Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[Prevailing Wind]

Sounds like a solid argument.  I'll get the Reese's peanut butter cups out and get in my 7 servings of vegetables today.  I think nuts are considered a fruit (according to wikipedia) so I can get all my servings of fruit and vegetables done in about.....10 minutes :)

But peanuts aren't nuts; they're legumes, just like Bush's beans...  hahahahaha

[bigskygirl]

Seems like a good enough reason to me. Traumatic brain injuries are no joke. A former fireman with one just shot and killed a waitress the other day for asking him not to smoke inside. Not every football player is a mega millionaire with the resources to deal with it.

True, but some lawyers are out to make money and for their five minutes of fame instead of helping people.

[RCharter]

True, but some lawyers are out to make money and for their five minutes of fame instead of helping people.

Most lawyers are in it to make money.  Almost everyone is in their job to make money.  Even if they end up helping people.  The plaintiff attorneys take on a huge risk by taking a case on contingency.  I can't imagine why they shouldn't want to make money doing their job.

[theatremouse]

I suspect it's the definition of "real milk" that's the issue. It's not unusual to see the price of 1%, 2% and whole milk be different at a local store. If they call it a "real milk milkshake", they may not be allowed to use a cheaper, lower-fat, milk.

Interesting. I was under the impression the distinction was usually between shops that make their shakes using some sort of powdered mix+water and freezing it in a drinkey-spinny-freezing-dispenser machine vs those who make it with milk+ice cream or not-allowed-to-be-labeled-ice-cream-but-close-enough product in a blender. The powder probably includes powdered milk and some amount of dairy stuff, but doesn't contain liquid milk, regardless of fat content.

The ads for "real milk" milkshakes might just as easily apply to both though. And it might be either depending on whether you're talking about the "real" in "real milkshake" applying to the milk, or the shake, or the ice cream or all three.

Edited December 5, 2015 by theatremouse

[legaleagle53]

I read someone's suggesting of re-naming Double Stuff "Regular Oreos" and the regular Oreos re-named to "Lite Oreos."  Isn't that "cream" filling just Crisco & sugar?

 

I am never eating Oreos again.

[OSM Mom]

Just as a side note, my sister in law used to work at McDonald's, and she said that they would put pancake mix into the ice cream mix for shakes to make it go farther. Yuck.

[riley702]

Eww!

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Lovely! There are commercials now for ex-football players and families to sue because of head injuries, concussions etc. etc. What can we sue for next?

A local law firm is looking for people who took a big-name blood-thinner and had any of the side-effects that should have been obvious even if the maker hadn't been warning about them in their ads.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Seems like a good enough reason to me. Traumatic brain injuries are no joke. A former fireman with one just shot and killed a waitress the other day for asking him not to smoke inside. Not every football player is a mega millionaire with the resources to deal with it.

 

In no way am I making light of what happened, either to the firefighter or to the waitress, but WTF. Wouldn't the city be liable if one of their employees was responsible for something like that, especially if they were injured on the job?

[Brattinella]

In no way am I making light of what happened, either to the firefighter or to the waitress, but WTF. Wouldn't the city be liable if one of their employees was responsible for something like that, especially if they were injured on the job?

I would think so. They have to have insurance on their employees.

[RCharter]

In no way am I making light of what happened, either to the firefighter or to the waitress, but WTF. Wouldn't the city be liable if one of their employees was responsible for something like that, especially if they were injured on the job?

Unless they claim that it didn't actually happen as a result of the job.  It would be hard to prove that the brain injury came specifically from work if it developed over time.  Researchers fought the NFL for years to get anyone to even potentially consider that playing a high contact sport on a weekly....daily basis would cause brain damage.  Imagine trying to prove that for a firefighter who probably had substantially fewer head traumas than a football player......

 

And then you have to prove that it was the brain injury that caused his behavior.  Maybe he had a mental history, or something in his past that suggests a mental disorder unrelated to a recent brain injury.

?

And will an insurance policy cover the intentional acts of an employee?  Especially if he shot a woman in a diner while off duty?  Employers don't have to cover intentional acts by their employees even when they are on duty.

 

And, while these agencies I believe would provide medical care for the injury he sustained as long as he can prove it came from the job the biggest question is going to be the waitress who was shot.  The family will go after the firefighter, can he legally blame a head trauma?  And can that be traced back to the negligence of the department?  Did they know that he was showing signs of brain trauma?  Did he know he was acting a little off?

 

So many questions.......

^^I meant intentional criminal acts and torts

[Prevailing Wind]

Just as a side note, my sister in law used to work at McDonald's, and she said that they would put pancake mix into the ice cream mix for shakes to make it go farther. Yuck.

IHOP puts a squirt or two in their omelets to make them look bigger, too.  I once had an IHOP omelet that had gotten too much of the pancake batter and it did, indeed, look more like pancake with some scrambled eggs mixed in.

[RCharter]

IHOP puts a squirt or two in their omelets to make them look bigger, too.  I once had an IHOP omelet that had gotten too much of the pancake batter and it did, indeed, look more like pancake with some scrambled eggs mixed in.

yikes, good to know.  I normally get omelettes because I'm on a gluten free diet.  Now I'll know to avoid them at IHOP.  Although they have a pretty decent egg white omelette, I can't imagine them putting pancake batter into that.  But seriously, is it that important that food be big?  How about smaller plates?

[legaleagle53]

yikes, good to know.  I normally get omelettes because I'm on a gluten free diet.  Now I'll know to avoid them at IHOP.  Although they have a pretty decent egg white omelette, I can't imagine them putting pancake batter into that.  But seriously, is it that important that food be big?  How about smaller plates?

 

That works in continental Europe, where people somewhat pay lip service to the idea of breakfast and concentrate more on the other two meals of the day (and serve smaller portions at those meals in any event), but not here in the States, where people were raised with the concept of the big Farmer's Breakfast and the idea that bigger is better because it means they're getting more for their money -- or so they think, anyway.

[Magog]

 

I read someone's suggesting of re-naming Double Stuff "Regular Oreos" and the regular Oreos re-named to "Lite Oreos."  Isn't that "cream" filling just Crisco & sugar?

 

I am never eating Oreos again.

 

 

I haven't eaten Regular Oreos for years & now that is another reason to avoid them. I also don't like cookies in milk. There is something very revolting about that.

 

Now, I only eat limited edition (like Fruit Punch, Watermelon, Limeade, Key Lime Pie, Cotton Candy, Toasted Coconut, etc) Oreos or new flavored Oreos. BTW, Cinnamon Bun & Filled Cupcake will be the next new flavors next year.

 

Who is that guy singing in those Wal-Mart commercials telling we have to get our Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart? I hate those commercials a lot & that guy. Wal-Mart doesn't know a damn thing about how to make good & creative commercials and this idiot singing proves it once again. That guy is very punchable & he is downright creepy. It also doesn't put me in a holiday spirit.

Edited December 5, 2015 by Magog

[90PercentGravity]

He's a comedian, Craig something, I think. He was in Hot Tub Time Machine.

[peacheslatour]

Tide commercial waitress "I can barely get through a shift without a disaster!"  Geez, why is she still working as a waitress?  She's friggin terrible at her job.

[Ohwell]

He's a comedian, Craig something, I think. He was in Hot Tub Time Machine.

Craig Robinson.  I first saw him on "The Office," then he got into movies.  Then he had his own TV series, "Mr. Robinson," that got yanked after one season.  I thought he was fine in "The Office" as a background character, but his creepiness seemed to seep out after he became more famous.  I don't know if he thinks he's being sexy, but he does, indeed, come off as creepy.   

[RCharter]

That works in continental Europe, where people somewhat pay lip service to the idea of breakfast and concentrate more on the other two meals of the day (and serve smaller portions at those meals in any event), but not here in the States, where people were raised with the concept of the big Farmer's Breakfast and the idea that bigger is better because it means they're getting more for their money -- or so they think, anyway.

I wonder what percentage of people eating a Farmers Breakfast are actually farmers?

 

 

Craig Robinson.  I first saw him on "The Office," then he got into movies.  Then he had his own TV series, "Mr. Robinson," that got yanked after one season.  I thought he was fine in "The Office" as a background character, but his creepiness seemed to seep out after he became more famous.  I don't know if he thinks he's being sexy, but he does, indeed, come off as creepy.   

He was hilarious in Reno911.  I didn't really watch The Office, so I only knew him from Reno 911.  I didn't even know "Mr. Robinson" was a show...

 

His "sexiness" is supposed to be an over the top joke.  

I haven't eaten Regular Oreos for years & now that is another reason to avoid them. I also don't like cookies in milk. There is something very revolting about that.

See, I don't particularly understand or like cookies in milk....but I'm wild for cookies n' cream ice cream.  Which is cookies...in a milk based product.  Or cookies...in a frozen dairy dessert....

[90PercentGravity]

I think he was also the don't touch my dart guy.

[Ohwell]

He was hilarious in Reno911.  I didn't really watch The Office, so I only knew him from Reno 911.  I didn't even know "Mr. Robinson" was a show...

His "sexiness" is supposed to be an over the top joke.

 

Yes, I know he thinks it's a joke but I don't think he realizes that it just looks creepy.

 

I think he was also the don't touch my dart guy.

Yeah I forgot about that commercial.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Random irk Number 412.

 

I saw an ad just now where this woman was talking about how she tried 'Depend' that weekend, and it made the difference between her staying home and going out and getting some exercise. The ad goes on to show her sparring with a kickboxing partner or something, which is okay, but isn't it Depends? Or is this some new product to keep people from pissing all over themselves I haven't heard about?

Edited December 5, 2015 by Cobalt Stargazer

[Bastet]

The brand is Depend, not Depends (which I didn't realize until fairly recently).

Edited December 6, 2015 by Bastet

[Muffyn]

Random irk Number 412.

 

I saw an ad just now where this woman was talking about how she tried 'Depend' that weekend, and it made the difference between her staying home and going out and getting some exercise. The ad goes on to show her sparring with a kickboxing partner or something, which is okay, but isn't it Depends? Or is this some new product to keep people from pissing all over themselves I haven't heard about?

It was rebranded a few years ago.  Probably trying to move away from various Depends jokes.  However, if I had a full diaper regardless of what it is called, I wouldn't want to be kick boxing and shoving my crotch in someone's face.  Just me?

[Prevailing Wind]

 

Probably trying to move away from various Depends jokes.

My favorite was the one from the 96 Prez election. MTV asked all the candidates, "Boxers or briefs?" to which Perot replied, "Boxers."  Clinton said, "Briefs" and the old man Bob Dole said, "Depends."  I thought that was pretty funny until my mom's urologist told me that as a prostate cancer survivor, Dole probably IS incontinent.  It went from being a funny joke to mocking a cancer survivor.  I don't like the joke any more.

[RCharter]

https://youtu.be/-PshL2Uxfog

 

Show of hands...who here really thinks Blake Lively is in her bathroom on a Sunday afternoon coloring her hair with "Preference" with all its golden warmth and luminescence?

[theatremouse]

My favorite was the one from the 96 Prez election. MTV asked all the candidates, "Boxers or briefs?" to which Perot replied, "Boxers."  Clinton said, "Briefs" and the old man Bob Dole said, "Depends."  I thought that was pretty funny until my mom's urologist told me that as a prostate cancer survivor, Dole probably IS incontinent.  It went from being a funny joke to mocking a cancer survivor.  I don't like the joke any more.

I don't personally know the writer, but benefit of the doubt, I have a feeling the punchline they were going for was probably just "he's old" and not being thoughtful enough to factor in the cancer angle, rather than it being intentionally that vicious. Edited December 6, 2015 by theatremouse

[mamabean]

Every time I see this commercial (and it's way too much) & "Chersteen C." comes on & says "We've found the perfect person through them, & we've continued to find perfect people through them" while clapping her hands together, I want to stab someone in the eye. It's amazing how much you can hate someone in a commercial.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdAOE5V-zHY

 

Oh My, I could not stop laughing. Thats me in the homeadvisor testimonial commercial. I did it 3 years ago, it was just a fun weekend in LA for me and my family, being asked to shaee my experience...it was one of those things where they ask you to just talk to the Director and smile a lot and be as natural as possible, answering questions, talking about your true honest experience in full sentences,  meanwhile lights are on you and its really a commercial set and so its all a little nervewracking but exciting. Frankly, I have no idea where "poof! its like they appeared" came from in my brain, (its really a silly sentence I agree) but thats the part they took for the commercial. I have never been able to watch the darn thing myself because I really cant stand watching myself talk (AND I weighed 30 pounds more then, and hated my hair, LOL. So I wasnt even aware I clapped my hands in it but when I read your post aloud (through laughing) my daughter said dead pan, "yeah you did clap... A lot." (no, only once) :-)

The fact that you wrote my name in your post AND linked to the commercial means I really made a (negative) impact on you. Sorry!!! LOL!!!! My 15 minutes.....

[Maharincess]

I have to confess my sin. I went to Big Lots! today for some wired ribbon. Please don't hate me.

*hangs head in shame*

The only things bratty kids commercials would make me want to buy is birth control for myself and saltpeter for my man.

My daughter and I are going shopping on Monday, she wants to go to Big Lots. I told her as long as that broad isn't singing and dancing in the aisles, I'll go with her.

They play that commercial all the time.

[nottopbravo]

 

Oh My, I could not stop laughing. Thats me in the homeadvisor testimonial commercial. I did it 3 years ago, it was just a fun weekend in LA for me and my family, being asked to shaee my experience...it was one of those things where they ask you to just talk to the Director and smile a lot and be as natural as possible, answering questions, talking about your true honest experience in full sentences,  meanwhile lights are on you and its really a commercial set and so its all a little nervewracking but exciting. Frankly, I have no idea where "poof! its like they appeared" came from in my brain, (its really a silly sentence I agree) but thats the part they took for the commercial. I have never been able to watch the darn thing myself because I really cant stand watching myself talk (AND I weighed 30 pounds more then, and hated my hair, LOL. So I wasnt even aware I clapped my hands in it but when I read your post aloud (through laughing) my daughter said dead pan, "yeah you did clap... A lot." (no, only once) :-)

The fact that you wrote my name in your post AND linked to the commercial means I really made a (negative) impact on you. Sorry!!! LOL!!!! My 15 minutes.....

 

Which one is "me"?

[Brattinella]

So, did you just Google your name and ended up on a 6-month old post here?

[mamabean]

In fact I did. I cannot tell a lie. I was bored and googling my name out of curiosity and landed upon this post. Serves me right I guess. To be fair I started looking to see what old links for my videography business were still there and after I found links to other people with my same name spelling (its a swedish name but my parents spelled it phonetically which was always hard on me, no one ever knew how to pronounce it) and so I eneded up scrolling through a few links out of curiousity, and foud someone saying  the testimonial I made I made them want to stab someone in the eye. Never thought I'd read that about myself.

Edited December 6, 2015 by mamabean

[mamabean]

Which one is "me"?

Chersteen C. Someone on this blog mentioned me by name. I found it hilarious (though honestly, a little disturbing too.)

[nottopbravo]

Chersteen C. Someone on this blog mentioned me by name. I found it hilarious (though honestly, a little disturbing too.)

 

A question about how they film these commercials:  Did you meet Amy Matthews on set?

[mamabean]

No. The company "Homeadvisor" is one I had used many times and had great experience with, when I bought our house and renovated it and needed stuff done. We really hit the jackpot and got a really great contractor and since then I have had only good exeperiences with the service pros I hired using that website. Anyway, I was contacted by the company because I had written a review online. They wanted to know if I would be interested in participating in a possible commercial.  It sounded kind of fun especially since they were offering to fly my family to LA where my sister lives, for the weekend, to do the commericial if chosen.  I had a couple Skype interviews and they chose me along with several others and on the day of the shoot they bring people in staggered, at certain times througout the day. Theres a full set imitating a house, and you have a particular area of the set where you are going to give your testimonial. They have a makeup artist do the peoples hair and makeup to look natural, they choose wardrobe (You bring your own things and they have stuff there) and then you walk out on the set and a director interviews you and instrusts  you to just be natural and share your experiences, coaching you with questions (he is offscreen talking to you the whole time) and they take your replies to questionsd and edit them later (he has a sheet of your responses to the interview you had before)  instructing you to speak in full sentences and to smile and be animated and use your hands. Its harder than you might think! 

I never met Amy Mathews, she must have shot her part at a different time. I had no say in which part of my interview they chose, it was just me talking, I am just glad they didnt choose the part where they asked me to come up with a "jingle" for Homeadvisor and I did. Off key. Wow, I bet the person on here who hated me would take a hit out on me. I never watch the thing myself!

Edited December 7, 2015 by mamabean

[nottopbravo]

Thanks, mamabean.

[Haleth]

That is really interesting.  Thanks for sharing your experience.

[RCharter]

 

Oh My, I could not stop laughing. Thats me in the homeadvisor testimonial commercial. I did it 3 years ago, it was just a fun weekend in LA for me and my family, being asked to shaee my experience...it was one of those things where they ask you to just talk to the Director and smile a lot and be as natural as possible, answering questions, talking about your true honest experience in full sentences,  meanwhile lights are on you and its really a commercial set and so its all a little nervewracking but exciting. Frankly, I have no idea where "poof! its like they appeared" came from in my brain, (its really a silly sentence I agree) but thats the part they took for the commercial. I have never been able to watch the darn thing myself because I really cant stand watching myself talk (AND I weighed 30 pounds more then, and hated my hair, LOL. So I wasnt even aware I clapped my hands in it but when I read your post aloud (through laughing) my daughter said dead pan, "yeah you did clap... A lot." (no, only once) :-)

The fact that you wrote my name in your post AND linked to the commercial means I really made a (negative) impact on you. Sorry!!! LOL!!!! My 15 minutes.....

I love that snark can bring people together.......Snark is changing the world.....one person at a time.

 

But seriously, you have a great attitude about the whole thing, and good for you for getting a free trip to LA.  You really worked hard to sell it, the first lady wouldn't even look at the camera, and her husband was a mute.  

 

I hope you're getting residuals from that commercial, because I feel like thats supposed to happen.

[ari333]

Well, I learned about misophonia (sp?) on these threads. I think I have it to some degree or I just loathe certain things. There was a stop smoking ad in which a man had lost teeth. He'd slurp and pull out his dentures which would clack together. I couldn't hit mute fast enough. I also hate any Hardee's commercial bc they are always slurping and smacking and whatnot. When we were kids, my dad would smash the potato chips in the bag so they'd become small crumbs... so they wouldn't crunch. :) NO really....

[bad things are bad]

Who is that guy singing in those Wal-Mart commercials telling we have to get our Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart?

 

and "don't touch my dart" was pretty much the same setup as teh walmart commercials

 

Creativity is overrated

[mamabean]

I love that snark can bring people together.......Snark is changing the world.....one person at a time.

 

But seriously, you have a great attitude about the whole thing, and good for you for getting a free trip to LA.  You really worked hard to sell it, the first lady wouldn't even look at the camera, and her husband was a mute.  

 

I hope you're getting residuals from that commercial, because I feel like thats supposed to happen.

Ha, residuals? I wish :-) No, residuals are given for work in commercials etc. when actors are involved and they are compensated according to their union and the individual contract of the commercial. Like, a big national network commercial can get you a lot of dough if they keep running it. "Real people" arent paid residuals and in fact if they do pay people to be in testimonials (as in infomercials) they have to indicate that in the ad itself.  For this, they gave each of us $300 as a stipend for the weekend (to cover any of our expenses) and they paid for our flights and hotel. We were giving our real opinions, just for the camera. The "mute husband" was because they told us we could include our spouse in the shoot if he/she were interested. (My husband wasnt particularly interested! My kids were, but they didnt want kids in the shot!)They did say the spouse would just be there "in the backround" not giving a testimonial as they hadnt been "hired" from an interview, as we had.

[Maizie131]

Two years ago I needed a maid for our home (for spur-of-the-moment guests coming into town).  I certainly didn't want to pay the annual fee for "Angie's List," and I saw a commercial for "Home Advisor."  I called & they hooked me up w/2 gals who are absolutely phenomenal!  We've used them ever since.  HIGHLY recommend!  Do NOT pay annual fees for Angie's list!!!!! 

[Maharincess]

That's really cool mamabean, I appreciate you sharing your experience with us. It sounds like fun but no way could I do it. I would get so nervous and tongue tied, I'd make a fool out if myself.

I haven't seen your commercial yet but I'm going to keep an eye out for it.

[ari333]

Hey when I commented about Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett  singing in the bookstore and Gaga was walking pigeon toed....(imo)  --  you have to see the commercial from the very first shot bc the rest of her walking is normal - which to me makes the other shot so weird.. She comes in the door and there's a shoulder shot and immediately then, pigeon toes in the very quick closeup shot of the green shoes.. It is quick. Just thought I should clarify.   Carry on. :)

[RCharter]

Hey when I commented about Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett  singing in the bookstore and Gaga was walking pigeon toed....(imo)  --  you have to see the commercial from the very first shot bc the rest of her walking is normal - which to me makes the other shot so weird.. She comes in the door and there's a shoulder shot and immediately then, pigeon toes in the very quick closeup shot of the green shoes.. It is quick. Just thought I should clarify.   Carry on. :)

I noticed that, and I love that commercial because I think its so cool that Tony Bennett is still doing his thing and is cool enough to be doing a commercial with someone that is considered current.  But they do a close up of her pigeon toed walk, and its hard to know what to make of it.

[nottopbravo]

I like Jim Parsons.  He seems like a nice person.  But I cannot tolerate him screaming at people in his Intel commercials.  I can't hit the mute button fast enough. 

[riley702]

I like Jim Parsons.  He seems like a nice person.  But I cannot tolerate him screaming at people in his Intel commercials.  I can't hit the mute button fast enough. 

Agree. I don't think even Sheldon Cooper is that obnoxious.

 

OK, I had to go back and watch the Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga ad again. I don't think that it's a pigeon-toed walk as much as it is that exaggerated catwalk strut that models do. It's at about the 0:07 mark. And I have to say Gaga looks stunning here.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k04K8mND5GU

Edited December 9, 2015 by riley702

[Ubiquitous]

Ugh, I finally saw this: "If you don't have Halos, they [meaning crotchfruit] won't have halos"?!

I've been seeing those ads again, or maybe a new one. Damn brats!

[Ubiquitous]

Beans are considered to be part of the vegetable group because they have folate and potassium.

I thought it was b/c they came from plants. :-)

He's a comedian, Craig something, I think. He was in Hot Tub Time Machine.

THAT is why he looks familiar!

[Brattinella]

I wouldn't buy Halos for some blackmailing nasty brat!

 

Here, kid:  have a potato.  Enjoy!