posted on April 1, 2009 08:26:25 PM new
This is a thread for commercials you hate the most (TV, Radio or print). Personally, if I see a commercial that I can't stand, I will also quit going to that business until the commercial is pulled from the airwaves or print.
I will put three right away.
The McDonalds commercial with that fish on the wall for the filet of fish sandwich.
Then next two belong to subway.
The one where the sleezy car salesman with the blowup animals stating, "Let's move some iron". God I hate that one. No body says something that damn stupid.
The second one is actually a couple. Anything Subway has done lately that has the $5 footlong songs in them. Talk about annoying.
posted on April 1, 2009 08:42:45 PM new
My personal non-favorite....the Safe Auto insurance commercial where the voice-over states "protect your right to drive." My father taught me to drive and told me over and over that "driving is a privilege, not a right". I believe it may well be written the PA drivers handbook that way, too.
As a matter of fact, I dislike all the Safe Auto commercials! It seems they cater to the worst drivers, the ones who probably shouldn't be on the road to begin with. Their driving records are so bad they can't get insurance any other way.
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posted on April 2, 2009 07:30:58 AM new
The new Arby's commercial for some new sandwich...the kid greases his hair with a competitor's burger....ewwww!!! That one makes me cringe every time.
posted on April 2, 2009 09:49:58 PM new
Freeeee credit report dot com. I mute it every time.
_____________________
"Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who ***dared to dissent*** from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, ***may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion."*** --Eisenhower
posted on April 3, 2009 01:07:24 PM new
I use a DVR for television, so don't really know ads. In my car, however, I don't have anything similar, so I have two ads that I think are bad, but in a funny way.
1. Life insurance company is pushing some policy that has a money back feature, and says that "you can get your money back even if you don't die." Now that I know not dying is an option, I might have to call them.
2. Ad for IQ and reading speed product, promises that you'll read 1000% faster (note: not 1000% as fast, but 1000% FASTER). "Just think, you'll read 10 books in the time it previously took you to read 1 book." Apparently the target demographic is slow readers who are also innumerate, since by my count, I've been shortchanged one book. The really funny thing is that this ad appears all the time on Bloomberg Radio, where one would imagine the audience can do simple math.
In addition to how bad TV ads are, the amount of time wasted by them is an affront to me. Even if we're going to watch something "live," we DVR it and wait 20 minutes for every wall-clock hour of the show and skip commercials. The DVR version and the actual show end at the same time. There are good inventions and crummy inventions; I think a DVR makes so much difference in how one watches TV that it comes close to being required equipment if you watch any TV at all. Getting rid of commercials is only one of the benefits; the other big one is being able to watch when you're in the mood. I don't even know when "my shows" air any more; I'll recommend a show to a friend who then asks me when it's on, and I get a goofy look on my face and tell them that I don't know, it's on my DVR when I want it.
posted on April 4, 2009 08:02:21 AM new
You're right cash, DVR is what TeeVee was meant to be. Since I semi-retired, it seems I have less time to sit in front of the haunted fishtank than I had previously, and I never had very much. Television for me is a monumental waste of daylight most of the time, and by the time I come in from the chores outside I'm too bushed to sit upright very long. I record the occasional special from History channel or Nat Geo, Chris Matthews, Olbermann and I'll admit a crush on Rachel Maddow. The only series I routinely watch is "Lost", kind of an addict. I watch all those in the early morning while the family is still in the sack..I'll sometimes sit in for a minute when SWMBO and the boy are watching "My Name is Earl" or "The Office", both seem to be brilliantly funny, but I'm not about to get hooked.
I'll admit to guilty pleasures: Lost, Office, Big Love (HBO), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), Real Time with Bill Maher (also HBO, hmmm). I also like The Tudors (SHO) and The Riches (SHO).
It sounds corny, but all 4 of us (wife, two kids at home, and me) also like to curl up on our (very large) sofa and watch 30-60 minutes of TV at night before the kids go to bed. The kids get their fair share of sports, reading, music, etc., so it's not as though they're couch potatoes. It is almost a daily thing. The DVR is essential to making sure that we have something appropriate to watch (e.g., DogTown, Amazing Race) and sometimes not completely appropriate but funny enough (e.g., 30 Rock).
posted on April 4, 2009 06:05:38 PM new
Any late night food commercial. It's a fact that if a food commercial comes on late at night, I will crave that particular food. At midnight I'm not going to go out and find an Olive Garden or Red Lobster no matter how much I might crave it. They need to forget the late night food commercials! PLEASE!!!!!
I may be the only one, but I like the McD's fish commercial. My granddaughter does a great imitation of it and it's pretty funny.
posted on April 4, 2009 06:43:18 PM new
Cash, wish that I had HBO so that I could watch Bill Mayer! I generally have one or another news channels on and especially like Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. Every now and then I tune in the dark side to take a peek at Fox News shenanigans.
I don't often watch the movies on HBO, probably fewer than 2 a year, but many of their self-developed shows are really good. Bill Maher is, like Jon Stewart, a comedian who provides news and commentary better than people who would put "news and commentary" on their resume.
posted on April 4, 2009 07:01:43 PM new
I watch a lot of TV, resting my aching joints after being up and around for a while. My husband watches (literally) only two shows a day--Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. This week both of them were funnier than usual. We tape the shows the night before and watch them after supper.
Mad Men is coming back on Sunday, thank goodness. What a well-written show. (It's on AMC.)
_____________________
"Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who ***dared to dissent*** from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, ***may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion."*** --Eisenhower
posted on April 4, 2009 07:04:03 PM new
Helen, I too like to watch Keith O and Rachel M. when I have time. And I also check to see what drivel Fox "News" is peddlng. Today they were trying their hardest to prove that the Obamas got negative press in England and Europe, pooh-poohing the idea that Michelle was a real hit, etc. Poor devils.
_____________________
"Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who ***dared to dissent*** from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, ***may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion."*** --Eisenhower
posted on April 4, 2009 08:47:02 PM new
Oh yes, Cash...you must take care when you watch such rot. Media Matters and now, Financial Matters helps me keep track of their false and misleading coverage.
posted on April 18, 2009 05:32:38 PM new
I love Magic Johnson but he's sold out. First, the Jackson Hewitt "Money like Magic" (high interest refund anticipation loans) - now Rent-A-Center "Buy the brands you trust - with no credit check". What next? Cash 4 Gold?
