So many are annoying, it’s hard to know where to start, but recently several new ones are really grating on me:
The new Nextel cellphone ads. These are the ones where they show a marriage being conducted over the cell phones–the couple and the minister all saying abbreviated vows via phone. Another version shows a very abbreviated version of Romeo and Juliet -on stage- but via cell phone. Yet another shows a meeting, all staff together in the same conference room, yet conversing on their cell phones. GAH!
One of the cell phones that has picture capability (I can’t remember for certain which one it is, sorry)–it shows the cell phone user taking pictures of other people -without their knowledge- then transmitting the picture to someone else. Um, if that’s not illegal it is without a doubt -very- rude.
And one “oldie but goodie” - the Geico ads, especially the one that shows the lawyer meeting his client in jail; he’s talking on his cell phone (and you’ve got to wonder how he’s getting reception inside the jail, eh? ;)), then after he hangs up, he tells the client, “Good news!” to which the criminal responds, “I’m getting out?” “No, I just saved 15% on my insurance with Geico! Sorry bub, you’re up the river …” Well, he doesn’t say that last, but that’s the implication. Annoying! I keep wanting to see the other person smack them. Plus, what’s even -more- annoying is that the 15% you save on Geico doesn’t really amount to very much, especially when Geico will cancel your insurance after you have an accident (or so I’ve been told–many friends who have had Geico have been very disappointed in their coverage).
Chewing sounds! Nothing annoys me more than chewing sounds. If anyone here enjoys hearing chewing sounds coming over the TV, I’d really like to know.
The guy who was raised by wolves and it shows him nursing on a wolf. Very, very gross. There’s another version where mother wolf and siblings are licking his face, that’s kind of cute.
I haven’t watch tv since last semester but the worst commercial ever is that cellphone text messaging one where the white guy’s ethnic friend tells him ‘don’t trip’ and the girl literally trips. I swear I saw it 500 times.
Those annoying Old Navy ads with the has-been stars.
Can you hear me now?
And this local furniture place that relentlessly advertises day in and day out with this woman I refer to as “Flicka” whinnying about how you can buy $10,000 worth of their crappy overpriced matchstick and glue crap for nothing down and pay nothing until (pick a year, since these ads just keep on rolling dayinanddayout) and then it’s “Christmas in July” and I just want to slit my wrists and learn how to make mail bombs, goddamnittohellwhycantthey leavemealone and it just keeps goingdayinanddayoutanddayinanddayout…!!!
Anything with small-sized versions of regular-sized food that presents the small-sized food as having been birthed from the regular-sized food. Oh please, feed me the product of your foody sex.
The nastiest of this genre has to be for the ball-shaped candies where in the commercial the full-sized peanut butter cup or candy bar grunts and groans and then expels the balls. Put me off candy forever. Ew.
In the NYC city area: The Vinokur furniture commercial where the greasy slob keeps on screaming, “We’ve got EVERYTHING…”
...or anything relating to feminine hygiene. I expect any day now we'll be seeing a commercial where those adjustable flaps fit so snugly over a menstruating pudenda while the model mixes a cocktail of green-apple douche.
I just tonight saw the Quiznos commercial (“Were you raised by wolves?” “Why yes… I was … hmmmm.”) where wolfguy is suckling at the mother wolf–GROSS! I do think the one where the wolves are licking him is cute, though. I explained to my daughter that the guy is thinking back to his childhood, but she says, “Mom, he’s a grown up, and in the same suit!”
There’s a furniture store in the area called “Sticks and Stuff” (not sure if this is part of a chain, although their ads purport to have a race car with a female driver!); their ads always prompt me to wonder -why- they would choose that name. I mean, my first thought is “Oh yeah, that’s probably what the furniture turns into within 6 months–sticks and stuff!”
one I really hate is the ad for the final fasntasy tactics game where therre are characters waiting to take your call. I don’t like that kid thast threatens to get irritable. He makes me irritable.
I also despise that “don’t trip” text messaging commercial and the Final Fantasy one.
I really hate the McDonalds McGriddles commercial with Carleton in it where some old lady fights a bunch of guys. It makes me mad because I really like Carleton.
And that Kikoman commercial where the mom calls her kids to come to dinner and then they fly.
I especially hate any commercial narrated by that announcer who talks in a patronizing monotone. I don’t know the name of this guy. And why the Hell is he so suddenly popular? Anyway, 2 “catch phrases” should make you realize to whom I’m referring:
      “Sears. Where else?”
      "Cheez-It. Get your own box."
I think all message board dopers would agree that this guy deserves a serious beating.
I’m visiting the 'rents in Buffalo right now. I swear to God, Buffalo has the worst locally produced commercials of any metropolitan area in the United States. About 95% of all local commercials fall into one of the following categories:
Personal injury attorneys. Seems like half of Buffalo’s workers are on disability, judging from the frequency of these commercials.
Italian-American auto dealers who talk and act like they’re Sopranos cast members.
Anything with a cheesy soft jingle, performed by subpar studio musicians. You even hear jingles for businesses that shouldn’t have them, like …
“Niaaaagara Colostomy Supplyyyyy …
We caaaare a-bout youuuuu!”
or …
“We’re theeeere when you need uuuuus …
Frontieeeeer Cane and Walkeeeeeer!”
Those Dell commercials with the interns. Especially the one that ends with the white guy playing with the light switch. I. Just. Don’t. Get. It.
Also, there’s this furniture store commercial that my local cable provider plays where the guy announces a Fourth of July sale. It’s been playing since the Fourth of July. Why won’t they get rid of it?!?
a lot of stupid local commercials fit the third category of elmwood’s post. Just about every eye clinic in my town has a stupid jingle. Even a medical supply store and a uniform store have one.
There’s a commercial trying to get people to sell their timeshares. “You can sell your timeshare for cash!”
The thing that drives me nuts is that the voiceover guy sounds as if he’s being strangled when he says “cash”. I suppose he thinks it’s supposed to sound “awesome”. I sometimes wish he were being strangled, just so he’d stop.
Oh, and speaking of trying to sound cool, California gubernatoria candidate has an ad slamming Arnold Schwarzenegger. “He lives on Planet Hollywoooooood.” Oh, yeah. That’s so cool. :rolleyes:
My 5 year old daughter saw the Quizno’s with the licking, not the nursing. She asked me if that was true. I explain about commercials. She didn’t say anything, but she looked as if she was sure it was fake. She looked pleased she knew it wasn’t true, but the look on her face was if to say, “raised by wolves would be cool”, & “Is there any way I can still get in on that deal?”
I got disgusted at a Papa Murphy’s ad last night. We were all watching “Lilo & Stich”. The ad is pushing new pizzas with braided crusts, “special” spices. They mentioned women in the context. So these must be chick pizzas. The part I really didn’t like, a woman is looking to the side, you can’t see what she sees, and she says “holy ____”. Maybe not “holy”, she said a word & then was bleeped & a black rectangle appeared over her mouth. I’m just disappointed they couldn’t find another way to sell these.
My kids didn’t ask about that ad, I’m hoping if I see again, I can put a good spin on it, but on first viewing it was off-putting. I liked the A&W “Dumas” ads, & liked that didn’t seem to show those during prime time.
Interestingly, after the kids were in bed & “Lilo & Stich” was over, they ran a short announcement that L.A. Dragnet was TV-14 to make sure you knew what you were watching.
My fault for letting the kids watch Disney. I did like the ad during the movie for the new Disney “Brother Bear”. I won’t discuss it in case you want to avoid knowing about the movie, except to say Bob & Doug Mackenzie as animated moose are funny!
