I've been a bit jumpy, but

[witzend]

...am I the only one bothered by the new KFC commercial where they get two sides with their dinner?

Teenage son and grandpa are arguing about who gets to decide about what side they get with dinner. Gramps wants potatoes, kid want slaw. Gramps starts pounding on the kid, the kid is wrestling back asking "What's the matter with you?"

Mom and dad walk in with dinner and two sides. Dad says, "Should we tell them that we get two sides with any value meal?" Mom responds, "What? And miss this?"

This is not funny. Not one little bit. Is there anyone here who thinks this is funny, and can you explain it to me in a way that would make me think that this is the example of how we choose what's for dinner that we want our families to see?

 

[DDD]

I, too, think it is weird. Actually I think alot of the commercials are strange lately. DDD

 

[cubsgirl]

I was bothered by it too. I thought it was inappropriate.

 

[keista]

Honestly, I never thought twice about it. I was given to understand that "wrestling" is a normal pastime and negotiating tool in "normal" families.

 

[klmno]

I think wrestling around in families can be quite normal....but the lack of smiles or laughter and the tone of voice they used in this commercial sounded too serious to me. And I agree, there are a few on these days that I think have gone too far.

on the other hand, I really like the little girl sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle while her dad is telling her the rules about driving, then you see her sitting there as a teen.

 

[Calamity Jane]

That commercial is from Mars. We are from Venus. I will never understand the buffoonery displayed in that commercial, and what's most disturbing is how the parents are calmly watching this insane wrestling match. That sure is one strong grandpa, though. I wouldn't mess with him if he wanted potatoes.

 

[Hound dog]

I haven't seen it. So I can't comment.

But I agree that commercials have gotten either really stupid lately (as in the past several years) or they don't even seem to be certain what it is they're advertising for.......because what the product or service is doesn't come through due to all the hype.

The one I really hate? The insurance commercial where they're having random folks "taste test" for the better insurance and give them something to drink. Maybe this is supposed to be funny? But in my opinion it's the dumbest commercial I've ever seen. And I'm thrilled to say I'll never buy their insurance no matter how cheap they might be. Do they think the american public has the collective intelligence of a pea or what???

 

[Marcie Mac]

Years ago there was a Jack in the Box commercial where they were promoting the "New and Improved JITB, along with their new chicken sandwitch - its when they were getting rid of the clown - old lady says ohhhh not Jack, they hand her the chicken sandwitch, and she looks into the camera and says waste him, then the head blew up. It just struck me as so over the top violent, even though I absolutely DESPISE clowns, I wrote them a not so nice letter telling them I would never eat there again, and they have not gotten a dime of my money since.

I must not be normal because wresting used as a negotiating tool would be an absolute thumbs down in our house.

Marcie

 

[Tiapet]

This is the whole point of the "dumb" or pointless commercials in marketing. To get a rise out of you one way or another. It's a proven fact that "stupid" commercial will be remembered not because it's good (that would be a great thing wouldn't it?) but because it's BAD! Did it make it's point? Well probably because witz remembered WHAT it advertising. We all would like a good commercial over a bad commercial and sometimes they actually get it right and do make them but you would be surprised how many times you will recall a very bad commercial over a good one AND recall what it was advertising.

 

[klmno]

True, but I rank that approach right up there (or down there) with any difficult child effort to get negative attention when they aren't getting what they feel entitled to. If we don't let it work, the effort to continue the approach seems to fade. I know I'm at a happy time in my life so it's easy for me to say right now, but I don't want to spend my time on anything that friggin annoying so I'm not going to! LOL!

 

[Hound dog]

Commercials don't determine what I buy anyway. Never have. They might let me know what's available, especially if it's a new product......but that's about as far as it goes.

So if one irritates me or I happen to think it's really horrible? Odds are unless their product is absolutely stupendous? I'll stop buying it.

 

[AnnieO]

I haven't seen it, but I will likely agree if/when I do see it. Ugh.

 

[keista]

The one I really hate? The insurance commercial where they're having random folks "taste test" for the better insurance and give them something to drink. Maybe this is supposed to be funny? But in my opinion it's the dumbest commercial I've ever seen. And I'm thrilled to say I'll never buy their insurance no matter how cheap they might be. Do they think the american public has the collective intelligence of a pea or what???

Oh I so totally agree! That breaches new levels of stupidity in humor.

Many advertisers use stupidity purposely because the general public finds it funny (Ace Ventura anyone?) But when the company portrays itself as being beyond brain dead? Really scary to think a whole panel of educated and experienced marketers thought it was a good idea.

And don't get me started when advertizes use improper grammar! ie 'less' instead of 'fewer'.

 

[svengandhi]

The KFC commercial didn't bother me because I didn't really pay attention to it. My own grandpa was about 5'1' and had no teeth; the idea of him wrestling with anyone older than 2 is laughable.

The one I hate and that freaks me out is the Jello one where the mom and dad scare the whiskers off the kids in a tent and send them screaming home alone so the parents can eat the pudding. There's another one where the mom tells the kids a monster will get them if they don't confess to eating the treat and they do. I hate those commercials.

 

[DammitJanet]

Oh I love Chocomonster...lol. I am sick of Geico commercials completely. I dont need to hear anymore because we all know where to look in the phone bill for insurance. There is one that drives me batty but I cant think of it right now. I will when I see it again soon enough.

 

[witzend]

This is the whole point of the "dumb" or pointless commercials in marketing. To get a rise out of you one way or another. It's a proven fact that "stupid" commercial will be remembered not because it's good (that would be a great thing wouldn't it?) but because it's BAD! Did it make it's point? Well probably because witz remembered WHAT it advertising. We all would like a good commercial over a bad commercial and sometimes they actually get it right and do make them but you would be surprised how many times you will recall a very bad commercial over a good one AND recall what it was advertising.

I have to admit that I have probably eaten KFC less than 10 times in my life, so there's no way I was their target audience! I could probably safely say that I have eaten at a fast food place less than 50 times in my life. It just was never a part of our lives.

The other weird thing is that there really aren't many KFC's in the South. At least not so far as I've seen. There's Bojangles. (YUCK!) So, seeing this ad several times a day in this house is not money well spent.

 

[witzend]

The one I hate and that freaks me out is the Jello one where the mom and dad scare the whiskers off the kids in a tent and send them screaming home alone so the parents can eat the pudding.

Totally! As if the parents can't just eat the pudding if they want to!

 

[pasajes4]

Random comment: I love the Sonic commericials with the 2 guy friends. they are stupid but totally hysterical. I really need to get a life.

 

[Star*]

If you don't watch it? You can't decide if it's dumb or not.

I've about given up altogether on tv......What I could tell you about any of the programs anymore would fit in a thimble and still have room.

 

[Hound dog]

I actually saw the kfc commercial today.........while watching the news because I have to have something to do while playing tug o war with Maggie. That was stupid. The wrestling match didn't even make sense, those two weren't deciding what the sides would be, they were at home.

Oh......and I just love how they make the serving sides look sooooooo much larger on tv than real life. Gimme a break. I'm not a big kfc fan. Mom serving it every single night she was in nursing school pretty well killed it for me. Actually, I'm not a big fan of fast food either, blech. I can make better tasting food at home cheaper, the same thing most of the time.