# Any foreign adverts on American TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765 "2012-02-13T23:39:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/21 "2012-02-14T11:15:37Z")
There is a dubbed Saniflo ad on british TV at the moment, and I think they must have run the same ad in the states, as there’s a [version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wATbT_8VwZY) with American-accented dubbing. I like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b8Gs3fhPVk) spoof too. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/22 "2012-02-14T11:50:00Z")
I haven’t actually watched American TV in ages, but I remember our fascination when, c. 1995, we recognized some clothes soap ads as being dubbed and, in some cases, the bottle edited/changed to display the correct local brand. There were a couple of those around when I was there again c. 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/23 "2012-02-14T11:55:09Z")
My memory of TV advertisements from when I lived in the U.K. (1987-1990) was that there were some British ads that were set in the U.S. and presumably filmed in the U.S. but which only showed in the U.K. These ads were for products that were thought of as being particularly American sorts of things, so the ads were deliberately trying to go for an American feel, even though the ads weren’t show in the U.S. The ones I remember specifically were for Levi jeans and Wrigley’s gum. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/24 "2012-02-14T12:17:41Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > My memory of TV advertisements from when I lived in the U.K. (1987-1990) was that there were some British ads that were set in the U.S. and presumably filmed in the U.S. but which only showed in the U.K. There are still lots like that, but…now you’ve got me wondering if some of the ads I’ve taken to being american really are. As a quick example, did [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-32S2O9JD0) pepsi max ad run in the US (it’s the one in an office where they play some pranks to make the boss think he’s going crazy)? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/25 "2012-02-14T12:50:56Z")
When you talk about foreign ads being dubbed for the British market, do you mean they have a British voiceover, or they’ve actually dubbed over the on-screen actors’ non-English dialogue? Because I can’t actually remember many ads like that on British TV. For certain types of products there are indeed quite a few ads where they obviously just use the same footage everywhere, but with localised voiceover. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/26 "2012-02-14T13:13:12Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > When you talk about foreign ads being dubbed for the British market, do you mean they have a British voiceover, or they’ve actually dubbed over the on-screen actors’ non-English dialogue? Because I can’t actually remember many ads like that on British TV. Both, I guess, but I was thinking of the latter. There certainly have been ads where they dubbed over the actor’s voices. I can think of a couple off the top of my head but can’t google them right now: a recent ad for bud (or it may have been coors) and an ad for cheerios. ETA: Oh, and I thought you were talking about american -\> british dubbing. If you mean foreign language -\> (british) english there are lots of these. The Saniflo ad I linked to earlier for example. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/27 "2012-02-14T13:28:20Z")
While I see few if any foreign-made ads on American TV, there _are_ the occasional ads featuring foreign-accented models/voice-overs, notably Brit or Aussie-accented ones (i.e Outback Steakhouse, a certain auto insurance company that has a lizard spokesman). This is apparently intended to add glitz/authority/authenticity to the ads, though it’s not always clear why we’re supposed to get that impression (for instance, why a Brit-accented lizard carries more weight than one with a southern accent). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/28 "2012-02-14T13:29:21Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Don’t even get me started on old Mentos commercials. Mentos was the first thing that popped into my head. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/29 "2012-02-14T13:30:17Z")
In all my life, I have never seen any foreign ads. That’s weird to think about, but logical I guess. America is a huge country and even advertising for restaurants that are out of state is silly, let alone things from other countries. It seems like there are local ads, advertising for used car lots or whatever within the county, state-wide ads for certain chain stores or advertising lawyers, and the more common nationwide ads. I live close to Canada but we never get their commercials, only the occassional ad on the radio for something in Toronto. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/30 "2012-02-14T13:39:57Z")
Most Canadian cable companies will carry the local US channels from across the border if there are any. (Not sure about Calgary, as it’s too far to pick up Montana stations and there’s no biggish city near the border). Typically, though, the signals from the Detroit area are copied, sent all over the country, and were the main feed for the default US network stations on satellite and remote from the border services. I have noticed that to allow time-shifting, we now get Boston and Seattle signals on our satellite service so we can watch something in the east or west time zone. Where a Canadian channel runs the same show at the same time, the cable/satellite must by law substitute over top the US channel; so that we get local ads instead of US ones. This is most “appreciated” when the classic superbowl ads are replaced by boring, unspecial Canadian ones. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/31 "2012-02-14T13:40:28Z")
The adverts for the overpriced Dyson vacuums are exactly the same on both sides of the Atlantic… ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/32 "2012-02-14T13:54:14Z")
There’s different standards in what’s allowable on TV too. A lot of risque European alleged ads that I see on Youtube would never be allowed to air in the US. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/33 "2012-02-14T14:13:39Z")
I’ve seen intenational ads in the US that I have also seen in Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan and other countries. It’s the same video, but with national language dubbed in. Off the top of my head, I can think of Garnier shampoo, L’Oreal makeup, and some other beauty products. There used to be one with a French model who clearly had the english dubbed in. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/34 "2012-02-14T15:36:27Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > The fifth-largest television network in the US is Spanish-language; there are a couple other major Spanish-language networks as well. Surely at least some of these run Mexican or other foreign-produced advertisements…? Sometimes, there will be a Spanish language ad on a (non-Spanish language) American channel or radio station, but I think some those ads may be dubbed versions of the original American English ads rather than imports. This may be more common in areas with large Hispanic populations. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/35 "2012-02-14T16:02:59Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Not very often, but it does occur. For example, Stella Artois ads are clearly European, and they come across quite differently than the ads we’re used to. Actually, Stella Artois’ US advertising is completely different from its European-market advertising. I’m almost certain the ads they run in the US are only shown here (and probably Canada). ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/36 "2012-02-14T20:16:26Z")
Perhaps the most famous remade TV advertisement for the American market was the Gold Blend/Taster’s Choice/Anthony Head/Sharon Maughan commercials. These commmercials, first shown in the U.K. in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, were the continuing adventures of a British couple played by Anthony Head and Sharon Maughan which showed them drinking Gold Blend coffee. They then got remade for the U.S. and were about Taster’s Choice, which was the American name for the same product. This wasn’t dubbing but refilming, using the same couple, with a slightly different script. Anthony Head did an American accent for the American market commercials, but Sharon Maughan didn’t change her British accent. I distinctly remember my surprise when I saw the first American ad, a few months after I moved back to the U.S. from three years in the U.K. I had seen some of the British ones while living in the U.K. As I sat there watching TV then a few months after moving back to the U.S., I first just thought, “Oh, this is interesting. This is the first commercial in the series.” Then I realized that I was watching a supposedly British advertisement in the U.S. I also realized that this was a completely remade version with the name of the product changed. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/37 "2012-02-14T21:56:26Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > My memory of TV advertisements from when I lived in the U.K. (1987-1990) was that there were some British ads that were set in the U.S. and presumably filmed in the U.S. but which only showed in the U.K. These ads were for products that were thought of as being particularly American sorts of things, so the ads were deliberately trying to go for an American feel, even though the ads weren’t show in the U.S. The ones I remember specifically were for Levi jeans and Wrigley’s gum. Those often showed in Europe too, and I think the Levi’s ones ran in the US as well. I remember watching one of the Levi’s ads around 1989 in Scandinavia, and surprising everyone there by pointing at the dusty, hot landscape and telling them it was home. “Look! It’s just like that where I’m from!” ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765/38 "2012-02-15T15:42:25Z")
I’m in Canada. I think a bunch of Proctor & Gamble ads are done once and then dubbed over for the local markets. There is one for a glass cleaner with a pair of magpies talking about how clean the windows are that appears to be British in origin. There are others for fabric softeners and cleansers where the voices don’t really match the actors, but they are overdubbed so I can’t tell what their country of origin is. We do get one for Oatmeal Crisp (I think) where a dad locks himself in a car to keep the cereal to himself that doesn’t overdub and keeps the English accents. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-foreign-adverts-on-american-tv/612765.md?page=1)