Most condescending TV commercial?

Cafe Society
1

There is a commercial for Fidelity Investments that has been getting lots of airtime for the last few months here. I guess it’s aimed at younger millennials. It shows hipsters looking confused at complicated terms like growth and algorithm. And it shows fifty years of smarmy suits typing stuff into computers and looking at graphs.

I can’t recall a more condescending effort which aims at the lowest common denominator. I’m sure some of this is meant to be ironic but it just doesn’t work. However, I’m sure there are much worse examples. Which commercial is the most condescending of all time?

2

I nominate the current Letgo campaign. Yeah, we get it, you’re satirizing the cryptocurrency phenomenon.

3

The ones were people try to barter ridiculous items at restaurants and such? I don’t really see how that’s supposed to be condescending, or a satire of crypto.

4

The one with the lawn mower: “Stuff for money? Weird.” Condescending, IMO.

Other commercials have the employee react as if the customer is trying to use their item as currency.

5

Never seen the commercial until now, but don’t get the crypto connection or condescension, either.

6

The Truth anti-smoking commercials. I’ve never been a smoker, so I’m not personally offended, they’re just so smug.

7

Any commercial for old people’s life insurance.

Actually, pretty much any commercial targeted at old people.

8

“My wife: I think I’ll keep her.” Condescending only to one gender, admittedly, though the other gender comes off pretty badly, too:

9

I was thinking of that one with Alex Trebek, who is about as condescending as you can get.

10

The one where he says “A price you can afford” and “A price that fits your budget” as two separate points? Definitely.

Also, all “I’m too old to understand how to use a smartphone/computer” etc. ones.

11

Infomercials. Especially the “before” demonstrations that always feature the most inept people to have ever lived, often accompanied with a voiceover asking, “Has this ever happened to you?” If you honestly answer “yes” to that question, you’ve probably got much bigger problems than whatever gadget they’re selling can fix.

12

Rocket Mortgage, where the guy is the perfect example of “mansplaining” .

13

Yeah, those tend to show people in their 60s. People who should have already been using computers for a couple of decades even if they weren’t extremely early adopters.

14

That is right up there with the Jeff Goldblum one where he explains how to use the internet to find an apartment.

15

Yes, but at least he’s charming while doing so.

16

Any commercial with a suburban dad.

17

I’m in my 60s, and my reaction to them is “you ever taught operating systems, putz?”

18

Yeah, anything where dumb ol’ Dad fucks up the laundry or the cooking. Then Mom smiles, shakes her head, and does her best imitation of Wilma Flintstone.

19

Any commercial where a woman says “It’s so easy, a man could do it. Tee-hee!” Or variations thereof.

20

I’ve come to the conclusion that if you think a commercial is condescending/stupid/etc, then you aren’t the target audience.