# Most ill-conceived ad campaigns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872 "2009-08-18T19:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/141 "2009-08-21T12:58:59Z")
**Mr. Miskatonic** The shakey guy is definitely more creepy than the new King. The Magical Burger King is pretty much like the King without the crazy badass budget and a real actor. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/142 "2009-08-21T12:59:50Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Well the tore out the ones around here, and they tore down the ones I was used to seeing in New Mexico. So clearly they are tearing them down. > > They’ve been tearing them down across the country, whether or not the hypodermic thing is an urban legend or not, they’ve been tearing them down. Not here. Maybe it’s a regional thing. Within 20 miles of my house, there are four or five McDonald’s with a playland. They’re all still there, no plans to tear any of them down as far as I can tell. Saw plenty on our last driving trip throughout West Virginia, Virginia, and the Carolinas, too. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/143 "2009-08-21T13:08:38Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > The latest one is really retrograde: a woman at poolside with a friend declines to go swimming because she was irregular this morning. WTF? This is like those old tampon commercials where women “discovered” that they could ride horses, go swimming, etc when on their periods. Maybe her pool has a sign like [this](http://joanharvest.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/diarrhea-story.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/144 "2009-08-21T13:09:03Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Well the tore out the ones around here, and they tore down the ones I was used to seeing in New Mexico. So clearly they are tearing them down. That is because there are no more children in New Mexico. Just old people wanting to get away from Winter. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/145 "2009-08-21T13:31:42Z")
I’m the only person I know who loves the King ads, I think they’re creepy AND hilarious. I still don’t eat at Burger King, though, but I’m not really their target audience, I rarely eat fast food in general, and when I do it’s never BK. I can see the power dynamics in the D&G ad, but I definitely didn’t jump to “gang rape”. Also, I’m sick of ads where the models look bored no matter what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/146 "2009-08-21T13:40:11Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > That is because there are no more children in New Mexico. Just old people wanting to get away from Winter. I think you are mistaking New Mexico with Arizona. New Mexican teenagers can’t get enough of breeding. I’ve got another kid on the way and a friend who went to the same Elementary school I did though a few years later made fun of me that I was popping them out Albuquerque style. 😉 We both live in New York now. I was told they were closing down ALL playlands, I guess I was mistaken. Maybe it’s mainly in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/147 "2009-08-21T14:15:07Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I loathe what I call the “Jamie Lee Curtis Poop Yogurt” commercials, where she counsels constipated women to eat Activia (?) and get the juices flowing again. At least they’re less annoying than the first(?) one with the parrot. [imitation parrot talk]Activia![/ipt] ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/148 "2009-08-21T14:24:53Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I loathe what I call the “Jamie Lee Curtis Poop Yogurt” commercials, where she counsels constipated women to eat Activia (?) and get the juices flowing again. > > The latest one is really retrograde: a woman at poolside with a friend declines to go swimming because she was irregular this morning. WTF? This is like those old tampon commercials where women “discovered” that they could ride horses, go swimming, etc when on their periods. [SNL parody of these commercials.](http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/activia-yogurt/239693/) ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/149 "2009-08-21T14:52:45Z")
Jack Link’s jerky commercials. They are supposed to indicate that eating their product make you bold enough to mess with a sasquatch. But they really say is that eating beef jerky makes you stupid enough to mess with a sasquatch. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/150 "2009-08-21T15:01:41Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > So on another line of thought, I thought Progressive’s present ad campaign was going to be mega-creepy with the first ad. But when they expanded it it turned out much better, I suspect because they let the woman playing the retail clerk role actually look & act somewhat more human, albeit a ditzy human. Don’t you dare diss my Flo! :mad::mad::mad: ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/151 "2009-08-21T15:06:54Z")
> [@Mogle](#): > > That’s pretty much what I see too, the song is essentially a love song containing a lot of weather references, but apparently some people think that it(the ad, not the song itself) belongs in a horror movie or something. One newspaper claims that 100’000 people have joined a facebook group called ‘I’m afraid of the woman in the Apoliva ad’. That woman looks like a zombie! Or maybe Marilyn Manson. Either way, not good. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/152 "2009-08-21T15:08:32Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Don’t you dare diss my Flo! :mad::mad::mad: Why? Is she your aunt or somthing? ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/153 "2009-08-21T15:32:55Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > The Magical Burger King: in some ways more creepy than the present ‘King’. The thread seems to be skewing towards my old employer, but I agree. When I was a kid the “Magical Burger King” was a very creepy figure to me and there was no way in hell I would ever sit down with this guy. His powers were very lame and creepy as well, he twists his ring, wow he twists his ring!! I mean really it’s like a pedophile telling a kid to twist a body part, “hey kid twist my ring”. No Way! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/154 "2009-08-21T16:18:20Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I loathe what I call the “Jamie Lee Curtis Poop Yogurt” commercials, where she counsels constipated women to eat Activia (?) and get the juices flowing again. > > The latest one is really retrograde: a woman at poolside with a friend declines to go swimming because she was irregular this morning. WTF? This is like those old tampon commercials where women “discovered” that they could ride horses, go swimming, etc when on their periods. I interpreted this one to mean that the woman is actually gassy and she knows if she goes in the pool the bubbles will give her away. Re: the Charmin bears, I like to call them the Poopinstain Bears. ---
**Author:** ![deball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@deball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deball)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/155 "2009-08-21T17:00:20Z")
Six Flags creepy dancing old guy. You really want Junior from the Sopranos as a amusement park mascot? Will. never. bring. my. kids. there. [http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912454,00.html](http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912454,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/156 "2009-08-21T17:00:25Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Not here. Maybe it’s a regional thing. Within 20 miles of my house, there are four or five McDonald’s with a playland. They’re all still there, no plans to tear any of them down as far as I can tell. Saw plenty on our last driving trip throughout West Virginia, Virginia, and the Carolinas, too. In my neighborhood (NW Austin, Texas) there are two McDonald’s with robust-looking playlands. Not that I would ever let my kid play there, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/157 "2009-08-21T17:04:36Z")
> [@deball](#): > > Six Flags creepy dancing old guy. > > You really want Junior from the Sopranos as a amusement park mascot? Ugh, I HATE him. I mean, I do love Uncle Junior but he’s not a good mascot. He’s just not. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/158 "2009-08-21T17:09:27Z")
> [@deball](#): > > Six Flags creepy dancing old guy. [This is what replaced him.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZBkZmCbb8) What is that? The love-child of Billy Mays and some Vietnamese hooker? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/159 "2009-08-21T17:21:30Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [This is what replaced him.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZBkZmCbb8) What is that? The love-child of Billy Mays and some Vietnamese hooker? I believe that he replaced Creepy Dancing Old Guy for 2008, but Creepy Dancing Old Guy returned in 2009. They kept the same basic format (“One flag! Six flags!”), but just replaced Asian Billy Mays with CDOG. Either way, weird ads. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/160 "2009-08-21T17:24:15Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [This is what replaced him.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZBkZmCbb8) What is that? The love-child of Billy Mays and some Vietnamese hooker? They’ve been showing similar commercials here (with the flags) but with the old man still. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872.md?page=9)