Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[Rick Kitchen]

Actually it's the other way around, the intro to the ad says "You dreamed of a condo next to the train", and then lets you know you could have a condo near the train.

 

Here's the ad:

 

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7KAG/re-max-dream-with-your-eyes-open-transportation

[xaxat]

Somebody who can sleep through anything and doesn't have any kids or pets, especially if they like trains or are looking for a cheap price.

 

That was me in college, when I rented a place right next to the railroad tracks. 

 

Now that I'm older, I have no idea how I put up with that. 

[bilgistic]

All the talk of a condo next to the train [track] made me recall one I lived in the summer after my freshman year in college. It was an individually owned condo--a guy who lived on my freshman-dorm hall rented it from the owner and I roomed (in a separate bedroom, thanks) with the guy for the summer. Anyway, the condo was on the ground floor of three floors, and the building was just a few feet from the road, right over which was the train track. Not like light rail, subway or tram, but actual freight-carrying train-traveling track. The walls shook...everything shook when the trains went by. The funny thing was, it took only a couple weeks, and then I slept through the clamor of the passing trains.

After the summer and at the beginning of the school year, I moved across the complex (and away from the tracks) with my roommate's then-girlfriend into another condo of the owner's. My then-boyfriend moved in with my former roommate.

No, we didn't have orgies or swap partners.

[Sandman87]

Which I accept- you may see something described as NEAR the train or airport when it is actually so darned close that the planes and trains rattle your home.

For a while I lived in a place that was both: Airport with 747s landing & taking off about a mile away, plus a busy street with a light rail line right in front. Not only did the planes and light rail shake the building, but any large vehicle (like a UPS truck) would shake it as well because of a bump (sort of like a speed bump) running across all the lanes. Jet engines, bells and horns...I learned to appreciate foam earplugs and headphones, and to think of the shaking as sort of a complimentary massage.

[Watcher0363]

Quick hide the curl a dog from Lorena Bobbitt.

[Rick Kitchen]

Why is Dixie paper products running an ad telling us to sit around and talk at dinner instead of using our phones?  What does Dixie get out of it?

 

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7cyz/dixie-dark-for-dinner

[Bastet]

I don’t know, but I’m flabbergasted by the idea that putting your damn phone away and paying attention to the people you’re with is such a radical concept there needs to be a one-night experiment in basic manners.

[CarpeDiem54]

Dunno. It's almost a PSA. But it's the first commercial in a long time where I didn't want to kill everyone involved. Good feelz for Dixie?

[Brattinella]

I used to work in a mom-and-pop-type computer repair shop.  We would hang out in the back room until someone came in (about 5 feet).

Anyway, folks would come in, on their cell phone and approach me.  If they did not either say to their phone "Hang on" or just hang up, I

would go back into the back room saying call me when you are ready.  Is that a bad thing?

[editorgrrl]

Why is Dixie paper products running an ad telling us to sit around and talk at dinner instead of using our phones?  What does Dixie get out of it?

 

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7cyz/dixie-dark-for-dinner

 

Dixie's tagline is "Be More Here," and they've started a new ad campaign, #DarkForDinner. Every Sunday starting June 14, they want people to post one of their branded images, go offline during dinner, then "share a moment from your #DarkForDinner experience" using their hashtag. 

[Brattinella]

This just doesn't make sense to me.  Old fart here.  

 

 

go offline during dinner

[editorgrrl]

This just doesn't make sense to me.  Old fart here.  

 

Sorry, I paraphrased. Here's the actual text from the link I posted above, http://www.dixie.com/darkfordinner:

Phones are the number one distraction at dinnertime. We get it. The Internet is awesome, but so are the people around our tables. Even our weird families. That's why we're putting down our devices and going #DarkForDinner. Join us and see what it means to be more here.

 

HOW TO GO #DarkForDinner

 

1. TURN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDS DARK

Post one of these to let your Internet friends know you've gone #DarkForDinner.

 

2. PUT YOUR DEVICES AWAY

(in a drawer, in another room, under a boulder) and enjoy dinner with your friends and family.

 

3. COME BACK ONLINE

and share a moment from your #DarkForDinner experience.

[Brattinella]

Thank you for the explanation, editorgrrl!  I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my non-understanding:  what I meant was it would never occur to me to have ANY cell phones at the table, even turned off.  It's the height of arrogance and ME ME ME attitude to have a phone at the table.

 

That's why I'm an old fart.

[Muffyn]

What I find odd in this campaign is the idea of telling people you'll be going off line for dinner, and then checking in again when you're back on line.  One thing about the internet - there is no expectation that you will be on line every second.  Things are still going to be there.  So if you put down your phone/tablet/laptop for an hour, you can still catch up on the big excitement that occurred while you ate dinner.  In fact, people do this all the time.  However, the idea of going on line to tell people you'll be off line for at most an hour then immediately checking back in isn't really curbing internet/social media addictive behavior.  If anything, it's adding this need to tell people that you will be unavailable then tell them about your awesome eating dinner experience.  

 

Or more succinctly, shut up Dixie.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Muffyn

[theatremouse]

Yeah, so I think, they think, well either: people who are so hashtag centric and wanting to participate in anything asked of them all over the interwebs (the internet told me to so I will!) will give their company free advertising by doing this and tweeting about it

and

they're expecting the people like you who already think "of course I don't do that shit during dinner", will somehow be enamored of their company for spreading said word, because of course you must be both aware of and irritated by people who do use phones and tablets and social media at dinner; therefore they think they're in your good graces by encouraging others to act in a manner you otherwise find completely obvious as basic politeness.

And they think we're all too stupid to realize they're playing both sides of it.

Edited June 12, 2015 by theatremouse

[bilgistic]

My mother takes away people's cell phones if they use them during dinner (out) with her (usually at a family restaurant). She's not fancy or an Emily Post devotee; she just thinks it's really rude to be messing with your phone during mealtime, and I agree. My younger sister (36) and her younger daughter (13) are the ones usually getting their phones taken away.

[Brattinella]

Yay, Mom!

[Rick Kitchen]

But how do you tweet pictures of your dinner?

[bilgistic]

I find it easy to resist tweeting dinner pictures by not being on Twitter.

Interestingly, it works the same for Instagram.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Thank you for the explanation, editorgrrl!  I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my non-understanding:  what I meant was it would never occur to me to have ANY cell phones at the table, even turned off.  It's the height of arrogance and ME ME ME attitude to have a phone at the table.

 

That's why I'm an old fart.

 

The worst example of this I ever saw was in a commercial (topic!) where this couple was having dinner at a restaurant. The guy was trying to propose to his girlfriend, only she was occupied with her cellphone and wouldn't look up. So he texts her to get her to take her eyes off of the stupid phone so that he can offer her the ring.

 

Maybe she knew that he didn't go to Jared.

[Sandman87]

But how do you tweet pictures of your dinner?

You kids today! We used to have to make charcoal sketches of our meals, and then use carrier pigeons to send them to our friends.

[Actionmage]

There's an ad for Re/Max realtors that starts off, "You dreamed of a condo next to the train tracks..."

 

Who, in their right mind, wants to live next to the train tracks?

 

I live two lots over from a light rail track. It's mostly quiet and has become white noise to me.  The Chicago El? Probably louder.  Still, obviously close to transportation if/when a car isn't available.

 

There is a VW commercial where a guy is driving around a bunch of old ladies

 

I hope that isn't one of those "go on-line to finish the story" ads. That was only Myth 1. I also like the ladies.

[janie jones]

I realize it's a Dixie commercial, so of course, but it bums me out that those people are using paper plates for regular dinners at home.

[Maverick]

I realize it's a Dixie commercial, so of course, but it bums me out that those people are using paper plates for regular dinners at home.

 

Well, they certainly don't have time to do dishes.  They have to get back to their phones.

[Brattinella]

 

The worst example of this I ever saw was in a commercial (topic!) where this couple was having dinner at a restaurant. The guy was trying to propose to his girlfriend, only she was occupied with her cellphone and wouldn't look up. So he texts her to get her to take her eyes off of the stupid phone so that he can offer her the ring.

 

Maybe she knew that he didn't go to Jared.

Boy, that was a perfect missed opportunity, dude!  You should have texted her "Well, you snooze, you lose".  And then leave. :D

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Boy, that was a perfect missed opportunity, dude!  You should have texted her "Well, you snooze, you lose".  And then leave. :D

 

You just know she's a Yogurt Bitch. He should have run for his life.

[ari333]

I did scratch my head heh. It is the pullups ad where the kid says, "get pullups pants and be a big kid!" I heard, "get poops pants... and be a big kid." :-/

Edited June 13, 2015 by ari333

[sofaslug]

You kids today! We used to have to make charcoal sketches of our meals, and then use carrier pigeons to send them to our friends.

Wait!! You had carrier pigeons?! We had to chisel our sketches into rocks and throw 'em!

[xaxat]

 

I don't get it when the kid says "We got the Air Jordan of dogs!"

 

Michael Jordan is an all time great.

 

Air Jordan is a shoe.

[90PercentGravity]

I saw that today and it upset me a bit. Air Jordans are things. Dogs aren't things, they're people.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

 Dogs aren't things, they're people.

 

No, Soylent Green is people. Dogs are animal companions.

[Sandman87]

Reminds me of the street vendor in the Firefly pilot who's selling stuff from a grill with a sign reading "Good Dogs!"

[Prevailing Wind]

Dogs aren't people, but they ARE family.

[editorgrrl]

I realize it's a Dixie commercial, so of course, but it bums me out that those people are using paper plates for regular dinners at home.

Dixie Wants You to Unplug and Go Dark—and Disposable—for Dinner (AdWeek)

Georgia-Pacific's Dixie brand is asking consumers to pay attention to their families and friends, at least for a few hours on the next six Sundays.

The brand believes that if consumers use disposable Dixie products and don't have to worry about cleaning up after a meal, they will be more inclined to linger at the dinner table and connect more with people.

The campaign includes a 30-second TV spot, an extended 66-second spot and six films that will be released over the next six weeks to give those going "Dark for Dinner" conversational inspiration.

Dixie Asks People to Turn Off Their Phones for Dinner (Advertising Age)

The second wave of the campaign, slated to break later this summer, will include a stronger call to action to turn the effort into a cultural trend. With the campaign, the century-old paper plate brand is shifting away from product-oriented ads towards emotional brand messaging.

Dixie is also working with parenting and family expert Dr. Michele Borba on the push, in addition to tapping celebrities to participate in "Dark for Dinner."

Edited June 14, 2015 by editorgrrl

[Haleth]

Someone need to give the people at Universal Studios theme park a dictionary.  I know the Minions are popular, but to describe one's vacation there as "despicable" is not a good thing.

[theatremouse]

Meh, they're punning. I think it's only off-putting to people who don't know the title of the film(s)? Seriously, they've made something like 20% of that park themed to Despicable Me and/or minions. It makes sense in context.

[backgroundnoise]

Dogs are animal companions.

How un-PC!  My dog is a Canine-American.  :-)

Edited June 18, 2015 by backgroundnoise

[Crisopera]

There's an ad for Lyrica that just...The woman says something like, "With less pain, I feel better".  No, really!?  Less pain makes you feel better?  Baffling.

[backgroundnoise]

I know drug companies have to put disclaimers in their ads, but I still think it's kinda hilarious when they say, "Don't take (drug name here) if you are allergic to it."  Duh.

[BW Manilowe]

I know drug companies have to put disclaimers in their ads, but I still think it's kinda hilarious when they say, "Don't take (drug name here) if you are allergic to it." Duh.

I know. I mean, unless it's from a group of drugs--like sulfa drugs, or something--where you already know you're allergic to anything in that group, how are you supposed to know if you're allergic to it before you've taken it at least once (that's how I always end up finding out I can't take a drug, anyway)?

Edited June 19, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[legaleagle53]

Wait!! You had carrier pigeons?! We had to chisel our sketches into rocks and throw 'em!

 

Same here, only uphill and in the snow -- both ways.

 

So get off my lawn, you rotten spoiled kids!

[90PercentGravity]

Speaking of disclaimers, there is one where the ad says something like "<drug> should not be given to children under 6 and should not be given to children 6 - 16" or something similarly stupid and redundant. 

[bubbls]

There is a drug commercial that lists "lumps and bumps" as possible side effects. Aside from lumps being the same things as bumps, it just seems like such an odd choice of words. I'm so confused yet intrigued by this. How is a bump different than a lump? How would you let your doctor know you have a lump rather than a bump? And why do they use such childish language for it anyway? Do these lumps and bumps just pop up? Where? Do you wake up with a large lump or bump bulging out of the center of your forehead? It boggles the mind.

Edited June 20, 2015 by bubbls

[Brattinella]

I think the product you are referring to is an injection to the face.  I would guess Lumps are large, bumps are tiny versions of lumps.  Wouldn't like either one.

[Brattinella]

Okay, I just saw a Neutrogena Sunblock commercial that has MICRO-MESH technology!  This is a LIQUID they are selling, with micro-mesh.  Huh?

[AntiBeeSpray]

Okay, I just saw a Neutrogena Sunblock commercial that has MICRO-MESH technology!  This is a LIQUID they are selling, with micro-mesh.  Huh?

 

Woah that's just weird.  O_O Why would I want fabric on my face?

[Prevailing Wind]

I think lumps may be deeper under the skin than bumps.

[pandora spocks]

There was a Tampax ad showing nothing but a female lower torso going down a water slide accompanied by whoops and yells. Are the yells in celebration of having no cramps while enjoying the thrills of the water park? Is it because the lady is secure in the knowledge that her tampon will not leak causing social embarrassment?

It was so much simpler advertising female hygiene products during the 1970's when women talked about "feeling fresh" while strolling in a field of daisies. Women all knew that we wanted cooters as fresh and natural that using musk scented douches would allow!

Edited June 20, 2015 by pandora spocks

[bubbls]

I think the product you are referring to is an injection to the face.  I would guess Lumps are large, bumps are tiny versions of lumps.  Wouldn't like either one.

 

 

Are you guessing or have you seen the commercial? I've yet to actually see it as I'm generally doing some needlework and only listening. That would make sense if it's an injection. Why didn't I think of that?!

[Bastet]

"Lumps and bumps" has been around as long as I can remember -- masses below the skin's surface being lumps and those raised above being bumps.

 

It does sound oddly casual as a listed side effect, but it turns out WebMD has a whole page dedicated to "lumps and bumps."