I think of this every time I see a commercial of John Walsh for OmegaXL. He talks about how the green-lipped mussel goo gives him the energy that he needs to exercise his polo ponies on his ranch. I always think of how few people in the audience are saying “This might help me exercise my polo ponies!”.
It depends on which part of your body you refer to as your “polo ponies”.
I know. Since the first time I saw that commercial, I thought, ‘How nice for you to have polo ponies. (Not just horses, but POLO PONIES!). I guess you became a shill for this stuff to support your lifestyle.’
A few years ago back, the British menswear retailer Charles Tyrwhitt ran a series of ads in the New York City Subway showing a snappily dressed male model next to the text:
See the chap next to you in the shabby shirt?
Would you tell him to visit us?
Of course, we have to mention the ad where Kendell Jenner solves civil unrest by giving the cops a Pepsi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJCcnkqnjqU
Ah, yes, back when millions of people were taking to the streets to protest the police not drinking enough Pepsi.
A few years back there was a remake of Death Wish starring Bruce Willis. When I saw my first ad for it, which wasn’t long after the school shootings in Parkland, and of course ongoing problems with law enforcment shoting people, I couldn’t believe someone decided to market a movie like that.
There’s the infamous folgers incest commercial, but I’m not sure that counts as tone deaf or out of touch. I can’t remember what company it was but years ago there was that one house buying commercial where the realtor and wife team up and mock the husband who just wants to wait to make a decision, it makes them look horrible.
Those radio ads for PureTalk cellular service. Mentioning how most Americans want a cellular company that “stands for something”. They do? I don’t think that was ever a considering factor when I chose a carrier. Is it for anyone? Anyone?
Was he able to afford polo ponies before or after Adam was murdered?
Wait, I’m sorry. m_rd_red.
I haven’t seen that commercial, so I Googled. Yes, he really talks about the polo ponies on his ranch.
Is this the company that boasts that it is not “Woke AT&T”, but uses the AT&T network itself?
I guess they didn’t have complete control over who their ads reached, but it was always odd to hear one of those “Farmers Only Dating” radio ads in an urban area.
Well I’d guess it would be even harder for farmers to find other farmers there. Can’t just look for the farm, like you normally can.
As to polo ponies, etc.
It’s amazing how many Americans consider that they too deserve fatcat status, and even more, will have it pretty soon. Just as soon as they start emulating the behaviors of other fatcats. The thought process is
Ohh, look that guy is eating mussel goo and is rich. I better follow his advice. After all, rich people are smarter and better than I am … now. But as soon as I’m rich too, I’ll be better like them. And mussel goo will make that happen.
Sounds far too dumb to be real, but that’s a lot of what goes on in a lot of heads, just not quite in sharp verbalized form. It’s pure emotion.
I hate hate HATE the GMC “one for you, one for me” ad where the husband buys trucks for him and his wife. They still bring it out at Christmas 5 years later.
It has so much wrong - the idea that it’s nothing to run out and buy two $50-70K cars, the male-centric view that the husband controls the budget and doesn’t need to consult with his wife, the stereotype that of course the big black truck is for the man and the red SUV is for the woman. He doesn’t know what his wife likes? Did he even think of asking her?
this is an old one but I always thought it was unintentionally hilarious. Buick NCAA March Madness Event TV Spot, 'Nosy Neighbors' - iSpot the wife clearly could care less about the car and only wants to bang Mr. Garcia and her beta husband can only stare at her in disbelief
On the “tone-deaf” side, there was a commercial where a suburban couple are enjoying Sabra hummus on their front porch and commenting that “it’s like our own little Mediterranean vacation!”…when the bay window next to them suddenly shatters outward in an explosion of glass shards. “Sabra - you’ll swear you’re really in Israel!” 
…ok, it’s actually one of their son’s friends throwing a bowling ball through the window, alerting them to the wild teen party that was taking place inside the whole time (“Dude, I thought your parents were in the Mediterranean!”). But there’s just enough time before that reveal for viewers to draw the wrong conclusion.
There’s a crappy mobile game ad Duolingo keeps playing here; it starts with a couple at the beach, with the guy excitedly suggesting going surfing, only to be told that nah, she’s going to sit there and play this game all day, followed by a dismal pitch about how fun the game is.
I assume it’s supposed to be suggesting that this game is more fun than surfing, but it honestly could work fine for a therapist, or possibly a divorce lawyer.
I think the first holiday ad featuring someone purchasing a vehicle as a surprise Christmas gift for their spouse was Lexus. Those commercials were bad enough all those years ago, but who in their right mind thinks it’s a good commercial in the last few years with so many people struggling economically.
SNL had a decent parody of these commercials a few years back. When a husband surprises his wife with an SUV for Christmas she goes on a tirade about how they’re already in debt up to the eyeballs, he also bought ridiculous gifts for the kids, he doesn’t have a job, and just how financially irresponsible he is in general.