TV commercials and how dumb can we be?

Canada
July 19, 2010 1:43pm CST
Have you noticed lately how tv commercials would have you think that buying smaller candy bars is actually better.......at the same price?? Some commercials actually tell you how crappy their product is...buy my cereals, but you wont like it they say. Others are downright weird. Maple Leaf came up with this commercial that has this love song playing, you see kids with their mouths wide open, then ......in slow motion, they take a bite in a hot dog, then they show this man with surgical gloves, his eyes closes, dancing to the music. All of a sudden he turns the radio off and says he's your Maple Leaf butcher!?!?! I dont know but that commercial makes me very uncomfortable. Theres a car commercial that looks like it could be for a travel agency. Ive noticed that whenever Walmart has a commercial saying they're cutting down prices, it means they've jacked up the price. Ive checked and the prices are higher!! What do you think about commercials now.....do you find that some are downright weird?
3 people like this
13 responses
@Galena (9110)
20 Jul 10
the ones I find that seem to be saying that the product is rubbish at the moment. first off, there's one for a toilet disinfectant that just sticks to the side of the bowl, rather than hanging on the edge of the bowl, which says that there's "no germy cage to touch" well if it can't even keep the little bit of plastic that it's touching clean, then how can it keep your toilet clean? and another is for a hand soap dispensor, with a little motion sensor on it, and the advert is saying that a pump on a soap dispensor is germy, so with this you don't have to touch it. the thing is. when you touch a pump dispensor, you then immediately wash your hands anyway? so are they trying to make out that their soap can't deal with the germs from the dispensor, so instead we have this wasteful thing that probably takes batteries, and wastes energy and landfill. because your soap is so rubbish that it doesn't work as soap.
3 people like this
• Canada
20 Jul 10
I thought this commercial for the toilet disinfectant was SO stupid also and the way they go ewwwwwwww when the cage is taken out. Well its supposed to be clean isnt it? So that didnt work for me at all and only made me hate the company who makes it. Yup, silly about the soap dispenser. Makes you wonder how people survive if they use a bar of soap haha! Thanks!!
1 person likes this
@hvedra (1619)
20 Jul 10
We don't have a TV so we only get exposed to commercials on a limited basis. This certainly makes you notice how weird they are. I particularly dislike the ones where people are nasty to each other in order to get to a crappy product - there was one last year for a relish that had people racing and trampling over each other to get to it. I found that quite disgusting. Most commercials are designed to make the viewer feel inadequate in some way and imply they MUST have the product. "Because I'm worth it" implies that if you don't buy the product that you AREN'T worth it.
• Canada
20 Jul 10
Exactly, they think we're so dumb and stupid that we think we have to own whatever they're trying to sell. I think its working with some people but not the majority......I hope!! Thank you!
@GardenGerty (160612)
• United States
20 Jul 10
Occasionally there are some cute commercials, but they get overplayed. When Wal Mart says they are rolling back, they are rolling back employees, trying to do more with fewer people and being less considerate of their employees as well.
1 person likes this
• Canada
20 Jul 10
I think you're right, they roll back employees. Our walmart commercials are so dumb that it makes me hate them even more. I hate when Im being lied to. You're right, they do have some cute ones but after 50 times in one day, its a bit too much. Thank you for sharing!
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
19 Jul 10
The weirdest I think are the ones that don't explain what their selling. They might have some people at the start and then some popular type of dance music and a pretty car will drive by with someone dressed in nice clothes and that's it. They don't say what they want you to buy or why you should. I've seen a few commercials made like this lately.
1 person likes this
• Canada
20 Jul 10
Ive seen those also. You think they're selling clothes or maybe its for a travel agency....no wait, it might be for a car or maybe a drink? haha. Who writes those anyways, right! Thank you !
• Canada
19 Jul 10
I know!? Some commercials are just so transparent in there ideas and plans that yhey just dont work. These little Mars Slim commercials are rediculis! If I wanted to eat less chocolate I would put part of it away or get soemthing elseZ! Why on earthn would I pay doble the price for the same amount of chocolate and feel worse abotu ymself for eating 2 chocolate bars, and in realtity, more calories. Some commercials make me uncomfortable, not nccessarily that hot dog commercial, but they just make me feel awkward and embarrasssed for the people in those commercials. I dont find examples like these really sell the products. Sure, we are talkign abot them and the whole word-of mouth awareness is increased but whats the point if people are just making fun of it and no one actually gets around to buying the product you just specnt all that money to promote, and promote badly...
• Canada
20 Jul 10
My thought exactly. Why charge me more for less chocolate. Why spend all this money for a commercial when sometimes you dont even know what they're trying to sell. Makes you wonder WHO is coming up with those useless commercials!!
• India
20 Jul 10
Hello there ! This could mean only one thing . Either they take for granted that we believe them or they are out of ideas ! People have to stop responding to these silly commercials. Cheers :)
1 person likes this
• Canada
20 Jul 10
Or they hire just about anyone to come up with those haha Thanks!
@TexLadyPj (1328)
• United States
19 Jul 10
Herro MagicalBubbles I wonder if the people who write commercials checked to see if their perceived audience had brains. I feel very discounted by most commercials, esp. the Sonic drive-in with the 2 guys talking. Even worse are the two wives. Now the newest with the waiters on roller skates is much better. I have gotten so I tune most commercials out. I wonder how many of us tune them out? If the writers knew would they write them differently? I don't know, however, it is a thought. Even the commercials on educational channels are poorly written. We have one channel that even though it has a couple of programs I like, their commercials are rated "R". And they are shown during prime time. Well, enough of my soapbox. Gonna get on to other discussions. Prosperous mylotting
1 person likes this
• Canada
20 Jul 10
I feel the same, makes you wonder who hires those writers. Thanks for sharing.
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
19 Jul 10
the funny commercials that i like are the Hillshire Farm commercials. that Maple Leaf commercial sounds creepy as well as funny.
1 person likes this
• Canada
19 Jul 10
Creepy is the word, it has double meaning. Thanks for sharing
@savypat (20216)
• United States
19 Jul 10
Once in a while I will see one tht is cute but that feeling ends by the fifth viewing. I try to do something else during the commercials and there seem to be more and more all the time.
• Canada
20 Jul 10
Lately they have some with a catchy song. Drives me crazy after a while because I have the song in my head over and over. I also try to do something else except when Im sitting at my pc working....then Im stuck!!
@Andyvil (793)
• Philippines
20 Jul 10
I also think that some commercials are weird. There are even commercials out there which has no relation to the product they are selling. It maybe catchy but people won't be able to appreciate the product since their commercial doesn't focus on the product. I think some of these commercials are just a total waste of time and money.
• Canada
20 Jul 10
I agree with you that with some, we dont even know what they're trying to sell. I guess they just want to give us time to go to the kitchen and get a drink or something! Thank you!
@kaka10 (178)
• South Africa
19 Jul 10
I know exactly what they mean they appeal to the short comings of other people for instance selling cellphones they use catchy music or popular songs and show people partying and draw in those lonely into thinking that it will make them more friends, which in fact will just make you more unsociable.
1 person likes this
• Canada
19 Jul 10
True and if you're to use those phones to have a party or some fun, its going to cost you a lot of money......so the cell companies will be very happy, especially if you're stuck in a 3 yr contract!! Thanks!
@PDBME2 (1014)
• United States
19 Jul 10
Yeah I know what you mean. I hate those dating commercial regarding Match.com or Harmony.com. I wouldn't want to meet any person over the internet for a date. I bet they wouldn't look like the commercial either.
1 person likes this
• Canada
19 Jul 10
Hehe, I also bet the people dont look the same as in the commercials. Thanks
• Philippines
20 Jul 10
sounds good to me...