Say What?: Commercials That Made Us Scratch Our Heads

[janie jones]

I think they have the animal welfare people on the set no matter what the animal is doing, hence the disclaimer.

[Prevailing Wind]

Happy ThanksGATHERING?  Oh, puh-leeeze.

[peacheslatour]

What's the deal with that General commercial where Shaq looks into the camera and pauses for effect and then says, significantly "when I was younger". I don't remember him being militantly anti-insurance when he was young.

[theatremouse]

Has anyone seen this new ad for the Koch company? It's like every weird cliche ad from a dystopian future where our corporate overlords remind us that they're there but try to sound peaceful, but also "we're everywhere". Setting aside for the moment anything about the realities of this particular company, it's odd to me they'd want to evoke that image? Seriously the ad firm must've been watching movies and decided to mimic the stereotype. When it first came on I kept expecting that ad to be a fake or a parody of something because it's such cliche, neofuturistic, corporate dictatorship vibe.

[janie jones]

I feel the same way about that commercial.

[xaxat]

On 11/15/2016 at 0:51 PM, mmecorday said:

There's a commercial for some wealth management firm with a girl scrambling up the stairs to her apartment. She gets a phone call from her dad. "How was your first week?" asks dad. "Long," says the exhausted and disheveled girl. She gets to her apartment and the conversation continues. Dad is with his financial adviser and she wants to talk to the daughter about her long-term financial goals. The daughter correctly surmises that dad is just working out a way for daughter to maximize her money so that she can "pay him back." Pay him back for what? For raising her? For putting her through college?

 

ETA: Here it is. It's an ad for Edward Jones. The comments have been disabled, which usually means that people had unkind things to say.

She can afford a sweet downtown loft with eight foot tall windows. She damn well better be able to pay her dad back for whatever she owes him.

22 hours ago, theatremouse said:

Has anyone seen this new ad for the Koch company? It's like every weird cliche ad from a dystopian future where our corporate overlords remind us that they're there but try to sound peaceful, but also "we're everywhere". Setting aside for the moment anything about the realities of this particular company, it's odd to me they'd want to evoke that image? Seriously the ad firm must've been watching movies and decided to mimic the stereotype. When it first came on I kept expecting that ad to be a fake or a parody of something because it's such cliche, neofuturistic, corporate dictatorship vibe.

I am a firm believer that the more a mega corp advertises about the "benefits" their company provides society, the more evil they are.

These people can afford to buy Benz's but they don't have cell phones to freakin' call each other?

[Prevailing Wind]

Perhaps she got there late because her dad drove for the road conditions and didn't drive so freakin' fast in snow.

[Haleth]

That would be a good time to set special snowflake straight.  Driving to a freakin' movie in blizzard?  Um, no.  You're going to have to reschedule.

[smittykins]

My area just got a major snowstorm.  I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment yesterday, and they called to reschedule.  Ain't no way would I be going out to see a movie.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 0:47 PM, Joe Blow said:

I get the concept of the LetItGo ads (someone needs convincing to get rid of something they're not using)...but it's basically someone being a real jerk to someone else about something the other person would clearly really like to keep.  It does not make me want to use the site in any way.

Why is the owner of the item never the one selling it on those LetItGo ads?

On ‎11‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 3:52 PM, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Speaking of music, Estee Lauder is using Lady Marmalade in their new ad. The original and not the cover from Moulin Rouge, but still. I'm like, Ya'll know that song is about a hooker, right?

Speaking of which, does Covergirl really think they are going to sell  their makeup by featuring that makeup-wearing freak in their ads? Sorry, he looks like a drag-clown.

[Brattinella]

43 minutes ago, Ubiquitous said:

Speaking of which, does Covergirl really think they are going to sell  their makeup by featuring that makeup-wearing freak in their ads? Sorry, he looks like a drag-clown.

Yeah, he kinda creeps me out.  I'm not evolved enough, I guess.

[theatremouse]

So there's a google ad with this dad reading a book to his daughter about a whale? But I listened to 80% of the ad and kept thinking he was saying "ok Booboo", and I was like "can you give Alexa a different name now or something?  because I didn't recognize the image of the device he was clearly talking to. As in, program it to respond to whatever name you want? (who knows why he'd choose "Booboo") I have Android devices. I use "OK google" regularly. Dude needs to enunciate. Even after I saw the splashed google logo, it still sounded like he said "booboo" after that in the very end of the ad.

Edited November 23, 2016 by theatremouse

[Joe Blow]

4 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

Speaking of which, does Covergirl really think they are going to sell  their makeup by featuring that makeup-wearing freak in their ads? Sorry, he looks like a drag-clown.

I don't know that specific Covergirl ad, but my wife has dragged me to a couple of Mac stores.  A bunch of people (guys and girls) wearing very unflattering black clothes and all kinds of really awful makeup selling you...makeup.  I don't understand why a weird looking mime is a good makeup sales tactic, but apparently it is..

[Ubiquitous]

6 hours ago, Joe Blow said:

I don't know that specific Covergirl ad, but my wife has dragged me to a couple of Mac stores.  A bunch of people (guys and girls) wearing very unflattering black clothes and all kinds of really awful makeup selling you...makeup.  I don't understand why a weird looking mime is a good makeup sales tactic, but apparently it is..

My ex-boyfriend who wore makeup always said "if you can tell someone is wearing makeup, it was done wrong".

[Joe Blow]

1 hour ago, Ubiquitous said:

My ex-boyfriend who wore makeup always said "if you can tell someone is wearing makeup, it was done wrong".

 

Well, that's also what Aunt Becky told DJ, so that's basically the extent of my knowledge.

[Moose135]

11 hours ago, theatremouse said:

who knows why he'd choose "Booboo"

Maybe he was a fan of Yogi Bear...Hey Boo Boo!

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Joe Blow said:

Well, that's also what Aunt Becky told DJ, so that's basically the extent of my knowledge.

Are you talking about the Connors? I'm confused.

[theatremouse]

Aunt Becky+DJ= Full House

Becky+DJ=sibling=Connors

[Brattinella]

5 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

My ex-boyfriend who wore makeup always said "if you can tell someone is wearing makeup, it was done wrong".

IMO, this is a horrible, horrible look for either sex!  Looks like a street performer or Cirque du Soleil.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, theatremouse said:

Aunt Becky+DJ= Full House

Becky+DJ=sibling=Connors

Ah, gotcha. Never watched Full House.

[mmecorday]

Yeah, that's an odd look for a girl or a guy.  Why would anyone want to look like a character from "Hey Arnold?"

[Brattinella]

I used to do some pretty spectacular eye makeup (think Twiggy circa 1967) but that red stuff around the eyes!  And those awful eyebrows and why does anyone want lips like that??  Be happy with the lips you've got!

[bilgistic]

That's standard fare of any makeup tutorial on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram. My skin shudders at the thought of all of that product, but that kind of heavy, heavy look is VERY popular now. My 17-year-old niece is into it. She goes crazy with the "strong" brows. Her mom (my sister) wears a ton of makeup, too.

[Amethyst]

This commercial is very weird, and pretty dumb.  At first, I thought the lady by the punch bowl didn't know anyone at the party and the lady in red was going to introduce herself.  Nice enough, right?  

So lady in red dumps the earrings in the pink lady's drink...wtf?  What if pink lady had choked on them?

 

[backformore]

this commercial would be fine except for the  crotch shot at the beginning:

[bilgistic]

5 minutes ago, backformore said:

this commercial would be fine except for the  crotch shot at the beginning:

I never remember what this commercial is, and always think the man is going to have a phone-shaped tan line (non-tan place where his phone was on his chest).

[Prevailing Wind]

At least we don't see his junk protruding.

[Neurochick]

I know this commercial is from 2014, but I don't remember it then.  You know what's sad about this?  There are actually real people who probably would need a guide like this commercial so they can see who they should and shouldn't give underwear to.

[friendperidot]

Quote

who knows why he'd choose "Booboo"

Maybe he was a fan of Yogi Bear...Hey Boo Boo!

I call all my dogs "boo" no matter what their real name is. 

[ennui]

"Pass the Earrings" ad from JCPenney ... is that a bad pun? Apparently, it's supposed to be an office party. Unless the lady in red has the hots for the lady in pink, it's very weird. That's not how women give gifts to each other.

[Sandman87]

On Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 10:38 AM, Brattinella said:

IMO, this is a horrible, horrible look for either sex!  Looks like a street performer or Cirque du Soleil.

The eyebrows look like they were done with a Magic Marker™. I guess that's one way to get long lasting makeup.

[ivygirl]

On 11/16/2016 at 0:52 PM, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Speaking of music, Estee Lauder is using Lady Marmalade in their new ad. The original and not the cover from Moulin Rouge, but still. I'm like, Ya'll know that song is about a hooker, right?

Oh no, they dragged that hoary* chestnut out again? It was actually launched last year.

it seems that perfume ads have a long shelf life. I remember being amazed by how long the J'Adore Dior ad ran unchanged. I think some of the Lancôme fragrance ads have been the same for a while as well.

Meanwhile, I've had the ancient White Shoulders theme song in my head for a week. (Wear it and the world is yours!) No explicable reason. It's just there. ETA apparently I am the on,y person on the internet who remembers this jingle. I've searched a number of times and find no trace of it!

* Pun intended

Edited November 27, 2016 by ivygirl

[kat165]

Speaking of perfume ads & a long shelf life the other day I saw a White Diamonds commercial with a 50ish  looking Elizabeth Taylor in it. "These have always brought me luck." Is that commercial like 30 yrs old?

Edited November 27, 2016 by kat165

[theatremouse]

21 minutes ago, kat165 said:

 "These have always brought me luck." Is that commercial like 30 yrs old?

More like 25, but close enough.

[bilgistic]

Does that commercial actually sell any perfume anymore? It only serves me as a reminder to mock the commercial. Who wears White Diamonds other than your great-grandmother?

[Brattinella]

Oh, I dunno.  I wear White Shoulders, and I think it is far older that White Diamonds. 

[bilgistic]

My mom used to wear Estee Lauder(?) Youth Dew, which was created at the dawn of time, I think. She's only 67.

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Brattinella said:

Oh, I dunno.  I wear White Shoulders, and I think it is far older that White Diamonds. 

My grandma used to wear White shoulders. It smelled good on her, on some people it smells like onions.

[theatremouse]

Other than new fragrances, I feel like perfume ads serve no purpose. People tend to choose a fragrance and stick with it. Not everyone, but an overwhelming majority. So unless you're trying to pick up teens, what's the point? Although I guess the margins on new could be worth it... So yeah, your grandmother wears White Diamonds, and has for 25 years. And your mother wears whatever she wears. Etc.

[Brattinella]

26 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

Other than new fragrances, I feel like perfume ads serve no purpose. People tend to choose a fragrance and stick with it. Not everyone, but an overwhelming majority. So unless you're trying to pick up teens, what's the point? Although I guess the margins on new could be worth it... So yeah, your grandmother wears White Diamonds, and has for 25 years. And your mother wears whatever she wears. Etc.

When I used to subscribe to magazines, I would always check out the new fragrances via their perfume-strips.  I actually went out and bought a couple new ones just from that. 

[Bastet]

Quote

Other than new fragrances, I feel like perfume ads serve no purpose. People tend to choose a fragrance and stick with it. Not everyone, but an overwhelming majority. So unless you're trying to pick up teens, what's the point?

I have about half a dozen different perfumes at any given time, and there are a couple that are always in the rotation, but otherwise I try new things (I usually sniff at the department store and then buy cheaper online).  But the commercials are still ineffective on me; they can't tell me how something smells, so they rely on pitching a celebrity, or a lifestyle, or a song, or whatever.  A commercial has never sent me looking for a particular fragrance.  When I'm picking up those bottles and sniffing and spraying, I may be reminded of the commercial once I see the name on the bottle, but the only way the ad is going to affect my purchasing decision is in a negative way; if I found the commercial offensive, I won't be buying the perfume even if I like how it smells.

Edited November 27, 2016 by Bastet

[Haleth]

I think the White Diamonds ad has become so iconic it wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't see it.

[friendperidot]

A misunderstood message - "only guys with VD can use Viagra" - that's what I heard, more than once. But somehow, I don't think that's what she says.

[ennui]

On 11/27/2016 at 3:15 PM, theatremouse said:

I feel like perfume ads serve no purpose. People tend to choose a fragrance and stick with it.

This is GIFT season. People are buying fragrance as a gift, not for themselves.  Just look at how many stores offer GWP for fragrances. So, you can get perfume AND a bathrobe, woo hooo!!  Ulta was giving away stemless wine glasses with polka dots, who wouldn't want those?  

[friendperidot]

I'd love stem glasses with polka dots! I don't drink wine, but when I get moved, I'm going back to drinking milk, juice, soda pop, water, out of my wine glasses just to get use out of them.

[Moose135]

57 minutes ago, friendperidot said:

A misunderstood message - "only guys with VD can use Viagra" - that's what I heard, more than once. But somehow, I don't think that's what she says.

I assume she said "guys with ED can use Viagra"

[kat165]

Has anyone seen that commercial for Little Sheba? Or some cat food. A guy and a cat, their eyes meet and he follows the cat into the kitchen and opens a can of little Sheba for s/he (cat) and at the end of the commercial we see him gazing fondly at the cat with his pants down? WTF????

Edited November 30, 2016 by kat165

[Brattinella]

14 minutes ago, kat165 said:

Has anyone seen that commercial for Little Sheba? Or some cat food. A guy and a cat, their eyes meet and he follows the cat into the kitchen and opens a can of little Sheba for s/he (cat) and at the end of the commercial we see him gazing fondly at the cat with his pants down? WTF????

I just saw that one tonight and was APPALLED.  Hubby says I am misunderstanding, but I dunno...

[riley702]

His pants were down because he was about to get it on with his date, until the cat distracted him. In the long version, you see her huffily putting her clothes back on and glaring at him. Still not sure that makes it better, but I'd prefer devoted owner over perverted owner.

Edited November 30, 2016 by riley702

[Brattinella]

2 minutes ago, riley702 said:

His pants were down because he was about to get it on with his date, until the cat distracted him. In the long version, you see her huffily putting her clothes back on and glaring at him. Still not sure that makes it better, but I'd prefer devoted owner over perverted owner.

Thanks!