So I’m here at the auto dealership, half working, half surfing the Dope, and a cable ad catches my attention. Some schlub is at a school describing how he’s a cable installer, and this little kid says, “My mom says [insert contradiction of cable guy here].” And she does it twice.
I went from being completely uninterested in the ad to wanting to leap into the TV to smack this child. Then I realized that someone - actually, a lot of people - approved of this commercial before it saw the light of day. So there’s some sector of society that thinks viewers will laugh and say, “Hey, that kid’s right on,” and buy their product.
I’m hereby stating to all advertisers that smart-assed kids are not “cute” or “funny,” unless they are getting their come-uppance in your ad. Like if a bird shits in the mouth of the mop-haired kid in the Toyota minivan commercial when he’s whinging about how uncool his friend’s mom is.
Anybody else with me? Or are you one of “them” that finds mouthy brats alluring in ads?
“Mouthy” isn’t the same thing as precocious. The kid was apparently quoting his mother; “precocious” would be if he himself actually knew enough about cable installing to correctly contradict the installer.
And I find ads irritating just because they are ads, kids or no kids.
Bzzzzzzzt! Incorrect. Not sure if this was ever true but it definitely hasn’t been for some time. I think it might actually qualify as an urban legend. As one who has worked in advertising for the last fifteen years, believe you me this is the antithesis of a successful campaign.
No it didn’t. Are they just trying to get my attention, or sell me something?
There’s a commercial for pertussis here in Texas that has quick cuts of a kid hacking throughout. That’s effective, because it gets your attention and you get the message that pertussis is some bad shit. Awareness campaigns probably work well for this approach.
I can’t tell you what company put out the annoying kid ad, and I am certainly not compelled to buy their product because of it.
She was, but it was the tone she took with the adult, which struck me as inappropriate. As if they were peers, which ties into the definition of precocious - premature or advanced for one’s age. It would be annoying and borderline rude from a peer, but smackable from a third grader.
IMO, most ads are tolerable, or I ignore them. My college roommate was advertising major and has directed many national ad campaigns, so I think I can appreciate a good ad for what it is. I agree the ratio of bad, forgettable ads exceeds that of decent ones, though.
Add “All women are super-competent and right about everything” and we’ve got the trifecta!
I hit mute as soon as a commercial with irritating kids comes on - I’m fairly sure that isn’t what the advertisers are looking for.
ETA: I forgot the second part of the irritating kids - the parents throwing their hands up or smiling and saying things like, “What are you gonna do?” How about you do your job as a parent and rein in your kid?
Not even a decade ago my marketing professors were still trying to tell me this same theory – no press is bad press, no attention is bad attention. :rolleyes: I thought it was 3-year old child logic at best, complete bullshit at worst even then.
