Commercials That Annoy, Irritate or Outright Enrage

[susannah]

1 hour ago, kathyk2 said:

There is a difference between a quick hug and someone who won't let go. The kids are fine at first then they are clearly uncomfortable.

It's true, there is a difference, but kids still have the right to decide whether they want any physical contact. I am speaking generally as I haven't seen this ad.

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, Dirtybubble said:

They took the pure, thoughtful idea of A Christmas Carol and turned it into a luxury car commercial.  Charles Dickens is probably spinning in his grave right now!

 

The future car is fine but he'll still be stuck in LA traffic.

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

The future car is fine but he'll still be stuck in LA traffic.

Yeah, and he likely will forget about the Christmas goose for the Cratchit family! 

But fear not, the younger-than-usual version of Mr. Scrooge likely will get pulled over for driving barefoot in his pajamas without a license! 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

Yeah, and he likely will forget about the Christmas goose for the Cratchit family! 

But fear not, the younger-than-usual version of Mr. Scrooge likely will get pulled over for driving barefoot in his pajamas without a license! 

And being high as a kite, what with the hallucinations and all.

[Blergh]

Of course, the Mercedes and other car commercials during this season does beg the question of how much of a market can there be for 'Christmas gift cars'.

I mean are there any viewers sitting around saying "Cousin Myrtle didn't like last year's fruitcake or that Billy Bass the year before. Do you think she might send us something grander than a pot holder if we get her a Mercedes for Christmas?"

Edited November 3, 2021 by Blergh

[madmax]

18 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Of course, the Mercedes and other car commercials during this season does beg the question of how much of a market can there be for 'Christmas gift cars'.

I never understood the concept of buying someone a car as a surprise Christmas gift.  Wouldn't you want to be involved in the selection of something that you'll be stuck with for a few years?

Granted, we did buy my sons each a vehicle as a surprise, but we knew exactly what they wanted and managed to find them both the right vehicles.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, madmax said:

I never understood the concept of buying someone a car as a surprise Christmas gift.  Wouldn't you want to be involved in the selection of something that you'll be stuck with for a few years?

Granted, we did buy my sons each a vehicle as a surprise, but we knew exactly what they wanted and managed to find them both the right vehicles.

I would never want a car I didn't get to test drive first.  One time I test drove a car and the head rest was in my way, or something.  And then another time I had to lean over to change the radio station. Not good.  This, to me, would be like buying shoes on the internet (which I know people do, but for the life of me can't understand the concept).

[SmithW6079]

On 10/30/2021 at 11:35 AM, Crashcourse said:

Well, we're still here, too, so it's not like we don't care.   Doesn't matter how old or young, we're still breathing.   

Plenty of people don't care, deny it's happening, and mock those who do care. If it takes a child to make them feel uncomfortable enough to do something, I'm all for it. 

[Bastet]

I've bought many pairs of shoes online; it's a lot easier to return shoes if it turns out they don't fit/I don't like them (thankfully, they're usually keepers) than it is to return a car - even in states/with dealerships where that's possible in the first place.

Those "Surprise! A car!" commercials bug me every year.  I would never be comfortable with a spouse spending that much money on a gift for me (and I'd be divorce court level pissed if we had joint finances, meaning he spent that much of our money without talking with me about it), and I don't care how much of an ingrate it would make me, I'd be ticked off at having the selections made for me.  Even if he knew the make, model, color, and basic features I was looking for, when it comes to something I'm going to be driving for 15-20 years, I will be the one picking out every last detail, thank you.

Edited November 3, 2021 by Bastet

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

Plenty of people don't care, deny it's happening, and mock those who do care. If it takes a child to make them feel uncomfortable enough to do something, I'm all for it. 

Yeah, that commercial isn't going to work on those people.

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

I've bought many pairs of shoes online; it's a lot easier to return shoes if it turns out they don't fit/I don't like them (thankfully, they're usually keepers) than it is to return a car - even in states/with dealerships where that's possible in the first place.

Those "Surprise! A car!" commercials bug me every year.  I would never be comfortable with a spouse spending that much money on a gift for me (and I'd be divorce court level pissed if we had joint finances, meaning he spent that much of our money without talking with me about it), and I don't care how much of an ingrate it would make me, I'd be ticked off at having the selections made for me.  Even if he knew the make, model, color, and basic features I was looking for, when it comes to something I'm going to be driving for 15-20 years, I will be the one picking out every last detail, thank you.

Plus, unless they spent a crap-ton of money, the recipient is going to have huge car payments.  Merry Christmas - you own $500 a month for years!

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

Plus, unless they spent a crap-ton of money, the recipient is going to have huge car payments. 

Well, I would hope since it's a gift, they're making the payments if they didn't buy it outright.  Which further speaks to what an outlandish gift it is, whether they dropped all that money up front or will be paying for it for many years -- other than for the truly wealthy, that's so expensive a gift as to be weird and uncomfortable.

But, yeah, even worse if they're handing someone a "gift" they have to pay for!  (Same idea as in a scenario where a couple keeps some or all of their money jointly, and the giving spouse pays for it out of those funds that are half the recipient's.  "Merry Christmas, I just spent a bunch of your money"?!)

Edited November 3, 2021 by Bastet

[Prevailing Wind]

5 hours ago, Bastet said:

when it comes to something I'm going to be driving for 15-20 years, I will be the one picking out every last detail, thank you.

The people that buy/receive gift cars don't keep them that long. LOL

[susannah]

6 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

Plenty of people don't care, deny it's happening, and mock those who do care. If it takes a child to make them feel uncomfortable enough to do something, I'm all for it. 

Except that often young people deal in ideals, not reality. It's like saying, "I want to end homelessness." How? "Well,  we should just give them money."  The heart needs to be involved in working on social problems but the brain needs to be involved too.

[peacheslatour]

58 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

The people that buy/receive gift cars don't keep them that long. LOL

Are they all leased?

[cynicat]

16 hours ago, madmax said:

I never understood the concept of buying someone a car as a surprise Christmas gift.  Wouldn't you want to be involved in the selection of something that you'll be stuck with for a few years?

Since this subject comes up in here about this time every year, it's probably worth bookmarking this SNL commercial.  

 

[Haleth]

15 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Yeah, that commercial isn't going to work on those people.

Plus, unless they spent a crap-ton of money, the recipient is going to have huge car payments.  Merry Christmas - you own $500 a month for years!

And if it's leased you have to return your "gift" after 3 or 4 years.

10 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Are they all leased?

My thought too.

[blackwing]

21 hours ago, Blergh said:

Of course, the Mercedes and other car commercials during this season does beg the question of how much of a market can there be for 'Christmas gift cars'.

I mean are there any viewers sitting around saying "Cousin Myrtle didn't like last year's fruitcake or that Billy Bass the year before. Do you think she might send us something grander than a pot holder if we get her a Mercedes for Christmas?"

I don't know how realistic it is for the husband or the wife to be completely unaware that they are getting a car for Christmas, and then run out to the driveway in their pajamas and see A NEW CAR!!!! (said in my best Price is Right Rod Roddy voice) complete with the requisite huge bow on top, as more than a few commercials always seem to suggest is happening.  I guess unless the couple is very wealthy, it just doesn't seem like people make those kinds of decisions without consulting each other?  Or maybe I am just naive.

But I do think "a car for Christmas" is not an unheard of thing between spouses.  There are lots of year-end incentives from a lot of auto dealers, because they are trying to make their numbers.  Like Lexus and their "December to Remember".  I got a new car several years ago and my wife and I called it my Christmas present.  We are getting her a new car this year and calling it her Christmas present.

I agree though that unless someone is a billionaire that it seems unrealistic to give a new car to Cousin Myrtle.

Edited November 4, 2021 by blackwing

[proserpina65]

7 hours ago, cynicat said:

Since this subject comes up in here about this time every year, it's probably worth bookmarking this SNL commercial.  

 

I loved that one!

2 hours ago, blackwing said:

But I do think "a car for Christmas" is not an unheard of thing between spouses. 

Perhaps not unheard of, but I suspect it's much less common than the Lexus & Mercedes commercials want us to believe.

[chessiegal]

My husband kind of surprised me with a new car, I'd been telling him for months I wanted a new car, even though I didn't really need one. I wanted a car with a back-up camera, GPS, and so on. I take care of day-to-day bills and leave investments up to him. One day he said, out of the blue, let's go the Honda dealership. When I asked what for, he said - to buy you a new car. Unknown to me, he'd been squirrelling away money every month to get me a new car. By the end of the day, I had a new car.  I was joking with the sales person about the big bow, and she said, oh yes, we occasionally get a request for that. IIRC, she said the bow costs about $200. So, I'd say, those car ads are not that farfetched.

[peacheslatour]

21 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

My husband kind of surprised me with a new car, I'd been telling him for months I wanted a new car, even though I didn't really need one. I wanted a car with a back-up camera, GPS, and so on. I take care of day-to-day bills and leave investments up to him. One day he said, out of the blue, let's go the Honda dealership. When I asked what for, he said - to buy you a new car. Unknown to me, he'd been squirrelling away money every month to get me a new car. By the end of the day, I had a new car.  I was joking with the sales person about the big bow, and she said, oh yes, we occasionally get a request for that. IIRC, she said the bow costs about $200. So, I'd say, those car ads are not that farfetched.

What a sweet thing to do. Give your hubby a big hug from me!

[proserpina65]

30 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

My husband kind of surprised me with a new car, I'd been telling him for months I wanted a new car, even though I didn't really need one. I wanted a car with a back-up camera, GPS, and so on. I take care of day-to-day bills and leave investments up to him. One day he said, out of the blue, let's go the Honda dealership. When I asked what for, he said - to buy you a new car. Unknown to me, he'd been squirrelling away money every month to get me a new car. By the end of the day, I had a new car.  I was joking with the sales person about the big bow, and she said, oh yes, we occasionally get a request for that. IIRC, she said the bow costs about $200. So, I'd say, those car ads are not that farfetched.

That is sweet, but not really the same thing.  Your hubby took you to buy the car.  He didn't just buy one without any input from you and bring it home.  That's the part which bugs me in those commercials: that it's portrayed as being completely out of the blue with no input from the spouse.  And don't even get me started on the stupid commercials where the husband buys one for his wife and one for himself.

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Your hubby took you to buy the car.  He didn't just buy one without any input from you and bring it home.  That's the part which bugs me in those commercials: that it's portrayed as being completely out of the blue with no input from the spouse. 

According to the sales person, it happens. 

[Haleth]

Taking a car/gift story to small talk.

[peacheslatour]

The Benz commercial was bad enough but now Peloton is dragging poor Mr. Dickens around too. Did A Christmas Carol just go Public Domain?

 

[Bruinsfan]

I thought it had been for decades, hence A Muppet Christmas Carol and such?

[peacheslatour]

30 minutes ago, Bruinsfan said:

I thought it had been for decades, hence A Muppet Christmas Carol and such?

I guess so. I looked it up and books move into the public domain 70 years after the death of the author. Dickens died in 1870.

[CrystalBlue]

Maybe Mercedes Benz and Peloton have the same adtard agency.

[Prevailing Wind]

4 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

I thought it had been for decades, hence A Muppet Christmas Carol and such?

My favorite of all the versions.

 

[Blergh]

On 11/4/2021 at 1:30 PM, chessiegal said:

According to the sales person, it happens. 

Consider the source! LOL! 

[Haleth]

11 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

My favorite of all the versions.

 

I agree!  With Mr Magoo a close second.

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

I agree!  With Mr Magoo a close second.

I've always liked the one with George C. Scott and Edward Woodward.

[theatremouse]

Focus on ads that vex you, folks.

[TattleTeeny]

This Humira commercial with the two chicks doing (I assume) a podcast annoys me for no good reason (other than I am a mean impatient asshole this week). First, the way the bowel-issue lady gazes sadly and longingly at the other woman’s onion ring is a bit much. Then, at the end, they’re outside being ladylike ladies with tea near a fire. For whatever dumb reason, I felt annoyed that they weren’t having a beer or something instead, haha! Also, mean me assumes their podcast is so boring! It’s probably about the best places to buy a “Live, Laugh, Love” wall hanging! 

Oooh, I am being such a jerk about this! Maybe I need a beer by the fire.

[TheCrankyCreative]

Wow, the new campaign for Marcus by Goldman Sachs is terrible. Not only does it manage to make Rosamund Pike completely unappealing - something I thought was surely impossible - but that tagline - "You can money" - makes me want to knock the smug, stupid smile off the ad creators' smug, stupid faces.

On a happier note, does anyone know the brand/advertiser behind that wonderful watercolor-themed TV commercial showing dolphins and football players? It's beautiful - artful, even - but it doesn't do the best job of embedding its message in the mind.

Edited November 8, 2021 by TheCrankyCreative

[Gharlane]

20 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

This Humira commercial with the two chicks doing (I assume) a podcast annoys me for no good reason (other than I am a mean impatient asshole this week). First, the way the bowel-issue lady gazes sadly and longingly at the other woman’s onion ring is a bit much. Then, at the end, they’re outside being ladylike ladies with tea near a fire. For whatever dumb reason, I felt annoyed that they weren’t having a beer or something instead, haha! Also, mean me assumes their podcast is so boring! It’s probably about the best places to buy a “Live, Laugh, Love” wall hanging!

Thanks to those Progressive commercials, I keep expecting the adult life coach to force them to throw that "Live, Laugh, Love" sign in a garbage can.

[peacheslatour]

24 minutes ago, Gharlane said:

Thanks to those Progressive commercials, I keep expecting the adult life coach to force them to throw that "Live, Laugh, Love" sign in a garbage can.

I love it! 

Dr. Rick: "Do you really need a sign to tell you to live, laugh, love?"

[TattleTeeny]

1 hour ago, Gharlane said:

Thanks to those Progressive commercials, I keep expecting the adult life coach to force them to throw that "Live, Laugh, Love" sign in a garbage can.

Wait—do they actually have one in the commercial? If so, I hadn’t actually noticed; I was just using that as an example, haha!

Edited November 8, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[peacheslatour]

42 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

Wait—do they actually have one in the commercial? If so, I hadn’t actually noticed; I was just using that as an example, haha!

No, they do!

[ctlady]

On 11/3/2021 at 9:04 PM, peacheslatour said:

The people that buy/receive gift cars don't keep them that long. LOL

I never liked those commercials.  Unless you're half of a married couple with his and hers accounts who each chip in separately from those accounts to support the household, the monthly payment for that 'gift' will be coming out of your joint checking account

[Popples]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

Wait—do they actually have one in the commercial? If so, I hadn’t actually noticed; I was just using that as an example, haha!

I love this commercial!

 

[KLovestoShop]

I just saw one of the worst commercials ever, and one that belongs on a porn site and not on commercial tv.  It’s for Shoe Dazzle and it has a Kartrashian wannabe, way overdone, wearing the trashiest outfits I’ve ever seen on a commercial. When I first saw it, I thought it was a commercial for one of those call sexy girls websites.  But it’s for shoes !!!  

[Annber03]

Oh, good, Mike Lindell is now whining that he's the victim of "cancel culture" in his ads. You know. The ads that play virtually EVERY DAMN COMMERCIAL BREAK and take up seemingly, like, five minutes of airtime every time when they air. 

Put a sock in it, Lindell. 

[Tom Holmberg]

15 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Oh, good, Mike Lindell is now whining that he's the victim of "cancel culture" in his ads. You know. The ads that play virtually EVERY DAMN COMMERCIAL BREAK and take up seemingly, like, five minutes of airtime every time when they air. 

Put a sock in it, Lindell. 

I was just going to mention this ad.  Also that he's sitting in front of a huge picture of Jesus.

This picture:

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Lion-symbol-of-Jesus/1031939/3983115/view

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Tom Holmberg

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Tom Holmberg said:

I was just going to mention this ad.  Also that he's sitting in front of a huge picture of Jesus.

Too bad there's no 'eyeroll' icon for us to use!

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Too bad there's no 'eyeroll' icon for us to use!

"My arm is not long enough for the wanking motion in my soul."

[Kimboweena]

Regarding the annoying Medicare commercials, I try to make them more fun by imagining the people calling for silly reasons. Instead of saying, "I'm calling to find out more about my benefits,"  they say, "I'm calling to talk to Joe Namath or Jimmy Walker."

Edited November 10, 2021 by Kimboweena
Like this wording better.

[Maverick]

 So the Medicare Martha commercial.  She's a cranky, hateful old biddy....and I'm so here for this bitch!  Seriously, she is so over the top and campy I can't help but laugh every time she's on.   I hate the Medicare ads but I'll take her over "IT"S FREEEE" anyday.  

[Annber03]

3 minutes ago, Maverick said:

 So the Medicare Martha commercial.  She's a cranky, hateful old biddy....and I'm so here for this bitch!  Seriously, she is so over the top and campy I can't help but laugh every time she's on.   I hate the Medicare ads but I'll take her over "IT"S FREEEE" anyday.  

My family has so much fun with that commercial whenever we catch it on TV. The bit where the announcer says, "Martha..." in a sort of warning tone has become a running joke in our house :p. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Annber03

[madmax]

On 11/8/2021 at 10:55 AM, TheCrankyCreative said:

Wow, the new campaign for Marcus by Goldman Sachs is terrible. Not only does it manage to make Rosamund Pike completely unappealing - something I thought was surely impossible - but that tagline - "You can money" - makes me want to knock the smug, stupid smile off the ad creators' smug, stupid faces.

I just saw this one for the first time and was just completely flummoxed about how tone deaf it is.  

[Bruinsfan]

The newest one to earn my undying hatred is the Kohls holiday commercial that uses a cover of the Beatles' "From Me to You" sung by Ane Brun in a voice so quavery Stevie Nicks is somewhere going "damn, girl, get some throat lozenges!"