Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[Prevailing Wind]

I got that he's a magician, too. Not only can he pull a quarter from behind her ear, he can pull office furniture, too.  Incredibly stupid. I can't believe advertising departments sign off on this idiocy.

[Bastet]

On 10/24/2020 at 10:19 AM, ctlady said:

This bratty kid won't eat green beans, but will devour macaroni and orange powder mixed with milk to create 'cheese'. 

But she didn't refuse to eat her vegetable, just ate less - and by one bite - than her mom wanted her to.  Even if her "I'm not hungry" was a lie, and she wasn't actually full, just asserting her independence by leaving a bite on the plate in an act of defiance, all her mom had to do was add an additional bite to the next serving - kid would leave that last one, feeling satisfied she'd made a stand, mom would excuse her, secure in the knowledge she'd had the desired serving, and eat the extra piece herself.  Done; maturity and critical thinking skills utilized, child outwitted but oblivious, dinner peaceful.  That seems a lot better way to manage family meals than cutting short one's own dinner to run around the house like a lunatic, chasing a kid with a fork while demanding "One more bite!"  I find a single bite a rather crazy hill to die on.

The serving size of the mac & cheese side dish at the next meal is too big, the Enya song is annoying, some of the other commercials in the series do show bratty kids ... there are issues, yes.  But in that particular ad, I think the mom is the biggest problem.

Edited October 25, 2020 by Bastet

[Gam2]

Choose your battles, parents. Be careful which sword you’re willing to fall on.

[dleighg]

4 minutes ago, Bastet said:

But she didn't refuse to eat her vegetable, just ate less - and by one bite - than her mom wanted her to.  Even if her "I'm not hungry" was a lie, and she wasn't actually full, just asserting her independence by leaving a bite on the plate in an act of defiance, all her mom had to do was add an additional bite to the next serving -

yeah, without getting to far afield into parenting, you're the grownup. Let the kid "win" the arguments they want to win, while making sure nothing dangerous is going on. I will forever remember the one time I forgot to ask my toddler how she wanted her PB&J cut (it was always "a triangle and a mountain" == diagonal). I presented it the usual way and got the beginnings of a tantrum (because I hadn't asked), but she said "..... ok."

 

[Ashforth]

going to Small Talk...

[Crashcourse]

57 minutes ago, Bastet said:

The serving size of the mac & cheese side dish at the next meal is too big,

Yeah, that's what I thought, too.

[Gam2]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

But she didn't refuse to eat her vegetable, just ate less - and by one bite - than her mom wanted her to.  Even if her "I'm not hungry" was a lie, and she wasn't actually full, just asserting her independence by leaving a bite on the plate in an act of defiance, all her mom had to do was add an additional bite to the next serving - kid would leave that last one, feeling satisfied she'd made a stand, mom would excuse her, secure in the knowledge she'd had the desired serving, and eat the extra piece herself.  Done; maturity and critical thinking skills utilized, child outwitted but oblivious, dinner peaceful.  That seems a lot better way to manage family meals than cutting short one's own dinner to run around the house like a lunatic, chasing a kid with a fork while demanding "One more bite!"  I find a single bite a rather crazy hill to die on.

The serving size of the mac & cheese side dish at the next meal is too big, the Enya song is annoying, some of the other commercials in the series do show bratty kids ... there are issues, yes.  But in that particular ad, I think the mom is the biggest problem.

The serving size of Mac and cheese side dish at the next meal is too big? For whom? By whose determination? For a large adult? For a small child? I think we’ve become so ready to judge others on every subject. God help us all.

[Ashforth]

I don't like any of the Geico "Wild Thing" ads for their motorcycle insurance, but the one that's running now that ends with a nasty DMV worker sneering at the guy that he owes $49 and adds a sarcastic "Wild Thing" is beyond shitty. Why? Who is that supposed to appeal to? The guy seems to be a midlife crisis dude who doesn't deserve abuse. The woman is portrayed as a total asshole with no reason to be, I guess as a stereotype of people who work in those difficult roles. 

So my takeaway is fuck you, Geico.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Gam2 said:

The serving size of Mac and cheese side dish at the next meal is too big?

Yep.  That hasn't stopped me from eating a big 'ol bowl of it from time to time, of course.  It's not a good idea to start kids in the habit of eating that much processed food, so hopefully it was a treat.  But the series of commercials present mac & cheese as something to add to meals on the regular, to keep kids happy, so if that's what was happening here, it was too big, yes, because she had far more of that than anything else on her plate - not something you'll find recommended on any guide to childhood nutrition.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Bastet

[Annber03]

35 minutes ago, Ashforth said:

I don't like any of the Geico "Wild Thing" ads for their motorcycle insurance,

There was one of those I liked that had a guy in some clothing shop or something like that, being fitted for a jacket, I think? I just liked it 'cause I liked the way the guy got so into the song :D. 

[Ashforth]

25 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

There was one of those I liked that had a guy in some clothing shop or something like that, being fitted for a jacket, I think? I just liked it 'cause I liked the way the guy got so into the song :D. 

I think that was the first one, I didn't like it, but at least it wasn't actively offensive.

[aghst]

On 5/27/2020 at 10:12 AM, nottopbravo said:

As if we don't have enough false and misleading information around already, I saw this on television recently:

"Hi. I'm Jan from Toyota"

No you not, you're Laurel Coppock, an actress who is paid by Toyota to play a person named "Jan".

And guess who shows up next:

"Hi. This is Lily from AT&T."

No your not Lily, you're Milana Vayntrub, and actress who is paid by AT&T to play a person named "Lily".

I wish these companies wouldn't think we are so stupid not to realize that all these "spokespersons" are just actors hired by them to play a part.  I can't think of an actor who played a part (even though he/she might be stereotyped in that role) showing up, claiming they are that person.  

It's like William Shatner appearing on the screen saying, "Well, yes, I've been to space.  I am Captain Kirk".

 

Toyota Jan is one of the most polarizing commercial characters.  Some of the hate is funny but may be disturbing.  

commercialsihate.com

Don’t know if Lily gets a lot of hate, probably so.  But she apparently gets a lot of sexual harassment on social media.

tough way to make a living for actresses who’ve only been able to book national commercials.

 

[andromeda331]

5 hours ago, Annber03 said:

There was one of those I liked that had a guy in some clothing shop or something like that, being fitted for a jacket, I think? I just liked it 'cause I liked the way the guy got so into the song :D. 

I like that one. My favorite though is the construction worker singing while he worked. The warehouse I worked at always had radios on throughout listening to music as we worked and sometimes one or all would get so into a song we'd sing.  

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, aghst said:

 

On 5/27/2020 at 12:12 PM, nottopbravo said:

As if we don't have enough false and misleading information around already, I saw this on television recently:

"Hi. I'm Jan from Toyota"

No you not, you're Laurel Coppock, an actress who is paid by Toyota to play a person named "Jan".…

Toyota Jan is one of the most polarizing commercial characters…

Toyota Jan has always been a former coworker to me. They are totally doppelgängers. 
So I just thought that was what disturbed me about her. Like: If you’re getting paid by Toyota to sell cars, why are you working in a library? 

[tres bien]

I'm so sick of noom ads.  It's amazing that they've run the same ad with the same people telling us nothing for years.

[Prevailing Wind]

5 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I like that one. My favorite though is the construction worker singing while he worked. The warehouse I worked at always had radios on throughout listening to music as we worked and sometimes one or all would get so into a song we'd sing.  

I worked for L'eggs pantyhose at their data center in a room of 30 women. We finally agreed on a station to listen to. Everyone was diligently working and then Kenny Rogers came on the radio. It cracked me up to all of a sudden hear 30 women (including me) softly singing, "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em..."

[cinsays]

13 hours ago, Bastet said:

Yep.  That hasn't stopped me from eating a big 'ol bowl of it from time to time, of course.  It's not a good idea to start kids in the habit of eating that much processed food, so hopefully it was a treat.  But the series of commercials present mac & cheese as something to add to meals on the regular, to keep kids happy, so if that's what was happening here, it was too big, yes, because she had far more of that than anything else on her plate - not something you'll find recommended on any guide to childhood nutrition.

My thought was that, if you're only going to make her eat another bite of food, you're wasting the rest of what you put in that bowl.. Or, are we supposed to think that, because the mac and cheese is so yummy, she now wants a whole bowl full?

13 hours ago, Ashforth said:

I don't like any of the Geico "Wild Thing" ads for their motorcycle insurance, but the one that's running now that ends with a nasty DMV worker sneering at the guy that he owes $49 and adds a sarcastic "Wild Thing" is beyond shitty. Why? Who is that supposed to appeal to? The guy seems to be a midlife crisis dude who doesn't deserve abuse. The woman is portrayed as a total asshole with no reason to be, I guess as a stereotype of people who work in those difficult roles. 

So my takeaway is fuck you, Geico.

Huh, and i actually like this one, especially the clerk lady telling him he owes the $49.

[cinsays]

3 hours ago, tres bien said:

I'm so sick of noom ads.  It's amazing that they've run the same ad with the same people telling us nothing for years.

with the one gal who says it worked for her but still looks kind of pudgy

[Ashforth]

4 minutes ago, cinsays said:

Huh, and i actually like this one, especially the clerk lady telling him he owes the $49.

Classic YMMV! LOL

[Crashcourse]

8 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I like that one. My favorite though is the construction worker singing while he worked. The warehouse I worked at always had radios on throughout listening to music as we worked and sometimes one or all would get so into a song we'd sing.  

That's my favorite one, too.  Plus, I like his buddy holding that big ol' sandwich, lol.

[peacheslatour]

Aha! I just figured out why the Motaurs creep me out so much.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, cinsays said:

My thought was that, if you're only going to make her eat another bite of food, you're wasting the rest of what you put in that bowl.. Or, are we supposed to think that, because the mac and cheese is so yummy, she now wants a whole bowl full?

I thought the Mac and cheese was the next night, and every night thereafter now that mom got it out of her silly head to feed the kid veggies.

[CrystalBlue]

17 hours ago, Gam2 said:

The serving size of Mac and cheese side dish at the next meal is too big? For whom? By whose determination? For a large adult? For a small child? I think we’ve become so ready to judge others on every subject. God help us all.

I don't see anything wrong with judging things.  Parents make judgments all the time on what to feed their children and how much.  Bastet and CrystalBlue have used their judgment to determine that a big bowl of macaroni and cheese as a side dish that exceeds the amount of the main dish is too big.  Just by posting on this very thread makes us judgmental--we're judging commercials!

[janie jones]

17 hours ago, Annber03 said:

There was one of those I liked that had a guy in some clothing shop or something like that, being fitted for a jacket, I think? I just liked it 'cause I liked the way the guy got so into the song :D. 

I hate all these commercials. It's the same series that had people singing "Here I Go Again," right? The guy in the clothing shop makes me think of customers who are blabbing on their phone while you're trying to talk to them.

 

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Aha! I just figured out why the Motaurs creep me out so much.

What is this?

[peacheslatour]

Quote

What is this?

Wheelers from Return to Oz.

[Moose135]

On 10/25/2020 at 5:36 PM, Bastet said:

The serving size of the mac & cheese side dish at the next meal is too big

There is no such thing as a "too big" serving of mac & cheese!

[Blergh]

4 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I don't see anything wrong with judging things.  Parents make judgments all the time on what to feed their children and how much.  Bastet and CrystalBlue have used their judgment to determine that a big bowl of macaroni and cheese as a side dish that exceeds the amount of the main dish is too big.  Just by posting on this very thread makes us judgmental--we're judging commercials!

Well, unless one's  minor offspring has somehow been deprived of calcium and carbohydrates  in their diets for a lengthy period, no way would THAT amount of Mac N Cheese be considered anything but excessive instead of healthy. At the very least the commercials shouldn't try to pretend that this could be considered a balanced meal  in of itself rather than simply an oversized snack! 

[Prevailing Wind]

21 hours ago, cinsays said:

with the one gal who says it worked for her but still looks kind of pudgy

Not knowing how much she weighed prior to Noom, and being in a similar boat (20 pounds down, 40 more to go), I'm not gonna criticize. She's DOING something about her unhealthy weight. Let's applaud her for that and encourage her to continue.

[Ashforth]

22 hours ago, cinsays said:

with the one gal who says it worked for her but still looks kind of pudgy

Why is a woman supposed to be a stick figure?

[cinsays]

5 minutes ago, Ashforth said:

Why is a woman supposed to be a stick figure?

i don't think i was suggesting stick figure, but maybe toned

[janie jones]

How "pudgy" is this person? I agree that the person may not be at their target but still have lost weight; I even think that "pudgy" could be someone's goal weight. I also think that showing people who aren't skinny-minis could actually be encouraging to people who don't think skinny-mini is a realistic goal for them. But I also think that without a "before" picture, there's a certain point at which someone's pudginess could give the impression that the product doesn't work. (I have no suggestions as to what that size would be in the unconscious minds of the general public.)

[Ubiquit0us]

On 10/20/2020 at 3:39 PM, oceanview said:

I never thought of Caspar as a dead child and I am really OLD.   That said, I just love Caspar's enthusiasm for watching movies and getting  snacks.   It just struck my funny bone for some crazy reason!  Maybe because everything is so morbid these days and we are stuck in the house.

Casper is the ghost of Richie Rich.

 

On 10/22/2020 at 10:03 PM, Gramto6 said:

I'm 71, as a child I remember many times I had to sit at the table until I ate whatever food it was I didn't like...usually it was liver. My younger brother and I were often in this situation...food on plate, can't get up until you eat it.  We quickly discovered that if we tossed it under the refrigerator no one was the wiser. We got off...lol but years later when that refrigerator finally died...no one could explain the flat black gummy gunk under it...by then we were grown and out of the house. 

Didn't she wonder about the smell of rotting meat coming from under the fridge? 

[Gramto6]

27 minutes ago, Ubiquit0us said:

Didn't she wonder about the smell of rotting meat coming from under the fridge? 

Not really, my dad was a heavy smoker and I guess that masked the smell. Plus it wasn't every night we did that. Only once in a while.

[peacheslatour]

30 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

Not really, my dad was a heavy smoker and I guess that masked the smell. Plus it wasn't every night we did that. Only once in a while.

I picture it like that scene in A Christmas Story where Ralphie and his brother both throw their gift socks over their shoulders.

[TattleTeeny]

Quote

The serving size of the mac & cheese side dish at the next meal is too big, the Enya song is annoying, some of the other commercials in the series do show bratty kids ... there are issues, yes.  But in that particular ad, I think the mom is the biggest problem.

Ugh, I hate that Enya song and I don't really get why it's in the commercial anyway. However, I am all for giant bowls of mac & cheese, haha (my mom told me that when I was little, I would eat the majority of the box myself while she and my dad had something else).

[Gramto6]

When my DD was little she went through phases of favorite foods. Her first favorite for months  on end was Kraft Mac and Cheese then her next favorite was I think it was Lipton dried in a packet tomato soup. She ate other things but these were her got to forever. We bought by the case as DH had access to market buying. We went with it as long as she ate other more healthy things...it was probably 2 years before she out grew these cravings. It was probably part emotional as her dad and I were going through a divorce and new DH was supplying the preferred foods. Difficult times, but all is good now and she has the most amazing palate and eats/cooks all sorts of foods. 

Personally I think it is wrong to force children to eat something. My rule was they had to take one taste, if they didn't like it they didn't have to eat any more.

An interesting side note, as much as I hated liver fried to dried as a child...(remember under the fridge?) My second DH was Hungarian and turned me on to the most delicious liver dumplings ever! Big Yum!

[mojoween]

“If You Leave” by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark for Fidelity.  I weep.

[andromeda331]

2 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

Ugh, I hate that Enya song and I don't really get why it's in the commercial anyway. However, I am all for giant bowls of mac & cheese, haha (my mom told me that when I was little, I would eat the majority of the box myself while she and my dad had something else).

It was played a lot after 9/11 so I tend to associate with sad and depressing moments. Any time it pops up for anything that's not sad and depressing its just really weird to me. I don't think that's what its intended for with that commercial. 

[janie jones]

2 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

Ugh, I hate that Enya song and I don't really get why it's in the commercial anyway. However, I am all for giant bowls of mac & cheese, haha (my mom told me that when I was little, I would eat the majority of the box myself while she and my dad had something else).

Depending on what was in season in the garden or probably what one of my parents had a craving for, side dishes were never really a thing in my house unless we were having people over and therefore needed more food, so if mac & cheese was what was for dinner (always homemade), a big old bowl of it was what we had.

[CrystalBlue]

On 10/26/2020 at 3:00 PM, Moose135 said:

There is no such thing as a "too big" serving of mac & cheese!

Yes there is.  I've eaten the whole prepared servings in one sitting and soon after threw up!

[TattleTeeny]

There's some Pringles (I think) one with a woman who says this type of Pringles is "not really Pringles," just like the picture her kid is drawing is "not really Daddy." And then she gives him a sarcastic "Oookay" when he says that it is. Am I missing something? Is it "funny"? How does this even make sense? What the fuck is wrong with her? (And even if the kid had drawn a perfect charcoal portrait, that portrait also would not really be Daddy, as it is a piece of paper and Daddy is, presumably, human.)

Edited October 28, 2020 by TattleTeeny

[Moose135]

7 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Yes there is.  I've eaten the whole prepared servings in one sitting and soon after threw up!

I've never had that problem. Maybe you need to up your training regimen. 😉

[theatremouse]

3 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

There's some Pringles (I think) one with a woman who says this type of Pringles is "not really Pringles," just like the picture her kid is drawing is "not really Daddy." And then she gives him a sarcastic "Oookay" when he says that it is. Am I missing something? Is it "funny"? How does this even make sense? What the fuck is wrong with her? (And even if the kid had drawn a perfect charcoal portrait, that portrait also would not really be Daddy, as it is a piece of paper and Daddy is, presumably, human.)

I think what they're going for is "this doesn't look like the 'real' thing" in both cases.

[TattleTeeny]

Seems counterproductive and kind of mean to the kid, haha!

[Katy M]

20 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

I think what they're going for is "this doesn't look like the 'real' thing" in both cases.

Or maybe she had an affair so the man the kid's drawing isn't really daddy?  Too dark for a potato chip commercial?  I havent' see this one, but it sounds bizarre. I tend to  read during commercials.  Shh. Don't tell the advertisers.

[TattleTeeny]

Maybe she's not a mom but a babysitter who has never actually seen the dad!

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Personally I think it is wrong to force children to eat something. My rule was they had to take one taste, if they didn't like it they didn't have to eat any more.

[Mrs. Hanson]

I never need to hear Tom Selleck talk about reverse mortgages again.

[ctlady]

1 hour ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I never need to hear Tom Selleck talk about reverse mortgages again.

I'll still take him over Broadway Joe doing Medicare commercials

The "Dear MS - you don't own me" Ocrevus commercial bugs me.  The way the actors are directed to stare into the camera ( close enough to count their nose hairs), pivot and walk away in slo-mo giving the 'peace' sign (indicating only needing the medication 2 times a year) comes across kind of smug

[proserpina65]

On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 10:06 PM, Ilovecomputers said:

Hate all the commercials for Southern New Hampshire University. Its spokesperson must love to hear himself talk, because they show a montage of him addressing graduates for the last ten or fifteen years. One of the channels I watch shows the ads on endless loop. I just about have the dialogue memorized. 

I don't mind the commercial, or him, except for the bit where he say something about having resiliency.  To which I always shout "Resilience!  Resilience is the noun, damn it.  Resilient is the adjective.  Resiliency is a freaking made up word.".