Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[Kawaiiko]

5 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Has anyone seen the Lowe's commercial for "Springfest" that advertises Weber grills?  It makes it look like the grill on the screen is $379, but way down on the bottom in tiny little print is an asterisk and disclaimer saying that the grill as shown is $799.

I saw lots of Lowe's grill commercials last year (I think). Yet another bullet to add to the "Companies Who I Should Give The Side Eye" list. Has anyone seen that list, by the way? I may have lost it along with my mind.

Also it really amuses me that there is a grill company named "Big Green Egg". It just slaughters me every time I see it.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Kawaiiko

[Haleth]

12 hours ago, Bastet said:

Spike Lee has been quite active in encouraging vaccination in the Black and Latinx communities (and is working on a relevant COVID documentary).  I can't find the specific commercial you're referencing, but I feel confident he's not talking out of his ass in it.

I saw it last night.  It's a good ad.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

Well, the grill ad DOES say "Starting at" in tiny print above the $379, as most of those kinds of commercials do. It's a form of bait & switch.

Yes, it is, and it's even worse on a commercial where that particular screen flashes by so fast you don't have time to even notice the fine print much less read it.  Of course this practice has been going on forever or Edgar Dworsky wouldn't have any content for his weekly "Mouseprint" blog post that's over 20 years old.

[susannah]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

I saw it last night.  It's a good ad.

People's opinions are different, I know. Yet the CDC and other national health organizations have been encouraging everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they can, for months. But because Spike Lee, I guess also a health expert, "encourages" it, suddenly it's okay, and implies that it is everyone else's fault that they haven't gotten vaccinated already? I don't see what is great about this ad, I think it is hypocritical and biased.

[dleighg]

28 minutes ago, susannah said:

I don't see what is great about this ad, I think it is hypocritical and biased.

if it's the ad I saw, I thought it was just promoting the idea that you can get a free ride to the shot. As someone who drove an hour to get my first shot some weeks ago, I was very aware that people w/o cars are at a big disadvantage.

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Maybe they watched that James Cagney movie, the one where he shoves a grapefruit into his wife's face? Because that's literally the first thing I thought of.

 

 

Possibly but in Public Enemy (1931), Mae Clarke's character was a  girlfriend not wife of James Cagney's character. Of course, it was rather daring for the time that they were depicted eating breakfast together in their bedclothes despite them not being married to each other.  Still, James Cagney's character was a loutish thug that literally only his mother could   love so two wrongs don't make a right. 

[dleighg]

I guess even "annoyed" is a bit too strong of a word, but there's this ad from the CDC on the radio about protecting yourself from the variants. It starts out ok, wear a mask, keep your distance yada yada. And then the guy says "and for sure, I'll get the vaccine WHEN IT'S MY TURN, BUT UNTIL THEN..."

Guy, IT IS YOUR TURN! Don't they have enough budget to update the ad now that everyone over 16 can get the shot?

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

I guess even "annoyed" is a bit too strong of a word, but there's this ad from the CDC on the radio about protecting yourself from the variants. It starts out ok, wear a mask, keep your distance yada yada. And then the guy says "and for sure, I'll get the vaccine WHEN IT'S MY TURN, BUT UNTIL THEN..."

Guy, IT IS YOUR TURN! Don't they have enough budget to update the ad now that everyone over 16 can get the shot?

it's not your turn until you can actually get in for an appointment.  Just because you're eligible for the shot doesn't mean you can go out and get one today.

[dleighg]

3 minutes ago, Katy M said:

it's not your turn until you can actually get in for an appointment.  Just because you're eligible for the shot doesn't mean you can go out and get one today.

I think that's a stretch. It sounds like he's waiting his TURN, after the old and sick people get to go. Plus around me (suburban NYC metro) I could get an appointment tomorrow in any of several dozen places near me. Things are completely different than say 3 weeks ago. 

[susannah]

16 minutes ago, Katy M said:

it's not your turn until you can actually get in for an appointment.  Just because you're eligible for the shot doesn't mean you can go out and get one today.

True. I couldn't get an appointment for a month and an half after I learned I was eligible.

[peacheslatour]

20 minutes ago, susannah said:

True. I couldn't get an appointment for a month and an half after I learned I was eligible.

Same here. Who knows exactly when that commercial was made? Things with the vaccine have been changing rapidly.

[dleighg]

8 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Who knows exactly when that commercial was made?

that was why I made the point that they could have re-recorded the end of the ad. It's radio!

[peacheslatour]

1 minute ago, dleighg said:

that was why I made the point that they could have re-recorded the end of the ad. It's radio!

Bu...but that costs money!

[CrystalBlue]

15 minutes ago, dleighg said:

that was why I made the point that they could have re-recorded the end of the ad. It's radio!

This one annoys the hell out of me too.  Everyone is now eligible to get the vaccine.  Where I live walk-ins are accepted now.  A long way from a short time ago.  They need to update the PSA and knock off the when it's my turn crap.

18 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Bu...but that costs money!

To be fair, each radio ad runs for 13 weeks.  But I agree they should bypass this contract and spend the mula for new information because it's a PSA from the Government, not selling a product!

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Where I live walk-ins are accepted now.

I guess its like that everywhere then. 

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, Blergh said:

Possibly but in Public Enemy (1931), Mae Clarke's character was a  girlfriend not wife of James Cagney's character. Of course, it was rather daring for the time that they were depicted eating breakfast together in their bedclothes despite them not being married to each other. 

Oh, I love those pre-Hays code films that were rather raunchy by comparison to movies made after it became rigidly enforced in 1934.

[Yeah No]

On 4/29/2021 at 7:01 PM, susannah said:

I haven't seen that one but Spike Lee is now putting out one where he is strongly implying that black communities aren't getting their vaccines because they are black, saying also that some people in those communities don't have rides to vaccination sites. There are, as you said, many many people who haven't gotten completely vaccinated yet, no matter their age, race or health, and from what I have seen, vaccination sites have bent over backwards to be accessible, everywhere, from grocery stores to clinics to convention centers to parking lots to wherever. I really dislike those that try to stir the pot, claiming victimization and bias where there are none.

Are you talking about his Uber commercial?  Because I saw that one and don't agree with you that this is the implication.  He is just acknowledging that some people in those communities don't have adequate transportation to vaccine sites and is supporting getting that to them but I didn't see any accusation that their lack of access is necessarily anyone's fault....We're talking about people that are either too old or too infirmed, too mentally and physically challenged to handle getting to vaccination sites without help and can't handle even reaching out for that help.  Of course now that the vaccine is so available that appointments aren't needed and you can basically just walk into the corner drug store to get one the situation is different, but I presume this ad was made a few weeks back when it was more difficult to get the vaccine anywhere.

Also, I saw him in another spot in which he is getting his second shot and he acknowledges that a big reason why people in certain communities aren't getting vaccinated is because of their own hesitancy, and he was making that clip to hopefully help them overcome that.

[susannah]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Are you talking about his Uber commercial?  Because I saw that one and don't agree with you that this is the implication.  He is just acknowledging that some people in those communities don't have adequate transportation to vaccine sites and is supporting getting that to them but I didn't see any accusation that their lack of access is necessarily anyone's fault....We're talking about people that are either too old or too infirmed, too mentally and physically challenged to handle getting to vaccination sites without help and can't handle even reaching out for that help.  Of course now that the vaccine is so available that appointments aren't needed and you can basically just walk into the corner drug store to get one the situation is different, but I presume this ad was made a few weeks back when it was more difficult to get the vaccine anywhere.

Also, I saw him in another spot in which he is getting his second shot and he acknowledges that a big reason why people in certain communities aren't getting vaccinated is because of their own hesitancy, and he was making that clip to hopefully help them overcome that.

Your post is very articulate and considerate. I think though that if Spike was really pointing out that all communities of  poor and infirm might need help getting to vaccination sites, he wouldn't have mentioned skin color. But he did, and that's what bugs. There are people of all races in similar situations. I got my second shot a week and a half ago and had had that appointment for a month. I didn't know until reading here that long waits aren't the case anymore.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, susannah said:

Your post is very articulate and considerate. I think though that if Spike was really pointing out that all communities of  poor and infirm might need help getting to vaccination sites, he wouldn't have mentioned skin color. But he did, and that's what bugs. There are people of all races in similar situations. I got my second shot a week and a half ago and had had that appointment for a month. I didn't know until reading here that long waits aren't the case anymore.

I actually will agree with you on that point.  I know Spike advocates for communities of color but I personally wish it didn't have to be that way and that we could see this as a human issue for lower income areas regardless of their ethnic makeup.  I had to make vaccine appointments for a poor white family that doesn't have internet access and couldn't manage dealing with the telephone hotlines, and they didn't happen to live in a zip code where vaccine access was prioritized based on ethnic population in my state.  Plus I bought one friend's daughter a laptop because they don't live in a school district where students are given free laptops.  So I hear you.

[Prevailing Wind]

NutriSystem - Marie says, "Look at you all. How fun!"  WTH does "how fun" mean?

[cinsays]

24 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

NutriSystem - Marie says, "Look at you all. How fun!"  WTH does "how fun" mean?

It means she's reading the line given to her.  I can't imagine her thinking talking to some real people ranks as fun in her world. 

 

[peacheslatour]

46 minutes ago, cinsays said:

It means she's reading the line given to her.  I can't imagine her thinking talking to some real people ranks as fun in her world. 

 

I think she is trying hard not to grit her teeth and keep the sarcasm out her voice. It's akin to "Well, bless your heart."

[cinsays]

43 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I think she is trying hard not to grit her teeth and keep the sarcasm out her voice. It's akin to "Well, bless your heart."

yeah, i find nothing genuinely human about this woman

[bankerchick]

On 4/30/2021 at 5:58 AM, Prevailing Wind said:

I'm really loving lockdown because I am completely bra-free. I wish I had the nerve to go out like this.

Now that we can no longer put on a bulky winter coat, it's kinda hard to go out that way, at least for those of us over 30!  Sometimes I put on a bra only long enough to get to the grocery store and back.

[peacheslatour]

24 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Now that we can no longer put on a bulky winter coat, it's kinda hard to go out that way, at least for those of us over 30!  Sometimes I put on a bra only long enough to get to the grocery store and back.

Same. I come back, kick off my shoes and take off my bra.

[Prevailing Wind]

22 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Same. I come back, kick off my shoes and take off my bra.

I'm not supposed to be bare/sock-footed, so I change into my slippers. Yeah, bra starts to come off before the keys are set down. I actually have to go out & pick up a prescription, so there will be bra-wearing in my future, if only for a half-hour.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Folks, 
We strayed a few times here.  Kudos to those of you who redirect to Small Talk.  Let's remember we're talking about Commercials.  Straying a bit is okay.  If it's more than that, take it to Small Talk.  Small Talk, where bra preferences and vaccine access are on the menu. 

[Prevailing Wind]

Oops. I thought I WAS in Small Talk. Sorry.

Back on topic:  Has anyone else seen Domino's ads where they've brought back The Noid? Or have I been dreaming?  I remember the first time, mid-70s, and some guy whose name was Noid got paranoid that Domino's was demonizing him and he went to a Domino's in a strip mall in NE Atlanta and took some hostages. My BFF was working right upstairs in the Days Inn reservation center. She said it was kind of scary with all the cop cars/SWAT teams.  I guess they thought enough time had passed and it was safe to Avoid The Noid again. Sheesh.

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

How come you can't be sock footed? That seems weird.

Diabetes. Too easy to injure toe & not feel it when the peripheral neuropathy kicks in.

[CrystalBlue]

I saw a Domino's commercial last night introducing the Nuro, a driverless pizza delivery car.  Apparently the Noid is the back (although I never saw it to begin with).

Noid vs. Nuro - Domino's

Video is below the still shot.

Edited May 1, 2021 by CrystalBlue

[SoMuchTV]

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I actually will agree with you on that point.  I know Spike advocates for communities of color but I personally wish it didn't have to be that way and that we could see this as a human issue for lower income areas regardless of their ethnic makeup.  I had to make vaccine appointments for a poor white family that doesn't have internet access and couldn't manage dealing with the telephone hotlines, and they didn't happen to live in a zip code where vaccine access was prioritized based on ethnic population in my state.  Plus I bought one friend's daughter a laptop because they don't live in a school district where students are given free laptops.  So I hear you.

I just saw what I think is the ad everyone’s talking about, and I didn’t think he was elevating skin color above all other barriers, just that it was one of many. 

I decided a few days ago that for the next little while, I would donate to all the causes that come up on tv, websites, etc. that sound worthy, and I think this Uber donate-a-ride might meet the bar. 

[WendyCR72]

7 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I saw a Domino's commercial last night introducing the Nuro, a driverless pizza delivery car.  Apparently the Noid is the back (although I never saw it to begin with).

Noid vs. Nuro - Domino's

Video is below the still shot.

The Noid Domino's (anti-?) mascot was big in the mid to late '80s. So it was kind of cool to see it back. But it's best in small doses.

[sempervivum]

I posted a couple of days ago about the 'Pandemica' ads, and just wanted to add that I saw a fourth version last night. This time the animal-ish critters are lined up and clearly looking forward to getting their vaccinations; they see a plane fly overhead (I think it's marked 'Vaccinations' or something) and start cheering. But the plane flies past and instead drops the vaccine shots into an EVIL CRUISE SHIP.

So I guess the characters on the cruise ship don't deserve to be vaccinated? Or maybe they should go without until all the 'poor' have gotten theirs? 

I despise these ads for setting up social conflict. Don't try to make 'them' hate 'us'- Just tell me that you need donations to get the vaccines distributed.

[TattleTeeny]

On 4/24/2021 at 2:40 PM, ForumLou said:

Hahahaha that would.be.Hysterical!  I love her too.  They better watch out Sign Spinner Guy, and Condos for Sale Guy 150k.  Didnt i see something thing the other day with water added?  Might be their new ad. ........if not Mara, then another selling cell phones.  Hopefully Mara though, she would be hysterical on a phone and trying to sell phones.

That 150K thing always gets me! That area where the commercial is made does not likely have condos for that cheap (I did not officially confirm, mind you, so maybe I am full of malarkey), but that strip mall is in Morris County, NJ. That said, being from that area (and immediately recognizing that store), I am completely baffled by this—why on earth would this commercial be made in that particular spot? That made me laugh!

Edited May 3, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

That 150K thing always gets me! That area where the commercial is made does not likely have condos for that cheap (I did not officially confirm, mind you, so maybe I am full of malarkey), but that strip mall is in Morris County, NJ. That said, being from that area (and immediately recognizing that store), I am completely baffled by this—why on earth would this commercial be made in that particular spot? That made me laugh!

Naah, try more like at the very least $200,00 - $600,000.  That commercial makes me nostalgic for rides up Rt. 46 back in the day.  I recognized that store too!  I miss New Jersey for the shopping and some great old fashioned diners.  I have an old friend that lives near there in Clifton, but we're only in touch on social media anymore.

I agree, it's so random that they would do a commercial there.  I have seen a couple of different versions of it, too.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Yeah No

[dleighg]

4 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

but that strip mall is in Morris County, NJ.

what town is it? I spent my formative teen years in Morris County. I worked at the Korvettes at the Willowbrook Mall, and my best friend worked at the Sears at the Rockaway Mall (which I hear is now a mass vaccination site LOL). And yeah, 150k for a condo in Morris County? That's a laugh.

[TattleTeeny]

It’s in Parsippany, on 46 West, not far from where you’d get onto 287 (I think?). There are so many strip malls around there that I get mixed up!

Edited May 3, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[Leeds]

There's an ad where a guy is driving a Chrysler.  They focus in on the hood ornament, an ugly stylised  woman, which starts gyrating to the music.  I find it disturbing and creepy.

(I just saw it again and made myself watch.  I'd forgotten that it lip-synchs to the music, which makes it even worse!)

Edited May 3, 2021 by Leeds

[Dirtybubble]

On 4/29/2021 at 12:28 PM, sempervivum said:

Is anyone else disturbed by the ads called 'Pandemica'? So far, I've seen 3. They're animated, with characters that are (I assume) supposed to be 'whimsical', but that look creepy to me.

The point of the ads apparently is that we should support getting Covid vaccines to underdeveloped countries, but they seem to be implying that those of us in developed nations are somehow piggish thugs who are 'hogging' the vaccines. The most recent ones show partying groups of critters who push past other critters standing quietly in line waiting for their shots, thus using up all the vaccine. 

Obviously, any decent person wants everyone to have access to the vaccines, however, we still have LOTS of our own citizens who haven't received theirs yet. Johnson & Johnson as well as Pfizer are both providing their vaccines at not for profit (J&J) or cost (Pfizer) to underdeveloped countries. If ONE (Bono's organization which sponsors these ads) wants help fund that, I'd prefer they just ask for money rather than try to make me feel like a bad person for being fortunate enough to live in the US. JMO.

I'm carrying the vaccine conversation to Small Talk

[AnnA]

2 hours ago, Leeds said:

There's an ad where a guy is driving a Chrysler.  They focus in on the hood ornament, an ugly stylised  woman, which starts gyrating to the music.  I find it disturbing and creepy.

(I just saw it again and made myself watch.  I'd forgotten that it lip-synchs to the music, which makes it even worse!)

I hate it too.  It's an Allstate commercial.

[Deskisamess]

On 4/8/2021 at 6:25 PM, TattleTeeny said:

No one loves a treadmill? I had to get rid of my old one to use the space for a desk. I missed it so I bought a newer, smaller one that can be stashed under a bed or standing up on its end in a closet--or in my case the laundry "room" in the hall (pretty much just a larger closet with a washer/dryer in it). It's a pain taking it out and putting it back every day, and having it kind of hog up a small section of the hallway, but I love taking periodic 10-minute breaks to get up and walk a mile! Plus, yikes--I apparently need something to remind or impel me to take a break when I work from home. It's weird.
 

I love my treadmill, and try to get a 30 minute walk in every day. That said, when the grandkids are here, we take the safety plug out of it, so it won't run. I know adults who've been hurt on them because they weren't using that safety cord, my husband for one. Letting kids mess around on them unsupervised is a bad and dangerous idea.

[Leeds]

I can't stand the Blue Bunny Icecream commercial with the smug family and the mother playing a one-man band.  In general I don't like the blue bunny itself.

[peacheslatour]

41 minutes ago, Leeds said:

I can't stand the Blue Bunny Icecream commercial with the smug family and the mother playing a one-man band.  In general I don't like the blue bunny itself.

Speaking of smug families and I guess it's more about the use of the non word "wowzers" that the Keebler elf uses to in his admiration of a family because they're being nice to each other.

[Leeds]

1 minute ago, icemiser69 said:

So I guess you would be giving the blue bunny the cold shoulder.

Yes indeedy, whereas my cold cold heart will continue to belong to Ben and Jerry.

[susannah]

1 hour ago, Leeds said:

Yes indeedy, whereas my cold cold heart will continue to belong to Ben and Jerry.

Mine belongs to Haagen Dazs!!

[Leeds]

1 hour ago, susannah said:

Mine belongs to Haagen Dazs!!

I like Haagen Dazs but I'm still mad at them shrinking what used to be pints :-) 

Edited May 4, 2021 by Leeds

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, Leeds said:

Yes indeedy, whereas my cold cold heart will continue to belong to Ben and Jerry.

 

1 hour ago, susannah said:

Mine belongs to Haagen Dazs!!

 

32 minutes ago, Leeds said:

I like Haagen Dazs but I'm still mad at them shrinking what used to be pints :-) 

I like all three. 

[KWalkerInc]

10 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Speaking of smug families and I guess it's more about the use of the non word "wowzers" that the Keebler elf uses to in his admiration of a family because they're being nice to each other.

I think it's creepy that the Keebler elf is using binoculars to spy on them in their house. 

[Blergh]

13 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Speaking of smug families and I guess it's more about the use of the non word "wowzers" that the Keebler elf uses to in his admiration of a family because they're being nice to each other.

Tell that to Inspector Gadget! Does a cartoon using a term more than three decades ago possibly cause it to seep into the public's vernacular and no longer be a 'non word' or did it not catch on enough for it have overcome the 'non word' status'? Perhaps one could argue that since the Keebler elf himself is a cartoon character, he can use another cartoon character's terms even if actual human usage is, at best, unconfirmed. 

Regardless, I agree with the above poster that I wouldn't want the Keebler elf to spy on me in my house using binoculars! 

[cinsays]

15 hours ago, Leeds said:

I can't stand the Blue Bunny Icecream commercial with the smug family and the mother playing a one-man band.  In general I don't like the blue bunny itself.

Huh, and I like this one!  And they have really good chocolate mini swirls.  Yum

[Blergh]

18 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

I will take anything Inspector Gadget (Don Adams) has to say over anything that comes flying out of Rachael Ray's and/or Guy's pie holes.

Whenever I see commercials for Guy's stupid show, I want to rename the damn thing, Douchebags, Dipshits, and Dorkwads.

So now it looks like they have updated Guy's other King's Hawaiian commercial.  Not a fan, it makes him look like a glutton.

Mr. Fieri IS a glutton . However,  I'm relieved that he didn't wind up  eating the other dude's sandwich and/or having an extreme close up of his mouth while stuffing it with grub! 

Still, the fact that he's in the commercial at all is an automatic fail (and that the dude didn't throw him out of his kitchen and house after he tresspassed crashed), IMO. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Blergh