# Current ads that grate on you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122 "2010-12-22T21:34:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/101 "2010-12-28T16:13:07Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Not only is the song bad, but nothing about it has anything at all to do with the product. Not the lyrical meaning (rollerstakes and keys, hey let’s have fun) or the subtext (vagina and penis, hey let’s fuck.) > > Let’s see…printing? Nope, doesn’t make sense. > > Cell phones? Nope. > > Something about “wireless” or data being sen t magically “though the air”? Nope. > > Babies? Nope. > > Going fast on something that has wheels? Eh, I guess that’s as close as you’re going to get…you can sort of go fast on rollerskates only no, not really, running is faster. > > And why are they printing a picture of their kid when they aren’t home? What purpose does that serve? I could see if you needed to print something if someone else is there, but it seems they are on vacation, so isn’t it better to just wait till you get home, go through all your photos, and pick the ones you want to print then? I think the idea is the baby is the photo zooming through the Internet (or from your computer to printer) and coming out the recipient’s (grandma or someone) printer. The printer is so fast at printing the picture just ZOOOMS! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/102 "2010-12-28T16:19:57Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > And why are they printing a picture of their kid when they aren’t home? What purpose does that serve? I could see if you needed to print something if someone else is there, but it seems they are on vacation, so isn’t it better to just wait till you get home, go through all your photos, and pick the ones you want to print then? Well, they’re actually sending them to _relatives’_ wireless printers…at the end, the mom says something like, “Next, let’s send one to Aunt Ethel.” ---
**Author:** ![stylecramper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@stylecramper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stylecramper)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/103 "2010-12-28T20:57:11Z")
loud mouth-noise crunchy kit kat commercial + 1 hits the same button with me as the “excessive mouth-noise” Hardees commercials. Remote photo printing photo of kid @ grand canyon + 1 (Hey - let’s spend other people’s money from 1500 miles away!) The entire concept of remote printing for consumers is asinine. It’s not even a good practice in most businesses. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/104 "2010-12-28T21:12:21Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > You have me curious - is there a link? I’m not picturing it. Do you watch _House_, perchance? The same guy played the gay masseur House hired for Cuddy a few episodes ago. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/105 "2010-12-28T21:13:05Z")
**Stylecramper** , here’s a quick-and-dirty (and slightly hijacky) primer on quoting here. To quote a single post, hit the “Quote” button on the bottom of the post. You can edit out the parts of the post you don’t want to quote before you reply. To quote multiple posts, hit the smaller " button beside the “Quote” button for everything but the last post you want to quote. The " buttons will turn red. Hit the regular “Quote” button for the last post you want to quote and all of the chosen posts will be quoted in the reply box. Again, you can (and should) edit all the quotes to leave just what you’re replying to. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/106 "2010-12-28T21:16:15Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Do you watch _House_, perchance? The same guy played the gay masseur House hired for Cuddy a few episodes ago. It’s actually [Eddie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Matos_(actor)) [Matos](http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&safe=active&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&q=eddie+matos&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1259&bih=847). He was in the soap _Port Charles_ for a while, as well. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/107 "2010-12-28T21:30:31Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > State Farm’s new commercial blitz with Mr. Flo, a permanently smug smiling prick that just wants you to see he has dimples. He’s everywhere, making me believe those Progressive commercials with Flo must be working. > > This guy is a tool. State Farm sucks for not only copying the Flo idea, but for running these commercials over and over. I hate this guy as much as some of you hate that kid in the SUV commercial. And even worse Esurance is copying Flo too. I thought a lot of people liked their Erin animated character. But yeah, mostly the Charmin bears. GAH! ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/108 "2010-12-28T21:31:45Z")
There are these commercials now that bug the hell out of me because they make NO SENSE. They start off with a kid doing something-or-other. Ballgame, dance recital, whatever. There’s a crowd of people watching and the voiceover says, “There are lots of people in the world” (or something like that). Then the camera pans back around to show just one guy sitting there and the kid waves or something “… but there’s only one dad.” Okay, sweet enough. Nice sentiment. “… show them you care!” and they have a bunch of shots of men shaving. It’s a commercial for razors. Because… bearded men don’t love their children? Having no stubble makes you a better father? How does shaving with a good razor have anything at all to do with your kids? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/109 "2010-12-28T21:33:20Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > That’s not the point of the ad at all. The kid is the musician that they are all listening to, and it never went up with the intention to jump, he went up there to “release his music” or something like that. > > Like…he has to drop the music onto people from a high place so they can get it on their phones? It’s a silly metaphor, and I agree it does look like he is about to commit suicide, but that’s not what the makers of the ad were going for at all…they just failed at what they were going for, though. I suppose it’s better they only made it look like it was a suicidal person by mistake. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/110 "2010-12-28T21:51:59Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Not only is the song bad, but nothing about it has anything at all to do with the product. Not the lyrical meaning (rollerstakes and keys, hey let’s have fun) or the subtext (vagina and penis, hey let’s fuck.)? 😕 I thought the subtext was that a little hand-held cigarette-rolling device was nicknamed “rollerskates” and that a kilo of marijuana was called a “key” (and that Melanie was suggesting they get high together). I guess I _did_ lead an sheltered existence in the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/111 "2010-12-28T22:04:17Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Don’t ya’ll have DVRs? I haven’t watched a commercial in ages. Yep but try as I might I can’t get the Tivo to zip through the commercials while watching live TV (like the news or a game) no matter how much I mas the FF button. I guess the DVR just isn’t ready for time travel. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/112 "2010-12-28T22:07:55Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > “… show them you care!” and they have a bunch of shots of men shaving. It’s a commercial for razors. Because… bearded men don’t love their children? Having no stubble makes you a better father? How does shaving with a good razor have anything at all to do with your kids? The final voiceover actually says “Buy them our razor for Christmas!” ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/113 "2010-12-28T22:20:09Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Yep but try as I might I can’t get the Tivo to zip through the commercials while watching live TV (like the news or a game) no matter how much I mas the FF button. I guess the DVR just isn’t ready for time travel. What is this “live TV” you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/114 "2010-12-28T23:39:50Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 I thought the subtext was that a little hand-held cigarette-rolling device was nicknamed “rollerskates” and that a kilo of marijuana was called a “key” (and that Melanie was suggesting they get high together). > > I guess I _did_ lead an sheltered existence in the 70s. From this [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_New_Key) > [@](#): > > Melanie has acknowledged the possibility of reading sexual innuendo in the song: > “‘Brand New Key’ I wrote in about fifteen minutes one night. I thought it was cute; a kind of old thirties’ tune. I guess a key and a lock have always been Freudian symbols, and pretty obvious ones at that. There was no deep serious expression behind the song, but people read things into it. They made up incredible stories as to what the lyrics said and what the song meant. In some places, it was even banned from the radio. > > My idea about songs is that once you write them, you have very little say in their life afterward. It’s a lot like having a baby. You conceive a song, deliver it, and then give it as good a start as you can. After that, it’s on its own. People will take it any way they want to take it."[1]” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/115 "2010-12-28T23:46:10Z")
I just saw this horrid one for the diaper Luvs. It shows cartoon babies prancing around in diapers while other babies/kids rate their diaper’s…capabilities. Each baby walks around the stage, turns around, and…uh, poops. We see the diaper expand to indicate they’ve pooped and each judge holds up a score card rating how well the diaper contained the load. ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/116 "2010-12-29T06:10:17Z")
The absolute worst are the tuneup ads. You know - the ones with Biz Markie. Well, and the new ones with the couple also. Seriously, the whole concept is ridiculous. I should be upset because my computer doesn’t show me album art? Or I should pay some company $20-$30 for this little program add-on (which only works with itunes or wmp, not that I use either) so that I don’t have to be arsed into knowing the actual names of the songs I have on my computer. It does it “automagically,” which isn’t even a f\*\*king word. Also, on their website, it claims that it is “Quite possibly the most important piece of music software that any music lover can buy.” Flat out wrong. It is a freaking joke. Most music lovers are kind of picky about their music. I, for one, have always named all my songs on my pc immediately after download or rip, and all in the exact same format. Anyways, back to the commercial. Biz Markie is annoying, and that kid is all upset that his music library is “whack,” or something, so he does what we should all do - pay someone else to do it for him. Seriously, that freaking lazy… The second one is not cool whatsoever. Apparently, the two people in it are “Matt + Kim” and they are famous. I don’t actually know this. Google did. But anyways, they start out with the joke that she thought he meant wash her computer in soap. Okay, she’s a little on the slow side, and she likes to break computers. Then it goes through a sequence of pasted together video to show her jumping on a bed and them near a bus. I just don’t give a shit. It has nothing to do with music, other than that it may be a music video, but I would think that the people who wrote and perform the song would at least be able to type the name of it in on their computers, not pay some company for a program to do it for them. Ridiculous! Brendon Small ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/117 "2010-12-29T07:18:07Z")
Actually, what’s really stupid is that Windows Media Player can pretty much do the same thing, and it comes free with Windows. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/118 "2010-12-29T07:29:09Z")
I’ve been using “automagically” for some 6 years, but it doesn’t mean what those people think it means. I got the word from a customer who used it when he was frustrated by his bosses’ illogical requests: automagic is what people ask for when they ask for a machine to do things that it is impossible to automatize - for example, they want to get reports using never-entered data. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/119 "2010-12-29T13:00:14Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I just saw this horrid one for the diaper Luvs. It shows cartoon babies prancing around in diapers while other babies/kids rate their diaper’s…capabilities. Each baby walks around the stage, turns around, and…uh, poops. We see the diaper expand to indicate they’ve pooped and each judge holds up a score card rating how well the diaper contained the load. Just saw that before bed last night. Absolutely horrible. Even my hubby was grossed out. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122/120 "2010-12-29T13:48:39Z")
In the UK, the ad series that seems to be universally hated at the moment is for a price comparison website (I’m not going to even mention their name, because I have vowed, on the basis of my distaste for their loathsomely annoying commercial, never to use or promote them). I was going to try to describe them, but then I decided I’d rather not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-ads-that-grate-on-you/565122.md?page=7)