# Negative advertising- shock us into buying? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857 "2005-06-11T15:00:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/21 "2005-06-12T16:35:56Z")
Meijer’s (kind of like a Target or Walmart chain in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio) had a great commercial that was sort-of negative: A guy tries to feed his young son (not a young baby, but still in a booster seat with the tray) some kind of vegetable; it was brussels sprouts, lima beans, broccoli, something like that (one of the stereotypical “ewwww!” vegetables). The bag is supposed to be a premium brand. The kid scrunches his face up and refuses to eat it. Quick cut. The guy again has that vegetable for the kid, but this time it’s the Meijer’s store brand. Instead of having the kid be happy to eat it, he still scrunches his face up and refuses. The tagline was something like, “They’ll still hate it, but at least you’ll pay a lot less!” ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/22 "2005-06-12T16:48:42Z")
There’s another listerine commercial where the guy is using it and his face is scrunched up in burning pain and the tagline is something like “You can stand it! Only 30 seconds! You can take it, bacteria can’t!” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/23 "2005-06-12T17:18:19Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > “With a name like Smucker’s, it HAS to be good.” > SNL did a great parody of this in the 70s - each cast member would come up with a more disgusting name. “With a name like ‘Painful Rectal Itch,’ you’ve gotta bet that it’s great jam.” ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/24 "2005-06-12T18:37:38Z")
> [@mstay](#): > > There’s another listerine commercial where the guy is using it and his face is scrunched up in burning pain and the tagline is something like “You can stand it! Only 30 seconds! You can take it, bacteria can’t!” I tried it. I couldn’t take it. What bugs me about that commercial is that I guess back in the old days when we only swished it around until our eyes watered a _little_ bit it wasn’t really doing any good. So now that I find out you have to torture yourself to do it right I figure, why bother? There’s a commercial for an adult happy meal from McDonalds where the guy is sad because he didn’t get a toy. All it does is make me think that if it doesn’t have a toy what’s so happy about it? It’s just a hamburger and fries, then, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/25 "2005-06-12T19:28:35Z")
It’s never really bothered me, but I know plenty of people have a reaction that goes beyond “Yuk!” straight into “Aiiiieeeeee!!!” when they see [Digger the Dermatophyte](http://www.commercialsihate.com/grabs/digger.jpg) pulling up that toetail. Warning: The above link shows Digger the Dermatophyte pulling up that toetail, so don’t click on it if you’re one of those folks. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/26 "2005-06-12T19:45:33Z")
> [@pokey](#): > > There’s a commercial for an adult happy meal from McDonalds where the guy is sad because he didn’t get a toy. All it does is make me think that if it doesn’t have a toy what’s so happy about it? It’s just a hamburger and fries, then, isn’t it? That ad’s for the Chicken Tenders, not the Happy Meal for Grownups (which came with a lottery ticket). I have NO idea why he would think they came with a toy, but… ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/27 "2005-06-12T20:13:41Z")
There was the rogaine commercials that had the guy admitting ‘I used Rogaine. And I didn’t see any difference. And that’s the idea. You keep the hair you have.’ Those fuckers purposely misadvertised their product in the past to make it seem like you got your hair back, didn’t they? :mad: Just like the Listerine guys who never told you to swish as long as you have to so you were just doing it for nothing. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/28 "2005-06-13T23:53:33Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > > [@Sternvogel](#): > > > > Buckley’s advertises its cough and cold medicine with the slogan It Tastes Awful. And It Works. > > That’s hilarious. I’d buy it! I’ll buy it too! I’ve been wondering if I could get it down here! Thanks for the link! I’ve been using it for years, and the slogan is right both ways. (Browse the site for the ingredients, or just think of mothballs dissolved in Pine-Sol.) ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/29 "2005-06-14T00:07:15Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > As far as the Las Vegas ad campaign, I just wish they’d add a little disclaimer to the effect that Vegas weddings are real weddings and you’ll still be married to that slimeball when you get back to Wisconsin. I saw a Saturday Night Live parody of this one, too. The tagline was “What happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand,” and it involved a dead prostitute. Very tasteless. Very funny. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/30 "2005-06-14T03:43:43Z")
I’ve linked to it before but I’ve always liked the ads for [Mountain Bars](https://www.brown-haley.com/mountain.cfm) (“They’re only ugly until you taste them.”) Too bad I can’t eat them. ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/31 "2005-06-14T04:14:39Z")
There’s some laundry detergent that has a commercial that goes like this: Stereotypical doofus husband is trying to do laundry. Stereotypical all-knowing wife comes along and tells him “Wait! You can’t use just one scoop of \_\_\_\_ detergent! You need to use two scoops!” Then the announcer comes on and confirms that, yes, it’s not effective if you just use one, you need to use _two scoops!_ This was not a commercial attacking a competing brand, they were actually telling people, in essence, that their product is completely ineffective. 😕😕😕 I was confused for a while after seeing that commercial, and I was convinced that I had somehow misinterpreted it. But I’ve seen the commercial once or twice since the first time I saw it, and that is indeed what the commercial is about. I can’t possibly imagine why they thought that would make me want to use the product. (Maybe their plan is to actually convince people to use more, and therefore buy more? Kind of like the [Alka Seltzer](http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/alka-seltzer.asp) strategy.) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/32 "2005-06-14T04:16:59Z")
As I remember, a few years ago, one of the “big four” networks had an ad for their new TV season, which had footage of a basketful of cute puppies. The announcer said that if people _didn’t_ watch their new shows, the network wouldn’t make enough money to take care of the puppies, and they’d have to be put…“well, you know.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/33 "2005-06-14T19:01:44Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > The announcer said that if people _didn’t_ watch their new shows, the network wouldn’t make enough money to take care of the puppies, and they’d have to be put…“well, you know.” In charge of new programming? ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/34 "2005-06-14T19:07:52Z")
Has anyone seen those commercials for that apparently new line of men’s products, Mitchum? The commercials are like, “DO you drop crumbs all over your shirt when you’re eating chips? And then, do you eat the crumbs? If so, you’re a Mitchum Man.” Those commercials really appeal to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/35 "2005-06-14T19:17:33Z")
Altoids. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/36 "2005-06-14T19:44:29Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > “With a name like ‘Painful Rectal Itch,’ you’ve gotta bet that it’s great jam.” “Ten thousand widows and orphans…” _pause_ “…eaten by rats.” Oh, and **Anastasaeon** , there was one for you: the commercial for “Oops, I Crapped my Pants”. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/37 "2005-06-15T05:47:26Z")
Oh, and was anyone inspired to buy Mentos based on their commercials? The only thing they made me want to do was kill Lincoln. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857/38 "2005-06-15T07:35:32Z")
There was a Swiffer ad with a vapid bimbo using it on her floors. I guess the message was, “So easy even this dumbass can figure it out.” Come to think of it, that seems to be a common theme in ads these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-advertising-shock-us-into-buying/307857.md?page=1)