It's a shame we can't watch television in 2014 without seeing ...

[Stringbean]

@Little_Nemo

If they didn’t advertise, how would they convince anyone to buy cancer, diabetes, or heart disease?

U win the interwebz.

[7e42]

Medical should be advertised in magazines

[Hey_Hey_Paula]

@GreenElf

I guess commercials are geared toward the aging population. I remember the common commercials in the 70s, such as Nair pantyhose, were for younger people. We need more pantyhose commercials and less cancer commercials. Baldness remedy commmercials are my least favorite.

Nair…pantyhose?

Nair was a product to remove leg hair chemically, without shaving - really nasty stuff. Pantyhose were what natural blondes like myself wore with skirts so our leg hair wouldn’t show.

[TBG]

@7e42

CANCER, DIABETES, and HEART DISEASE.

Who the hell wants to see those depressing commercials while they are in the process of watch one fo their shows? What happened to commercials about cookies, veggies, plastic ware, and detergent?
Just sickening to see these commercials over and over again. We didn’t see this 15 years ago

I’ll take those over DISABILITY (SCAM) LAWYER, VAGINAL MESH, and MALE ENHANCEMENT commercials over and over any day.

[Sage_Rat]

@7e42

I don’t have that option

You should get internet access.

[Count_Blucher]

@7e42

I don’t have that option

Same. Damn you, TNT…!

[Kamino_Neko]

@TBG

I’ll take those over DISABILITY (SCAM) LAWYER, VAGINAL MESH, and MALE ENHANCEMENT commercials over and over any day.

Watch a lot of GSN, I take it?

(I find it so strange that that sort of stuff is dominant on gameshows - both GSN and game shows on other channels…)

[sachertorte]

The OP isn’t completely off base. (It’s been 17 years not 15). Before 1997, pharmaceutial commercials were not allowed on TV (or magazines).

Direct-to-consumer advertising

Apparently, only in the USA and New Zealand can pharmaceutical companies have commercials on TV.

[HipGnosis]

Yes, it is 2014, and that means you CAN watch TV withOUT ads.
It’s done via a DVR; digital video recorder. Once you have one, you never watch TV the same. You fastforward right through those pesky ads. If there’s a Victoria’s Secret ad, you rewind and watch it in slow motion.

[Smeghead]

There’s also a power button.

[BaldDudePeekskill]

I was going to say a Kardashian…real shame they’re still going strong

[7e42]

@TBG

I’ll take those over DISABILITY (SCAM) LAWYER, VAGINAL MESH, and MALE ENHANCEMENT commercials over and over any day.

why can’t be like back in the day? Commercials about

cookies
detergent
veggies
toilet cleaner
Chips
Juice
cars
water
restaurants

[7e42]

@Sage_Rat

You should get internet access.

I have Internet, when the commercials I am on the web but I can still hear the depressing medical commercials

[7e42]

@HipGnosis

Yes, it is 2014, and that means you CAN watch TV withOUT ads.
It’s done via a DVR; digital video recorder. Once you have one, you never watch TV the same. You fastforward right through those pesky ads. If there’s a Victoria’s Secret ad, you rewind and watch it in slow motion.

I can’t afford a DVR

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@HipGnosis

Yes, it is 2014, and that means you CAN watch TV withOUT ads.
It’s done via a DVR; digital video recorder. Once you have one, you never watch TV the same. You fastforward right through those pesky ads. If there’s a Victoria’s Secret ad, you rewind and watch it in slow motion.

And they come in every flavor of kool-aid, too.

[HipGnosis]

@7e42

I can’t afford a DVR

Then you’ve mis-named this thread.

[VarlosZ]

@terentii

Frankly, I’ll take them over feminine hygiene products any day.

I don’t know about that. I mean, in theory, sure, it could be squicky, but those ads are always so oblique and filled with euphemism that they just fade into the background. It’s not as if they’re being direct and literal:

[A professional-looking 30-something woman walks briskly through an office, holding papers and conferring with a co-worker.]
WOMAN (voiceover): I’m a girl on the go! So, when I’m expelling blood and tissue from my vagina, letting it pool around my ankles is not an option. That’s why I trust: AbsorboPads!

Etc.

[butterfiles]

I find most commercials annoying but especially the medical ones & the dating ones, which is why I usually hit mute or change the channel for a couple of minutes. Or avoid altogether & watch a dvd.

[susan]

[A professional-looking 30-something woman walks briskly through an office, holding papers and conferring with a co-worker.]
WOMAN (voiceover): I’m a girl on the go! So, when I’m expelling blood and tissue from my vagina, letting it pool around my ankles is not an option. That’s why I trust: AbsorboPads!

Blood pooling around the ankles is A-OK in today’s pragmatic business environment, but a tattoo of a butterfly on your ankle is definitely unprofessional.

[7e42]

@butterfiles

I find most commercials annoying but especially the medical ones & the dating ones, which is why I usually hit mute or change the channel for a couple of minutes. Or avoid altogether & watch a dvd.

give me a dating commercial any day of the week over a cancer commercial