Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[chessiegal]

18 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

Do they think that the people watching are suffering from short-term memory loss and don't realize they're on as often as they are?

Considering the demographic they're going for, yes. 😂I notice them on the retro channels.

[cinsays]

i don't really hate the commercials, but does Daisy really sell enough cottage cheese to air their commercials every 5 minutes?

[Colleenna]

Haven't seen this one mentioned before (though I may have missed it) but there's a commercial for LG appliances that uses a godawful cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You." 

Gah!!! SOME things are sacred. That earthquake? Freddy Mercury spinning in his grave. 🤬

[CoyoteBlue]

I hate the smarmy guy with the hybrid car who rolls into the gas station to use their squeegee and gets smug and pissy when the attendant RIGHTLY POINTS OUT that the squeegee is a free benefit FOR CUSTOMERS. 

If you're saving that much gas money, use it to buy your own damn squeegee, sir, and quit blocking a pump.

[Colleenna]

The "unofficial seats until someone notices " makes me see red. So, my takeaway  from this ad is that Coors drinkers are dishonest,  thieving a$$holes. 😡

https://ispot.tv/a/bM5V

"Thank you for coming to our focus group.  Get out." 😆

[CoyoteBlue]

7 hours ago, Colleenna said:

my takeaway  from this ad is that Coors drinkers are dishonest,  thieving a$$holes. 😡

So, squeegee hybrid guy drinks Coors? :)

[Spartan Girl]

Please tell me I’m not the only one that gets pissed off in the Suburu commercials where the grandma orders TWO chocolate milkshakes for herself. NOBODY does that unless they’re either stoned or the Gilmore Girls — and yes, I always hated their bottomless appetites that miraculously didn’t result in diabetes!

[chessiegal]

10 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Please tell me I’m not the only one that gets pissed off in the Suburu commercials where the grandma orders TWO chocolate milkshakes for herself. NOBODY does that unless they’re either stoned or the Gilmore Girls — and yes, I always hated their bottomless appetites that miraculously didn’t result in diabetes!

I'm grandma's age or older, and dammit, if I want two milkshakes, I'm getting two milkshakes.

[Colleenna]

1 hour ago, CoyoteBlue said:

So, squeegee hybrid guy drinks Coors? :)

Probably. Probably  owns stock in the company,  too.

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Please tell me I’m not the only one that gets pissed off in the Suburu commercials where the grandma orders TWO chocolate milkshakes for herself.

I don't think they're both for her, I think there's a bonus milkshake to be split between the two of them.  I haven't seen the commercial in some time, though, and am too lazy to look -- because, either way, as long as it's a spending the day together treat like presented and not a regular habit, good for Grandma.

[andromeda331]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I'm grandma's age or older, and dammit, if I want two milkshakes, I'm getting two milkshakes.

I have diabetes and which I had thought of that before I gotten them.

[Ghost of TWOP Past]

SENIORS ARE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR LIFE INSURANCE! Every damn break during Perry Mason. SENIORS ARE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR LIFE INSURANCE! Every damn break during Frasier and Cheers. SENIORS ARE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR LIFE INSURANCE! during Twilight Zone. SHUT UP ABOUT THE GODDAM SENIORS ALREADY! What the hell do I care how much they're paying for insurance? 

(As you can tell by my programming preferences, I am also a senior.) 

[Prevailing Wind]

I'm a Senior and I've NEVER paid for life insurance.  My parents bought a $1000 policy when I was an infant. I get about $8 a year in dividends. I have no heirs, my cremation is already pre-paid. I don't care about my "final expenses." So take THAT, life insurance companies.

[Gramto6]

I'm with you @Prevailing Wind! I never have and never will pay for life insurance. I will be 73 in 5 days, I have a fairly tidy sum in investments, I pay all my bills off every month. The only thing I still need to do is arrange for my cremation.  My kids are well situated on their own and will get my home and what is left of my investments so I see no need for "life insurance". To me it just feels like another scam against older people.

[Colleenna]

1 hour ago, Gramto6 said:

I'm with you @Prevailing Wind! I never have and never will pay for life insurance. I will be 73 in 5 days, I have a fairly tidy sum in investments, I pay all my bills off every month. The only thing I still need to do is arrange for my cremation.  My kids are well situated on their own and will get my home and what is left of my investments so I see no need for "life insurance". To me it just feels like another scam against older people.

Sounds like we have very similar lives, @Gramto6. Except I have no kids and will be buried at sea. No life insurance here either. 

[Bastet]

You only need life insurance if someone depends on your income and will be shit out of luck if you and your paycheck bite the dust; the insurance payout is meant to be a replacement for that.  It's why some companies offer group life insurance as a benefit.  Since I can't name my cat as my beneficiary, no life insurance for me. 

I guess retirees still make up the bulk of people watching TV during the day, thus so many ads targeting seniors being aired at that time, but it drives me nuts whenever I turn on the TV to watch something while I eat lunch.  No matter what channel or program, I have to hear about final expenses, Medicare, and reverse mortgages.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Bastet

[Annber03]

3 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I guess retirees still make up the bulk of people watching TV during the day, thus so many ads targeting seniors being aired at that time, but it drives me nuts whenever I turn on the TV to watch something while I eat lunch.  No matter what channel or program, I have to hear about final expenses, Medicare, and reverse mortgages.

Right? At first I thought this was just the result of my tending to gravitate towards channels geared towards older people, with some of the stuff I watch, but yeah, no, those commercials seem to pop up no matter what channel you have on nowadays. 

My time watching true crime shows has affected how I view ads about life insurance, too. I'll see those commercials where someone's suggesting a loved one should get life insurance and I can't help hearing it as, "Yeah, you should totally have some insurance on hand! No particular reason why, just, um...a personal recommendation..." *Shifty eyes* :p. 

[DrSpaceman73]

14 minutes ago, Bastet said:

You only need life insurance if someone depends on your income.  Since I can't name my cat as my beneficiary, no life insurance for me. 

I guess retirees still make up the bulk of people watching TV during the day, thus so many ads targeting seniors being aired at that time, but it drives me nuts whenever I turn on the TV to watch something while I eat lunch.  No matter what channel or program, I have to hear about final expenses, Medicare, and reverse mortgages.

Don't forget adult diaper, underwear and tampon commercials discussing how great they are at preventing 'leakage'  

Which tampons are for younger people but still.....I could do without them. 

[Ghost of TWOP Past]

Maybe all the commercials are aimed at us fogeys because The Youths are off watching their streaming services. (With their frequent dropping of desired shows and all the stories I hear about billing issues. Blech. The punk kids are welcome to them.) 

[OldStandard]

Okay, I just saw a commercial for an app called “True Bill” in which the speaker proudly announces that the app can track your forgotten “prescriptions” and cancel them with one click.  Now, I’m fairly certain that the context implies the word “subscriptions” which is vastly different.  If you’re receiving bills for forgotten “prescriptions” then the problem is more than an app should be handling!

Edited May 30, 2022 by OldStandard

[Gramto6]

43 minutes ago, Ghost of TWOP Past said:

Maybe all the commercials are aimed at us fogeys because The Youths are off watching their streaming services. (With their frequent dropping of desired shows and all the stories I hear about billing issues. Blech. The punk kids are welcome to them.) 

Could be very true, but us old fogeys also have some disposable income, our homes/vehicles are probably mostly paid off and we have few expenses. The Insurance/Medicare/etc companies are trying to latch on to as much of our monies as they can while they can. The Young'uns aren't going to worry about ins/medicare plans/final expenses for a long time.

[Browncoat]

How is it that I only just noticed that that stupid "Unstopables" is spelled with only one "p"?  

And while I'm being annoyed, I will also be annoyed at Off for spelling it "pretection" instead of protection.

[Prevailing Wind]

Re: True Bill.  I don't understand how you can have a forgotten subscription. Don't you check the charges on your credit card bill? Don't you see Saturday Evening Post is still billing you annually?

I used GrubHub to order from food from Wendy's. There's an extra $1.35 charge on my credit card for Wendy's. I contacted GrubHub. They said there was a difference at the "price point" and their website. I argued & said it's not my fault your website is wrong. They've credited me the $1.35.  I just don't understand how people do NOT monitor that kind of stuff. I don't need an "app" to keep track for me. Me and my Lotus123 spreadsheets do it all.  I also wonder how many people they pull that on & get away with it.

[Colleenna]

7 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Right? At first I thought this was just the result of my tending to gravitate towards channels geared towards older people, with some of the stuff I watch, but yeah, no, those commercials seem to pop up no matter what channel you have on nowadays. 

My time watching true crime shows has affected how I view ads about life insurance, too. I'll see those commercials where someone's suggesting a loved one should get life insurance and I can't help hearing it as, "Yeah, you should totally have some insurance on hand! No particular reason why, just, um...a personal recommendation..." *Shifty eyes* :p. 

Taking my reply to Small Talk because it's not about a commercial...

[Haleth]

11 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

Don't you check the charges on your credit card bill?

I'm not sure most people do.

[Tom Holmberg]

On 5/27/2022 at 11:59 AM, mmecorday said:

Those Medicare part C commercials are on all the time, one right after the other. Do they think that the people watching are suffering from short-term memory loss and don't realize they're on as often as they are?

There's another ad that I've been seeing recently for funeral insurance that shows a potter's field and that narrator says that this is where you'll spend eternity, in a pauper's grave, if you can't afford a funeral. No one will bring you flowers and no one will visit you. The thing is, YOU won't care because YOU will be dead.

These used to have a limited time frame, but now they are endless.  It's only a matter of time before Medicare Martha returns. Lord help us.

[KLovestoShop]

Wouldn’t you think that when someone is hired to represent a company in a commercial, that the person would be able to speak correctly?  The new commercial for Chick Fil-A has a woman who can’t pronounce the words chicken or salad.  When she says “salad” she pronounces it “solid”.  Come on.  No one at the ad agency caught this?  

[janie jones]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:39 PM, CoyoteBlue said:

I hate the smarmy guy with the hybrid car who rolls into the gas station to use their squeegee and gets smug and pissy when the attendant RIGHTLY POINTS OUT that the squeegee is a free benefit FOR CUSTOMERS.

On top of that, why does the guy make such a big deal about it when he has room in his gas tank? He doesn't not need gas. If he had gone inside the gas station to use the bathroom and they said it was only for customers, would he have argued, or would he have just bought a pack of gum to be able to use it? It's the same thing.

[chessiegal]

My husband worked at a gas station back when they were full service. He always cleaned the windshield while he was pumping gas. He said he had people pull in and the only thing they wanted was to have their windshield cleaned, which he gladly did. Any owner that would say no wouldn't stay in business. In this day of self-serve (which excludes New Jersey), I have never, ever, had an employee come outside. The place I go to is also a mini-mart, and the one employee is busy taking care of customers. On the rare occasion I've had to go inside because something at the pump went wrong, I've had to stand in line to talk to the one employee because they were busy with other customers. I've stopped at gas stations just to use the bathroom and have never been told I had to buy something to use the bathroom. That commercial isn't realistic. Anyone who wants to stay in business and be known for good customer service would never tell someone that the squeegee is for paying for customers only.

Edited June 1, 2022 by chessiegal

[Haleth]

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a patron to buy something if he is using the facility's resources, whether it's a gas station or McDonalds, or whatever.  Use their bathroom or their squeegee?  Don't be cheap, buy a coke.

[chessiegal]

To tell someone they have to buy something to use a service that really costs nothing is bad public relations and customer service. But then I've gone into a fast-food place and used the bathroom without buying anything.

[janie jones]

I agree that the scenario would never happen in real life, but within the reality of the commercial's universe, the guy is an asshole.

[Welshman in Ca]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

To tell someone they have to buy something to use a service that really costs nothing is bad public relations and customer service. But then I've gone into a fast-food place and used the bathroom without buying anything.

But it doesn't cost nothing, everything there costs the owner something, the bathrooms have to be cleaned (usually) and someone gets paid to do it, I will usually buy a candy bar or something if I don't need gas although I have also not bought anything if I was in a rush & the line is too long to wait. But my go to is to buy something no matter how small.

Not sure it's bad public relations if you're not a regular customer of the establishment and it's a busy place, it's 2022 now not 1922 and coming from me that's something as I would much rather it be 1922.

[janie jones]

I gave the bathroom example as a comparison, because plenty of convenience stores (and other places) do have a policy that the bathrooms are for customers only, but in my opinion, a gas station is the only place it isn't rude to use the bathroom without buying something.

And even though in real life you aren't likely to have a gas station employee tell you the windshield supplies are just for paying customers, if an employee did say that, what kind of jerk is going to argue with them over it? Especially when you can just buy gas?

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, chessiegal said:

My husband worked at a gas station back when they were full service. He always cleaned the windshield while he was pumping gas. He said he had people pull in and the only thing they wanted was to have their windshield cleaned, which he gladly did. Any owner that would say no wouldn't stay in business. In this day of self-serve (which excludes New Jersey), I have never, ever, had an employee come outside. The place I go to is also a mini-mart, and the one employee is busy taking care of customers. On the rare occasion I've had to go inside because something at the pump went wrong, I've had to stand in line to talk to the one employee because they were busy with other customers. I've stopped at gas stations just to use the bathroom and have never been told I had to buy something to use the bathroom. That commercial isn't realistic. Anyone who wants to stay in business and be known for good customer service would never tell someone that the squeegee is for paying for customers only.

Except that Mister "Don't I get to use the free squeegee" is blocking the freaking gas pump so that paying customers can't use it.  He's the a-hole in this commercial.

[CrystalBlue]

6 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Except that Mister "Don't I get to use the free squeegee" is blocking the freaking gas pump so that paying customers can't use it.  He's the a-hole in this commercial.

That's what it's all about, the preventing of an actual paying customer from getting the vehicle fueled up so they can be on their way.  Also, as was pointed out by Welshman and what was the first thing I thought of too, someone gets paid to clean the restrooms, and gas stations are not taxpayer-funded freebie sites, like a public park's restroom or road turnoff.  Businesses usually have a customers only restroom policy or key to the facilities.  But this is about the commercial of the owner vs. free squeegie user and the owner has the right to refuse service to anyone.

[nokat]

Am I supposed to like the fat guy for  Duplixit.    I got it wrong.

[TattleTeeny]

On 5/27/2022 at 1:24 PM, cinsays said:

i don't really hate the commercials, but does Daisy really sell enough cottage cheese to air their commercials every 5 minutes?

I hate them. "Do a dollop" is just annoying! Just because it's alliterative does not mean it's good, Daisy!

Quote

How is it that I only just noticed that that stupid "Unstopables" is spelled with only one "p"?  

And they (whomever is the manfacturer) claim it's on purpose too!

Quote

Re: True Bill.  I don't understand how you can have a forgotten subscription. Don't you check the charges on your credit card bill? Don't you see Saturday Evening Post is still billing you annually?

Probably from forgetting to cancel free trials. GUILTY! Ooh, that reminds me--I need to cancel Audible after I listen to Rainn Wilson's book, haha!

Edited June 3, 2022 by TattleTeeny

[shlbycindyk]

I can't believe no one else has mentioned the commercial for Traeger Grills.  In this one a young girl is slowly walking out of the bathroom looking down at something while her young man paces in the kitchen.  He looks at her and she nods yes and then he say he's going to call his parents.  What she's looking at is her phone because evidently the grill has called to say the brisket is ready.  I don't know why but this one drives me crazy. 

Another one that drives me nuts is a commercial usually shown late at night where they're trying to convince people that someone could easily take over your house without you even knowing about it so you need to buy their insurance right this very minute or else!   I hate that one because it seems like they're preying on older people and trying to scare them to death.

I'm older but I'm not stupid!

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Probably from forgetting to cancel free trials. GUILTY! Ooh, that remonds me--I need to cancel Audible after I listen to Rainn Wilson's book, haha!

Sorry, OT but I can't wait to see him as Dr. Demento in the new Weird Al movie!

[TattleTeeny]

9 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Sorry, OT but I can't wait to see him as Dr. Demento in the new Weird Al movie!

He is a treasure! I adore him more every day and, dare I say, I may have a bit of an unconventioanl crush on him. Also, do yourself a favor and look up the Architectural Digest video of his house. OK, back on topic...

Speaking of houses, that horrific cloying, "rancid butter-sounding" voice of HGTV seems to be in more and more commercials on that channel lately! It's so bad. 

Edited June 3, 2022 by TattleTeeny

[Colleenna]

I really hate the Balance of Nature commercial with the cowboy.  When he says "I couldn't do a situp" my reaction is twofold: (1) I don't think it has anything to do with a lack of vitamins,  and (2) I bet you STILL can't.  Try dropping 100 lbs and you'll feel a lot less tired.

[ctlady]

The tall, goofy redheaded chick in the Walgreens commercial.  All her little quirks and dorky childish antics bug me to no end.  Go fall off  your scooter again!

[TattleTeeny]

I laughed when she flew off that scooter, I don't even care how it makes me sound! Also, isn't the commercial for delivery or something? Why would you wait for a delivery to get a Band-Aid? And why can't she Band-Aid herself? 

[Tom Holmberg]

2 hours ago, ctlady said:

The tall, goofy redheaded chick in the Walgreens commercial.  All her little quirks and dorky childish antics bug me to no end.  Go fall off  your scooter again!

I think she's kind of cute, unlike the ZocDoc lady who it hurts when she pees. I really don't want to know about her plumbing.

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

Why would you wait for a delivery to get a Band-Aid? And why can't she Band-Aid herself? 

Because then we'd have people wondering why her mom was more interested in the cat than in getting a bandage for the girl.

[Tom Holmberg]

18 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Because then we'd have people wondering why her mom was more interested in the cat than in getting a bandage for the girl.

I think you're confusing two commercials, unless the Walgreens lady got a cat we don't know about. 😃

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, Tom Holmberg said:

I think you're confusing two commercials, unless the Walgreens lady got a cat we don't know about. 😃

I think @Browncoat was being sarcastic.

[Browncoat]

24 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I think @Browncoat was being sarcastic.

Yep.

[Prevailing Wind]

If some woman came at me with a megaphone, yelling about CKD, I'd be up on charges of assault & battery, because I'd slap her into next week.