# If I see one more of those "Obey" ads, I'm going to punch the Internet
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 31, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218 "2009-05-31T01:22:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/1 "2009-05-31T01:22:07Z")
Right in the face.
“1 Rule to a Flat Stomach: Obey.” “I got rid of my wrinkles by following this one rule: Obey.” “I lost one million pounds of belly fat by following this one golden rule.”
I don’t know what it is about these ads- The transparently false blog aspect, the claim that following “one old rule” will cure everything from fat to wrinkles, the repetitive language from ad to ad- all I know is that they make my really, REALLY angry. Like, Hulk Smash angry. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this furious about an ad campaign before.
Anyone else?
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### Author:  [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/2 "2009-05-31T01:23:30Z")
I don’t think I’ve seen an ad on the internet in two years.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/3 "2009-05-31T01:26:06Z")
I seldom see ads any more; even when I can’t avoid them I avert my eyes. But I have to say that just the description gives me a very “_They Live_” vibe.
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### Author:  [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/4 "2009-05-31T03:29:50Z")
Solution = Firefox + Ad Block Plus
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### Author:  [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/5 "2009-05-31T03:35:40Z")
I try to avert my eyes, but my gaze is inexorably drawn to the black hole of stupidity.
I’m definitely checking out Ad Block Plus.
But, really? Nobody else sees these ads? Everybody else is light-years beyond me in ad-blocking technology?
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### Author:  [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/6 "2009-05-31T04:22:14Z")
No, I see them…and they are annoying.
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/7 "2009-05-31T04:24:54Z")
Yep between Ad Block Plus and No Script I hardly see any adds.
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### Author:  [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/8 "2009-05-31T04:40:41Z")
Yeah, ad block. Haven’t seen an internet ad in years.
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### Author:  [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/9 "2009-05-31T04:56:02Z")
Adblock Plus is great, but what I really wanted to say was I thought you were going to talk about the OBEY GIANT graffiti! (Which I love.)
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### Author:  [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/10 "2009-05-31T06:57:36Z")
[OBEY](http://jvincent.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/cover2-1.jpg)
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/11 "2009-05-31T13:07:55Z")
Never seen one, don’t intend to.
What is this “internet advertising” of which you speak?
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### Author:  [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/12 "2009-05-31T16:12:39Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#):
>
> Solution = Firefox + Ad Block Plus
I already use Firefox and I just installed Ad Block. Wow! That is awesome! No more moving, flashy-flashy, annoying ads!
Thank you.
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### Author:  [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/13 "2009-05-31T16:26:22Z")
> [@TheFaerie](#):
>
> I already use Firefox and I just installed Ad Block. Wow! That is awesome! No more moving, flashy-flashy, annoying ads!
>
> Thank you.
Next, get NoScript, and you have to manually enable/allow individual scripts (on a 1-time or permanent basis).
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/14 "2009-05-31T16:51:09Z")
I don’t know if the technology has improved but I tried an ad blocker a few years ago and the big blank spots everywhere were more displeasing to the eyes than the ads were. My eyes are (mostly) conditioned not to see ads, but a blank spot really jumps out at me.
But yeah, I’ve seen the “obey” ads. They are everywhere. They are :rolleyes:.
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/15 "2009-06-01T00:21:47Z")
> [@Electric\_Warrior](#):
>
> Adblock Plus is great, but what I really wanted to say was I thought you were going to talk about the OBEY GIANT graffiti! (Which I love.)
Do you mean the ones that look vaguely like early Soviet-era propaganda posters? I’ve always wondered who puts those up and why.
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### Author:  [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/16 "2009-06-01T00:38:06Z")
> [@GameHat](#):
>
> [OBEY](http://jvincent.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/cover2-1.jpg)
I don’t get it. What are they trying to sell?
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/17 "2009-06-01T00:42:43Z")
:: plantive wail :: but what IS the one rule to getting a flat stomach? I’ve never been able to find a cite that will give you the “answer” without making you sign up for something. I just want to know how absurd the rule is. sniff.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/18 "2009-06-01T01:39:47Z")
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> what IS the one rule to getting a flat stomach?
Burn more calories than you take in.
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### Author:  [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/19 "2009-06-01T12:29:15Z")
It’s not an Internet ad, but I almost had a nose-coffee moment when I came across [this piece of Watchmen movie memorabilia the other day](http://store.costumecity.com/scroll3.html). It’s clearly a takeoff on the OBEY ads.
I would never buy the thing, as it’s butt-ugly (and makes the ordinarily delicious Matthew Goode look hideous), but I think it’s slyly and hilariously (in)appropriate given the context of the story. “Ozymandias: A Name You Can Trust!” To drop a Giant Mind-Raping Vagina Squid on you.
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### Author:  [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-see-one-more-of-those-obey-ads-im-going-to-punch-the-internet/498218/20 "2009-06-01T13:08:57Z")
I see the ads. On my work computer I can’t install things like Ad Block Plus, and what not. I’d say that on an annoyance scale, they’re about a 2.5 out of 10.
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