# commercials you love, hate or don't get **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046 "2009-02-16T04:15:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/61 "2009-02-17T15:43:13Z")
> [@SharkB8](#): > > I saw [this WTF Kohler](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw581Yh99E4&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=kohler+commercial&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF) commercial this morning. > > ::still scratching head:: I thought it was kind of amusing, but I hope the lady with the tub doesn’t get into it when it’s that full, or she’s going to need more than paper towels to clean up. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/62 "2009-02-17T16:02:25Z")
When television is totally obsolete and they make a list of the alltime absolutely creepiest commercials, the #1 will be H&R Block’s one-eyed people. ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/63 "2009-02-17T16:08:07Z")
I like some of the ones with the mom who doesn’t want to let go of the unused minutes. I like Flo, the ins. girl. I don’t know why, I just do. I just saw a commercial this morning for some kind of dog food, tag line is “Why not get a dog?” or something close, but all these people have huge, ridiculous farm animals as pets… The last scene is of two guys throwing a frisbee for a cow, the frisbee hits the cow in the nose and the cow does, of course, nothing. Probably have to see it but it made me laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/64 "2009-02-17T16:08:54Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I like the Progressive woman, despite her perkiness…something about her mannerisms I find interesting. My grandfather has a thing for Flo the Progressive woman. He thinks she’s great. I now refer to her as my future grandma. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/65 "2009-02-17T16:14:13Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > I kind of like the [freecreditreport.com](http://freecreditreport.com) commercials, but why does the old white-haired woman give the singer such sour looks? Anyone? I wondered about this myself. I mean, there she is, seemingly enjoying the music, bopping along in rhythm. Suddenly she goes from smiling to looking at him with an expression that suggests that he’s just walked by her table and farted. I asked my mom, and she says she thinks the old lady just found the superfluous “YEEHAW!” annoying. Maybe–but I like my explanation better! 😃 > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > When television is totally obsolete and they make a list of the alltime absolutely creepiest commercials, the #1 will be H&R Block’s one-eyed people. Eye agree! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/66 "2009-02-17T16:21:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > When television is totally obsolete and they make a list of the alltime absolutely creepiest commercials, the #1 will be H&R Block’s one-eyed people. Never seen it but what could top “This little light of mine?” ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/67 "2009-02-17T16:28:25Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Never seen it but what could top “This little light of mine?” Don’t know that one, but [here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHQRm4vbH1w) the H & R Block Cyclops ad. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/68 "2009-02-17T16:38:57Z")
I like the Capital One barbarians commercial where one of them snatches the violin from the waiter’s hands and smashes it on the table. Hate ALL drug ads and have come to loathe Sally Fields. The one drug ad that makes me sit in stunned amazement is the one for ‘plate psoriasis’, wherein they note that one of the side affects is death. It’s mentioned twice, in fact, while the actors smile happily and go about itch-free. ---
**Author:** ![nofloyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nofloyd/32/2870_2.png) [@nofloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nofloyd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/69 "2009-02-17T16:44:16Z")
Someone explain to me the Geico Caveman commercial where he and a girl get onto a beach, and she flashes her boobs at a plane carrying a banner ad. He just turns around and walks off. Why? What’s going on? Did I miss something? I’m very dense about that one. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/70 "2009-02-17T16:49:27Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > I like the Capital One Barbarians. Yeah, so do I, but I like barbarians…and pirates, even though I don’t like the [freecreditreport.com](http://freecreditreport.com) commercial either. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/71 "2009-02-17T16:54:25Z")
> [@](#): > > theres a commercial I’ve seen dfor castrol motor oil with a scottish man running around hitting people with a dipstick yelling"thats thinking with your dipstick, Jimmy!'. I don’t get it. Is it just a silly kind of commercial or does it have a background of some kind? Okay, I’ve never seen that commercial but just reading about it is making me laugh so hard my coworkers are staring at me. I don’t care what they are selling or why, but that particular commercial works for me! Now I am off to youtube to track it down! ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/72 "2009-02-17T16:57:02Z")
[Here it is.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHSFZQKBtDY) ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/73 "2009-02-17T17:02:11Z")
Can someone please explain what the hugging and kissing means in the Absolut commercial. Or better yet, explain the commercial at all. It makes no sense, Am I missing the point ? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/74 "2009-02-17T17:51:38Z")
> [@nofloyd](#): > > Someone explain to me the Geico Caveman commercial where he and a girl get onto a beach, and she flashes her boobs at a plane carrying a banner ad. He just turns around and walks off. > Why? What’s going on? Did I miss something? I’m very dense about that one. I don’t think she was flashing the plane, she was just getting undressed to go swimming…the caveman is ready for an afternoon on a beautiful beach with a naked hottie, and the Geico ad is so disturbing he wants to go home. He can’t escape the ad…at least that’s how I took it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/75 "2009-02-17T18:01:43Z")
A good rule of thumb is the more advertising $$ spent, the worse the product. Geico is a crappy insurance company, and freecreditreport is more or less a rip-off. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/76 "2009-02-17T18:10:24Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The commercial doesn’t bother me but I am curious what goes on in that house that they need to replace their dog every 3.45 years :dubious: I wondered about that too. Five or six bulldogs named Steve would have worked just as well. I do like it when the guy says “I love you, and this time I mean it.” Hate the burger ad with the announcer with the deadpan (almost threatening) voice. I think it’s Hardee’s. Is that Big Pussy in the ad where the guy’s eating a chicken parmesan sandwich and gets sauce all over his shirt? The one where he’s playing dead? **Love** the McDonald’s ad with the guys who are so relieved that they don’t have to hang at Starbuck’s anymore. “I can shave this **thing** off my face!” “We don’t have to call movies ‘films’ anymore!” “I like football. I like sitting, and watching football!” “I almost bought a beret!” ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/77 "2009-02-17T18:16:03Z")
The dog thing assumes he only had one bulldog at a time. Maybe he had more than one at times and still named them all Steve (like George Foreman and his kids). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/78 "2009-02-17T19:07:30Z")
From an advertising standpoint…Geico is an AMAZING exception to the rule You are never supposed to have more than one thing at a time that defines your company. Some of these never change (Tony the Tiger) some also change from time to time (Think McDonalds ads) but overall you want one central figure for your ads. Geico has three central figures going on all at once, all different from each other, and all equally recognizable. They have the cavemen, which I think was their first, then they moved on to the gecko; but never stopped making caveman commercials. Now they have the stack of bills with the eyes on it, and are running all three campaigns all at once. That breaks pretty much every rule in the ad book, but they work it beautifully and remain in the top spot in our minds because of it. Bravo Geico. Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/79 "2009-02-17T19:16:00Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > From an advertising standpoint…Geico is an AMAZING exception to the rule > > You are never supposed to have more than one thing at a time that defines your company. Some of these never change (Tony the Tiger) some also change from time to time (Think McDonalds ads) but overall you want one central figure for your ads. > > Geico has three central figures going on all at once, all different from each other, and all equally recognizable. They have the cavemen, which I think was their first, then they moved on to the gecko; but never stopped making caveman commercials. Now they have the stack of bills with the eyes on it, and are running all three campaigns all at once. > > That breaks pretty much every rule in the ad book, but they work it beautifully and remain in the top spot in our minds because of it. Bravo Geico. Bravo. I’m pretty sure the gecko came first. And aren’t they like the only company to ever have their commercials/trademark figures turned into a TV show? Granted it wasn’t a GREAT show but it was definitely a show. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046/80 "2009-02-17T19:18:29Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > From an advertising standpoint…Geico is an AMAZING exception to the rule > > That breaks pretty much every rule in the ad book, but they work it beautifully and remain in the top spot in our minds because of it. Bravo Geico. Bravo. No, it exactly follows this rule \*of mine \*"A good rule of thumb is the more advertising $$ spent, the worse the product.’ Sure Geico has good ads, but they have crappy insurance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-you-love-hate-or-dont-get/486046.md?page=5)