# Commercials you just don't get **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539 "2010-06-17T13:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/1 "2010-06-17T13:48:07Z")
There’s a commercial on TV nowadays that baffles me. I think it’s for some AT&T product, but my mind is so befuddled by the end that I don’t exactly recall. It goes like this: The soundtrack is the song “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (Gene Wilder). The commercial shows some crude drawings (like a 5-year-old’s) that are blown up giant size and running fancifully around a city’s high-rise downtown. Then at the very end, the camera pans to a businessman with a scruffy beard sitting on a rooftop bench. He looks down at the bench beside him (what he looks at isn’t show), then looks up slightly and smiles slightly. Then the voice-over says something about being 5 years old again. What the @!?#@! is this about? A new AT&T device? LSD or other hallucinogen? I’m stumped! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/2 "2010-06-17T14:13:35Z")
Previous thread about the AT&T commercial: > **[AT&T's "Remember when you were 5" commercial ...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=565422)** > > … specifically, the guy at the end. Is he supposed to be someone? My girlfriend thought maybe he was Charlie from the original Willy Wonka movie, but a quick Google search ruled that out. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/3 "2010-06-17T14:27:22Z")
[I wear no pants.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nys0i_FRjTI) It’s a commercial for pants with guys singing about how they wear no pants. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/4 "2010-06-17T14:32:03Z")
Thanks for linking that thread, robby. [Oy’s post in that thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12534540&postcount=27) was awesome. I don’t know how I missed it the first time I read that thread. My nieces never saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and they can’t stand that commercial. They think the song is just sickeningly sweet, but they don’t really get the undercurrent, and I couldn’t explain it to them. Oy does it perfectly in that last thread. I have no clue what AT&T is trying to get across in that ad. I often don’t follow phone service ads very well. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/5 "2010-06-17T14:36:22Z")
Don’t have a cite, but . . . I’ve seen commercials for medications that don’t tell you what the meds are for. We’re just supposed to “ask our doctor” whether we need them. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/6 "2010-06-17T14:41:49Z")
There’s a couple of car commercials that use a a cover of Tom Shilling’s “Major Tom (Coming Home).” To me that says, “Buy our car! Get trapped! Never make it home!” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/7 "2010-06-17T14:56:07Z")
I haven’t seen it in a while, but there’s a commercial that features “Trouble” by Ray LaMontagne and has a dog carrying around his bone. Every time I see it come on, I think it’s going to be a dog food commercial but it turns out to be an insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/8 "2010-06-17T15:08:35Z")
The car commercial where a father is going somewhere and takes his daughter with him out of a kid-crowded house -she goes to sit in the rear seat, and he encourages her to sit further up, saying either “your brother’s sick”, or “your brother’s seat” and then she looks up at the sunroof. Then he asks her if he’s told her about growing up with a bunch of sisters. I can process all these elements separately, but it just doesn’t make sense all together. It’s a poor visual narrative or something. Maybe it just clicks for people who have kids and drive these sorts of vehicles. (I drive a teensy sedan) ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/9 "2010-06-17T15:08:58Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Don’t have a cite, but . . . I’ve seen commercials for medications that don’t tell you what the meds are for. We’re just supposed to “ask our doctor” whether we need them. In the old days, every ad for a feminine hygiene product used to be like that. I miss the old days. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/10 "2010-06-17T15:09:20Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I haven’t seen it in a while, but there’s a commercial that features “Trouble” by Ray LaMontagne and has a dog carrying around his bone. Every time I see it come on, I think it’s going to be a dog food commercial but it turns out to be an insurance company. I love that commercial! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/11 "2010-06-17T15:13:52Z")
There is a commercial where they are selling insurance and the sales guy calls to get a better deal and then he says: Guys, I just threw up a little in my mouth. I have no idea whether this is supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing. Do I want their insurance because the deal they are offering makes him throw up? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/12 "2010-06-17T15:18:44Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I love that commercial! Yeah, meant to say that too. (The “Trouble” ad) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/13 "2010-06-17T15:23:08Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Don’t have a cite, but . . . I’ve seen commercials for medications that don’t tell you what the meds are for. We’re just supposed to “ask our doctor” whether we need them. Legal reasons. They don’t have to tell you the side effects if they don’t tell you the benefits either. Viagra has it easy in this respect - everyone knows what it’s for, so they get to just wink at the viewer and mention their drug’s name, and they’re set. Everything else that might get advertised that way has it tougher. So when you hear drug commercials that say “may cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hairy palms, or spontaneous human combustion; pregnant women shouldn’t even **look** at the pills or their babies will grow up to be cowboys,” that’s because they said at some point in the commercial, “hey, our new pill makes your heartburn go away” or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/14 "2010-06-17T15:24:37Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](#): > > Yeah, meant to say that too. (The “Trouble” ad) Thirded. I want to hug the dog and tell him it’s going to be OK and if he loses his bone I will get him another one. And a cookie. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/15 "2010-06-17T15:25:03Z")
There are people who say any commercial that affects you enough to get you to discuss it is a good commercial. I think those people are being stupid, but that’s what they say, and I think some people in charge of advertising believe it. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/16 "2010-06-17T15:25:07Z")
Deleted – \*\*Ferret Herder \*\*answered already, I would be repeating him almost word for word… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/17 "2010-06-17T15:53:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I love that commercial! I hate that commercial. Maybe because they tend to play it over and over and over again on some golf tournaments. The one I don’t get is the Men’s Warehouse ad where this guy goes into a van with two other guys and asks where the Men’s Warehouse is. One of the guys originally in the van says “Now, get out of the van!!?” Huh? Oh, and the commercial about the little girl in the car is playing on MSNBC as I type this. 🙂 Oh, and my commercial is on now! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/18 "2010-06-17T16:01:12Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Don’t have a cite, but . . . I’ve seen commercials for medications that don’t tell you what the meds are for. We’re just supposed to “ask our doctor” whether we need them. If you had that particular medical condition you would already know about the meds. It’s just you’re too afraid to ask your doctor. 'Cause you know as soon as you do he’ll tell the nurse, who tells the clerk at the reception desk. And then when you go to pay your bill, you have to be all embarrassed because you know that everyone knows you have that particular problem. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/19 "2010-06-17T16:05:09Z")
There is this new service by one cable company that lets you pause your tv show then watch it in a different TV. That seemed like the most useless thing ever and i kept wondering why anyone would possibly need it, until i saw their commercial for it. It’s this wimpy looking guy trying to watch TV and getting constantly rudely interrupted by the rest of his family so he moves from room to room trying to watch his TV show. So basically what i got form it is that it’s a service for spineless pussies with assholes for a family, i think i’ll pass. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539/20 "2010-06-17T16:18:05Z")
Those “Visit Canada” ads-where they don’t say anything-you just see the Canada logo at the end. There is one where people are jabbering away (on a kyak)-and an otter climbs aboard-then the voices stop (otter kills kyaker?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-just-dont-get/543539.md?page=2)