Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[Aquarius]

Although (IIRC) the people in the ads don't always look like first-time insurance buyers. So %#^# em.

 

Yeah, that guy who was looking to be cuddled by his insurance company following his first claim has been around long to enough to have heard how insurance works, even if secondhand.  And don't get me started on the guy who seems to have heard the term "depreciation" for the first time in his life with respect to a car .  I hate all the Liberty Mutual idiots, but especially these two douchebags, because they look older than me and I am certainly old enough to know better.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Aquarius

[Bruinsfan]

The guy was yammering about his car depreciating a whopping 7.5% by his first oil change. Show of hands, anyone who thinks he'd pay $37,000 for a program car with nearly 3,000 miles on it?

[Moose135]

I've given my cars names, although I would never call one "Brad".  I usually refer to my Durango as The Beast, especially after it killed a deer earlier this year.  And as to insurance companies? USAA rocks!

[90PercentGravity]

I have a bright yellow mini cooper that I call "big yellow joint."

[LoneHaranguer]

 

It's better than hearing from the lady who was aghast at the possibility of driving on 3 wheels for the millionth time.

I'll bet she's a fave of the sales staff at the dealership. To only get 3/4 of what she paid for her "brand new" car suggests that they totally took her to the cleaners when she bought it.

[proserpina65]

Every time I see one I get angrier. I feel that putting those asshole old ladies on TV behaving like that will be used to delegitimize feminism. Grr.

I don't mind the one where they're ogling the guy shopping for a car because he seems amused by them, but the one where they're in the car harassing the salesman to the point where he clearly looks uncomfortable annoys the crap out of me.

[proserpina65]

I particularly hate the narration in this one. When she says lettuce should be dirty, with that voice, that's when I mute it.

I tend to shout "No, lettuce should be washed and clean by the time it gets to my food, asshole!" at that ad.

[proserpina65]

My car's insured by Progressive - like the insurance, burned out on Flo after the 2nd commercial.

 

(And I did name my car - Pitcha.  It's a Honda Fit, so I drive PitchaFit. I couldn't resist.  Haven't named any other car since my 20s.)

Mine doesn't have commercials, at least not ones that I've seen anywhere, but they paid the bills both times when I got hit by other drivers' cars without giving me the hard time that State Farm did, so YAY! Erie.  (I do like the Jake from State Farm ads and some of the Flo ones, just not the ones where she plays all the members of Flo's family.)

 

Oh, and I named my first car the Starship Enterprise.  The next two were "Baby".  The current one?  No name yet.  It's hard to get excited over a 10 year old Dodge Neon.

Edited August 26, 2015 by proserpina65

[StaceyNotStacie]

The Zaxby salad boys are getting on my last nerve.  I don't know who they are or if they're actually famous, but I want to smack them for bickering over a fast food salad.  

[topanga]

 

But seriously, I fear those Liberty Mutual ads are aimed at a large segment of an entitled generation growing up thinking the rules don't apply to them. Grr.

But a more generous interpretation is that they're aiming at first-time insurance buyers--young people (not necessarily "entitled") who really don't understand depreciation, or the way insurance works, because a mom or dad never took the time to explain it to them.

 

 

It's funny that you say that, riley702, because your comment made me think about how much the 20-somethings on those commercials remind me of my entitled 25-year old niece. And by entitled, and I don't mean rich or pampered--my niece certainly isn't. But she's very self-centered and honestly doesn't understand why the world isn't constructed to meet her needs. I have a 13-year old who's starting to think like this, and I consider it my job to knock some sense into him (not literally, of course). So he won't grow up thinking there shouldn't be consequences for wrecking his car.

[peacheslatour]

Oh, the "How can your car depreciate before it's oil change" idiot on was just here and was followed by the one for mattresses with the chick that had a good night's sleep going around spraying (what appears to be) random commuters on their way to work with champagne.  If some stupid bint sprayed me with champagne on my way to work (or anywhere else for that for that matter) she would be hating life in very short order.

[backformore]

I want all the Liberty Mutual fools and their strident ignorance off my TV.

- You named it "Brad."

- ...but there will still be pain.

- torque ratios

- How can my car depreciate before its first oil change?

- Newsflash: Nobody's perfect.

- You're the poster child for paying on time.

Douchebags.

The one that bugs me the most is "then one day, you TAP the bumper of a station wagon, no big deal" .  REALLY?    were you texting?  just not looking where you were going?  tailgating?   Because the REASON you have to have insurance is that the station wagon you "tapped"  will need to be fixed.  And the people in the station wagon might need to get checked out.  Neck injuries an happen when you "tap"  another car. Station wagon?  were the ere kids in it?   

And bottom line -   WHY shouldn't YOU have your insurance increased when YOU get into an accident?    Even though "nobody's perfect"  there are drivers (like me)  who manage to avoid tapping bumpers and stay accident-free for years - decades even. So yeah, I'm OK with bumper-tappers being charged more for insurance, if it means good drivers like me get to pay less. 

Cars depreciating before their first oil change?  Hell, yeah!   That's why you can get a GREAT deal on a car with a few thousand miles on it.  Nobody pays full price for a car that's been pre-owned.  

 

And I hate the use of "poster child".    Poster child, in its original meaning, did not refer to  "shining example of goodness".  It referred to a POSTER asking people to give money to cure a disease or affliction.  The "poster child'  would be the cute little munchkin with large sad eyes in a wheel chair, or leg braces, or having a cleft lip.     Like the commercial to send food to starving children.  The cute little moppet with the big eyes and the flies buzzing around her, is the TV "poster child"  for world hunger.  We feel PITY for poster children, and the pity is supposed to extend to our wallets.  

"Paying bills on time"  is not worthy of a poster child, and I don't feel sorry for you.  I've been paying bills on time for longer than you've been alive.  

[GaT]

It's funny that you say that, riley702, because your comment made me think about how much the 20-somethings on those commercials remind me of my entitled 25-year old niece. And by entitled, and I don't mean rich or pampered--my niece certainly isn't. But she's very self-centered and honestly doesn't understand why the world isn't constructed to meet her needs.

That's because they've all grown up on Facebook & Twitter & Instagram & think that just because they post something, it matters.

Edited August 27, 2015 by GaT

[peacheslatour]

Why do they always refer to the type of car that is involved in your accident?  "tap the bumper of a station wagon"  Oh, it's just a station wagon?  Oh, well then, no biggie. 

[Muffyn]

Aww, haven't seen that commercial in a while. But seriously, I fear those Liberty Mutual ads are aimed at a large segment of an entitled generation growing up thinking the rules don't apply to them. Grr. "Don't they know you're already shaken up?" They are not your mother and therefore don't give a rat's ass about your special snowflake feelings! "I just tapped their bumper - no big deal." just makes my blood boil. It's not up to you to decide how big of a deal it is!

 

Thanks for restarting this, Brattinella - this has been cathartic.

When you tap a bumper and cause no damage or harm to anyone in a car, it's no big deal.  That is, of course, if everyone agrees.  I had someone "tap" my bumper according to them.  In my view, the view of both of our insurance companies and the mechanic that fixed it, they scraped the front quarter panel and pulled the front off of my car.  Pretty much when your putting your bumper into the trunk to drive it to the shop, it's not a tap.  Fortunately my car was parked at the time.  My favorite part was the driver trying to claim we damaged the bumper when we put it in the trunk; that is, it supposedly wasn't damaged before then.  

 

Here's some good news about the younger generation, Every time my 14 year old son hears that commercial he says, "no big deal? How about I tap your face with my bumper?"

Melts my cold dark heart. ...

My love for your son knows no bounds.  Join us, young one.  We are your people.

[pandora spocks]

The Zaxby salad boys are getting on my last nerve.  I don't know who they are or if they're actually famous, but I want to smack them for bickering over a fast food salad.

 

Thomas Rhett and Brett Eldridge are both country music performers if that's any help to you.  One of them had a gee-tar in the commercial to tip viewers off on their claim to fame.  They're fairly obscure because I had to do a ton of googling to find their names. The use of the word Zalads for Zaxby's salads really makes me stabby. 

 

For us lucky enough to have a Zaxby's in our area (southeastern U.S.), the possibility of seeing these commercials is high.  They're a reliable barometer of a celebrity's fall if they're desperate enough to be in a Zaxby's commercial.  Richard Dean (MacGyver) Anderson, Michael Clarke Duncan (God, rest his soul)  and Jamie Pressley have all been in these commercials.  The above-named country singers are using this opportunity to launch their careers before their downward spiral starts.

[Muffyn]

I need to share my shame somewhere.  A close friend is in a commercial with Guy Fieri.  While I am happy she will have a national commercial, I cannot condone any more Fieri sightings.  The horror of Fieri continues, against all logical reasoning.  Why, oh why, is this man on TV?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh4SpwwHIYU

[Flnurse]

I love each and every one (everyone) here!!!! Love being in the company of crazy! It's what you do!

Is anchor baby the new Poster child ?

[Flnurse]

Give it to me I'm worth it.... Omg my house breaks into spontaneous wanna be dancing and I get stuck w an ear worm all f Ing day!!!!!(I'd tolerate if he'd throw on some speedos.. Just saying )

On another note? SUCK IT Jordin Sparks and you're doing aaannyyy-thing to get rid of a migraine. And "the truth is" you are not an 'actress' or a 'singer'. THATS FAST bitch

[Bruinsfan]

At least Zaxbys is branching out to use celebrities that aren't famous for spewing bigotry, which I'll count as a win.

[Brattinella]

Give it to me I'm worth it.... Omg my house breaks into spontaneous wanna be dancing and I get stuck w an ear worm all f Ing day!!!!!(I'd tolerate if he'd throw on some speedos.. Just saying )

On another note? SUCK IT Jordin Sparks and you're doing aaannyyy-thing to get rid of a migraine. And "the truth is" you are not an 'actress' or a 'singer'. THATS FAST bitch

OH MY GOD.  That song makes me physically draw up like someone walked across my grave.  Is the point of that commercial that the girl will 'get wit ya' if you give her some chocolate?

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I need to share my shame somewhere.  A close friend is in a commercial with Guy Fieri.  While I am happy she will have a national commercial, I cannot condone any more Fieri sightings.  The horror of Fieri continues, against all logical reasoning.  Why, oh why, is this man on TV?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh4SpwwHIYU

 

Who (or maybe what) is Guy Fieri?

[riley702]

Why is this woman asking "why pay for insurance?" 

 

I always yell, "Because it's the law, bitch!" It protects me from the likes of that Little Miss "tapped a bumper" moron.

Edited August 27, 2015 by riley702

[Flnurse]

Guy Fieri is the ANNOYING Food Network chef with the spikes white hair and an annoying SHOUTING way of speaking

And FUCK Liberty Mutual and their minions! Enough already!

[pandora spocks]

Who (or maybe what) is Guy Fieri?

 

Due to my intense dislike of him, I'll be happy to impart my knowledge of Fieri albeit with a jaundiced perspective. Fieri owns five restaurants, hosts two Food Network shows, Drive-Ins, Diners, and Dives and Guy's Grocery Games (ain't alliteration grand), and is noted for his trademark spiky platinum hairdo.  On Drive-Ins, Diners, and Dives, he drives around the country chomping on the wares of mostly obscure eateries because people never tire of seeing obnoxious assholes stuffing their faces. 

Edited August 27, 2015 by pandora spocks

[Flnurse]

Here's one... "What's that? You said women are worse drivers? Then why do I get get this check? " or whatever... So IRRITATING?!!! Just also saw her on a digestive yogurt comm too

[Bastet]

Oh, I love the "Silence" in Dennis Haysbert's voice in that one.  It's right up there with "Indeed" in the one with the little girl.

[amass]

My love for your son knows no bounds.  Join us, young one.  We are your people.

He IS always asking me "what are they saying on the boards?" about shows that we both watch....

[Prevailing Wind]

I always yell, "Because it's the law, bitch!" It protects me from the likes of that Little Miss "tapped a bumper" moron.

When she says the insurance company "tells you to pay up again!" - I'm still not sure what she means.  The voiceover after Miss Hydroplaning/Too-Long-Bangs stalks off talks about vanishing deductibles.  Is THAT what she means?  She doesn't understand the concept of "deductible" ?  Good Lord, she's dumber than Miss Tap-A-Bumper.

 

 

At least Zaxbys is branching out to use celebrities that aren't famous for spewing bigotry, which I'll count as a win.

As much as I like Amy Sedaris, those Zaxby (Rancho?) salads where she spontaneously spoke Español and rolled her Rs to oblivion made me stabby.

[erikdepressant]

Deleting -- sorry, wasn't paying attention.

Edited August 27, 2015 by erikdepressant

[erikdepressant]

YouTube says the "Dancing Kid" commercial for hotels.com is three months old.  I just saw it for the first time.

The faces the kid makes... I can't cope... the horror....

[backformore]

YouTube says the "Dancing Kid" commercial for hotels.com is three months old.  I just saw it for the first time.

The faces the kid makes... I can't cope... the horror....

oh god!   I LIKE kids, and that kid looks like he's an insufferable brat.  

[riley702]

When she says the insurance company "tells you to pay up again!" - I'm still not sure what she means.  The voiceover after Miss Hydroplaning/Too-Long-Bangs stalks off talks about vanishing deductibles.  Is THAT what she means?  She doesn't understand the concept of "deductible" ?  Good Lord, she's dumber than Miss Tap-A-Bumper.

I think maybe she's pissed that her rates went up after the accident? Other than that, I got nothing.

[Prevailing Wind]

But then she'd say they want you to pay more, not "pay again."  I do believe she didn't know what a deductible is.

[DeLurker]

Who (or maybe what) is Guy Fieri?

One of Satan's minions.

[Neurochick]

The Subaru commercials where all anyone says is "They lived" feels like something out of a horror movie. Shot after shot of smashed, wrecked cars and people saying "they lived." Now, I know what they're going for here: Subarus are so safe that when you get into an accident it's the difference between life and death. But, what I'm seeing is a bunch of wrecked cars and wondering why Subarus get into so many accidents! Do they have faulty breaks or something? Also, the way the people keep going "They lived" makes it sound like they're disappointed. Like they purposely cut the break lines or something and are lamenting their plan to kill whoever was driving the car was foiled. "They lived," sigh. Damn.

 

I think it's supposed to be the same car.  At least that's what I thought when I saw the commercial.  

 

I've yet to encounter anyone who doesn't hate those Liberty Mutual ads.

 

 

What bugs me about these commercials is that driving is a privilege, not a right, even if you need to drive to get to work, driving is still a privilege, which means you have to do certain things if you are going to drive like get insurance and if you have insurance and your car hits something, then you pay, end of story.  

Edited August 27, 2015 by Neurochick

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Here's one... "What's that? You said women are worse drivers? Then why do I get get this check? " or whatever... So IRRITATING?!!!

Saying that she got back some of what she paid for insurance because she actually managed to go a few months without an accident isn't exactly a strong argument for the point she's trying to make.

[Maizie131]

I've given my cars names, although I would never call one "Brad".  I usually refer to my Durango as The Beast, especially after it killed a deer earlier this year.  And as to insurance companies? USAA rocks!

OMG, Moose!  Was anyone hurt?   I live in a very deer-populated area (because all the fricking new construction around here has forced them out of their habitat...poor babies!), and hitting one is one of my biggest fears!!  I'm scared to death driving during dawn & dusk hours, & always thankful when there's a car in front of me ('cuz maybe he'll get it first)?  Gawd, I'm an awful person! 

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

I am a happy Liberty Mutual customer, and I hate their commercials with the fire of a thousand nuns

 

Those nuns...they could be angry! Don't remember any of them actually en fuego though. 

 

Moose, I call our Explorer the Beast...we have it for towing our trailer but I'm not a big fan of it (it's a 2007. the new ones drive much nicer). It's a truck, and it drives like one. 

[bigskygirl]

OMG, Moose!  Was anyone hurt?   I live in a very deer-populated area (because all the fricking new construction around here has forced them out of their habitat...poor babies!), and hitting one is one of my biggest fears!!  I'm scared to death driving during dawn & dusk hours, & always thankful when there's a car in front of me ('cuz maybe he'll get it first)?  Gawd, I'm an awful person! 

My first serious car accident was hitting a deer on Thanksgiving 2003. My poor car was totaled. The accident brought back the painful memories of being hit by a car a day before my fourth birthday (left kidney laceration-almost lost my left kidney-two weeks in the hospital.) I do not drive in the early dawn/dark hours anymore due to eye damage/severe light sensitivity caused by a chronic medical condition. I still get a little nervous driving in the area where the accident happened.

 

The insurance company was not surprised when I called to file my claim. I guess I was not the only person to hit an animal that day.

[CarpeDiem54]

OMG! What's this new horror? No, bitch, I won't smell your sweat soaked shirt and I don't care what you washed it in. I'm sure your b.o. has cancelled out whatever sweet smelling crap you threw in your washer.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/736s/downy-fresh-protect-running-test

[Moose135]

OMG, Moose!  Was anyone hurt?   I live in a very deer-populated area (because all the fricking new construction around here has forced them out of their habitat...poor babies!), and hitting one is one of my biggest fears!!  I'm scared to death driving during dawn & dusk hours, & always thankful when there's a car in front of me ('cuz maybe he'll get it first)?  Gawd, I'm an awful person! 

 

Only the deer.  I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway just into Virginia, after dark, doing a little night photography.  The thing darted out from the side of the road, I barely saw it in the headlights before I hit it.  Knocked something loose in the wiring and killed the engine or I could have driven it home.  USAA took good care of me (as always) - on the adjuster's write up, it included "deer hair is present on the insured's vehicle" so they didn't question my report.

 

 

On the other hand, I had just shot this before the accident.

 

[Maizie131]

Only the deer.  I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway just into Virginia, after dark, doing a little night photography.  The thing darted out from the side of the road, I barely saw it in the headlights before I hit it.  Knocked something loose in the wiring and killed the engine or I could have driven it home.  USAA took good care of me (as always) - on the adjuster's write up, it included "deer hair is present on the insured's vehicle" so they didn't question my report.

 

On the other hand, I had just shot this before the accident.

 

So glad you're okay, Moose!   Did you by chance win any awards for this absolutely stunning photo you took?  That is really neat! 

[Maizie131]

My first serious car accident was hitting a deer on Thanksgiving 2003. My poor car was totaled. The accident brought back the painful memories of being hit by a car a day before my fourth birthday (left kidney laceration-almost lost my left kidney-two weeks in the hospital.) I do not drive in the early dawn/dark hours anymore due to eye damage/severe light sensitivity caused by a chronic medical condition. I still get a little nervous driving in the area where the accident happened.

 

The insurance company was not surprised when I called to file my claim. I guess I was not the only person to hit an animal that day.

Jeeeezus, bigskygirl - what an awful story about your accident when you were so young, and your current medical problems.  I'm so very sorry!  You and Moose are really scaring the hell outta me now (about deer and driving). 

[roseha]

I can't stand any of the Liberty Mutual commercials either, and it's a shame because I loved their previous "I'm only human" campaign (for some reason the air conditioner falling on the car always struck me as particularly funny, it would have been great in a silent comedy, if they'd had air conditioners in the 1920s), but yes, I can't wait for those entitled dimwit characters to get off the TV.  And I agree, they shouldn't be allowed to monopolize the Statue of Liberty in the background of every ad.

 

Although, maybe ironically, it brings me to what I think is the most striking commercial on right now - the State Farm that starts with hurricane images Andrew...Rita...Sandy...and showing the flooding around the Statue of Liberty just makes me so sad.

[CarpeDiem54]

 

That is an absolutely beautiful photo.

[bigskygirl]

I like Bush's Baked Beans and Duke the dog, but I cannot stand the new commercial with the guy in the store trying to figure out what type of beans to buy.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Only the deer.  I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway just into Virginia, after dark, doing a little night photography.  The thing darted out from the side of the road, I barely saw it in the headlights before I hit it.  Knocked something loose in the wiring and killed the engine or I could have driven it home.  USAA took good care of me (as always) - on the adjuster's write up, it included "deer hair is present on the insured's vehicle" so they didn't question my report.

 

My mom's sister, who was living in Orange County (North Carolina, not California) at the time, hit and killed a deer with her van one night, and it smashed up the front grill of the vehicle. What would possess an animal to leap out in front of headlights on a dark night still has me boggled.

 

 

I like Bush's Baked Beans and Duke the dog, but I cannot stand the new commercial with the guy in the store trying to figure out what type of beans to buy.

 

I hate that commercial, particularly because it validates every other commercial where the husband is clearly such an idiot that he can't be trusted to leave the house and not come home with eight thousand cans of beans.

[riley702]

 

My mom's sister, who was living in Orange County (North Carolina, not California) at the time, hit and killed a deer with her van one night, and it smashed up the front grill of the vehicle. What would possess an animal to leap out in front of headlights on a dark night still has me boggled.

They have very good night vision, but headlights leave them temporarily blind. So part of it is being blinded by oncoming lights and not knowing which way to go. Frightened and confused, they may dart the wrong way trying to get away. Maybe they think that nice, wide path (the road) is a better bet than crashing through the brush. Part of it is not knowing what a car is, much less what to do when one comes barrelling towards them at what is to them an insanely high rate of speed. They're just animals and sometimes get it wrong.

Edited August 28, 2015 by riley702

[legaleagle53]

They have very good night vision, but headlights leave them temporarily blind. So part of it is being blinded by oncoming lights and not knowing which way to go. Frightened and confused, they may dart the wrong way trying to get away. Maybe they think that nice, wide path (the road) is a better bet than crashing through the brush. Part of it is not knowing what a car is, much less what to do when one comes barrelling towards them at what is to them an insanely high rate of speed. They're just animals and sometimes get it wrong.

 

Hence the expression "deer in the headlights" to describe someone who gets such a huge attack of nerves right before having to do something that he or she is rendered practically incoherent and/or physically paralyzed by it.