Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[cinsays]

37 minutes ago, Jaded said:

 

I usually don't mind them being in commercials unless it's for something like a reverse mortgage where they sound like they're giving viewers financial advice to those watching. I probably shouldn't have been surprised at Tom Selleck doing them all while being on a long running TV show. I was though. Henry Winkler kind of disappointed me by doing commercials for them too. I'm just one person though and know in the grand scheme of things my opinions on what they do don't really matter.  

i wouldn't have minded sellect doing commercials if he had done another one, maybe something to keep your mustache looking fresh (is there even anything that does that?)  but for this reverse mortgage product, nope.  

[Bastet]

Oh, wow, I didn't recognize that was Paul Giamatti in that Einstein commercial.

I don't mind when successful actors still accept commercial roles, especially as they get older.  It's less work than they normally have to put in to earn that amount of money, and most people take paycheck roles at various points in their career, not only in the beginning.  And people with a lot more prestige and money in the bank than Giamatti have done it, so even now that I know it's him I don't bat an eye at that.

But when they're hawking something as themselves (like Tom Selleck asking folks to trust him about reverse mortgages, since it's not his first rodeo), rather than playing a role, I do care if it's a scammy product/service.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Bastet

[Haleth]

I am wondering if Paul Giamatti and Cecily Strong will do a series of commercials with Paul playing different roles.  First he was Scrooge, then Einstein.  Who next?

[cinsays]

The one I hate is the car commercial with the the couple clapping. Is that what hands free driving was designed for?  i think it is incredibly dumb.

[Stevie Nicks]

On 2/17/2023 at 4:25 PM, Gramto6 said:

Sheesh! Makes me not want to buy any Ocean Spray products any more! That is disgusting!

But since apparently everyone (not including myself) hates clowns, then it's supposed to be funny. Which it's not 

[OldStandard]

Can anyone explain to me the “tv dad” commercials for one of the insurance companies?  The one where the kid didn’t make the team (or the play, or whatever) and the dad’s “customary” response is something about saving money with insurance - and the kid even says that these “wise words” were no help to her….what exactly is the message we are supposed to take from this other than “how incredibly stupid do they really think audiences ARE?”

[Prevailing Wind]

22 minutes ago, OldStandard said:

“how incredibly stupid do they really think audiences ARE?”

I think that's it.

 

[CrystalBlue]

9 hours ago, Stevie Nicks said:

But since apparently everyone (not including myself) hates clowns, then it's supposed to be funny. Which it's not 

I don't understand the hate or fear of clowns either.  When I was a little kid we had the Bozo the Clown TV show.  I hate the Ocean Spray commercial and would no matter who that karate bitch kicks.  Then she shields the little girl after.  Stupid and violent!

[marceline]

I feel like boner pill commercials are getting weirder by the day.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qaJU/force-factor-score-golf-walmart

[janie jones]

On 2/21/2023 at 3:41 PM, cinsays said:

i wouldn't have minded sellect doing commercials if he had done another one, maybe something to keep your mustache looking fresh (is there even anything that does that?)  but for this reverse mortgage product, nope.  

Tom Selleck should do commercials for Just for Men Mustache and Beard.

[jcbrown]

I hate the Vivica Fox CarShield commercials, particularly the one with the cold shoulder top and sprayed on pleather pants. Speaking of actors who are better than the commercials they sign on for...

[RedElf]

51 minutes ago, jcbrown said:

I hate the Vivica Fox CarShield commercials, particularly the one with the cold shoulder top and sprayed on pleather pants. Speaking of actors who are better than the commercials they sign on for...

She was in "Cool Cat". She's nothing special.

[kathyk24]

Massachusetts will have online betting starting March !st. Kevin Hart is constantly on tv promoting Draft Kings. I can't stand him.

[littlebennysmom]

3 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Massachusetts will have online betting starting March !st. Kevin Hart is constantly on tv promoting Draft Kings. I can't stand him.

I guess that commercial money must be a lot, but for someone at his level of celebrity it seems...odd.

[Prevailing Wind]

1 hour ago, littlebennysmom said:

I guess that commercial money must be a lot, but for someone at his level of celebrity it seems...odd.

I'm thinking that's the only work he can get.

[marceline]

On 2/22/2023 at 11:50 PM, kathyk24 said:

Massachusetts will have online betting starting March 1st. Kevin Hart is constantly on tv promoting Draft Kings. I can't stand him.

We just got sports betting legalized in Ohio at the beginning of the month. The commercials are relentless and nakedly predatory. It's disgusting.

You have my sympathy.

Edited February 27, 2023 by marceline

[dleighg]

9 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Massachusetts will have online betting starting March !st. Kevin Hart is constantly on tv promoting Draft Kings. I can't stand him

as a resident of NY, which legalized sports betting over a year ago, I'm sorry to tell you that the ads WILL NEVER END. It's insane. And they are generally obnoxious, loud, ads. 

[proserpina65]

3 hours ago, dleighg said:

as a resident of NY, which legalized sports betting over a year ago, I'm sorry to tell you that the ads WILL NEVER END. It's insane. And they are generally obnoxious, loud, ads. 

Resident of MD here, this is absolutely correct.

[andromeda331]

On 2/22/2023 at 7:31 AM, Stevie Nicks said:

But since apparently everyone (not including myself) hates clowns, then it's supposed to be funny. Which it's not 

I have a fear of clowns I think comes from the serial killer who dressed up as a  clown I went to a birthday party that had a clown and I was freaked out. But I still feel bad for the clown in the mall. He didn't do anything and greeted her very nicely. I get her wanting to over come it. But there was no reason to punch him.  

[Bastet]

To me, clowns are weird at best and creepy at worst, and, most importantly, never remotely funny, so I get the widespread dislike of them, and maybe even understand the fear (that Poltergeist scene was memorable), but making heroic an unprovoked attack on an entertainer because of that fear is not okay.

[millennium]

I'm watching a movie on AMC right now, in the middle of the night, just trying to wind down, and every damn commercial break I am subjected to THIS:

First, I'd like to know why is Burger King going out of its way to use a singer who deliberately sings in a pernicious fingernails-on-a-chalkboard brand of off-key voice?

Second, why do they use lyric-hooks that seem algorithmically-designed to attract morons and simpletons? (i.e, burger-cheese-burger-cheese-burger-cheese-burger)

Seriously, I have been watching the movie for about an hour and fifteen minutes now and have sat through this spot at least six times.   Each repetition of burger-cheese-burger-cheese-burger-cheese is starting to hurt my head.

WTF Burger King?  WTbloodyF?

22 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I'm thinking that's the only work he can get.

His personal worth is estimated to be $450 million.

[millennium]

On 2/22/2023 at 6:50 PM, CrystalBlue said:

When I was a little kid we had the Bozo the Clown TV show.

When I was little kid I went to a filming of the Bozo The Clown show at WCVB studios in Boston.   Wasn't picked to sit on stage though.   🙁

[cinsays]

9 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I have a fear of clowns I think comes from the serial killer who dressed up as a  clown I went to a birthday party that had a clown and I was freaked out. But I still feel bad for the clown in the mall. He didn't do anything and greeted her very nicely. I get her wanting to over come it. But there was no reason to punch him.  

i have never liked clowns either, just creepy

and, along that line, i think burger king made a major misstep in having that clownish huge king as their mascot.  their product was so much better than macdonald's but their marketing sucked.

[Prevailing Wind]

4 hours ago, millennium said:

His personal worth is estimated to be $450 million.

There's something seriously wrong with our culture.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Going to Small Talk.

[DrSpaceman73]

On 2/22/2023 at 11:50 PM, kathyk24 said:

Massachusetts will have online betting starting March !st. Kevin Hart is constantly on tv promoting Draft Kings. I can't stand him.

I don't mind him but the commercial is dumb. I hate it

[marceline]

On 2/23/2023 at 9:28 AM, dleighg said:

as a resident of NY, which legalized sports betting over a year ago, I'm sorry to tell you that the ads WILL NEVER END. It's insane. And they are generally obnoxious, loud, ads. 

 

On 2/23/2023 at 12:34 PM, proserpina65 said:

Resident of MD here, this is absolutely correct.

Every celebrity I see in one of these ads is dead to me.

[TattleTeeny]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:48 PM, andromeda331 said:

I have a fear of clowns I think comes from the serial killer who dressed up as a  clown I went to a birthday party that had a clown and I was freaked out. But I still feel bad for the clown in the mall. He didn't do anything and greeted her very nicely. I get her wanting to over come it. But there was no reason to punch him.  

I don't suppose it is at all helpful that he wasn't dressed as a clown while he killed people*? Probably not, never mind -- please carry on! Also, I get it; I am so not a fan of clowns either and I can't think of any reason for it, specific or vague! I wouldn't punch one though...

unless I actually needed to!

*If we're talking about the same person; I don't doubt that somewhere, at some time, there has been someone who did just that. 

Edited February 27, 2023 by TattleTeeny

[peacheslatour]

There is a Sprite commercial that is driving me crazy. This young guy wants a train ticket to Madison and the ticket guy starts to tell a story about summering with a girl from there and the young guy proceeds to open his Sprite so that the fizzy sound drowns out the ticket guy. Dammit! I want to hear the story!

[Tom Holmberg]

29 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

There is a Sprite commercial that is driving me crazy. This young guy wants a train ticket to Madison and the ticket guy starts to tell a story about summering with a girl from there and the young guy proceeds to open his Sprite so that the fizzy sound drowns out the ticket guy. Dammit! I want to hear the story!

What happens in Madison, stays in Madison!

[OldStandard]

Singing and dancing pubic hairs?  REALLY???

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, OldStandard said:

Singing and dancing pubic hairs?  REALLY???

Are you talking about the one that has the line "There's nothing diabolical about this little follicle"?  I think it's Gillette.  If that's the one, I don't think the song is as catchy as it needs to be to build a commercial around, but I do love that line.  Along with "Why the mass hysteria about the pubic area?”

[Gharlane]

It's bad enough they play on germaphobia, but do the germs have to look like the COVID virus? 😠

[Grrarrggh]

On 2/22/2023 at 9:11 PM, janie jones said:

Tom Selleck should do commercials for Just for Men Mustache and Beard.

Where he's shoot people with his many NRA approved guns?

On 2/27/2023 at 3:30 PM, peacheslatour said:

There is a Sprite commercial that is driving me crazy. This young guy wants a train ticket to Madison and the ticket guy starts to tell a story about summering with a girl from there and the young guy proceeds to open his Sprite so that the fizzy sound drowns out the ticket guy. Dammit! I want to hear the story!

Is commercial fanfic a thing yet?

[xls]

On 2/18/2023 at 12:00 PM, TattleTeeny said:

Who the hell drinks right from a bottle that size, especially outside of one’s home?!

Exactly my thoughts ! would be funny if she drops it.

[TattleTeeny]

I had an unopened bottle of that size and shape (I don't normally drink it straight -- I needed a vodka vodka mixer, haha!) and I pretended to take a sip from it. Maybe that commercial lady is extra strong and graceful, who knows? But it was NOT EASY!

[Kimboweena]

The most annoying commercial right now has got to be T-Mobile.  The one where multiple people are saying, "Well, well, well, well" to the tune of 'Stayin' Alive' by the BeeGees.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Kimboweena
M should be capitalized, not that I care!

[Browncoat]

I hate that Applebee's is using a great Roy Orbison song for their tacky commercials.

[Annber03]

16 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I hate that Applebee's is using a great Roy Orbison song for their tacky commercials.

I'm just stuck on the fact they used the Spice Girls' "Wannabe" in one of their ads. 

[Baltimore Betty]

I do not understand that Honey Nut Cheerio commercial with Stanley and Phyllis, at the end of the commercial Phyllis says that wished Susan (or what ever the name is), didn't join that mall walkers group or something like that...why would Phyllis having breakfast with Stanley and who is Susan (what ever the actual name is)?

[DrSpaceman73]

Cologuard using the song my way?

Just do wrong. 

[shapeshifter]

COZI TV has commercials that do "annoy, irritate, or outright enrage" me, but I like running the reruns while I'm doing other stuff, so I try not to ignore the commercials, or run water while they're on.
But every now and then Mr. My Pillow's voice invades my space, or, maybe even worse, there are still a few commercials that have these lines at the end similar to:

• But wait!
  [Some Product] may be discontinued!
  Due to rising costs, [Some Company] is stopping manufacturing!
  Effective immediately there is a strict limit of two [some unit] per order!
  Call now!
  This may be your last chance!
  So call! 
  (https://youtu.be/Ch9OS88nxZY?t=35)

Usually the phrase "supply chain" is included, but they seem to have finally gotten around to editing out that dated phrase.

As someone who will walk out of a store and not buy something I want/need if the salesperson is aggressively trying to upsell me, I find it hard to believe that intimidating viewers with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is going to be good for business, but then I've never bought a lottery ticket either (which at least is honest about the odds).
So maybe FOMO as a sales pitch does work for some poor dupes?
And I suppose it's a selling technique as old as the hills.
But to me, it feels the same as some guy trying to take advantage of me when I was a teenage girl in the 60s.

 

[Prevailing Wind]

I've noticed most of those "when they're gone, they're gone" ads come from Bulbhead.  More like Dickhead, if you ask me.

[TattleTeeny]

Or “get it before it’s gone” — as if I even could get it after it’s gone. 

[Bruinsfan]

This is the era of eBay. Pretty much anything is going to have some buyers who decide they don't want it and put it up for resale.

[Tom Holmberg]

5 minutes ago, Bruinsfan said:

This is the era of eBay. Pretty much anything is going to have some buyers who decide they don't want it and put it up for resale.

There's a website TEMU that sells all this crap at like 1/3 to 1/4 the price on the ads.

[shapeshifter]

1 minute ago, Tom Holmberg said:

There's a website TEMU that sells all this crap at like 1/3 to 1/4 the price on the ads.

I confess to having bought a cheap, useless pair of gloves on TEMU (due to good "reviews" which I guess were planted). 
Never again. 
They really ought to not have such a distinctive brand name that will quickly alert people who were fooled once to not get fooled again.

[mmecorday]

And most of the "As Seen on TV" products are advertised as military grade. "Buy this military grade flashlight. It will light up your whole entire neighborhood even after being submerged in ice water and run over by an 18-wheeler. And if you act now, you can get two flashlights for the price of one. Just pay separate shipping and handling." 

Edited March 7, 2023 by mmecorday

[Tom Holmberg]

35 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

 And if you act now, you can get two flashlights for the price of one. Just pay separate shipping and handling." 

My favorite is "for only three payments of $33.99"  I wonder how many people think the price is only $33.99, not $100, esp. seniors watching at 2:30 am.

[cynicat]

16 minutes ago, Tom Holmberg said:

My favorite is "for only three payments of $33.99"  I wonder how many people think the price is only $33.99, not $100, esp. seniors watching at 2:30 am.

Or stoners!!