Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[iMonrey]

Quote

Thing is, Febreze doesn't possibly smell like it cleaned the room.  It makes it smell like whatever the room stinks like, with nasty Febreze on top of it.

Well, the thing that gets me about the Febreze ads is they show this animated graphic sequence that suggests there are little magical blobs  "eating up" the odors in the room. So the more gullible consumer might actually think there's some sort of science behind it. Febreze isn't "eating up" odors. It's just masking them with some other scent. You could use perfume or cologne for the same purpose. Why do you think Febreze has a dozen different scents like "fresh linen" and "fall pumpkin" and "cut pine?" If there were actually a way to "eliminate" odors why would it have to be scented at all?

[ennui]

5 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

they show this animated graphic sequence that suggests there are little magical blobs  "eating up" the odors in the room.

Why doesn't someone invent a spray that will eat up dust motes in the air? (No offense to Horton, nor the Whos.)

[Silver Raven]

6 minutes ago, ennui said:

Why doesn't someone invent a spray that will eat up dust motes in the air? (No offense to Horton, nor the Whos.)

Isn't that what Lysol does?

Edited November 11, 2016 by Silver Raven

[quiltdog]

I keep seeing a commercial for an app called Flipp...it is some kind of shopping-saving app.  The couple that are checking out at the grocery store when the cashier tells them about the app are about 20,000 kind of annoying. They act like they just were given a million dollars.

And the Buick ad where the wife asks if her husband locked the car, which he does with his remote.  Then she asks if he closed the windows at home...then you see flocks of pigeons in their apartment. Don't these asshats have screens???

[Brattinella]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

If there were actually a way to "eliminate" odors why would it have to be scented at all?

I have always said this.  They don't eliminate anything, except your ability to smell anything else til it wears off.

[DrSpaceman73]

Can't stand the Southwest commercial with the bad lip syncing to "Anyone you want it...."  It looks so obviously bad, poorly produced and fake with them 'singing'.   The one woman is barely even trying to sing or move her lips

[chessiegal]

Taking this to Small Talk.

[friendperidot]

Because I'm in a really pissy mood, I'm here. Hate the stupid former fat people in the GoLo commercials. No, people did not sit with you to eat lunch because you were fat and now they sit with you because you are no longer fat, they didn't sit with you because you are self absorbed and stupid. Now, there may be room at the table. Ok, that was mean. I've lost 25 lbs in just over a year, and would be happy to lose about another 10-15, so I know, the struggle is real, when I worked, I was the one who chose not to eat with others, had nothing to do with weight and everything to do with the noise and my difficulty following 6 conversations at once. I preferred to eat in my office and read a book quietly.

Then the lady on the Life Lock commercial, "I was afraid", I mock her every time. Another stupid person. I do know that identity theft is real, my sister had hers stolen, but the fool who tried to get a tax refund in her name ended up paying his fake refund to pay on her student loans. What goes around, comes around.

[CoderLady]

I wish the latest happy Liberty Mutual customer, the mother with the two kids, knew that "Voilà" is not pronounced "Waa la." Grrr.

[friendperidot]

CoderLady, I agree, I hate when people say it that way! I've corrected people and they are so surprised that it's not pronounced "waa la".

[Joe Blow]

6 hours ago, quiltdog said:

I keep seeing a commercial for an app called Flipp...it is some kind of shopping-saving app.  The couple that are checking out at the grocery store when the cashier tells them about the app are about 20,000 kind of annoying. They act like they just were given a million dollars.

And the Buick ad where the wife asks if her husband locked the car, which he does with his remote.  Then she asks if he closed the windows at home...then you see flocks of pigeons in their apartment. Don't these asshats have screens???

The Flipp people are incredibly annoying because they can never stay on their that-week grocery budget, first.  If you're *truly* trying to stick to a specific number, you can, you know, bring a freaking calculator (or use your phone now).  But it sounds like the app will run you to 5-6 different stores just to get the best prices if you're like those people and never apparently knew about sales.  That's the point of planning ahead.  And, you know, stores have generally sent ads and stuff for many, many years.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AjJ7/flipp-meet-the-hopefuls

As far as the people having screens -- I've lived in some pretty old buildings, and no, they *don't* have them.  But I never opened the freaking windows because your entire place is *wide* open to the world.  So they're just idiots to not always be conscious of when their windows are open.

Edited November 12, 2016 by Joe Blow
General Cleanup

[Haleth]

9 hours ago, CoderLady said:

I wish the latest happy Liberty Mutual customer, the mother with the two kids, knew that "Voilà" is not pronounced "Waa la." Grrr.

Pet peeve.

Quote

But it sounds like the app will run you to 5-6 different stores just to get the best prices if you're like those people and never apparently knew about sales.  That's the point of planning ahead.  And, you know, stores have generally sent ads and stuff for many, many years.

I think it could be useful for holiday shopping.  For the rest of the year, not so much.

Edited November 12, 2016 by Haleth

[TattleTeeny]

Quote

 

If there were actually a way to "eliminate" odors why would it have to be scented at all?

 

 

Yeah! And if it eliminates odors, how do they account for it having a scent then?! Wouldn't it cancel out its own smell?! Oooh, I'm all fired up now.

Edited November 12, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[cynicat]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

Yeah! And if it eliminates odors, how do they account for it having a scent then?! Wouldn't it cancel out its own smell?! Oooh, I'm all fired up now.

Febeze binds the odor molecules so it does hide/mask the smell.  They added scents because it sold better to consumers who were used to spraying deodorizers with a "pretty" smell.  It's a total marketing ploy but the product sold better than it did when it was unscented, so it's hard to argue with success.

[TattleTeeny]

I'll take your word for it but I'm skeptical. Very few things successfully mask smells for me; once I notice it, it stays noticed--gross Febreze only adds more unwanted smells. Also, I am no kind of scientist, but "odor molecules" sounds ridiculous!

Edited November 12, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[chessiegal]

I bought unscented 2X Fabreeze and used it on the upholstery on dining room chairs inherited from my MIL, a heavy smoker. The chairs reeked of cigarette smoke. After 2 applications, the odor was totally gone.

[StaceyNotStacie]

There are two commercials that annoy the crap out of me right now. The first one is the Crackel Barrel one with the singing guy on the wall. 

The other one is a commercial with an older couple driving in the car. I think it's an insurance commercial. The wife tells the husband they need to talk and the husband comments something about taking out the trash. There's just something about the tone of her voice as she thanks him for taking out the trash that seems so condescending. 

[Joe Blow]

17 minutes ago, Stacey1014 said:

There are two commercials that annoy the crap out of me right now. The first one is the Crackel Barrel one with the singing guy on the wall. 

The other one is a commercial with an older couple driving in the car. I think it's an insurance commercial. The wife tells the husband they need to talk and the husband comments something about taking out the trash. There's just something about the tone of her voice as she thanks him for taking out the trash that seems so condescending. 

Yes, that one drives me batty -- I think you're exactly right, the tone is just so happily dismissive.

This is unfortunately the best version I can find at the moment:  

But, same type of advertising, this lady drives me up the wall for some reason:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/7VRf/aarp-medicare-supplement-plans

[friendperidot]

Quote

Very few things successfully mask smells for me; once I notice it, it stays noticed--

opposite of going nose blind? Actually, I'm the same way.

[riley702]

22 hours ago, CoderLady said:

I wish the latest happy Liberty Mutual customer, the mother with the two kids, knew that "Voilà" is not pronounced "Waa la." Grrr.

Or spelled "viola".

[OSM Mom]

23 hours ago, friendperidot said:

CoderLady, I agree, I hate when people say it that way! I've corrected people and they are so surprised that it's not pronounced "waa la".

Serious question.. How is it properly pronounced? 

[chessiegal]

27 minutes ago, OSM Mom said:

Serious question.. How is it properly pronounced? 

With the V pronounced, not "w".

Edited November 13, 2016 by chessiegal

[Brattinella]

Yep.  Vwa-lah.

[TattleTeeny]

17 hours ago, friendperidot said:

opposite of going nose blind? Actually, I'm the same way.

It's a horrible thing!

[BooksRule]

Quote

I came home to what smelled like dead animal farts, and it turned out to be cabbage that I had JUST gotten from the farmer's market that had a tiny rotten spot. It was one of the most awful things I have ever smelled in my life.

An apt description!  A rotten onion or potato will smell the same way.  Like your house has the worst case of B.O. ever.

 

I can't find a link to it, but I saw my first Christmas-themed Big Lots commercial.  I didn't seem to hate it as much as in past years, but it still annoys.

[OSM Mom]

13 hours ago, Brattinella said:

Yep.  Vwa-lah.

Thank you!  Glad I've been saying it correctly all along.  

[SmithW6079]

I understand about free agents (for lack of a better word) and all that, and good for Sprint for a clever marketing gimmick, I suppose, but it really bothers me that Paul from Verizon (the "can you hear me now?" guy) is shilling for Sprint and badmouthing his former employer. 

I have Sprint for my work cell phone and I hate it. Every other day, there's a notice about some app to download. Verizon never did that.

Edited November 13, 2016 by SmithW6079

[Silver Raven]

I had Sprint when they first broke up Ma Bell, and every month I got a bill saying that they were charging me a late fee because I hadn't paid the total bill from the previous month, even though I had paid what they were billing me for.  After that happened like three months in a row, I dumped their asses and vowed never to go back.

[Omeletsmom]

The Benedict Arnold E-Trade commercial.  Do they really not know the difference between at TRADER and a TRAITOR???

[bad things are bad]

It seems the VIPoo commercials are getting aired a LOT recently. Currently these ads are #1 (or should I say #2) on my (s)hit parade. 

[frenchtoast]

I'll take the VIPoo ads over this PooPourri one any time.

 

[OneWouldHope]

There is a toothpaste ad out now (I think Crest) that really irritates me. The annoying young woman says her dental hygienist said "something really random to me the other day" - and then says the hygienist said something about teeth are like an apple blah blah blah... To me, that doesn't seem random at all - if you're gynecologist had said that to you, that'd be random. For your dental hygienist to say it seems pretty in keeping with the area of their expertise.  

[Brattinella]

"Random" is a WAY over-used word these days.  Lots of times in the wrong context.

[janie jones]

On 11/12/2016 at 0:11 PM, Joe Blow said:

Yes, that one drives me batty -- I think you're exactly right, the tone is just so happily dismissive.

This is unfortunately the best version I can find at the moment:  

But, same type of advertising, this lady drives me up the wall for some reason:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/7VRf/aarp-medicare-supplement-plans

Why is she even thanking him for taking the trash out at all?  Why should an adult be thanked for doing the most basic of chores in their own house?  He's not going out of his way.  He's not doing her a favor.  And why is he mentioning it in the first place?  It's so childish.  And does he honestly think that's what she wanted to talk to him about?

[ennui]

4 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

 

[ennui]

The PooPourri commercial broke my computer.   Honestly, won't someone think of the children? There are still kids who believe in Santa Claus. I am horrified.

[bilgistic]

5 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

I'll take the VIPoo ads over this PooPourri one any time.

 

That's atrocious.

[Brattinella]

Nope.  Not gonna click that one.

[Maverick]

 Me either....but I just know it's just begging for a 'dropping a Yule Log' joke.

[bilgistic]

You, too, could be a commercial writer for PooPourri.

[Joe Blow]

6 hours ago, janie jones said:

Why is she even thanking him for taking the trash out at all?  Why should an adult be thanked for doing the most basic of chores in their own house?  He's not going out of his way.  He's not doing her a favor.  And why is he mentioning it in the first place?  It's so childish.  And does he honestly think that's what she wanted to talk to him about?

If that's his first response to, "I think we need to talk"...how many times do you think she's gotten on to him about taking the trash out?  And then just kind of gives him token credit.

And, um, it's a basic chore, but it would be nice if members of the household shared it.  I seriously doubt she does.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

10 hours ago, Joe Blow said:

If that's his first response to, "I think we need to talk"...how many times do you think she's gotten on to him about taking the trash out?  And then just kind of gives him token credit.

And, um, it's a basic chore, but it would be nice if members of the household shared it.  I seriously doubt she does.

I said way way upthread that any time someone says, "We need to talk", its never a conversation I'm wanting to have, because "We need to talk" is usually code for "You've done something to annoy me, but I'm not going to tell you what it is straight off because you should already know what it is." Given the depiction of relationships we often see in commercials, I can guess that this is exactly that.

[StaceyNotStacie]

The blonde lady in the Flipp commercial who wants to go Black Friday shopping while her friend is in labor needs to be slapped. 

[SoSueMe]

On 11/11/2016 at 11:11 PM, CoderLady said:

I wish the latest happy Liberty Mutual customer, the mother with the two kids, knew that "Voilà" is not pronounced "Waa la." Grrr.

I so agree with that. Also when did it start being correct to pronounce "especially" as "ekspecially"??? It drives me crazy. I have heard pundits, tv reporters, school spokespeople (yeah, really) do it. Maybe it is the new acceptable thing and I missed the memo.

[Jamoche]

Hey girl pitching sensodyne? And doing lots of upspeak? That makes it sound like everything's a question? And doesn't instill any sense of confidence in what you're saying? Yeah, stop it?

(Even thinking that way enough to stick '?' everywhere is annoying.)

[peppergal]

On 11/14/2016 at 10:34 AM, Omeletsmom said:

The Benedict Arnold E-Trade commercial.  Do they really not know the difference between at TRADER and a TRAITOR???

I think it's supposed to just be some sort of bad pun/play on similar sounding words.  Some of their other ones are something like an invested investor of vests who invests in (while wearing) vests or a retired man who is re-tiring retired tires. 

[AuntiePam]

The woman in the Medicare supplement ad who says "I'm only in my 60's, I have a lot of years left to live" -- I get the point but I'm just superstitious enough that I'd never say something like that.  I'd probably walk out my door and get hit by a bus, and my town has no buses. 

There's a term for statements like that but I can't think what it is.  "Whistling into the wind?"  Something like that.

[riley702]

21 hours ago, Brattinella said:

"Random" is a WAY over-used word these days.  Lots of times in the wrong context.

A lot of people seem to think it's interchangeable with "unexpected". Just because they weren't expecting the conversation to go that direction doesn't mean it was random.

[StaceyNotStacie]

What was T-Mobile thinking using Ariana Grande in their commercial. I want to permanently boycott them just for having to look at that twit. 

[LoneHaranguer]

2 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

There's a term for statements like that but I can't think what it is.  "Whistling into the wind?"  Something like that.

There's also "whistling past the graveyard" in terms of ignoring what's inevitable, but I think you're referring to "tempting fate" by making an optimistic statement.