# Coke commercials -- huh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538 "2000-09-17T23:53:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/1 "2000-09-17T23:53:42Z")
They’re running a new series of Coke commercials, and I just don’t get them. So far I’ve seen three of them. 1. Ancient granny gets bent out of shape at a family reunion because they have no Coke. She wheelchairs her way out, rudely shoving people out of the way. 2. Son comes back from the army on leave. When they have no Coke, but offer to get some, he says “No, the moment is ruined.” and walks away. 3. Family meets foreign exchange student (?) who can’t believe they don’t have a Coke handy when they greet her. In each case, the person asking for a Coke throws a major hissy fit and generally acts like a jerk when they don’t get their Coke. So what’s the message here: “Coke, the drink of mean spirited, petulant, dipshits”? ---
**Author:** ![craiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@craiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/craiger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/2 "2000-09-18T00:28:49Z")
how ironic that these Straight Dope message boards appear to be the home for mean-spirited petulant dipshits ---
**Author:** ![craiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@craiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/craiger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/3 "2000-09-18T00:31:42Z")
i apologize. i left out “self-important” ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/4 "2000-09-18T00:33:23Z")
Hey “craiger!” No one’s making you stay! ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/5 "2000-09-18T00:35:48Z")
Actually, imthjckaz (Bob, my s.o.) and I were discussing these also. I haven’t seen the middle commercial listed, but saw the other two and didn’t like them. They almost seem to be trying to glorify rudeness, and watching them makes me vaguely uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Angkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Angkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angkins)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/6 "2000-09-18T00:44:10Z")
Maybe they are trying to be completely opposite of that super sweet Pepsi kid. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/7 "2000-09-18T00:44:47Z")
Is this the commercial where the two best friends are graduating, talking about good times they had: 1st girl: “This is the time to share a \.” 2nd girl: “I don’t have one.” 1st girl: “I never liked you.” [Words to that effect.] I don’t remember the product, but it’s along these lines. Am I right, or wrong product? In any case, the commercials don’t sound seem to put a very good light on Coke, nor would I be enticed to switch products. (Though that Pepsi girl came close to making me stop drinking Pepsi.) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/8 "2000-09-18T00:46:04Z")
Glorify rudeness? Hardly. They’re attempting to be funny, and I find them mildly so. My favorite is the one with two girls graduating high school, and pledging to be “best friends forever.” Then one suggests they have a coke. “But, I don’t have any.” “I never liked you” “because I’m prettier than you?” _sock_ _punch_ etc. I found it mildly amusing. It’s a satire on those obnoxious corny lovey-dover commercials that make you wanna puke. I haven’t seen the Army one either; maybe not running in my market. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/9 "2000-09-18T00:54:30Z")
I like how the glorify having shallow relationships. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/10 "2000-09-18T00:55:43Z")
I have also seen the one you mention, which wasn’t mentioned in the OP. I still don’t care for any of them. But if you like them, there must be others who do also. It will be interesting to see if they have any effect on whether people buy less or more. Except for pop (I gotta have Dt. Mt Dew) I usually go for the product with the lowest price that still works effectively, and ignore the commercials except for entertainment value (or lack thereof). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/11 "2000-09-18T02:08:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by craiger \* > \*\*how ironic that these Straight Dope message boards appear to be the home for mean-spirited petulant dipshits \*\* And how convenient that you demonstrate that with your presence. ---
**Author:** ![craiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@craiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/craiger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/12 "2000-09-18T02:57:55Z")
i was wondering how long it would take for someone to use such an easy line. i’m sure you’re all puffed up over that one. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/13 "2000-09-18T03:03:50Z")
I don’t drink Coke or Pepsi. I drink Sam’s choice. It pays to cultivate an unsophisticated palate. ~~Baloo P.S.: DNFTT ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/14 "2000-09-18T03:08:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baloo \* > **I don’t drink Coke or Pepsi. I drink Sam’s choice. It pays to cultivate an unsophisticated palate.** I normally would (hey, 25¢ is a heckuva deal), but the machines at Wal\*Mart are always out, and they don’t stock any cold ones, so Coke/Pepsi it is. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/15 "2000-09-18T03:15:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by craiger \* > \*\*how ironic that these Straight Dope message boards appear to be the home for mean-spirited petulant dipshits \*\* So who pissed in your Cheerios? ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/16 "2000-09-18T08:48:30Z")
Okay … cut out the PIT crap … I think what Coca Cola was going for was a sense of irony and a bit of self parody. Remember “have a coke and a smile?” “I’d like to teach the world to sing?” They set you up for a happy-time commercial and then pull the rug out from under you. Even if you don’t like the ads, you remember them and like advertsing people usually say, you don’t always buy what you like, but what you remember. On a related note, I just realized that the background music for the Pepsi commercial featuring Albert Einstein is actually from Phillip Glass’s opera “Einstein on the Beach.” Who were they trying to impress with that? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/17 "2000-09-18T11:12:07Z")
I’m a Diet Coke drinker - have been for years. I like the taste better than the alternatives. Whether the commercials make me laugh or bring a tear or cause me to barf, I still buy Diet Coke. And I don’t find this particular series of commercials amusing, but I’m still slurping down my bev of choice. ---
**Author:** ![DuhMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DuhMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhMan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/18 "2000-09-18T12:27:16Z")
I have to agree, these commercials are just plain unfunny. They don’t make me laugh, and I really have no positive reaction to them at all. They just further my belief that old people are grumpy and think they deserve everything b/c they are a million years old and have survived this long. As for my beverage preference… when you live in Rochester you gotta go with W Pop… the only way to go. Duh ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/19 "2000-09-18T16:04:48Z")
I boycott things with annoying adverts until the advert stops (except milk, I couldn’t bring myself to give up milk for a whole ad series)…but we haven’t seen those ones over here (UK) yet. I figure, if they’re spending money to increase sales, if enough people boycott the product when the ad is hideous, then they’ll change the ad, because they’re losing sales. It probably doeswn’t work, but at least I feel that I’m doing something positive about the annoyances. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke-commercials-huh/33538/20 "2000-09-18T16:19:33Z")
Start with the family (mom dad and baby brother) sitting around the TV watching swimming on the Olympics. The commentary is about this unknown from Canada, who’s in 3rd place and might win a bronze. She slips to fourth and they cut to the family who have disappointed looks on there faces. Little bro goes to the room, makes a card and cuts out a cardboard medal. He wraps it in a box and couriers it to Australia. Cut to Australia, big sister gets the package and opens it. Inside is a handmade card saying, you’ll always be my olympic hero. She then pulls out… a bottle of Coke with the fake medal on it. Huh, can’t they get Coke in Oz??? Keith