The Worst Ads on TV

[INSIPID]

I wrote this for my pharmacology class. I hope you find it interesting. I hope it's ok that i disagreed with King slightly in one instance:

Source: Entertainment Weekly : http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1031378,00.html
Date: Feb 01, 2007

Author: Stephen King (Yes, THAT Stephen King. But it really is an interesting article.)
Title of Article: Stephen King on the worst ads on TV

True to his roots, Stephen King begins the article with a horrific make-believe advertisement for thalidomide, the now banned drug that cured morning sickness in pregnant women, but also caused deformities in children. The reason why we never saw advertisements for this drug is for the simple fact that the FDA banned advertisements for prescription drugs in the 1960s and 70s. The wisdom of this policy helped prevent a potential catastrophe of a generation of deformed children. He then goes on to compare this to the lack of wisdom of today’s advertisements which heavily shilled Vioxx before it was taken off the market. According to King and the FDA’s own numbers there is a potential 27,000 people that are no longer alive because of Vioxx. Obviously if it weren’t for the mass-marketing of that drug, those numbers would be a lot less.

King does make a strong case for not advertising drugs. Unless if the morning-sickness is so severe it actually threatens the life of the child or mother it’s almost certainly best to “live with it” than take drugs to prevent it. This is especially so if those drugs are new to the market.

Where I strongly disagree with King is here:


“Americans love a quick fix, and our love affair with snake-oil salesmen probably stretches clear back to the Pilgrims. And when the man says, ''Daddy fix, Daddy make it all better''. . .man, we love that. We love it.”

I happen to be one of those folks Kind is deriding here. I use the extremely advertised drug Humira. And contrary to what he says, I’m not using it because I want “Daddy,” to “Make it all better”. I’m extremely aware of the potential dangers, I know that it breaks down the immune system and I know there’s potential for liver damage and a lot of other side effect. Before I started using it I tried a variety of other methods to control my Rheumatoid Arthritis including Physical therapy and a variety of other, less severe, drugs. Yet despite all those efforts it was still agony getting out of bed in the morning and I had to walk with a cane. So I started taking Humira, with my eyes wide open. Now I bike 160 miles a week and am enjoying life a lot more. Can Humira shorten my life? Of course. But then, so can Rheumatoid arthritis. Either way, before Humira I really wasn’t doing that much living.

Advertisements do serve a purpose. They do let people know that there are alternatives to a life of pain. However King does make a very strong point that if a company advertises the wrong drugs and does it in the wrong way it can lead to a lot of unnecessary deaths. Perhaps the compromise is in the way it’s advertised. Despite my story, I don’t necessarily believe everyone should be on humira. If your arthritis is fairly minor it is probably best to stay away. But people should know it’s out there.
Rather than a ban on prescription drugs that King is advocating it would be best to change the way these drugs are advertised. That drug advertisements should be entirely information oriented rather than sales oriented. That is no music, no happy smiling faces, no slogans. It should be as Jack Webb demands, “Just the facts, Mam”. Instead of a rousing chorus of “It’s a beautiful morning” telling us all about how wonderful Humira is, perhaps it should be a doctor in a jacket with a plain background saying, “Here’s a drug that may be work if you suffer from severe arthritis…. Here are the potential problems with it.” No frills, no miracles, just the plain facts that let people in need decide.

[Brian]

Can I mention the current Comcast Triple play ad that features three woman and a man in a pseudo-Indiana Jones style adventure. And for the love of god, why do they have dancing and singing 'Lil Shop of Horrors plants giving the phone number? Surreal garbage.

[GNTLGNT]

Worst Tv ads? Anything with Snoop-Dog or singing animals or both...

[Moderator]

Steve isn't against prescription drugs but he did take exception with the advertising methods of the pharmaceutical companies. I think your suggestion makes sense that it be information-driven in laymen's terms but I also think we have become much more of an instant gratification results society which is why the current advertising techniques work as well as they do.

[Haunted]

The ever long NASPCA ad with all the poor dogs locked up and lonely. I cannot bear to watch or listen to it and often have to leave the room. I cannot stand it that I cannot help ALL of them and it just breaks my heart.:down:

[blunthead]

The ever long NASPCA ad with all the poor dogs locked up and lonely. I cannot bear to watch or listen to it and often have to leave the room. I cannot stand it that I cannot help ALL of them and it just breaks my heart.:down:

Now I know I'm not the only one. I always switch channels when one of those comes on. It's bad enough to be confronted with evidence of some of the worst human evil, but the commercials last forever.

There's a Proactive commercial I can not see again or I'll break out in a rash (the one where the lady says, "...it's creamy, it's gentle, it's effective!").

And I think there should be laws limiting GEICO commercials to less than 4hrs/day. (Can you imagine how great their service would be if they spent, say just a billion dollars of the advertising budget on other things?).

[PatInTheHat]

So what are you saying, that you found the drug that works for you being possibly recommended for your condition via a television commercial, and you took that advertised recommendation to your doctor, and it was only then that he/she thought it to be a good idea prescribing it for you?
Regardless, I'm so very happy you found something that's working to help give you relief for your condition:y::smile2::y:!

The fact does remain however, that big pharma has been allowed to advertise their products, the way they now do, to astronomically boost profits, and in doing so (specifically, in the way they do them), in my opinion, they irresponsibly prey upon our all to human need to find our very own, make us feel all better, medical magic bullets.
They've also become many a hypochondriacs dream come true, and our airwaves, newspapers, magazines, internet, you name it, are shamelessly overly saturated with them...hey, advertising, it works.
Personally, I wouldn't want any doctor that I have to ask if a medication is "right for" me that I saw on the tube.
(or a six month old dog eared copy of People Magazine whilst sittin' in the waiting room, not to mention the now ubiquitous & cleverly placed advertising placards you'll find there...now how's that for convenient product push:eyebrow:).
It may be wishful wistful thinking, but I'd certainly hope my highly educated & most professional sawbones, might already have a least some vague clue if something was, or most hopefully, wasn't right for me, without my even askin'.


Now the worse ad I've seen lately for a medication, or at least the most stupid in some time, has been for the over the counter analgesic, Bayer aspirin.
A maybe thirty something numbnuts, is on a plane with a back ache, and he asks for something to help ease his discomfort.
Flight attendant gives him some aspirin, and he condescendingly relates to the oriental woman (like she couldn't possibly understand English it seems to me) it's his back and not his heart that's bothering him ...really?
Okay so maybe it's just me, but I have to ask, are there really a lot of thirty or so year old's out there, that just ain't hip to the fact that aspirin is one of our most effective, popular, and one of the oldest commercially pain relievers ever sold...really:glare:?

[Spideyman]

Okay so maybe it's just me, but I have to ask, are there really a lot of thirty or so year old's out there, that just ain't hip to the fact that aspirin is one of our most effective, popular, and one of the oldest commercially pain relievers ever sold...really?

Most have been ad brain washed into thinking aspirin is only used to help prevent heart attacks. They have forgotten it's original use.:sad: Thus the reminders.

[GNTLGNT]

that aspirin is one of our most effective, popular, and one of the oldest commercially pain relievers ever sold...really?

...and here I thought it was whiskey, er some of dat behind the hill still distillate...:wink2:

[Pucker]

I'm very happy for Jennifer Hudson, but if she doesn't stop screeching in my ear about "a new day" in those insipid Weight Watchers ads, I believe I'm going to go straight out of my mind.

Good god, that woman is like nails across a chalkboard.

:grr:

[boogerb53]

Jeff Foxworthy does a bit about the side effects of drugs that is hilarious!

My sister was on one of the fat blocking drugs and one of the side effects was gas with oily discharge....:eek2: UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE!!!!!!

[kellykid]

Those stupid 5hr energy commercials! The most annoying is the guy that slugs it down and then sits down to read the paper!? That's what it's for? Really?

[blunthead]

Those stupid 5hr energy commercials! The most annoying is the guy that slugs it down and then sits down to read the paper!? That's what it's for? Really?

Oh, yes. I was going to say something earlier about the unregulated "health food" industry's ungodly claims. Plus, get some decent actors!

[xkittyx]

I agree that pharmaceutical ads are a little ridiculous... ugh the ones that really annoy me are the Viagra and Cialis ones.... viva viagra... poor Elvis... :oops:
Another that really annoys me lately is the one for mouthwash or toothpaste I can't remember which, and the couple makes the bet, the girl says "if I win you go to yoga with me" and the guy says "if I win, me n the boys are going to Vegas", and then he wins and does his little stupid dance and goes "Vegas!" Freakin' stupid! First off, where's the balance in that bet? A yoga class (quick, cheap, and most likely close to home) or a boys' weekend in Vegas (extremely costly, possibly detrimental to the relationship (seeing as how the girlfriend wouldn't be going... hmm bunch of jackasses in Vegas, drinking and wh*ring around?), and a couple of days versus one 45 minute yoga class). Every time I see this commercial I want to be the girlfriend in the ad just so I can punch that annoying dude in his face! :mad2:

[bobledrew]

PS: Insipid, you should know that disagreeing with SK is strictly forbidden on the board. Ms. Mod has dispatched a Library Policeman to your house for your punishment. If that doesn't work, keep an eye out for stars and comets chalked on your sidewalk and fliers that say "Have you seen our friend SIPPIE? He is naughty but we love him. Phone KL5-2348 for a reward"

[blunthead]

I think the worst TV ads are those which persist in being biased against a select group. I clearly remember, ages ago, commercials which portrayed women as idiotic. I never agreed. It took additional ages for minorities to appear in commercials. Now, imho, too many commercials depict men, especially (God help my political incorrectness) white ones, as idiotic. Ka is a wheel, but I don't think Ka had this in mind.

[fljoe0]

The toilet paper ad with the bears in the woods.

[JellybeanJay]

I'm very happy for Jennifer Hudson, but if she doesn't stop screeching in my ear about "a new day" in those insipid Weight Watchers ads, I believe I'm going to go straight out of my mind.

Good god, that woman is like nails across a chalkboard.

:grr:

That is so funny, that is the exact same ad that popped into my mind when I saw the title of this thread!

I also have to add feminine hygiene product ads to the list. Really?! So not necessary! :laugh:

[Elemeno P]

THIS!! ^^^^ x100

[Seb Shaw]

I'm not usre if it is UK only, but it's an advert about this 'opera' singer who pops up in serial locations, just to tell us to 'GO COMPARE'... by singing, rather loud. Wow, he is anoying...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ-6clXHMEw (sorry)

No I will NOT 'Go Compare' thanks...

[flwrchld]

That Direct TV ad where they are reading a guys will and the son or whoever gets the Direct TV subscription thing then starts yelling his head off. Man! As soon as that one comes on we either mute the tv or change the station. I hate that one!

As for the medicines, there was an ad on last night for a pain med and the side effects were lymphomia and "certain other cancers." :eek2: You know, there are many other RA medications to choose from than something that has shown such a strong possibility of cancer that they have to claim it in their ad. Now I have to remember which medication that was...:dunno:

[JohnDalglish]

No I will NOT 'Go Compare' thanks...

Hi,

No indeed, Seb.

Not a patch on dem pesky meerkats, which must take the biscuit for very cheaply made ads being very effective IMO.

Seemple!

Long days and pleasant nights

[tower-obsession]

I hope it's ok that i disagreed with King slightly in one instance

Of COURSE it's ok! He's Stephen King, not God.

And if I hear one more woman on a commercial tell me to "have a HAPPY period," I'll go find her and dot both her eyes!

[motocop]

I'm very happy for Jennifer Hudson, but if she doesn't stop screeching in my ear about "a new day" in those insipid Weight Watchers ads, I believe I'm going to go straight out of my mind.

Good god, that woman is like nails across a chalkboard.

:grr:

I know exactly how you feel. The real sad part is that half of those spokes people probably had lipo surgery to lose the weight. I always wondered if Jared really lost all that weight by eating subs too.

The worst ad for me is the "Ped Egg". It shaves your dead foot skin off like parmesan cheese:barf:The woman looks so happy while shes doing it too.

[Seb Shaw]

Hi,

No indeed, Seb.

Not a patch on dem pesky meerkats, which must take the biscuit for very cheaply made ads being very effective IMO.

Seemple!

Long days and pleasant nights

Good point there John, an advert with a back story.... what's next?... actually don't answer that, it's best for us not to know :)

[Becks19]

The Geico commercial with the little pig who sings WEEEEEEEEEE all the way home. My kids keep recording that on the DVR and it keeps mysteriously disappearing too LOL

[blunthead]

The Geico commercial with the little pig who sings WEEEEEEEEEE all the way home. My kids keep recording that on the DVR and it keeps mysteriously disappearing too LOL

OMG, I forgot that one!!! Thank God for remote control.

[king family fan]

The advertising goes to far extremes. Talking animals,instant relief,gone a few words and ideas that make me say hmmm.........

[JohnDalglish]

The advertising goes to far extremes. Talking animals.

Hi,

That's the best bit IMO!

But then, I'm a huge Hugh Lofting fan, in fact, I see that the Dr. Dolittle books are now available for FREE download from Project Gutenberg, I know what I'll be re-reading in the near future!

Hugh Lofting

Long days and pleasant nights.

[Tinks]

Apart from the aforementioned "Go Compare" ads there also the incredibly annoying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2T6YdEcp6w

PS I quite like the little piggy going WEEEEEEEEEEEE all the way home. :biggrin2:

[INSIPID]

So what are you saying, that you found the drug that works for you being possibly recommended for your condition via a television commercial, and you took that advertised recommendation to your doctor, and it was only then that he/she thought it to be a good idea prescribing it for you?
Regardless, I'm so very happy you found something that's working to help give you relief for your condition:y::smile2::y:!

Mmmm..... I hate to admit this, but that's not my case. I actually discovered Humira the old fashioned way: through a Doctor's recomendation. But i'm sure there are other people that do find out about it through the doctor.


The fact does remain however, that big pharma has been allowed to advertise their products, the way they now do, to astronomically boost profits, and in doing so (specifically, in the way they do them), in my opinion, they irresponsibly prey upon our all to human need to find our very own, make us feel all better, medical magic bullets.

That's pretty much Mr. King's exact argument. And it is an extremely persuasive one and you and Mr. King make it very well.

And i would agree that it's probably better to not have advertisements at all than the state of advertisements now where 1. The benefits are portrayed as all sunshine and rainbows and fairie dust and happiness with happy music and the side effects and potential hazards are listed in 15 seconds at the end. I get that the present situation is probably bad and i agree with them that there are thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of people dead because of the vioxx comercials.

Where i will disagree strongly is in the whole idea that the people seeking out the drugs are being big babies, asking Daddy to make it all better. In my experience it's not that at all. You want to live. I could barely get out of bed, to move or bend in any way at all was agony. I was walking like an old man and i was in my early 40s. Yeah, i wanted a Dr. to make it better, but i don't think i was being whiny. Plus, isn't it the Dr's Job to make it better? Isn't that the function of medicine to make it better? Are we asking big daddy to make it better if we go to a Dr. for a fever or pneumonia? I don't think so. Why do we consider people babies if they go for a chronic condition?

In a way you can use SK's argument against taking ANY medication. In the entire pharmacology class i'm taking i've yet to come by ONE medication, including the over the counter medications that does not have some side effects. Here's what it says about tylenol:

Gastrointerological: Hepatic failure, hepatoxicity (overdose or use with alcohol) Genitourany: Renal failure (high doses/ chronic use) Hematological: Neurtropenia, pancytopenia, leukopenia Derm: rash, urticaria.

Check concentrations of liquid preparations. Errors have resulted in serious liver damage. The drug is dosed by weight according to age and the dose must be exact.

Sounds scary, but i'm still going to take it if i have a headache. I just won't take more than 4000 mg a day and i won't take it with alcohol. Problem solved. I'm not being a baby or a whiner and i'm not expecting a miracle from the "snake oil". I have a headache i want it to go away and the potential benefits far outweigh the potential dangers.

Same thing is true with Humira. I regularly go to the Doctors to get my blood drawn to make sure there's no liver damage, i don't take it if i have a cold or flu. As long as i know the risks and the proper precautions i think there's nothing wrong with me taking it.

There already is regulation as to how drugs are advertised. They're not listing all the things wrong with drugs at the end because they're just all that honest. They're doing it becuase regulations make them. My proposal is to just add a few more regs, make them give as much time to the potential problems as the benefits, don't allow the music or the selling. As Chriss Rock says, Crack sells crack. If a drug works it doesn't need a sales pitch.

[lenona]

charmin toilet paper bear----- The bits and pieces stuck to the bear bottom after doing his business is...... ummmm :eyebrow:???? (I can't think of a word)

[lenona]

Jeff Foxworthy does a bit about the side effects of drugs that is hilarious!

My sister was on one of the fat blocking drugs and one of the side effects was gas with oily discharge....:eek2: UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE!!!!!!

I can't decide which word was funnier. "oily" or "discharge" The two words together is Hilarious.

[cdresor]

Reading all this, I would like American TV ads to get exported to my country for a good laugh. We are mostly so boring over here :grinning:

[blunthead]

There's a Travelocity commercial--you know the ones with the gnome statue--with a couple on a beach, the guy is setting up a big umbrella and says something like, "Umbrella!", and his lady, who has a drink with an umbrella in it, says, "Little umbrellas...", and then the guy's face is coated with something white, and he says, "SPF I'm in heaven!", and she says, "I'm gonna be red as a lobster!".

Is Travelocity trying to scare me? It's working.

[Terry B]

It's got to be the Cialis ads. What's with the bath tubs anyway?

[fljoe0]

It's got to be the Cialis ads. What's with the bath tubs anyway?

Lets hop Viagra doesn't start using them. The next ad will have 7 guys in separate tubs in the middle of a field singing Viva Viagra.

[boogerb53]

The McDonalds commercial that has the lady screeching/singing "GOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING FAM-A LEE" on the roof...IN the open...WTH???? :eyebrow:

[cat in a bag]

That JG Wentworth commercial where they first say "It's my money, and I need it NOW!!" over and over, then sing the phone number over and over. My 4 and 5 year olds run around the house going "It's my money, and I need it NOW!! and then sing random numbers, like 1-784, CASH NOW, they always get the CASH NOW part of it right!

[Terry B]

Is anyone else tired of those two guys on the ski lift? You know, the AT&T ad where the jilted guy throws the other guys phone? Over and over and over and over. Enough already AT&T. We need something new please.

[blunthead]

The Century 21 Car Insurance ones where innocent, brand new cars are pointlessly molested by as creepy a character as I've ever seen in any commercial.

[hairyfairy]

The most annoying thing about ads on tv are that there are far too many of them these days. Not so many years ago, a programme lasting an hour would have just 3 ad breaks, now it`s 5 or 6. I mean iv`e seen ads come on within 8 minutes of a programme starting! The best way to enjoy a programme now is to record it & fast forward through the breaks.

[Drumbum]

Swiffer ads.

[fljoe0]

Drug ads are the worst. I hate the fake doctors who casually list the side effects like they are having conversation. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really sick about hearing of 4 hour erections, swelling of the throat, tongue and lips and difficulty breathing.

[GNTLGNT]

...there is certainly a dearth of GOOD creative spots anymore...most ad wonks seemingly don't want to use their imaginations...it's a tragedy that some of the better ads are for liquor and fast food...(except Sonic, I just want to take their heads and bash em together like human wap balls)...

[cat in a bag]

Swiffer ads.

Except the one where the mom is excited to have some free time so starts reading a book...and then the daughter comes in and tells her how it ends. The mom throws the book over her shoulder with an exasperated look...that one makes me laugh every time.

[Moderator]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!

[Spideyman]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!

That happens here too. A local Flea market used to use their young son as the spokesperson. Now he's grown up and does the main ad which replays him in his youth. Enough already.

[GNTLGNT]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!

...car dealers around here do it all the time...and it just makes my teeth itch!...

[Out of Order]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!


:clap:

[fljoe0]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!

As far as local ads, we all have our own regional versions of bad car dealer ads. Why all the yelling? No matter what part of the country you see a car dealer ad in, they are yelling. :biggrin2: Is there a standards manual for this stuff?

[blunthead]

This may just be a local phenomenon, but I'm really tired of ads for businesses that use their kids to do the ads. They can't act, some of them can't even speak intelligibly, and while your kids may be adorable, that doesn't mean they should be trying to hawk your family wares. Stop it!That reminds of a movie I saw ages ago about a man who scientists experimented on. They caused him to regress to the stage of an amoeba, and then to evolve thru all the stages eventual for humanity to emerge. When evolution was complete he became like a supreme leader and began writing laws. One of the laws was anyone using children in TV commercials would be fined $150.

My pet peeve TV commercials are the Lipozene one (where the lady says "...researchers have discovered a capsule...". Why are the researchers unwilling to take credit for creating the capsule? What were they doing when they discovered this capsule and where was it, in the rainforest? Was it hanging from a tree, or maybe it grew in a cave?), and the Sleep Number Bed one with the two blond yippie customers, male and female who are obviously genetically made for one another, lying on a mattress. The female one says, "When I got up in the morning my back used to hurt so bad...", extending the word "bad" unnecessarily, you know? It's hard to describe what I mean. Then the TV spokesman says something, then the male yippie says, "Wake up in the morning with no back pain...", doing the same thing at the end of his sentence that I must assume all yippies must do, or maybe it's from bad company. I can't watch these commercials. I'm too busy watching my blood pressure.

[GNTLGNT]

As far as local ads, we all have our own regional versions of bad car dealer ads. Why all the yelling? No matter what part of the country you see a car dealer ad in, they are yelling. :biggrin2: Is there a standards manual for this stuff?

http://www.tituswillcars.com/images/video/salesman.jpeg..."YOU TOO CAN BUY WITH NO MONEY DOWN AND NO PAYMENTS FOR THE NEXT ELEVENTY BILLION YEARS!"...

[fljoe0]

CRAZY EDDIE! His prices are INSANE!

[fljoe0]

Maybe they should mix things up a little. How about the car dealers doing the side effects on drug ads or maybe have the funeral guys do car ads.

[blunthead]

Maybe they should mix things up a little. How about the car dealers doing the side effects on drug ads or maybe have the funeral guys do car ads.Maybe we all should just stop buying cars, taking drugs, and dying.

[Lily Sawyer]

I'm all skeeved out by the Geico ads with the pig.

They're just wrong, not cute. Ew.

[charmed_one3]

There is one for Little Caesars at the moment where the moon yells "Pizza Time!!" That freaks me out. It's not funny and if anything it would keep me far away from Little Caesars. I also agree about local ads starring children. There is a local tire store commercial that airs here, and the guy uses his grandchildren.

Geico had a great one on around Halloween last year about a witch who works in a broom factory. I loved that one! I also love any of the M&M commercials, especially any starring Ms. Brown. Ms. Brown is awesome.

[mjs9153]

The new Subaru one,where the little girl is holding her dad's hand at the bus stop,not real thrilled about her first day at school,and as the bus arrives she gets on and glances back,heartbreakingly..it ends well,with her laughing with another child on the bus as dad drives by in his "safe", i guess, subaru..but man it just took me back to the Newtown thing,and thinking about all the parents who entrust their kids to the uncertainty of the school bus every day..and it just made me sad as heck for those parents,wonder if it is hard for them to see that commercial..:sad:

[blunthead]

I'm all skeeved out by the Geico ads with the pig.

They're just wrong, not cute. Ew.GEICO commercials, generally. There are just too damn many of them. Reason dictates the company could make their rates much cheaper by producing one tenth the number. Plus, the commercials are self-indulgent which is obnoxious. However, occasionally I'll kinda like one or two of them. I liked the one where the gecko is walking thru the Warner Brothers cartoon, and I like the current one with the basketball guy blocking people tossing things. The ones with the pig have always been annoying as hell, and the main problem with GEICO commercials is they aren't well-written. Even the better ones could stand writing improvements.

[mjs9153]

On the other hand,the ones with this family with the boston accents,for the hopper,crack me up..:laugh: "Nachos!!Ow hothothothot!!"http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4781046867100321&pid=15.1

[exzel]

Jose Canseco’s way of saying “testosterone” in his TV commercial. :oo:

[fljoe0]

Jose Canseco’s way of saying “testosterone” in his TV commercial. :oo:

Taking way too much of it during your life leads to trouble saying it. :biggrin2:

[unclelouie]

Worst ad of all time has to be that one from the 80s for Masingill (sp).

There was a mom and daughter walking along the beach, and the daughter stops..

"mom, can I ask you a personal question... do you douche?".

As a kid, I had no idea what that meant, but me and my bro thought it sounded hilarious. The hilarity ended when I asked my mom that question one day, thinking I was being cute.

[blunthead]

Worst ad of all time has to be that one from the 80s for Masingill (sp).

There was a mom and daughter walking along the beach, and the daughter stops..

"mom, can I ask you a personal question... do you douche?".

As a kid, I had no idea what that meant, but me and my bro thought it sounded hilarious. The hilarity ended when I asked my mom that question one day, thinking I was being cute.
Mom, do you douche or is it just the beach?

[bryras]

I can't stand the Microsoft Surface commercials. All the clicking/music junk. Spontaneous dancing.

Yeah, that's how real life works! I can definitely relate!

I would freak out if people just started dancing around me like that.

:eek2:

[unclelouie]

I like the old Dell commerical with the Flaming Lips on it.

[blunthead]

I like the old Dell commerical with the Flaming Lips on it.
Oh wow, I'd forgotten the Dell commercials with those unfortunate geek teens. I hated the way the one would say "twenty-four seven three sixty-five!".

Proactiv commercials. Okay, so they only hire adorable teenage females, which is discriminatory toward the rest of us, fine. But do all such teens really talk that way? What I mean is each of them sounds like a little girl, with a kind of squeaky little voice. Almost like they're given helium, then when it's half worn off they make the commercials.

[not_nadine]

I had a Parrot. I miss her very much. She would say in a very loud manly voice... "AND THAT"S WHY I DOUCHE !!!" over and over with different tones. "WHY III III III" DOUCHE!!!"

Usually only when company was in. Smart-ass bird, she knew when to say it. (((Pepperbird))))

[charmed_one3]

St. Jude Children's Hospital has an advertisment that makes me reach for the mute button these days! There is a commerical where they have a woman humming a song, and I find the song to be absolutely bone chilling and not pleasant at all!! :eek2:
It sounds like a song that should be played at a haunted attraction, not for something inspiring like St. Jude. I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way. Those kids deserve a song that is uplifting!

[GNTLGNT]

...this has my current vote as the worst EVER....EVER!!!!!!!!!!!....and it's no parody....I actually saw it during an honest to goodness commercial break....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gpYlff6NqY

[not_nadine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4vuW6tQ0218

[mjs9153]

...this has my current vote as the worst EVER....EVER!!!!!!!!!!!....and it's no parody....I actually saw it during an honest to goodness commercial break....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gpYlff6NqY
But you know, there will be people lined up to buy this sheeit...man,I gotta come up with some bs idea and market it to the masses..:umm:

[not_nadine]

Maybe be ok for a very old lonely person with dementia? :dunno:

I just made myself sad. :down:

[blunthead]

...this has my current vote as the worst EVER....EVER!!!!!!!!!!!....and it's no parody....I actually saw it during an honest to goodness commercial break....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gpYlff6NqY
You mean "parroty"...?

[mjs9153]

You mean "parroty"...?
ohhh Blunt...easy stomach..that was bad..
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4584169915483102&pid=15.1

[GNTLGNT]

You mean "parroty"...?

http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/6zXDo4dL7SU/mqdefault.jpg

[GNTLGNT]

Maybe be ok for a very old lonely person with dementia? :dunno:

I just made myself sad. :down:

...s'ok...you won't remember in a few minutes anyway...

[blunthead]

I don't care for when the guy in this Angie's List commercial says, "Sorry, honey." It's just badly done...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOfIvUDf0CY

[CCAL]

maybe that's why he will be forever on commercials instead of real acting for movies & shows. course many actors used commercials as a stepping stone. Don't expect he will make it tho

[SharonC]

...s'ok...you won't remember in a few minutes anyway...

Gent, you are wicked funny!

[Walter Oobleck]

King does make a strong case for not advertising drugs.


And then there's Bob.

[SharonC]

And then there's Bob.

Bob? Are we referring to Smilin' Bob. because although that "Male Enhancement" ad has not been on in a while, I always wanted to smash that guy's teeth in. Anyone remember that one?

[blunthead]

Bob? Are we referring to Smilin' Bob. because although that "Male Enhancement" ad has not been on in a while, I always wanted to smash that guy's teeth in. Anyone remember that one?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghrWz7cVXv8

[SharonC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghrWz7cVXv8

And thank you very much for that! I had almost managed to get that face out of my head. What a pal!

[blunthead]

And thank you very much for that! I had almost managed to get that face out of my head. What a pal!;;D

[GNTLGNT]

...if a weiner pill made me smile like that-do I honestly think I'd get laid?.....

[not_nadine]

Bob face rules.

[GNTLGNT]

http://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/funny-baby-pacifier-big-teeth.jpg...well, they've officially gone to far-giving babies Enzyte!!!:glare:...

[blunthead]

...if a weiner pill made me smile like that-do I honestly think I'd get laid?.....I dunno, who should I ask?

[SharonC]

I dunno, who should I ask?

Don't you work in a prison? Big strong guy like you must get many tempting offers! Sorry, couldn't resist - now sheepishly slinking away.......

[SharonC]

Don't you work in a prison? Big strong guy like you must get many tempting offers! Sorry, couldn't resist - now sheepishly slinking away.......

Blunt, that was directed at our Mr. Gentle, not you, sorry.

[blunthead]

Blunt, that was directed at our Mr. Gentle, not you, sorry.It's okay, Sharon. Thanx for the clarification. :love:

[mjs9153]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2rDdKfse1ng
here's the short version of a commercial I was unfortunate enough to view last night..almost ralphed on my shoes..:barf:

[not_nadine]

It's been pulled by Hyundai, but this has to be the worst.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/hyundai-suicide-ad-video_n_3110047.html

http://financialpostbusiness.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/hyundai.jpg?w=620