# Can someone explain this commercial to me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169 "2017-09-12T13:58:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/61 "2017-09-16T16:30:48Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > He’s being overly dramatic in a soap opery way. Or like the cover of a Harlequin Romance novel. That’s so it contrasts with the Phil Dunphy reaction he has. If it happened in a bedroom or the laundry room there wouldn’t be a comedic shift. I really don’t see the difficulty here. If it happened in the bedroom at least it would at least make sense, especially from the conceit of selling the product - which is the purpose of the ad. And I disagree with the premise that something being illogical is a “comedic shift”. But whatevs… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/62 "2017-09-16T16:32:19Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > And I disagree with the premise that something being illogical is a “comedic shift”. But whatevs… Not a fan of Monty Python, I see. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/63 "2017-09-16T17:22:52Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not a fan of Monty Python, I see. Really, you think that the humor in that ad is on the Monty Python level? That explains a lot. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/64 "2017-09-16T20:49:34Z")
Look how they’ve got you all talking about it. Massive win for the advertising agency. This is exactly what they’re hoping for. Getting something a little bit wrong in a commercial is the new normal for just this reason. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/65 "2017-09-16T21:39:40Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > The small print says that the item was packed in an airtight container in storage, so in reality it won’t hold the scent. _Shakes fist at small print in commercials which is not designed to actually be noticed._ ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/66 "2017-09-21T23:04:48Z")
It makes more sense than the old Tide(?) commercial where the dad covers his daughter’s too short (his opinion, which should totally count being he’s the dad and all) skirt in mud then the mom conspires with her to wash it in whatever’s being advertised, because lol dads are dumb and sheeit. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/67 "2017-09-21T23:39:04Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I think it’s more complex. > > He doesn’t want to move on. He’s just trying to fool himself. He’s being overly dramatic (because he’s all about the DRAMA!) even though no one can see. He’s living his own TV show that he is the star of. I think we’re getting to the root of why he’s single. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > As for the effectiveness of commercials, _maybe_ I can understand [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8kuoFGgj8s) selling lamb, but [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4IFNKYmLa8) doesn’t make me want to buy ice cream. I may never eat ice cream again. I’m definitely now afraid of my son’s remote control robot that looks just like the robot in that damn ice cream add. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/68 "2017-09-22T00:09:55Z")
On the Gain one, not what I got at all. I just watched it. I got “Because of Gain, he can’t smell any of her on it.” That’s the only reason he would be smelling the scarf. He was hoping to smell her one last time, and then throw it away. But it doesn’t smell like her at all, even though it was washed over a month ago, because Gain is just _that_ good. The idea that Gain is her scent makes no sense to me. Gain’s scent is Gain’s. That’s their whole marketing appeal. The idea must be that it _doesn’t_ smell like her. And no more thought went into this interpretation than my initial interpretation and reaction. Not that I think “overthinking” is really a fair criticism of anyone here. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/69 "2017-09-22T00:15:59Z")
For the Serena Williams ad, I agree that he’s being a bit facetious. He’s challenging her by saying “Do you play?” instead of “Wanna play?” And I really think they’d do a better job with the Green Room idea if they’d given it green walls. Sure, the real thing doesn’t have them anymore, but it makes the connection more clear. Also, it would’ve helped if they’d said the guy’s name. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/70 "2017-09-22T03:33:01Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > On the Gain one, not what I got at all. I just watched it. I got “Because of Gain, he can’t smell any of her on it.” That’s the only reason he would be smelling the scarf. He was hoping to smell her one last time, and then throw it away. But it doesn’t smell like her at all, even though it was washed over a month ago, because Gain is just _that_ good. > > The idea that Gain is her scent makes no sense to me. Gain’s scent is Gain’s. That’s their whole marketing appeal. The idea must be that it _doesn’t_ smell like her. I thought the point was that he associates Gain with her so that Gain’s scent IS her scent, and after a month it still hasn’t gone away, so he can’t stop missing her. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/71 "2017-09-22T04:54:10Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not a fan of Monty Python, I see. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Really, you think that the humor in that ad is on the Monty Python level? That explains a lot. No, in this case not quite, nor did I say that. But I _do_, like Monty Python, think something being illogical can be a “comedic shift.” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/72 "2017-09-22T10:12:20Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > No, in this case not quite, nor did I say that. But I _do_, like Monty Python, think something being illogical can be a “comedic shift.” Also, Monty Python was great, but not every single thing they did hit the mark. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169/73 "2017-09-23T16:54:01Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Also, Monty Python was great, but not every single thing they did hit the mark. That is completely beside the point. I was, when faced with someone who doubted that something being illogical could ever be a comedic shift, simply giving an example of a successful comedy team who based their entire career on something being illogical being a comedic shift. And the wife and I both love this commercial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-this-commercial-to-me/796169.md?page=3)