# AT&T Commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070 "2013-05-22T21:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/1 "2013-05-22T21:25:47Z")
Does anybody else feel like the AT&T commercials have just gotten radically scripted? These are the commercials with the man sitting at a table or on a circle rug with a group of children asking them questions like “Which is better? Fast or slow?” I have no idea what they have been doing all along, but I always felt like part of them charm in these commercials is that it really does sound like he has asked them and they have just answered like little kids were. The latest 2 or 3 don’t have that at all. It sounds like kids doing their school play that they have practiced a hundred times and some grown-up has written the almost-but-not-quite-kid lines. This bothers me so much because they were such cute commercials! The kid who can wave his hand and his head at the same time gets a LOL every time! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/2 "2013-05-22T21:28:11Z")
> [@RachelChristine](#): > > Does anybody else feel like the AT&T commercials have just gotten radically scripted? These are the commercials with the man sitting at a table or on a circle rug with a group of children asking them questions like “Which is better? Fast or slow?” > > I have no idea what they have been doing all along, but I always felt like part of them charm in these commercials is that it really does sound like he has asked them and they have just answered like little kids were. The latest 2 or 3 don’t have that at all. It sounds like kids doing their school play that they have practiced a hundred times and some grown-up has written the almost-but-not-quite-kid lines. > > This bothers me so much because they were such cute commercials! The kid who can wave his hand and his head at the same time gets a LOL every time! You want more! You want more! You want more! ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/3 "2013-05-22T21:32:44Z")
> [@RachelChristine](#): > > I have no idea what they have been doing all along, but I always felt like part of them charm in these commercials is that it really does sound like he has asked them and they have just answered like little kids were. The latest 2 or 3 don’t have that at all. I had the same thought when I saw the 'What’s the biggest number you can think of" one. But not the one where the girl says she’d get her brother turned into a puppy. Felt real to me. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/4 "2013-05-22T21:44:30Z")
According to a few articles found online, there is a script but it’s more of a “guided improv” > **[How AT&T, BBDO Turned Those Talkative Tykes Into Ad Gold](https://adage.com/article/news/talkative-tyke-ads-scripted-improvised/240487)** > > AT&T's "It's Not Complicated" spots featuring a straight man and kooky kids have become consumer favorites? So how do the spots get made? > **[How AT&T Got Kids to Make Some of the Year's Best Ads](https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-att-got-kids-make-some-years-best-ads-148605/)** > > IDEA: Bigger. Faster. More. You know you have strong product benefits when they can be boiled down to simple value propositions even kids can appreciate. Children, and simplicity, are at the core of BBDO's classic-in-the-making "It's not complicated"... Some of them seem scripted, but according to the links, they’re not. They try to get the kids bouncing around with their own stuff. A couple of them seemed scripted but I can’t think of the examples offhand. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/5 "2013-05-23T11:51:19Z")
> [@bup](#): > > But not the one where the girl says she’d get her brother turned into a puppy. Felt real to me. This one kills me. Not the girl talking; the other girl. When she hears the girl talking about her puppy-brother, her eyes get a little wider and her mouth is hanging open in awe, and I can just hear her thoughts, “Wow! What a great idea! Why didn’t _I_ think of that??!” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/6 "2013-05-23T12:10:15Z")
I like the one where the kid is flapping his hand and shaking his head and the adult says “hang on, I’m watching this.” ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/7 "2013-05-23T13:20:39Z")
The best one by far is is “island made of candy.” The little boy at the end, the way he shrugs his shoulders and says, “what about the animals - what would THEY be made of?” And I do like the newer one about the slow tortoise too, where the kid smacks his forehead. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/8 "2013-05-23T13:51:44Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I like the one where the kid is flapping his hand and shaking his head and the adult says “hang on, I’m watching this.” I like that one too, but the girl who tries to talk looks so crushed for a split second and then she looks over at the boy and she starts smiling at his antics as well. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/9 "2013-05-23T15:36:18Z")
My wife and I have been arguing about whether these are scripted are not. As others have mentioned, some seem scripted and some seem more natural. Although if not scripted, I suspect they must film quite a bit of footage in order to get 30 seconds of cute for the ads. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/10 "2013-05-23T15:45:07Z")
I am not immune to cute, but I often find the adult to be the funniest part of these commercials. I enjoy how serious he is. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/11 "2013-05-23T16:35:26Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > I like that one too, but the girl who tries to talk looks so crushed for a split second and then she looks over at the boy and she starts smiling at his antics as well. Yeah, she starts to say, “Look, I can do it too!” My favorite is the girl’s voice in this one: Adult: So, do you guys think that being fast is better than being slow? Girl: It’s better to be fast to not be bitten by a werewolf and then you’ll be turned into one and you’ll have to stay in and then you’ll have to get shaved because you’ll be too hot and then you’re like **rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr** which means I wish I was back to a human. It’s not complicated: Cute kids are cute. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/12 "2013-05-23T16:53:54Z")
I think the turtle one sounds the most scripted to me. My favorite is the “you want more” commercial, because that is exactly how little kids talk. My other favorite is the “island made out of candy”…like sand full of sugar! ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/13 "2013-05-23T16:55:47Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Yeah, she starts to say, “Look, I can do it too!” My favorite is the girl’s voice in this one: Adult: So, do you guys think that being fast is better than being slow? > Girl: It’s better to be fast to not be bitten by a werewolf and then you’ll be turned into one and you’ll have to stay in and then you’ll have to get shaved because you’ll be too hot and then you’re like **rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr** which means I wish I was back to a human. > It’s not complicated: Cute kids are cute. uh… what? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/14 "2013-05-23T16:56:49Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I am not immune to cute, but I often find the adult to be the funniest part of these commercials. I enjoy how serious he is. Absolutely- he plays the straight man really well. His incredulous questions are hilarious. Just last night, I was thinking how much I love these commercials. . . and I don’t even particularly like kids. They’re just hysterical. My favorite one is the one where the kid talks about taping a cheetah to his grandma’s back. > [@Turek](#): > > This one kills me. Not the girl talking; the other girl. When she hears the girl talking about her puppy-brother, her eyes get a little wider and her mouth is hanging open in awe, and I can just hear her thoughts, “Wow! What a great idea! Why didn’t _I_ think of that??!” [A gif set that ends with that expression.](http://prettyweirdbird.tumblr.com/post/51125602414/keepcalmanddont-blink-at-t-puppy-brother) Kills me every time. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/15 "2013-05-23T17:02:52Z")
I’ve got to think these arose from the success the Ally Bank commercials enjoyed… remember giving the kid a pony? As mentioned there’s probably a general theme they’re embracing but they’ve brought in bright, gregarious kids and they let them go with it. Hopefully, after a number of takes they’ve got a _heavily edited_ impromptu scene! ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/16 "2013-05-23T17:28:22Z")
> [@simster](#): > > uh… what? Yeah, his dead-pan response is perfect. https://www.youtube.com/embed/l61LjTwME7w?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/17 "2013-05-23T18:47:24Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > This one kills me. Not the girl talking; the other girl. When she hears the girl talking about her puppy-brother, her eyes get a little wider and her mouth is hanging open in awe, and I can just hear her thoughts, “Wow! What a great idea! Why didn’t _I_ think of that??!” Ditto. Am I crazy for thinking I understand the “You want more” girl? That’s some existential stuff coming from a little girl! ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/18 "2013-05-23T19:19:32Z")
I’m not 100% sure I’ve seen them all, but the “Infinity times infinity” one (which is brilliant, btw) was the ones that told me they were scripted or just jumped the shark. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/19 "2013-05-24T03:08:28Z")
I like the werewolf one and the “you want more” the best. The kid shaking his head and waving is also good. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070/20 "2013-05-24T06:19:54Z")
The one that’s lately cracked me up is the one where the little girl says ‘I would be a good doctor, b/c I would give everyone ‘castesis’…’ Adult: ‘You would give everyone castesis?’ Other little girl: “yeah with like stickers that say ‘get better soon’!” First girl \ “Nooo!” And the way the adult rolls his eyes a bit when he says ‘yeah’. It’s not rude to the second girl but it’s hilarious. He really trods a fine line. (I don’t want the kids insulted or made to feel bad. I wouldn’t enjoy it. He always seems to be really listening to them.) Also the “I can do this…and I can do this” kid is beyond awesome as is rawr rawr rawr girl. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-commercials/659070.md?page=2)