth?!?!?

Yes, though I have to say after seeing that one a couple times maybe 3 months ago, I haven't seen it since. I imagine it grossed nearly EVERYONE out.

[Red Bridey]

I am bemused and a little confused by the Perdue chicken commercial with a pretty woman who doesn't want to feed two hellions her delicious chicken Parm. I am confused because there is no indication as to why these children are terrorizing a ginormous fish tank in a lovely living room with zero punishment, or what relationship she has with these monsters. The only reason I don't find the commercial infuriating is because I like the mom/babysitter/stepmom's voice and her delivery of her dialogue. 

[Maverick]

Why is Starbucks using Here Comes the Hotstepper in their ads, complete with the repeated phrase "murderer!" in it?   I know things are are getting rough out there in a lot of fast food places but is advertising murder really a selling point?

[millennium]

8 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

Every time I hear the scarecrow lady I think it is an ad for a scary movie, she creeps me out.

The scarecrow lady presents a host of new things to ponder.

What's with the straw?  Why does she need straw?   Straw is used in scarecrows to stuff the clothes and create the semblance of a human body.   But she's already filling out the clothes with her own torso and limbs.   The straw, then, becomes gratuitous.   I suppose one might argue "but crows are accustomed to seeing scarecrows made of straw -- a scarecrow without straw might make them uncomfortable."   But that's precisely the point of a scarecrow, n'est-ce pas?

The woman's first official act as a scarecrow is to scream loudly at Heckyll and Jeckyll & Co.  Now, I have taken many pleasant drives through the countryside, oftentimes passing by rolling fields of corn.  Not only is it rare to see an actual scarecrow stationed among the rows these days, but the odds of spotting one screaming must be ... well, astronomical (in fact, I have never witnessed a scarecrow vocalize in any way). 

 

[Gharlane]

Yeah, I never understood the purpose of scarecrows because the birds aren't that stupid and don't flee from humans. I've been in parking lots with birds and they don't flee as a I pass, just move out of the way.

[Baltimore Betty]

10 hours ago, millennium said:

The straw, then, becomes gratuitous.

Gratuitous straw has always bothered me.

I live near farms and I pass by a number of corn fields and you are right, I have never seen a scarecrow in any of those fields.

That commercial gets the mute button treatment as soon as it starts but I still hear that scream play in my head.

[chessiegal]

The history of scarecrows. Their use in the US ended with the use of pesticides after WWII.

Quote

The Romans were credited with introducing the scarecrow to Europe. As their armies marched through Europe, men carried scarecrows as a scare tactic. After Europeans caught wind of the practice, scarecrows began to pop up all over the continent. European farmers started to stuff old clothes with straw and top them with gourds. Farmers mounted these mounted on poles through their fields. Additionally, these scarecrows were often affiliated with the boogeyman legend, a supernatural figure used to scare children. So, these scarecrows kept birds and meddling children out of the fields – an effective way to kill two birds with one stone (no pun intended).

Eventually, the scarecrow came to the U.S. with European immigrant farmers. This variation of the scarecrow – the straw-stuffed man with a gourd for brains – would become the most recognized scarecrow in North America. However, scarecrows are rarely used for their original purpose anymore. After World War II, the rise of pesticides ended the utilization of straw men. However, scarecrows are widely used as autumn and Halloween decorations to celebrate the harvest season

 

[Tom Holmberg]

13 hours ago, Maverick said:

Why is Starbucks using Here Comes the Hotstepper in their ads, complete with the repeated phrase "murderer!" in it?   I know things are are getting rough out there in a lot of fast food places but is advertising murder really a selling point?

Extraordinary, juice like a strawberry
Money to burn baby, all of the time

12 hours ago, millennium said:

(in fact, I have never witnessed a scarecrow vocalize in any way). 

I saw one sing.

[Ohiopirate02]

18 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

I am bemused and a little confused by the Perdue chicken commercial with a pretty woman who doesn't want to feed two hellions her delicious chicken Parm. I am confused because there is no indication as to why these children are terrorizing a ginormous fish tank in a lovely living room with zero punishment, or what relationship she has with these monsters. The only reason I don't find the commercial infuriating is because I like the mom/babysitter/stepmom's voice and her delivery of her dialogue. 

It's not that she does not want to feed her little hellions her delicious chicken parm, it's that she is not willing to make homemade marinara for them. I assume by her delivery that she fully commits to making her own marinara and is not talking about making a sauce using canned tomatoes purchased at the grocery store. I can't say I blame her for using premade, store-bought sauce on those kids. A sauce made from tomatoes you grown yourself, then can, and then make a sauce is wasted on some children.

[SoMuchTV]

Scratching my head about the mattress ads (the one I just saw was for Saatva but I’m sure there are others) where people just hang out in their homes sitting on their bare mattress. Meditating, playing guitar… For Pete’s sake, put on a mattress pad, a fitted sheet, a nice bedspread!

[chessiegal]

50 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

Scratching my head about the mattress ads (the one I just saw was for Saatva but I’m sure there are others) where people just hang out in their homes sitting on their bare mattress. Meditating, playing guitar… For Pete’s sake, put on a mattress pad, a fitted sheet, a nice bedspread!

Because they are not advertising mattress pads, sheets, and bedspreads. They want you to see the name of the mattress or other identifying characteristics.

[SoMuchTV]

25 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Because they are not advertising mattress pads, sheets, and bedspreads. They want you to see the name of the mattress or other identifying characteristics.

I know, I know. But the “oddness” of seeing people on bare mattresses at home cancels that out for me!

[millennium]

On 6/25/2024 at 2:38 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

A sauce made from tomatoes you grown yourself, then can, and then make a sauce is wasted on some children.

Especially this one.

[Kimboweena]

On 6/25/2024 at 10:17 AM, Tom Holmberg said:

On 6/24/2024 at 10:03 PM, millennium said:

(in fact, I have never witnessed a scarecrow vocalize in any way). 

I saw one sing.

Beat me to it.  I was going to ask, have you never seen "Wizard of Oz?"

Edited June 28 by Kimboweena
punctuation change

[mbluecpa]

I just saw two head-scratchers back-to-back:

Another of the all-over body deodorant products that gives the laundry list of places where it might be applied (including the de rigueur ‘privates’) - ending with…your face?!? (Edited: OK, on seeing it again I *think* she excitedly says “feet” and it only sounds like “face”).

And one for Uber Eats where a guy arrives to a BBQ with a bag of what I assume are outdoor cooking-related groceries.  Why does he respond to the host’s outstretched hand by very slowly genuflecting and kissing his fingertips?  I assume it’s an attempt at humor, but it far misses the mark with me.

Edited June 29 by mbluecpa

[Crashcourse]

12 minutes ago, mbluecpa said:

And one for Uber Eats where a guy arrives to a BBQ with a bag of what I assume are outdoor cooking-related groceries.  Why does he respond to the host’s outstretched hand by very slowly genuflecting and kissing his fingertips?  I assume it’s an attempt at humor, but it far misses the mark with me.

Yeah, I don't understand that one at all.

[janie jones]

On 5/30/2024 at 4:45 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I can't believe the commercial I just saw for Native whole body deodorant, where one woman is a centaur.   

 

She's a scent-aur. I don't know if that will bother you more or less. 😊