# More very hate-able commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663 "2015-04-14T17:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/201 "2015-04-25T20:20:38Z")
Why can’t it be set up to automatically reply that you’re driving and will check your text later? Seems to me it’s just an unnecessary distraction to have to hit a button. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/202 "2015-04-25T20:25:17Z")
The Allstate commercial with the woman whose voice is magically replaced by the spokesman’s voice whenever they want to emphasize something. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/203 "2015-04-25T20:36:04Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Why can’t it be set up to automatically reply that you’re driving and will check your text later? Seems to me it’s just an unnecessary distraction to have to hit a button. I think some do. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/204 "2015-04-25T21:37:15Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Why can’t it be set up to automatically reply that you’re driving and will check your text later? Seems to me it’s just an unnecessary distraction to have to hit a button. Why do we feel that if the other person doesn’t get an instant reply - its a bad thing? Especially if all the auto responder is going to do is say “i’ll respond later” - I remember the days when “being out of touch” was the norm. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/205 "2015-04-25T22:07:18Z")
\*\*simster \*\*- I’m with you there. I don’t text and except for my dentist, no one texts me. The only reason I carry a phone is for an emergency. Being out of touch can be a good thing, as far as I’m concerned. But I know I’m not the norm. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/206 "2015-04-25T22:10:04Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Why do we feel that if the other person doesn’t get an instant reply - its a bad thing? > > Especially if all the auto responder is going to do is say “i’ll respond later” - > > I remember the days when “being out of touch” was the norm. I know, right? To me, text messaging is for non-urgent things. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/207 "2015-04-25T22:29:41Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > I’m thinking this is a gender issue. I think the Wendy’s girl is sexy as hell. > [@Finagle](#): > > Not a gender thing. She’s certainly attractive, but she radiates “smug”. Way too annoying to be sexy. I’m willing to accept that any smugness is just acting. I’m gonna side with **Orwell** on this. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/208 "2015-04-25T22:44:31Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I know, right? To me, text messaging is for non-urgent things. See, for me texting is for both, but especially when I need to be interrupted because of an urgent situation. If my husband’s car breaks down on the way to picking up our daughter, I don’t want to read an email or have to listen to a voicemail. A text will get my attentionand I can act on it if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![txswimdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@txswimdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txswimdad)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/209 "2015-04-26T00:26:46Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > I’m thinking this is a gender issue. I think the Wendy’s girl is sexy as hell. > [@Finagle](#): > > Not a gender thing. She’s certainly attractive, but she radiates “smug”. Way too annoying to be sexy. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’m willing to accept that any smugness is just acting. I’m gonna side with **Orwell** on this. While the smug attitude of the current Wendy’s girl may be rather off-putting, she doesn’t come anywhere close to the blunder Wendy’s made with the commercials featuring Wendy Thomas. I have a hard time understanding how they thought those commercials were a good idea. I’m a bit surprised no one has yet mentioned the car commercials with the rats. They just make me want to throw heavy things at the TV. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/210 "2015-04-26T01:02:24Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > \*\*simster \*\*- I’m with you there. I don’t text and except for my dentist, no one texts me. The only reason I carry a phone is for an emergency. Being out of touch can be a good thing, as far as I’m concerned. But I know I’m not the norm. I just dont see the need or use for texting. Either it’s urgent- in which case call, or it contains data, in which case email. I mean, I get it- for a while many phones could get texts but not email. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/211 "2015-04-26T01:11:28Z")
> [@txswimdad](#): > > While the smug attitude of the current Wendy’s girl may be rather off-putting, she doesn’t come anywhere close to the blunder Wendy’s made with the commercials featuring Wendy Thomas. I have a hard time understanding how they thought those commercials were a good idea. Years ago [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) featured altered company logos made to be more honest. One of them featured the one from Wendy’s, you know, Wendy’s head, but instead of a cute little girl she was an obviously obese girl. When they started using Wendy Thomas I immediately thought of of that honest logo. ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/212 "2015-04-26T01:13:02Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > An auto parts chain is running a series of commercials that are designed to appeal to manly, manly men: > > ``` > Closeup of some mechanic's manly grease-covered hands doing something with a wrench, accompanied by a gravel-voiced narrator from a Viagra commercial. > > "Are the these the hands of a man who would use a (spits in disgust) *discount card*?" > > Apparently they aren't, because throwing a discount card in the console of your manly pickup isn't going to leave room for your shotgun and a case of Lone Star. Or something like that. > > ``` > > I’m not sure why this commercial irritates me so much except that it’s so _obviously_ pandering to the notion that only blue collar good old boys with lines of grease in their hands who earn their living by the sweat of their brow are Real Men. > > Which brings us to [this commercial:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJBRpylC9-Q) in which focus groups are asked whether the guy in front of the pickup truck is more manly (spoiler: the answer is “hell yeah”). Seriously? They might as well just run the commercial with a tag line “Your penis is too small, you should buy a truck.” Doesn’t matter if you don’t actually need to tow stuff or carry stuff – buy our [18mpg vehicle](http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-chevrolet-colorado-v-6-4x4-test-review) because you’ll look cooler in it than in a Toyota. My ‘favourite’ is the kid that says the truck driver would own a ‘german shepard dog’. Yeah that’s totally not scripted. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/213 "2015-04-26T01:28:56Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The Allstate commercial with the woman whose voice is magically replaced by the spokesman’s voice whenever they want to emphasize something. There’s a whole series of those ads with a whole variety of people, including kids, whose voices are replaced by Dennis Haysbert. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/214 "2015-04-26T01:30:20Z")
> [@txswimdad](#): > > I’m a bit surprised no one has yet mentioned the car commercials with the rats. They just make me want to throw heavy things at the TV. The hamsters in the Kia ads? Love them. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/215 "2015-04-26T02:40:09Z")
The creepy German/Austrian kid in the Toaster Strudel ads. I almost expect him to _heil hitler_ or some shit. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/216 "2015-04-26T21:30:56Z")
Just saw a Mercedes commercial with a race between a CGI tortoise and hare. The tagline: “It’s not a fairy tale.” Yeah, it’s not. That’s one of Aesop’s fables. Ignoramuses! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/217 "2015-04-26T21:45:36Z")
Do you seriously think that the people at Mercedes and their ad agency never heard of the fable? Of course they have. The “not a fairy tale” line is just that; a bit of advertising. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/218 "2015-04-26T22:09:44Z")
No, I think they either conflated Aesop’s fables with fairy tales out of laziness, or they have so little respect for their customers that they think no one will notice. Either case is demeaning. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/219 "2015-04-27T03:37:21Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Have you seen the Mr. Whipple with the squeezably soft Charmin bathroom tissue commercials: > [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=mr+whipple+charmin&search=Search](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mr+whipple+charmin&search=Search) I couldn’t stand that commercial, “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin”. It seemed like it was on TV forever also. It was certainly memorable, but not in a good way. I’ve bought every other brand, but never Charmin in all those decades. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663/220 "2015-04-27T03:54:35Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned this yet. I can handle the straight up (ha!) ED ads, but Viagra’s new commercials with various women in languorous poses speaking directly to YOU in a British or Aussie accent while trying (and failing) to look sexy drives me nuts. I can’t hit mute fast enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-very-hate-able-commercials/717663.md?page=12)