# Really stupid things that annoy you in commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961 "2012-01-19T00:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/61 "2012-01-20T03:06:29Z")
Those Temperpedic mattress commercial where a bunch of random fucks pop up to say “Ask me!” “Ask me why I love my mattress!” “Ask me why I never wake my wife!” “Ask me why I never have an ache or pain!” “Ask me!” :mad: Uggghh ask me why I haven’t changed the channel yet! **Ask me!!** ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/62 "2012-01-20T03:57:30Z")
Pigs squealing. Babies talking. And the online postage stamp commercial, when the lady says “Can you print only stamps? No…” I don’t even know what she means. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/63 "2012-01-20T04:57:17Z")
Alarm clocks. Particularly when they don’t get turned off RIGHTTHEFUCKNOW. There’s one ad for…fuck, I don’t even remember, I THINK it’s Vitamin Water…where the guy’s alarm goes off, he gets out of bed, and DOESN’T TURN OFF THE FUCKING ALARM. Made me want to throw the remote at the TV. And I, too, hate the “useless husband” trope. Gentlemen, if you made the mess, you clean it up. I’d say “I’m your girlfriend, not your mother,” but frankly you shouldn’t even be making your mother pick up after you. You’re not an infant. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/64 "2012-01-20T14:46:13Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > And I, too, hate the “useless husband” trope. Gentlemen, if you made the mess, you clean it up. I’d say “I’m your girlfriend, not your mother,” but frankly you shouldn’t even be making your mother pick up after you. You’re not an infant. “My stupid husband wants to use _three paper towels_ on this spill, but I know it’s a one-sheeter.” If that was my wife I’d be hesitant to clean up after myself too. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/65 "2012-01-20T15:01:30Z")
Stick insects obviously starving to death, eyeballing a piece of cake, but staying strong and wolfing down a tiny cup of yogurt full of artificial sweetener. There used to be a Yoplait commercial where they went “this is SO SO GOOD”. One of them looked like a concentration camp survivor, drooling over her cup of goo. I suppose there’s really no place else to go when advertising yogurt, but it’s annoying that ‘yogurt is going to keep you a size 0 if you just have the willpower to bypass real food’. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/66 "2012-01-20T15:12:41Z")
> [@Tess](#): > > Any commercial that suggests using their product means I’ll have to constantly justify my choice to co-workers and strangers with no sense of boundaries. > > I don’t want to eat anything that prompts fellow office workers to snidely remark, “Guess _soomebody_ isn’t sticking to her diet,” til I explain it’s low-fat. I don’t want to be blocked by strangers demanding I explain why I’m driving a particular car. Which reminds me – the car insurance (?) ad where if you save money with us, you’ll feel so rich you’ll think you can buy the crown jewels! Yay! I want to live in a fog of financial delusion! That’s never gotten anyone in trouble. Bonus points for the portrayal of the oblivious entitled American abroad. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/67 "2012-01-20T15:23:55Z")
Yeah, that was really weird. She kept asking the security guard how much they wanted for the crown jewels. He said, “They aren’t for sale” and she haughtily replies, “I want them, how much?” Is that the one? Here is what is notable about this. We both remember that dang ad. Bet you a bunch of other folks do as well. But, here is the hard thing about advertising; tagging the ‘fluff’ to the company or the company’s image. The key question is of those who remember this ad also remember what company was paying for the ad. Because, after all, is the whole reason for this ad. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/68 "2012-01-20T15:42:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Here is what is notable about this. > We both remember that dang ad. > Bet you a bunch of other folks do as well. > But, here is the hard thing about advertising; tagging the ‘fluff’ to the company or the company’s image. > > The key question is of those who remember this ad also remember what company was paying for the ad. Because, after all, is the whole reason for this ad. Yeah, I find a lot of people can’t remember who a particular car insurance ad is for except in a few specific cases (like those cartoon secret agent e-surance ads a few years ago or the stupid gecko (or even stupider caveman) ads for Geico.) It seems like the various companies would try harder to to distinguish themselves, but most seem content to run ads that simply say “When something bad happens, you’ll be glad to have us”, show their logo and be done. As much as I hate Geico’s advertising strategy, at least I know who they are. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/69 "2012-01-20T15:46:37Z")
Not super annoying, but there’s a Kindle Fire commercial that shows a very attractive woman walking up to her brownstone home on some busy city street and smiling to see an Amazon package leaning against the door. So she sits down on the stoop and opens up her new Kindle – the Kindle that would actually have long ago disappeared if it had spent the afternoon leaning against a door in pretty much any city neighborhood. Maybe I have a jaundiced opinion of mankind, but I find it more likely that trucks could snowboard than that package staying put for an entire afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/70 "2012-01-20T16:37:12Z")
I can imagine it were my yard/front stoop, but I have a privacy fence. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/71 "2012-01-20T16:52:53Z")
Another reason I’m glad to live in the middle of nowhere. Not long after we moved here, my wife freaked out a little because while she was in the shower, she heard the front door open and close. It turned out it was just the local UPS driver leaving a package in the entryway, because it was snowy out. Things happen a little differently out here. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/72 "2012-01-20T17:10:41Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > So she sits down on the stoop and opens up her new Kindle – the Kindle that would actually have long ago disappeared if it had spent the afternoon leaning against a door in pretty much any city neighborhood. Maybe I have a jaundiced opinion of mankind, but I find it more likely that trucks could snowboard than that package staying put for an entire afternoon. I have had hundreds of packages left on my front porch and never had anything stolen. That includes desktop computers and 42 inch LCD TVs. Maybe the 20 feet from the street to my front porch in a huge psychological barrier. I live in Orlando, so it isn’t exactly rural. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/73 "2012-01-20T20:12:19Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Ads for newly released movies that go to convoluted lengths to describe the movie with _some_ superlative: “The #1 family comedy in the country!” Because on its opening weekend the latest Chipmunk movie out-earned any other PG-rated comedies for that one week, but still only came in 5th at the box office. But they are making a distinction important for the potential customers. If you’re trying to pick a movie to take your kids to, you’re not concerned about how “BloodBath 27” or “Watch Random Strangers have Sexual Hookups till they find Love” or whatever are doing. However, you might be interested that “Arthur Christmas” is funny and tolerable but that movie about the talking frogs\* was abysmal. For me, anything with talking babies (especially talking like adults about adult topics) baby bottoms self-entitled loud-mouthed jackasses Current ad for Coke Zero. Guy has a series of vignettes where somebody offers him something, he pronounces with a strong douche flavoring, “and…?”, which leads to him getting something else included. Reality: “$47.52 for an ice cream cone? What the hell?” “Well, the kid kept asking for more toppings, so I kept adding things on until he shut up. I ran out of different items, so he actually got two rounds of crushed walnuts and 3 rounds of sprinkles, but I don’t care, _you’re_ paying for it.” Mom buys cone, then throws it in trash. Girl says “That’s a nice shirt.” “And…?” She kicks him in the nuts. * * * \*I had a specific example my sister mentioned, but can’t remember now. I don’t think it was about talking frogs. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/74 "2012-01-20T20:47:13Z")
Gosh, I haven’t seen the ice cream cone ad, but now I’m hungry. heh heh heh ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/75 "2012-01-20T20:58:42Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Which reminds me – the car insurance (?) ad where if you save money with us, you’ll feel so rich you’ll think you can buy the crown jewels! Yay! I want to live in a fog of financial delusion! That’s never gotten anyone in trouble. Bonus points for the portrayal of the oblivious entitled American abroad. I hate that I know so much about commercials, but that’s actually for Straight Talk prepaid cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/76 "2012-01-20T21:00:46Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > I hate that I know so much about commercials, but that’s actually for Straight Talk prepaid cell phones. Wow, you are right. Extraordinary. I thought it was for ‘Progressive’ or ‘State Farm’. I guess the ad failed, didn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/77 "2012-01-20T21:02:31Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Not super annoying, but there’s a Kindle Fire commercial that shows a very attractive woman walking up to her brownstone home on some busy city street and smiling to see an Amazon package leaning against the door. So she sits down on the stoop and opens up her new Kindle – the Kindle that would actually have long ago disappeared if it had spent the afternoon leaning against a door in pretty much any city neighborhood. Maybe I have a jaundiced opinion of mankind, but I find it more likely that trucks could snowboard than that package staying put for an entire afternoon. My problem with that one is that she is able to use it right away, don’t they usually have to be charged up for quite awhile the first time before you can use it? ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/78 "2012-01-20T21:07:11Z")
Any ad or infomercial that tries to make some simple, everyday task look _really impossible_ until you use thier gizmo. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/79 "2012-01-20T22:09:54Z")
“As a diabetic, I’m told I need to control my weight, but those other guys’ shakes aren’t made for diabetics.” So? There are plenty of approaches that don’t use shakes. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/80 "2012-01-20T22:18:41Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > …to the tune of the traditional can-can song. “The Infernal Galop” from Offenbach’s _Orpheus In The Underworld._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961.md?page=5)