I want to talk about commercials.

[Big Bad Kitty]

See, I do not have a DVR or TiVo. And I am home ALLLLLLL day.

Thank you for reminding me, Heather. The Febreeze commercials are creepy:

-The lady backing her car in circles in the cul-de-sac? OK, votes on what it sounds like she is doing? Anyone?

-The lady who puts on the ski mask? That"s just wrong. CREEPY.

-OK, the guy opening & shutting his drapes is funny.



And the Dunkin DOnuts commercials, anyone seen the one with Ace Frehley? Love it. "I'll give you the P & L statement."

 

[flutterbee]

What about the Febreeze commercial with the therapist on the couch while the patient is in her chair. She's hugging the couch. Creepy. And have you ever smelled that stuff? I won't let it in my house. Although, easy child still likes it...he manages to get some contraband Febreeze into his room from time to time.

 

[donna723]

Ever since that M&M's commercial came out, I've been trying to figure out just what the Addams Family has to do with M&M's! I dont get it! Is it because they're supposed to be "dark" chocolate? Not very funny.

I LOVE the pet store commercial where the people come home with a new baby girl English Bulldog and put her down in front of their older Bulldog - they look at each other for a few seconds and then he offers her his favorite toy! So sweet! I'm a sucker for sappy things like that!

And I know I'm just weird, but some of my all-time favorites have been the live commercials for a local car dealership that are on every Saturday morning during the news. The owner had a big old laid-back Chocolate Lab named Woody who was kind of a mascot and in all their commercials. He had the run of the car lot and while they'd be looking toward the camera and talking about the cars, Woody would be behind them, walking down the row of cars, lifting his leg and peeing on the front license plates of the cars, one by one. Or they'd open a car door to show the interior and he'd hop in and curl up on the seat to take a nap. Sadly, Woody passed away a few months ago at age 11 and I miss seeing him now. Saturday mornings just aren't the same any more.

 

[DazedandConfused]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And I know I'm just weird, but some of my all-time favorites have been the live commercials for a local car dealership that are on every Saturday morning during the news. </div></div>

Cal Worthington and his dog Spot! :smile:

If you grew up in Southern California in the 60s, and 70s, and the early 80's (before deregulation and infommericals)you knew Cal Worthington of Worthington Dodge and later Worthington Ford.

Cal was always dressed in his hokey western gear along with a white scarf and big white cowboy hat selling his cars to bango music ALL NIGHT on the local LA tv stations when they would show old movies (remember those days, anyone?).

His "dog", however, was usually not an actual dog. I remember him riding a big ole pig, a hippo, a camel, a cow, an elephant, and have a tiger in the hood of the while he encouraged the audience to "Come on down to Worthington Dodge!"

My Dad would sleep with the TV on and if I had to make a middle of the night bathroom trip, I would always hear at least one Cal Worthington commerical.

Ah, childhood memories.

 

[witzend]

When we were kids there was a local guy that sold furniture and was open 24 hours. He had a flat-top haircut and if you went to buy from him he'd cut your hair just like his. He sponsored the late late movie, and he'd knock on the inside of the TV and yell "Wake up! Wake up! It's time to go to Tom Petersons!" If you didn't want the haircut, he'd give you an alarm clock with his face on it.

That guy, I worked late and would fall asleep in front of the tv (some things never change) and then he'd WAKE ME UP!

 

[muttmeister]

I don't watch TV a lot but when I do it seems that there are more commercials than there are shows.

The one that I absolutely hate right now is the old men (most of them younger than me) in the band singing Viva Viagra to the tune of Viva Las Vegas. Makes me want to pull an Elvis and shoot a gun at the TV.

I did see one tonight that I loved. It is for Dairy Queen I think. They guy is eating some kind of chicken and his dog is begging for a piece of chicken and when he gives the dog a piece the dog holds it in his mouth and won't eat it till he lets the dog have some of the dip for it. Really cute. Reminds me of how spoiled my dog is.

 

[Marguerite]

OK, you guys have an unfair advantage. Of all the ads you mentioned, the only one I know is the Windex one with the bloke being pranked by a couple of crows (only I thought they were magpies, and it was an Aussie ad...).

Ads I hate - anything with a talking head, or worse - two talking heads.

Ads I love - I don't think you guys have them in the US.

We have some FABULOUS Aussie ads. Some good ones also come out of New Zealand, ads like the Toyota ad (I can't tell you the word in the ad, the site censor will bleep it) and the Carlton Draught Beer ad, made like a LOTR army in vari-coloured robes, running across the fields of New Zealand, singing to the tune of Carmina Burana, "It's a big ad..."

About 20 years ago there was an Aussie ad for Bornhoffen bread. The ad starred an Aussie comedian called Paul Chubb. He had a classic round, blowsy face like a medieval country bumpkin, which was the character in the ad. He was a peasant going through all the stags of making a loaf of bread. At each stage - threshing the grain, grinding the grain, kneading the dough, baking the dough - he is tempted by an attractive peasant girl but he turns his back on temptation (with difficulty) and continues baking his bread.
In the last scene he's taking the bread out of the oven and is about to slice it, butter it and eat it - he is doing it on fast forward, while watching a young woman sitting on the straw-covered floor, scratching the back of a young pig. We hear the announcer say, "man does not live by bread alone - but with Bornhoffen, he comes close..." Then just as he finishes his bread he rushes over to the girl (now off camera) and as the camera stays on the crumbs on the table, you hear a pig squeal.

The pig squeal was cut from later versions of the ad - such a pity, the timing was absolutely perfect.

I think it won a Gold Lion at Cannes. It deserved it.

We have TV shows which screen the best commercials. Most Aussies like the Budweiser ads, even if we don't buy the beer. Apple computer ads are great. Some of the easy child ads are getting better too.

Marg

 

[nvts]

Ok, BBK! Here's one to take a look at: It's a "web-commercial" that just absolutely cracked me up! CAUTION: While there is no "actual cursing" it is implied!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJJL5dxgVaM

Youtube lets you browse a lot of commercials, so if you know the product, you can check and see if the commercial is there. I'm not a YouTube fan, I just happened upon it (one reason I laugh as hard as I do, is that the one girl reminds me of my older sister!).

Beth

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Beth, thank you for the warning about not drinking anything first.

OMG!!!!

:rofl:

 

[flutterbee]

I really like the Mac vs easy child commercials with the 2 guys. Cracks me up.

 

[goldenguru]

Personally I hate all erectile dysfunction commercials. It is so weird to be watching TV with our adult kids and have this topic looming larger than life (no pun intended) on the screen.

 

[DDD]

The commercials that have caught my attention this year seem to
have disappeared. Hmmmmmmmm...is there a message there?? LOL!
I'm embarrassed to say that I don't even know which company
sponsored it. It's about investments. I've seen maybe four of
the ads. It shows different people with their "nest egg". A
guy carries a little egg in a blanket in his arm, smiling why
he walks with "his" egg. Then it shows someone else in another
commercial pulling a little red wagon with a bigger "nest egg".
I can't remember the third one but the forth one has a tractor
trailer with the trailer needed to transport the "egg".

I just think it was darn clever and am surprised that it didn't
catch on. Maybe it's because in my old age I lust after the
idea of having a "nest egg". :rolleyes: DDD

 

[donna723]

I've decided that I also HATE all the commercials where the volume is twice as loud as the program is! I'm getting sick and tired of being blasted right out of my chair by that #@*&$ little GEICO lizard!

:surprise:

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Oh, I agree. I make a mental note never to buy anything when their commercials scream at me.

And, I usually scream back.

Know what other commercials I hate? All the glade/renuzit/lysol spray smelly good ones that are portrayed by cartoon animals. Oh, that is original. Not. What an insult to my intelligence.

Then there is the Mr. Clean 2 sided eraser scrubber. And the whole family pitches in. Even grandpa (see, I told you it was a new thing, Grandpa living at home). Spare me, if my grandpa was at the house, and I tossed him a sponge, he'd drop it on the floor and walk away.

Let's see, what other ones do I hate...

 

[donna723]

I have my own "rules" about advertising!

The more annoying or offensive their commercials are, the smaller their chances are that I would ever do busienss with them!

I NEVER buy anything from anyone who calls my house trying to sell me something. Telemarketers are wasting their time on me. And so are those folks who send "junk faxes" to my fax machine at work!

And I would NEVER do business with any company that uses "pop-up" ads on the internet.

I also NEVER respond to any ads for companies who stick those annoying little loose things in magazines! When they fall out on the floor, it's ME that has to get down and pick them all up! Why would I buy something from someone who has made me crawl around on the floor and grovel!

And I'm not too crazy about those folks who sell my name or email address to other companies either. Two years go I bought my daughter and sister in law a gift card from a mail order plant nursery. I ended up getting emails from at least a dozen other nurseries!

Guess I'm just an ol' grouch!

Oh, and those commercials for the sponge thingies? Have you noticed that they never show a really grubby place? They show a totally spotless, sterile kitchen with one tiny little blob of something on a counter top, which they just wipe away with the sponge! Very impressive! Whoop-dee-doo!

 

[witzend]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muttmeister</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

The one that I absolutely hate right now is the old men (most of them younger than me) in the band singing Viva Viagra to the tune of Viva Las Vegas. Makes me want to pull an Elvis and shoot a gun at the TV.
</div></div>

I'm glad that it's not just me that thinks that commercial is just a little bit sick!

 

[tinamarie1]

I love the Petsmart commercials...here are a few of my favs:
Bulldog

weenie dog & bobo

 

[Star*]

One of my favorites is the weenie dog & bobo too!

But for some reason the Geico commercial with Talia Shire (Rocky Balboa's wife) as the therapist and the cave man having an exostential melt down, then playing with the "doll" and the doll says....Nothing...he's a doll. make me laugh.

I'm a bit burnt out on the Geico lizard, he was cute, then he got brazen and now I'd like him to meet my cat - the dragon slayer.

The Heinekin commercial that aired and was banned was good...it's about a fly ball. The president of Heinekin even made a public announcement apologizing. When the foul ball hits the cops horse...and the horse...well you'd have to see it.

 

[WhymeMom?]

Saw a new one last weekend about a Boston Terrier watching a scary movie with his "family".....closeup on him as he closes his eyes at a scary part and then wide angle shot of him walking away from a puddle on the wood floor---Armstrong floors can take anything......cute.....

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

I love the Armstrong commercials!

There is one where there is a guy watching TV, and doing some Latin dance (probably to a how-to dance video) on the Armstrong floor...until his wide-eyed wife and son return from shopping.

"You're home early" he says, removing his bandana...


Then there is one where a wife is cleaning out the fridge. Hubby is at the table. He tells her that the Chinese food is still good. She picks it up, sniffs it, passes out flat on her back. Food goes everywhere. Stupid hubby gets up, grabs another container, sniffs it...passes out, flat on his back. Food everywhere. All over the Armstrong floor. Hilarious!


And for some reason, the Tide easy stick commercial makes me laugh every time. The one with the drill sergeant and the PFCs. IF you've seen it, you know the one I mean. When the sergeant says "Aw, someone musta sent me a dag gone Houdini!" I lose it.


Good grief, I have no life.