# Most pointless commercial you've seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 19, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097 "2018-02-19T03:21:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/21 "2018-02-20T03:23:37Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Ads for stuff like chemotherapy drugs. Yeah, if I had cancer, I’m really gonna insist on advising my doctor on what chemo drugs to give me. And if I found out that my doctor was giving me chemo drugs based on a TV ad he or she saw, I’d look for another doctor. > > All those commercials do is jack up the price. I came here to say “prescription drug advertising to laypeople”. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/22 "2018-02-20T05:39:38Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > Ads for hospitals. Unless it’s an emergency my insurance dictates where I can go and be covered. > > And if it’s an emergency my first thought isn’t “hey! I saw a great commercial for the Robert Wood Johnson hospital! Let’s not go three miles to our local ER; let’s take a 30-mile drive to RWJ – I probably won’t bleed to death on the way.” > > Who is the target market for hospital ads? Our insurance plan (and it’s not unique) permits a choice of specialists who work out of one or more of the three major hospital systems in our area. So if we were convinced that Daghestan Memorial had the very best pituitary surgeons in the entire metroplex, we could seek out the doc(s) who operate there. What’s moronic are the generic ads saying that Hooterville University Hospital _cares_ more than the other guys (actual slogan of one such place - “There is no routine cancer”). Yeah, everybody else slaps a number on your hospital gown and feeds you into the Generic Therapy Processor. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/23 "2018-02-20T13:47:33Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > Who is the target market for hospital ads? Hospitals advertise (in part) as a PR move to look good so that doctors looking for employment will consider them. My gf works in advertising and we discussed this recently. They were doing ads for coal mining. Who the hell buys coal? She told me that some mines have a hard time finding workers. Advertising is geared toward making the industry appear positive for these potential employees. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/24 "2018-02-20T15:19:30Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Places where two hospitals are so close that their parking lots or extra clinic building may seem to be for either one. Like in my city of Topeka. > > When I lived in East Lansing Michigan for three years there were two hospitals really close to each other, Sparrow General and St. Lawrence. There are also people who live in places where the Robert Wood Johnson hospital may be 15 miles to the east and the Willie B. Alrite hospital 15 miles to the west. Also if it’s not an emergency people can be pickier about where to be treated. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/25 "2018-02-20T17:10:35Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Hospitals advertise (in part) as a PR move to look good so that doctors looking for employment will consider them. I only have one regional hospital to choose from and they advertise. I’m guessing the above is part of it, but I think they advertise more in hopes of donations. That’s my take-away I get when I’m sitting waiting for my movie to start and an ad for the hospital comes on. ---
**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 20, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/26 "2018-02-20T20:54:38Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > If I was ever inclined to buy GEICO insurance, the saturation of their advertisements would dissuade me. I’m guessing their whole marketing plan is built around being the answer to the shouted question “Quick! Name an insurance company” ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/27 "2018-02-20T21:12:43Z")
There was an ad I kept seeing awhile back and I could never figure out what it was for. There was a man driving with a woman. There was no dialogue. They arrive at what looks like a high-end rehab or research facility or something. She walks toward it with a duffel bag. He stares at a one of the windows. If you don’t know what they are advertising, what is the point? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097/28 "2018-02-20T21:58:20Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I like the Boeing ads. Next time I’m in the market for a jet airplane, I’m going to get me a Boeing. Airbus never advertises around here. Also, the companies behind my food, like Archer Daniels Midlands or Conagra. > [@wguy123](#): > > Yeah, I’m a fan of ads with dogs driving cars: I am when they stop at the bulldog car wash to get the bottom half of the car washed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-pointless-commercial-youve-seen/809097.md?page=1)