# Most condescending TV commercial? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 4, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975 "2019-02-04T23:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/21 "2019-02-06T15:57:21Z")
The perfume ad where Natalie Portman says “And you? What would you do for love, asshole?” Okay, maybe I imagined that last part. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/22 "2019-02-06T16:21:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Any commercial where a woman says “It’s so easy, a man could do it. Tee-hee!” Or variations thereof. Not exactly “so easy a man could do it”, but still in a “woman are smarter than men” vein. There is a classic commercial from the 70s where a laundry owner playfully won’t tell his customer how he cleans their clothes. He just says “Ancient Chinese Secret!” Then his wife has to get all smarmy and give away that they use X brand soap. Way to tell customers not to use your business and just go use X brand soap, Karen. Good luck with your next business since your holier than thou attitude is affecting the profits on this family business. ---
**Author:** ![Trafalgar\_Laura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trafalgar_laura/32/2907_2.png) [@Trafalgar\_Laura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trafalgar_Laura)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/23 "2019-02-06T16:43:07Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Infomercials. Especially the “before” demonstrations that always feature [the most inept people to have ever lived](https://imgur.com/gallery/YET5a), 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. This was what first came to mind for me. “Oh no! Draining spaghetti is totally _impossible!_ Argh!” Cue pasta and hot water everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/24 "2019-02-06T16:59:16Z")
The English major in me hates the one with Keegan-Michael Key “translating” Shakespeare to a woman in the theater. I also hate the one with Keegan-Michael Key explaining to a woman in a salon what the stylist just said he’s going to do to her. I guess I don’t like Keegan-Michael Key mansplaining. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/25 "2019-02-06T17:55:16Z")
I’ll keep with my current hatred of the fios kid. Condescending doesn’t begin to describe that asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/26 "2019-02-06T17:56:15Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I’ve come to the conclusion that if you think a commercial is condescending/stupid/etc, then you aren’t the target audience. Not necessarily. I’m old but I know how insurance works and I have a smart phone. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/27 "2019-02-06T18:29:49Z")
The one for Amazon Echo (I think) where the wife leaves messages on it all day reminding the husband how to take care of his own baby. Because, you know, men are so inept that otherwise he’d be putting the baby in the microwave or something. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/28 "2019-02-06T18:35:34Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Not necessarily. I’m old but I know how insurance works and I have a smart phone. Exactly. I would assume that the advertisement is for people that don’t want to get insurance because it sounds complicated and scary. If you know how insurance works and have a smart phone, then you probably have already chosen your insurance and have a policy. You are not the prime audience. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/29 "2019-02-06T18:36:59Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > Because, you know, men are so inept that otherwise he’d be putting the baby in the microwave or something. Foodies like to knock people for cooking using microwaves, but the convenience factor is undeniable. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/30 "2019-02-06T18:43:14Z")
Might not fit the criteria, but I despised the “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” ads from a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/31 "2019-02-06T18:55:09Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > The Truth anti-smoking commercials. I’ve never been a smoker, so I’m not personally offended, they’re just so smug. The old Truth commercial where the drive up to Phillip Morris corporate headquarters and ask to see the Marlboro Man bugged me on so many levels that I don’t really have any sympathy for them even if they are right. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/32 "2019-02-06T19:48:31Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Infomercials. Especially the “before” demonstrations that always feature [the most inept people to have ever lived](https://imgur.com/gallery/YET5a), 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. You might like [Where did the soda go?](https://www.reddit.com/r/wheredidthesodago/) > [@furryman](#): > > The old Truth commercial where the drive up to Phillip Morris corporate headquarters and ask to see the Marlboro Man bugged me on so many levels that I don’t really have any sympathy for them even if they are right. After I posted it I saw the first one in a long time. There’s 2, always one after the other. It the first one the explain that 1 Juul pod has the equivalent nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Two problems: I don’t have any context for how much a Juul pod contains, and second, while nicotine is not necessarily good for you, it’s not nearly to worst part about smoking. The second commercial has foghorns interrupting a puppet trying to sell vaping. I’m not sure what the point is, censorship is good? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/33 "2019-02-06T21:32:54Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > Not exactly “so easy a man could do it”, but still in a “woman are smarter than men” vein. There is a classic commercial from the 70s where a laundry owner playfully won’t tell his customer how he cleans their clothes. He just says > “Ancient Chinese Secret!” > Then his wife has to get all smarmy and give away that they use X brand soap. Way to tell customers not to use your business and just go use X brand soap, Karen. Good luck with your next business since your holier than thou attitude is affecting the profits on this family business. Wife: We need more Calgon! Customer: Ancient Chinese secret, huh? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/34 "2019-02-06T21:42:18Z")
heres our long running thread which all this gets covered [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829826&page=16&highlight=commericals](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829826&page=16&highlight=commericals) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/35 "2019-02-06T21:57:00Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Foodies like to knock people for cooking using microwaves, but the convenience factor is undeniable. Yeah, but so is “put the wrong kind of food in there and fuck it up” factor. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/36 "2019-02-06T22:21:01Z")
Those AAA car insurance commercials (do you guys get them outside of California?) where a woman says “In this economy you need to save every dollar you can get” but the problem is that the commercial has been airing since at least 2008 and we’ve had like 5 different “economies” since then. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/37 "2019-02-06T22:48:44Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Those AAA car insurance commercials (do you guys get them outside of California?) where a woman says “In this economy you need to save every dollar you can get” but the problem is that the commercial has been airing since at least 2008 and we’ve had like 5 different “economies” since then. AAA is a alliance of regional automobile associations, and the 2 halves of California are different markets. I don’t remember seeing it but if you’re in SoCal that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/38 "2019-02-06T22:59:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > You might like [Where did the soda go?](https://www.reddit.com/r/wheredidthesodago/) That’s hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/39 "2019-02-07T14:17:22Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > Because, you know, men are so inept that otherwise he’d be putting the baby in the microwave or something. > [@Hermitian](#): > > Foodies like to knock people for cooking using microwaves, but the convenience factor is undeniable. > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yeah, but so is “put the wrong kind of food in there and fuck it up” factor. Umm hmm, my human infant always comes out chewy when I don’t slow roast it. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975/40 "2019-02-07T18:24:30Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > You might like [Where did the soda go?](https://www.reddit.com/r/wheredidthesodago/) > > After I posted it I saw the first one in a long time. There’s 2, always one after the other. It the first one the explain that 1 Juul pod has the equivalent nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Two problems: I don’t have any context for how much a Juul pod contains, and second, while nicotine is not necessarily good for you, it’s not nearly to worst part about smoking. > > The second commercial has foghorns interrupting a puppet trying to sell vaping. I’m not sure what the point is, censorship is good? If teens won’t listen to adults maybe they’ll listen to muppets? The commercial with the foghorn reminds me of the parody game shows they sometimes feature in animes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-condescending-tv-commercial/828975.md?page=3)