Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[Ohwell]

There's a commercial for the Children's National Medical Center and, while it's for a good cause, I absolutely HATE that background music.  It's jarring to listen to with the banging piano and it seems totally unsuitable for a commercial about children's health.  Also, (and I feel bad about saying this) one of their commercials has this kid popping up out of the swimming pool in goggles and that kid scares me every time I see him, LOL. 

[Bastet]

40 minutes ago, Ashforth said:

I don't get the impression that all of the play is in one day,

I don't either, although I'd have to check their clothing to be sure, but that multi-day impression is what bugs me about the commercial -- it comes across to me as an illustration of how many migraine-free days she can have on this medication, and thus get back to a "normal" life.  But her normal life consists solely of elaborate pirate games with her daughter?  I don't think so. 

Why isn't it a montage of the various things - which includes, but is not limited to, playing with her kid - she would like to be spending her days doing if migraines didn't pose a recurring obstacle?  A "week in the life" commercial, in which she's working, lounging on the couch reading, getting together with friends, doing a home improvement/organizational/craft project, going for a walk/hike/bike ride, playing with her kid/pets, etc. as the VO drones on about the wonders and side effects of the medication - you know, like pretty much every other "your life could be so much better with this drug" commercial out there - would be better.

If it is supposed to be a typical singular day on this medication, both mother and daughter need fuller lives.

(I get migraines, but am fortunate enough to only get one or two per year and they last about six hours.  They are truly debilitating while they last - and the "hangover" from the meds is far better than the migraine, but still a time when I'm not 75%, let alone 100% - so those who deal with chronic migraines have my utmost empathy.)

Edited June 16, 2019 by Bastet

[Ashforth]

1 minute ago, Bastet said:

Why isn't it a montage of the various things - which includes, but is not limited to, playing with her kid - she would like to be spending her days doing if migraines didn't pose a recurring obstacle?  A "week in the life" commercial, in which she's working, lounging on the couch reading, getting together with friends, doing a home improvement/organizational/craft project, going for a walk/hike/bike ride, playing with her kid/pets, etc. as the VO drones on about the wonders and side effects of the medication - you know, like pretty much every other "your life could be so much better with this drug" commercial out there - would be better.

Exactly! And how about going to her job (if she has one)?

[Bastet]

8 minutes ago, Ashforth said:

And how about going to her job (if she has one)?

Working was my first example of scenes that should be shown. 

She need not have a job, though, as you said; it could be a scene of her volunteering somewhere (who'd know the difference in a commercial, really?) or even left off altogether.  Whatever activities chosen for the montage of an average life, it's just that I think a montage would be a lot better than this extended pirate fantasy if they're trying to say people can get their "normal" life back, rather than being frequently held hostage by migraines, if they take Whatever Drug.

[Browncoat]

It appears that the mom in the migraine commercial is wearing the same clothes throughout the ad, and at the end, says, "What shall we do tomorrow?"

My parents played with us, but it wasn't all day, every day.  They had jobs and chores (and we had chores!), and often they just sent us out to play with instructions to be back by supper.

[peacheslatour]

33 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

It appears that the mom in the migraine commercial is wearing the same clothes throughout the ad, and at the end, says, "What shall we do tomorrow?"

My parents played with us, but it wasn't all day, every day.  They had jobs and chores (and we had chores!), and often they just sent us out to play with instructions to be back by supper.

It was funny in my neighborhood growing up. In the summer we all went out to play after dinner with instructions to come in when it started to get dark. If kids were still out playing all the parents had different ways of calling us home. Bells, whistles and just plain hollering. It was a symphony every night.

[Ashforth]

46 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Working was my first example of scenes that should be shown. 

You're right, sorry I missed it!

[jcbrown]

Apologies if this has been mentioned and I am being redundant. The commercials for Gas-X where the mattress or car seat are complaining about getting farted on and pleading with faceless people to use Gas-X are absolutely cringeworthy to me.

[janie jones]

5 hours ago, Browncoat said:

My parents played with us, but it wasn't all day, every day.  They had jobs and chores (and we had chores!), and often they just sent us out to play with instructions to be back by supper.

Probably especially when you were the age of the kid in the commercial.  She is old enough to entertain herself for at least part of the day.

[andromeda331]

3 minutes ago, janie jones said:

Probably especially when you were the age of the kid in the commercial.  She is old enough to entertain herself for at least part of the day.

At that age I knew enough to hide in my room playing when I saw both of my parents cleaning. I knew to get out of there before they realized I wasn't cleaning and gave me something to clean. Quietly playing in my room my chances were a little better or at least bought me more time to play before eventually one of them realized I wasn't cleaning and came to assign me a chore. If I was that little girl I'd be quietly sneaking away while their backs were turn with my fingers crossed. 

[mmecorday]

Quote

The other day, I was driving in the city, and my car insisted the speed limit was 100.  I have no idea what it saw to make it think that.

Zombies?

[friendperidot]

7 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

8 hours ago, Browncoat said:

It appears that the mom in the migraine commercial is wearing the same clothes throughout the ad, and at the end, says, "What shall we do tomorrow?"

My parents played with us, but it wasn't all day, every day.  They had jobs and chores (and we had chores!), and often they just sent us out to play with instructions to be back by supper.

It was funny in my neighborhood growing up. In the summer we all went out to play after dinner with instructions to come in when it started to get dark. If kids were still out playing all the parents had different ways of calling us home. Bells, whistles and just plain hollering. It was a symphony every night.

I grew up in that same kind of neighborhood, and no daylight savings time! So it was dark around 8 and we would play hide 'n seek for an hour or so on most nights, then we all had to go inside because Dad's had jobs where they had to get up early, so we all went to bed early. Also, nobody's house had a/c so that hour after dark was for cooling down the insides of the house, all windows were open all the time, a couple of box fans was all anyone had. We had basements for those unbearable days or when it rained, but most of the time, we were outside, swing sets, bicycles, sandboxes and dirt piles, we had to use imagination. Our backyard was sloped, and we had a big tree just off the backporch, had a tire swing that provided endless hours of entertainment for many neighborhood kids. And we had to stay out because my mom was in her dark, quiet room. Very few mom's worked and if you misbehaved, your mom knew about it before you were home, which was immediately if you were bad enough. It was one street, but it was a village. No one's mom hesitated to correct anyone's bad behavior, no spankings, those were reserved for children of that parent, but we were sent home if necessary. And I have no clue how to make this about any commercial!

[janie jones]

9 hours ago, Bastet said:

Why isn't it a montage of the various things - which includes, but is not limited to, playing with her kid - she would like to be spending her days doing if migraines didn't pose a recurring obstacle? 

You mean like this one?

[Ashforth]

On 6/13/2019 at 7:05 PM, millennium said:

Any and all Mazda commercials featuring Haley Reinhart's cover of "Dreams" by the Cranberries.  The vocals are like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I don't know who Haley Reinhart is (apparently a former American Idol winner -- i had to look it up) but what a godawful thing she's done to such a beautiful song.  Poor Dolores O'Riordan must be spinning in her grave.

Haley Reinhart's signature vocal style (s l o w) could lead one to believe that she is in dire need of one (or more!) of the many depression medications that are relentlessly pushed in TV ads.  I swear she could make Pharrell Williams' "Happy" sound like a funeral dirge.

[funky-rat]

22 hours ago, Ashforth said:

Thankfully, I don't have migraines, but I'm aware that they can be debilitating. The message that if this medication works for you, you can spend time with your child instead of suffering isn't bad, it's the way over-the-top succession of costumes and frantic "play" that bug. I don't get the impression that all of the play is in one day, but still. Why not show some of the quieter moments doing crafting to make the elaborate costumes? Why doesn't the little girl seem to have any friends? Why does the mom seem so smug?

21 hours ago, Bastet said:

I don't either, although I'd have to check their clothing to be sure, but that multi-day impression is what bugs me about the commercial -- it comes across to me as an illustration of how many migraine-free days she can have on this medication, and thus get back to a "normal" life.  But her normal life consists solely of elaborate pirate games with her daughter?  I don't think so. 

Why isn't it a montage of the various things - which includes, but is not limited to, playing with her kid - she would like to be spending her days doing if migraines didn't pose a recurring obstacle?  A "week in the life" commercial, in which she's working, lounging on the couch reading, getting together with friends, doing a home improvement/organizational/craft project, going for a walk/hike/bike ride, playing with her kid/pets, etc. as the VO drones on about the wonders and side effects of the medication - you know, like pretty much every other "your life could be so much better with this drug" commercial out there - would be better.

If it is supposed to be a typical singular day on this medication, both mother and daughter need fuller lives.

(I get migraines, but am fortunate enough to only get one or two per year and they last about six hours.  They are truly debilitating while they last - and the "hangover" from the meds is far better than the migraine, but still a time when I'm not 75%, let alone 100% - so those who deal with chronic migraines have my utmost empathy.)

THIS (all of it)!  I suggested in a prior post that it would have been more effective if the woman would speak to the camera about how migraine affected her life, etc.  As a migraine sufferer, that would move me more to their med than watching elaborate play time with her daughter.  I've been having migraines since I was in high school - a good 10 years before the first prescription med (which was injection only) came out, and most insurances wouldn't cover it.  Immitrex works well for me.  If it's not full-blown, I can usually get away with 2 Excedrin Migraine, chased with caffeine.  We won't get in to ocular or silent migraines, which are a whole other level of hell.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

We won't get in to ocular or silent migraines, which are a whole other level of hell.

I get those. It's like what I imagine having a stroke is like.

[Prevailing Wind]

I used to get migraines; menopause did not ease them up. I do NOT understand how this works, but once I got my knee replaced, the god-awful headaches stopped. Were they a symptom of the chronic pain I was in elsewhere in my body? I have no idea what the correlation was; I'm just grateful they stopped.

[Katy M]

14 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I used to get migraines; menopause did not ease them up. I do NOT understand how this works, but once I got my knee replaced, the god-awful headaches stopped. Were they a symptom of the chronic pain I was in elsewhere in my body? I have no idea what the correlation was; I'm just grateful they stopped.

Very well may have been.  Everything in the body is connected.

[QuinnInND]

That migraine commercial with mom and daughter reminds me of too many moms I know that think they have to be their kids best friend and make every day SUPER SPECIAL FUN!!!! They have no life except their child. They're annoying. 

[Katy M]

44 minutes ago, QuinnInND said:

They have no life except their child. They're annoying. 

They're living their life the way they want to live it. Not the way you want them to live it.  Good for them.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, QuinnInND said:

That migraine commercial with mom and daughter reminds me of too many moms I know that think they have to be their kids best friend and make every day SUPER SPECIAL FUN!!!! They have no life except their child. They're annoying. 

 I'd like to think most parents would prefer spending a fun day playing with their kid to having a migraine! 

[mmecorday]

I think pirate mom is probably making up for lost time with her child. If she's plagued with migraines -- and they are very debilitating -- she's probably had to say, "Sweetie, Mommy's not feeling very well today" a lot.

I wish they'd make State Farm "Don't Mess With My Discount!" shrew walk the plank.

[CoderLady]

2 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

I think pirate mom is probably making up for lost time with her child. If she's plagued with migraines -- and they are very debilitating -- she's probably had to say, "Sweetie, Mommy's not feeling very well today" a lot.

Agree. She's just a bit dorky and over the top but I put that down to enthusiasm over actually being able to play with her kid instead of being sick and sad in a dark room. She does annoy me a bit, though.

[funky-rat]

8 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I used to get migraines; menopause did not ease them up. I do NOT understand how this works, but once I got my knee replaced, the god-awful headaches stopped. Were they a symptom of the chronic pain I was in elsewhere in my body? I have no idea what the correlation was; I'm just grateful they stopped.

There is some research that shows they may also be related to inflammation in the body (hence why some feel relief with Excedrin).  If you needed a knee replacement, then you'd have inflammation present.  Replacing the knee might have helped.

[Ubiquitous]

The woman in the barbershop who insists on looking at the car outside, despite the barber using a razor on her annoys me to no end! Quit moving so he can shave your head!

[mmecorday]

Kate Gosselin: If you haven't noticed, I'm single.

Everyone in the world: If you haven't noticed, no one cares.

[little hermit]

I hate the guy from the Ameritrade commercial, and don jr has grown the same type of beard. If I see one I think of the other; not a pleasant thought.

[sempervivum]

On ‎6‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 8:42 AM, Ashforth said:

Haley Reinhart's signature vocal style (s l o w) could lead one to believe that she is in dire need of one (or more!) of the many depression medications that are relentlessly pushed in TV ads.  I swear she could make Pharrell Williams' "Happy" sound like a funeral dirge.

(Haley came in third, by the way) I love her version of 'I Can't Help Falling in Love with You' that plays during the Extra gum commercial, which has been on for years.

[sempervivum]

The Capitol One ad that has a smug looking Gen X guy sneering at an old school bank, with a classical façade and-gasp!-waiting lines and tellers.  According to him, they look at these fusty old things and go 'REALLY?'

Now, according to Mr. Smuggy, you can go into what appears to be a Starbucks, where you can stand in line for a coffee first and then for a teller. Or possibly the baristas are also tellers?

[Suzn]

On 6/18/2019 at 9:14 AM, Blergh said:

 I'd like to think most parents would prefer spending a fun day playing with their kid to having a migraine! 

I don't think those are the only options.  

It may be the choice of some mothers, but I seriously doubt that it is doing the child any favor to be raised as a special snowflake.

[Katy M]

19 minutes ago, Suzn said:

I don't think those are the only options.  

It may be the choice of some mothers, but I seriously doubt that it is doing the child any favor to be raised as a special snowflake.

I don't think occasionally spending a day or two, or even ever weekend, playing with your child makes them a snowflake.

[Ubiquitous]

5 hours ago, little hermit said:

I hate the guy from the Ameritrade commercial, and don jr has grown the same type of beard. If I see one I think of the other; not a pleasant thought.

I, for one, hate the wealth-envy theme of their ad campaign. "Get even"? For what?

[Neurochick]

On 6/16/2019 at 2:02 PM, Ashforth said:

Why does the mom seem so smug?

What do people even mean by "smug?"  So now being happy and happy with themselves is smug?

So spending time playing with your child makes them a "snowflake?"  Good to know.

Quote

They're living their life the way they want to live it. Not the way you want them to live it.  Good for them.

Thank you for this post, the shame of wanting to play with your own children, wow.

Edited June 20, 2019 by Neurochick

[Jaded]

I am so tired of these Movado Bold commercials airing during just about every break on a few channels I watch. There's a men's version too with the same music. I feel like I've heard that music on other commercials though.
 

[MaryPatShelby]

On 6/18/2019 at 11:48 AM, CoderLady said:

Agree. She's just a bit dorky and over the top but I put that down to enthusiasm over actually being able to play with her kid instead of being sick and sad in a dark room. She does annoy me a bit, though.

Although, she must have had enough migraine-free days in order to make/buy/gather together all those costumes, and set up scenery, and locate the woods to play in, etc.

[OpalNightstream]

I really hate that amazon commercial with Whitney Houston screaming “I wanna dance with somebody.” On the best of days I always thought she shouted that song, now amazon has to emphasize that by just showing a giant mouth yelling at me.

[Uncle JUICE]

Found one yesterday during a baseball game that really got me worked up. Have you guys seen the "untuckit" commercial? Basically, these shirts are button downs that are cut to not be tucked in. THAT'S IT. The guy who "invented" them, though, he seems to believe he's on the same level of engineering as the people who invented the Mars rover. It's all overlaid with like CGI graph paper, he's walking down the street in slow motion, he's measuring dudes around the pocket line..."We worked tirelessly to make sure that our shirts fit all sorts of body types, and fall perfectly between the belt line and the pocket line."

Buddy, good idea, but for real? YOU TOOK A REGULAR SHIRT AND CUT THE BOTTOM OFF. It's really not that impressive. Like I said, great idea, but let's not make it like you were the driving force in some innovation on the same level as like an MRI machine. Get over yourself. 

[janie jones]

On 6/18/2019 at 9:43 AM, mmecorday said:

I think pirate mom is probably making up for lost time with her child. If she's plagued with migraines -- and they are very debilitating -- she's probably had to say, "Sweetie, Mommy's not feeling very well today" a lot.

Okay, but then why didn't they depict them doing age-appropriate activities?  The kid's a few years too old for dress-up with her mom.  For people who think the actress is smug, that wouldn't solve anything, but it might make her seem less over-the-top to others.

Edited June 21, 2019 by janie jones

[Ubiquitous]

While watching the Space: 1999 marathon on CometTV via my computer earlier this month, they played these obnoxious commercials featuring that fat "car karaoke" guy with a blond chick shilling some sort of makeup remover at least once. Every. Single. Commercial. Break!

(Like I dislike him enough already...)

 

Edited June 20, 2019 by Ubiquitous

[LoneHaranguer]

3 hours ago, Uncle JUICE said:

"We worked tirelessly to make sure that our shirts fit all sorts of body types, and fall perfectly between the belt line and the pocket line."

Buddy, good idea, but for real? YOU TOOK A REGULAR SHIRT AND CUT THE BOTTOM OFF. It's really not that impressive.

It might be to some if they really had all of the different fits they're claiming, but I just checked their web site, and it appears they only have 5 fit combinations; no "relaxed" tall, or athletic, or anything in a short or extra-tall.

[Uncle JUICE]

1 minute ago, LoneHaranguer said:

It might be to some if they really had all of the different fits they're claiming, but I just checked their web site, and it appears they only have 5 fit combinations; no "relaxed" tall, or athletic, or anything in a short or extra-tall.

I guess the short or extra tall will have to wait until the scientists working daily on this shirt tail length problem can figure out how to solve it. Otherwise, I guess they can just wear their regular shirts untucked, like the freaks they are! Wow, great innovations, Untuckit: small, medium, large and extra large! WHO EVER HEARD OF THESE SIZES BEFORE. 

Their website is every bit as self impressed as the asshole whose idea this was. "All our shirts are named after wines." Stick up your ass, I don't need a shirt sommelier, you dicks. 

[proserpina65]

On ‎06‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 9:35 AM, kariyaki said:

They're better than the original Slingers couple. They were super creepy.

I actually liked them better.  The early Sling commercials, the ones where one part of a couple misunderstood "Slinging", were at least vaguely amusing.  The ones now - UGH.

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, janie jones said:

Okay, but then why didn't they depict them doing age-appropriate activities?  The kid's a few years to old for dress-up with her mom.  For people who think the actress is smug, that wouldn't solve anything, but it might make her seem less over-the-top to others.

I don't think the girl looks to old for it at all.  I don't really get the hate for this commercial.  Is it the greatest one ever?  No, not even close, but it seems inoffensive to me.  ymmv

[Uncle JUICE]

34 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

I actually liked them better.  The early Sling commercials, the ones where one part of a couple misunderstood "Slinging", were at least vaguely amusing.  The ones now - UGH.

Are you talking about the ones with Ron Swanson and Tammy 2? I love those people but I'm not into their commercials. 

[Poohbear617]

Ok..spent a lot of time with my teen and preteen nieces and they watch a lot of freeform tv.  Totally disgusted by the constant barrage of feminine commercials. They show the tacky Schick turbo razor where the 3 women in bikinis are trimming small little "bushes" in front of them. 2 of the girls just hack at it and the 1 with the Schick shaves hers into a perfect heart . They show this commercial during almost every break.

Then they have the summers eve, and another for a tissue talking about waxing and getting "clean down there". 

It just seems to reinforce that women's genials are unclean and you must shave  wax and douche constantly....like men's are a bed of f#$* roses  Maybe I am being too sensitive.

Edited June 20, 2019 by Poohbear617

[cpcathy]

7 hours ago, OpalNightstream said:

I really hate that amazon commercial with Whitney Houston screaming “I wanna dance with somebody.” On the best of days I always thought she shouted that song, now amazon has to emphasize that by just showing a giant mouth yelling at me.

You're absolutely spot on. I always thought Whitney screamed all her songs, and I was never a fan, but now we have to literally hear Whitney screaming. Just, no. Mute button.

[chessiegal]

I LOVE that Whitney Houston song. Reminds me of happy times on the dance floor.

[peacheslatour]

I thought she was talented but she left me cold.

Edited June 20, 2019 by peacheslatour

[proserpina65]

3 hours ago, Uncle JUICE said:

Are you talking about the ones with Ron Swanson and Tammy 2? I love those people but I'm not into their commercials. 

No, I'm talking about the ones with people inviting their acquaintances over to Sling, and the acquaintances mistake it for "Swing".  I didn't recognize anyone in those.  The current commercials are the ones starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, and I hate those. 

57 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I LOVE that Whitney Houston song. Reminds me of happy times on the dance floor.

I've danced to it, but don't particularly like that song.  Or Whitney Houston in general, for that matter.

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

I LOVE that Whitney Houston song. Reminds me of happy times on the dance floor.

I have a bit of a soft spot for that song, too, 'cause I remember seeing the video on MTV when I was little and liking it. I was fascinated by all the bright colors :p. 

David Byrne of the Talking Heads did a rather interesting take on that song once.