Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[walnutqueen]

Dear Joe Namath:

Shutty.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, walnutqueen said:

Dear Joe Namath:

Shutty.

When did Broadway Joe start talking like a hillbilly?

[Silver Raven]

2 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

Dear Joe Namath:

Shutty.

His whiny tone is irritating.

38 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

When did Broadway Joe start talking like a hillbilly?

Ever since he went to the University of Alabama.

[smittykins]

The NFL’s retiree health insurance can’t be that bad...

[chessiegal]

Grubhub got my hopes up. There are many restaurants near me I would happily pay for delivery. Alas, there are only 3 places that would deliver, including 2 pizza, 1 being the Boli's franchise about a mile from my house, and they already offer delivery. Their pizza is terrible! I don't think they make it fresh. but heat up frozen pizza. I used them twice when we moved into our house and my kitchen was full of boxes marked "kitchen". I can get better frozen pizza at the grocery store. Heck, Domino's is better. Friends have told me Grubhub doesn't offer much in our area.

[smittykins]

That’s 3 more than I have. 😞

[configdotsys]

17 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Grubhub got my hopes up. There are many restaurants near me I would happily pay for delivery. Alas, there are only 3 places that would deliver, including 2 pizza, 1 being the Boli's franchise about a mile from my house, and they already offer delivery. Their pizza is terrible! I don't think they make it fresh. but heat up frozen pizza. I used them twice when we moved into our house and my kitchen was full of boxes marked "kitchen". I can get better frozen pizza at the grocery store. Heck, Domino's is better. Friends have told me Grubhub doesn't offer much in our area.

Just read an article about GH and those delivery services. They take 25-30 percent of the cost, plus the entire delivery fee, plus the whole service fee and then you are expected to tip the driver. Wow. Taco Bell's ownership wanted to be available in these apps but wanted to shield their restaurants from having to lose any money so they bought part of GrubHub/Seamless. I was surprised to see TB in the app but when I put a 12 pack of crunchy regular tacos in the shopping cart (19.99), the delivery fee, service fee and tax put the cost at 29 bucks and some change. If you order less than $10 or $12 worth of food, then in addition to the above fees there is also a "small order fee." Then of course you have to tip the driver.

I feel for the mom and pops that are having to fork over such a huge cut to these services. There is a small mom and pop healthy joint not far from me that was in Seamless/GH but then disappeared. They delivered flyers locally and through some coupon packet that we typically get in the mail. On the back of their mail piece and flyer it said that they were unable to pay all the fees associated with GH/Seamless and to please call the restaurant for delivery. A few months later they were back in the apps. They must have lost a lot of business from the people who want the convenience of the app that they are willing to take a loss to keep the customers. I love the convenience of the app but yikes.

Edited February 10, 2019 by configdotsys
$10 to $12 dollars worth of foot? Um, no.

[chessiegal]

Thanks for the explanation on GH. Now that I know this, I would never use it.

[SoSueMe]

On 2/5/2019 at 6:59 PM, Ubiquitous said:

I noticed there's a new commercial with the Chevy focus group douchebag in which alligators are released into the room while in thir product. It reminds if the earlier one in which the douchebag offered a choice of cages in which to take refuge from a grizzly bear in the room.

I don't think calve implants can be insured. 

 I thought he originally thought he was Scottish before jumping on the Bavarian bandwagon. 

Chevy Focus with the gators really ticks me off. Yeah, I know they're only gators but geez, I wish humans would get over the need to exploit animals for entertainment or to sell something. We EAT them, isn't that enough? I guess they need to be traumatized to sell cars too.

[chenoa333]

On 2/6/2019 at 5:56 PM, Lillybee said:

I hate the progressive box ads in which he is a lounge singer.

And that reminds me.... I still HATE Flo.

[andromeda331]

4 hours ago, configdotsys said:

Just read an article about GH and those delivery services. They take 25-30 percent of the cost, plus the entire delivery fee, plus the whole service fee and then you are expected to tip the driver. Wow. Taco Bell's ownership wanted to be available in these apps but wanted to shield their restaurants from having to lose any money so they bought part of GrubHub/Seamless. I was surprised to see TB in the app but when I put a 12 pack of crunchy regular tacos in the shopping cart (19.99), the delivery fee, service fee and tax put the cost at 29 bucks and some change. If you order less than $10 or $12 worth of food, then in addition to the above fees there is also a "small order fee." Then of course you have to tip the driver.

I feel for the mom and pops that are having to fork over such a huge cut to these services. There is a small mom and pop healthy joint not far from me that was in Seamless/GH but then disappeared. They delivered flyers locally and through some coupon packet that we typically get in the mail. On the back of their mail piece and flyer it said that they were unable to pay all the fees associated with GH/Seamless and to please call the restaurant for delivery. A few months later they were back in the apps. They must have lost a lot of business from the people who want the convenience of the app that they are willing to take a loss to keep the customers. I love the convenience of the app but yikes.

Thanks for the information. That really stinks. We've finally got GH in our city but haven't tried it yet. I've been wishing for a delivery service for so long especially since I can't drive (medical reasons) and most restaurants really aren't close to the house. All we have is pizza or Chinese. Every five or ten years another one pops up but it rarely lasts a year. The closest was one that lasted four years. Sometimes you just want to order from some place else and have it delivered.

[iHateAmpersands]

On 2/9/2019 at 1:38 PM, sempervivum said:

Woman at yoga class, with a pile of bread on the floor next to her mat. Why? Because back at her house, her husband and kids are busy ransacking the place gangsta-style, slicing up sofa cushions, emptying food out of the cupboards, etc., trying to find the Kings Hawaiian bread. As yoga woman enters the house, her husband's leg crashes through the ceiling, as he is evidently searching in the attic for bread. 

I'm SICK of these lazily-written ads that want to show us how consumers will behave idiotically/criminally in order to get their product (see my previous rant about the Purple mattress ads). It makes me insanely antagonistic toward their stuff and I simply don't believe this kind of ad sells anything.

For a while now, I've referred to those type of commercials as "mini-sitcoms" (i.e. commercials that show people in wacky situations and/or spouting off some "witty" and "clever" dialogue).

[tinkerbell]

 At first I liked this one.  Then I thought:

1) mom is walling the dog, making the kids lunches,  going to spin class,  giving a lecture, going to work (she's some sort of medical professional), where she has cookies for the paramedics, hugs for everyone at work, then  the cleaners, etc.  and her husband, at home, texts her to find out about dinner?   Yeah, I get it, he's a great dad because he's dancing with the kids, but why is she doing all the "running around?"  until dark?  can he make the kids dinner?  or go out himself and pick up the Applebees? 

2)  song choice.  "Run Around Sue?"  the original song is about KEEP AWAY   from run-around sue.  because she's a tramp.  "Sue goes OUT WITH OTHER GUYS." 

Edited February 10, 2019 by tinkerbell

[Annber03]

1 minute ago, tinkerbell said:

2)  song choice.  "Run Around Sue?"  the original song is about KEEP AWAY   from run-around sue.  because she's a tramp.  "Sue goes OUT WITH OTHER GUYS." 

I'm struck by that odd choice of song, too, yeah. 

[andromeda331]

3 minutes ago, tinkerbell said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 At first I liked this one.  Then I thought:

1) mom is walling the dog, making the kids lnches,  going to spin class,  giving a lecture, going to work (she's some sort of medical professional), where she has cookies for the paramedics, hugs for everyone at work, then  the cleaners, etc.  and her husband, at home, texts her to find out about dinner?   Yeah, I get it, he's a great dad because he's dancing with the kids, but why is she doing all the "running around?"  until dark?  can he make the kids dinner?  or go out himself and pick up the Applebees? 

2)  song choice.  "Run Around Sue?"  the original song is about KEEP AWAY   from run-around sue.  because she's a tramp.  "Sue goes OUT WITH OTHER GUYS." 

Just now, Annber03 said:

I'm struck by that odd choice of song, too, yeah. 

So am I for the same reason. Its an odd pick. I don't know why they chose a song about staying away from someone to get people to go to their restaurant.

[Bastet]

Yes, the song choice is stupid because that's not the type of "running around" it referred to, but these days I suspect there are a whole lot of people who won't make the (dis)connection.

I'm more disturbed by the family dynamics.  Based on her presentation, she's a nurse.  And whatever her husband is, he wears a tie to go to work.  So we have not only the usual sexism in that she's the half of this marriage/parenting relationship that is running around doing the household's errands, but also classism.

At least he doesn't text "What are you making for dinner?" but even his "Thoughts about dinner?" sucks because he's either already home or on his way home before her; take the initiative.  Obviously the commercial needs to wind up with Applebee's to-go, so "I'm making X for dinner" is out of the question, but why not something like "I just got in and it's pretty slim pickings in the fridge, so I ordered Applebee's and got everyone's favorites.  Since it's on your way home, can you drop by and pick it up?  BTW, dance party at home; we can't wait to see you"?  That would fit the upbeat theme they're going for without the troubling implications.

Edited February 10, 2019 by Bastet

[Bort]

Because it's just the Run Around Sue part that most people hear, which is the focus of the woman in the commercial, running around all over the place with her errands of the day.

[peacheslatour]

24 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I'm struck by that odd choice of song, too, yeah. 

Rockin' song though.

[sempervivum]

'Run Around Sue'- this was probably something a millennial from the ad agency heard a sample of somewhere. They've never bothered to listen all the way through the original/classic Dion performance, to get the actual point of the song. This is similar to equally stupid song choices like 'Sympathy for the Devil' (Motorhead version) used in an Acura commercial.

[Brattinella]

2 minutes ago, sempervivum said:

'Run Around Sue'- this was probably something a millennial from the ad agency heard a sample of somewhere. They've never bothered to listen all the way through the original/classic Dion performance, to get the actual point of the song. This is similar to equally stupid song choices like 'Sympathy for the Devil' (Motorhead version) used in an Acura commercial.

LOL!  I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense!

[tinkerbell]

16 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

Because it's just the Run Around Sue part that most people hear, which is the focus of the woman in the commercial, running around all over the place with her errands of the day.

Sure, but older folks who know the song, sing or hum along, and know that the lyrics are  about her running around with other guys. 

this woman looks too busy to be whoring around, though.

  BUT - it brings to mind a different twist -  she's running around taking care of everyone, she comes home late, and her husband accuses her of being a "run around sue",  she gets pissed because she was working and picking up his dry cleaning , and he's accusing her of being "out with other guys."  she takes the kids, and they go out to Applebees. 

THAT'S the commercial I'd make.  

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

Rockin' song though.

Oh, yeah, the song itself is great, no argument there. Just not the kind of music I would think to pick for a restaurant ad :p. 

But as we've seen numerous times, people apparently don't pay much attention to the lyrics of songs (hello, "Every Breath You Take"). One of my all-time favorite examples of "I don't think this song means what you think it means" was when "I'm So Excited" was used to advertise one of those play cars that little kids can ride around in.

[Silver Raven]

1 hour ago, iHateAmpersands said:

For a while now, I've referred to those type of commercials as "mini-sitcoms" (i.e. commercials that show people in wacky situations and/or spouting off some "witty" and "clever" dialogue).

For varying degrees of witty and clever.  🙂

[BigBingerBro]

I saw that Applebees "Run Around Sue" commercial the other day and it made me sad.  I'm hoping that someday we won't have to run ourselves ragged on a daily basis just to keep up with the Joneses.   I take no issue if someone chooses this type of lifestyle, but normalizing it makes me very sad.

[Prevailing Wind]

The funny thing to me about Runaround Sue is that Sue is the name of Dion's wife - been married since 63.

[proserpina65]

Maybe I'm putting much thought into this, but I hate the Fresh Pet commercials where the owners talk about how their dogs stopped eating, were lethargic or listless, and then magically after being given Fresh Pet food got all better.  I keep shouting "why don't you take them to the vet to find out what's wrong?" at the tv.  Now, logically I knew there's more to the story and they probably did go to the vet.  But the commercial makes it sound like all they did was given the dog this expensive ass food, and it annoys the crap out of me.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎2‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 7:49 PM, chessiegal said:

Grubhub got my hopes up. There are many restaurants near me I would happily pay for delivery. Alas, there are only 3 places that would deliver, including 2 pizza, 1 being the Boli's franchise about a mile from my house, and they already offer delivery. Their pizza is terrible! I don't think they make it fresh. but heat up frozen pizza. I used them twice when we moved into our house and my kitchen was full of boxes marked "kitchen". I can get better frozen pizza at the grocery store. Heck, Domino's is better. Friends have told me Grubhub doesn't offer much in our area.

I remember trying a restaurant delivery service a long time ago. It was expensive and the food wasn't nearly as hot as it would be if I had eaten there, but I was recovering from a back injury. What I cannot understand is why you'd order a single meal from Wendy's or fast food place that is going to be room temperature when you get it. Yuck. "Uber Eats" majorly missed the boat by not naming themselves "Uber Food".

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 1:01 PM, SoSueMe said:

Chevy Focus with the gators really ticks me off. Yeah, I know they're only gators but geez, I wish humans would get over the need to exploit animals for entertainment or to sell something. We EAT them, isn't that enough? I guess they need to be traumatized to sell cars too.

And their over-the-top reactions. Seriously, they're alligators. You don't need to roll up your windows and take cover behind the door!

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 3:52 PM, sempervivum said:

'Run Around Sue'- this was probably something a millennial from the ad agency heard a sample of somewhere. They've never bothered to listen all the way through the original/classic Dion performance, to get the actual point of the song. This is similar to equally stupid song choices like 'Sympathy for the Devil' (Motorhead version) used in an Acura commercial.

That reminds me of when Microsoft used that "You Make Me Cry" song from the Rolling Stones for Windows 95 commercials. Truth in advertising?

[AntiBeeSpray]

I hate the new Colgate Close Talker commercial.

[cpcathy]

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 3:55 PM, BigBingerBro said:

I saw that Applebees "Run Around Sue" commercial the other day and it made me sad.  I'm hoping that someday we won't have to run ourselves ragged on a daily basis just to keep up with the Joneses.   I take no issue if someone chooses this type of lifestyle, but normalizing it makes me very sad.

There was something I didn't care for about this commercial either. They've made the main character a nurse, just to show just how busy she is. At least the husband is show playing with his kids and not just putting an iPad in front of them!

[BigBingerBro]

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

[scarletine]

4 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

*small voice* Yes. 

[mojoween]

15 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

I laugh like a loon every time I see that ad.

[chessiegal]

56 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

I think it's hilarious too. But then I like all the Farmer's commercials. It's amazing what kind of bizarre accidents happen.

[Ubiquitous]

58 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

The first few times, but I'm tired of it now.

[BigBingerBro]

3 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I think it's hilarious too. But then I like all the Farmer's commercials. It's amazing what kind of bizarre accidents happen.

Have those bizarre accidents actually happened?  I've always assumed they are totally made up.  I mean there really isn't an accident museum like they show, is there?

[chessiegal]

Just now, BigBingerBro said:

Have those bizarre accidents actually happened?  I've always assumed they are totally made up.  I mean there really isn't an accident museum like they show, is there?

Well of course there isn't a physical accident museum. It's a visual depiction of claims they've covered. 

Actually, Farmer's web site says it's a virtual museum of actual claims they have covered.

Farmer's virtual hall of claims

[Moose135]

2 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

I love it.  Of course, as a guy, I'm perpetually 12 years old, so there's that.😉

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

Present and accounted for.

In fact, I have been known to randomly say "fender bender" aloud in a mock helium voice since that commercial came out.  I refrain from including the hand gesture, but that's as mature as I get.

[Bort]

I like the helium commercial too but I also worry that they’ll all asphyxiate from the oxygen displacement. 

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

I like the helium commercial too but I also worry that they’ll all asphyxiate from the oxygen displacement. 

Nah, not going to happen. Still plenty of oxygen in the air for them to breathe.

[Bort]

7 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Nah, not going to happen. Still plenty of oxygen in the air for them to breathe.

It looked like they were in a tunnel, so I’m still doubtful. 

[Haleth]

12 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

I hate the auto insurance (I think Farmer's?) commercial where the two guys have a "fender bender" with the helium truck and everyone on the scene talks with over-exaggerated helium voices.  Meanwhile the insurance agent is all cool and relaxed like she's dealt with this situation a million times.  It's just so juvenile and hyperbolic.  I can see a bunch of 10 year olds watching this and getting a huge kick out of it, but are there adults that actually find this crap funny?

I do.  I giggle every time I see it.  

[chessiegal]

9 hours ago, kariyaki said:

It looked like they were in a tunnel, so I’m still doubtful. 

As a chemist, I stand by my assertion they had plenty of oxygen to breathe.

[LoneHaranguer]

16 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Well of course there isn't a physical accident museum. It's a visual depiction of claims they've covered. 

With enough creativity in symbolizing what happened and the right locations, physical museums could probably work. Ripley's has over 100 "odditoriums" spread across 11 countries.

[margol29]

Mathew McConaughey never bothered me before. But since these Lincoln commercials I just can't stand him. This new commercial that is out he is at his "house" entertaining some guests. Then he decides he would rather be out driving so he just skates out on his company and goes for a drive. So rude!!

[LoneHaranguer]

52 minutes ago, margol29 said:

This new commercial that is out he is at his "house" entertaining some guests. Then he decides he would rather be out driving so he just skates out on his company and goes for a drive. So rude!!

Is that the one where he plays pool overnight and leaves the following evening? Earlier speculation was that he was a guest at somebody else's house (which would still make him rude for ignoring the others in the next room while he practiced his trick shots).

[margol29]

45 minutes ago, LoneHaranguer said:

Is that the one where he plays pool overnight and leaves the following evening? Earlier speculation was that he was a guest at somebody else's house (which would still make him rude for ignoring the others in the next room while he practiced his trick shots).

Yes, I believe that is the same one. 

[Lillybee]

what's with all the ads using an owl as sokesperson?

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, Lillybee said:

what's with all the ads using an owl as sokesperson?

Because owls are associated with being wise.

[QuinnInND]

The South Beach diet commercial. The one woman. Jessie James Decker. "Singer, songwriter, wife and mom." First of all, spare me.. Singer, songwriter? Suuuuure. Sure she is. Second of all, I can't stand women who use their maiden and married name like that. Pick one please. YMMV of course.