I received the following e-mail recently:
My response (sent only to my friends):
I can’t believe that people want to pull an advertisement because its “message” (which is really just to use Lycos, but that’s another story) offends them. It seems to me that the proper reaction is to simply not use/buy/support the product promoted by the offensive commercial. But, then again, maybe that’s just me.
P.S. I thought the Lycos commercial was pretty funny.
Yep. That’s why TV sucks. All the good commercials get banned. I recall something about a Starburst ad where someone dropped one in a puddle of antifreeze and said something to the effect of “Starburst comes in ethylene glycol flavor” or something like that. It may not have been Starburst, but that was the general theme of the commercial. Anyway, it got pulled because too many people complained that kids would start eating ethylene glycol or something. Morons, I tell you. I like most of the internet based commercials. They seem to have a running thread of sarcasm through them. That commercial sound hilarious.
Actually, my husband and I were actually thrown out of my mother’s house a couple of weeks ago when a small conversation about how that Nike commercial with the chainsaw killer has caused so much undeserved controversy exploded into a massive censorship vs. freedom fight.
Yes, my mother, the woman who gave birth to someone as brilliant and grounded as myself (no comment from the peanut gallery), actually sat at the kitchen table, looked me right in the eye and in all seriousness told me that the sole message from the Nike commercial was that all women have to do to escape from potential abusers and murderers is buy Nikes.
She said it is wrong because it gives women a false sense of confidence because we all know that shoes don’t make a damn bit of difference when it comes to a man beating or killing his wife/girlfriend.
The woman, a rather successful, seemingly normal woman, is outraged that that commercial can exist because it shows men that victimizing women is easy so long as they don’t have the right shoes.
I know, it’s very sad and I am currently looking for the proof that I was adopted.
I interpreted this commercial as a suggestion to all chainsaw killers that they get off their lazy psychopathic asses and into the gym for some step aerobics and free weights so that they won’t be outfoxed if they happen to break into the home of an Olympic runner.
So I signed up at Gold’s Gym!
I’m sure my mother would be offended by this idea also!
Thankfully, many of the really funny commercials that never make it on network TV end up on AdCritic.com. Man, I love that site.
BTW, many of my bestest friends work at Lycos and I can personally vouch for them. They are not evil.
I saw the chainsaw ad. I am about as sensitive as can be about TV or movies portraying abuses against women. (Nothing makes me turn a movie off faster then a graphic rape or beating scene.)
I thought the chainsaw ad was hilarious! Very effective. Very obviously a spoof of horror movies. If it had looked at ALL real or scary, maybe it would have been different, but come on! When was the last time you read about someone being stalked and chased by a chainsaw weilding freak? Um, never for me.
The Lycos one also sounds funny. Have people lost all sense of perspective? Is NOTHING allowed to be funny anymore?
Zette
ever wonder how chainsaw manufacturers feel about their product being the dismembering device of choice by 4 out of 5 psychopathic killers?
Yeah, my chainsaw is electric and I’d have to carry and extension cord with me. And I could only chase someone 100 feet. It’s just not worth it.
Jim
“Our fine Splatter-matic chainsaw is guaran-TEED to start the first time you pull the cord for all of your psychopathic needs!”
I was personally offended by the Lycos commercial with the fake Scotsman wearing a lightweight cotton “kilt”, no sporran, and crew-length athletic socks, while abusing a set of bagpipes.
My kilt-wearing buddy agrees with me, but his wife and mine thought it was funny. <sigh>
BTW - while we’re on the subject of advertising, has anyone else noticed that AT&T’s corporate logo is the Imperial Death Star? Go to their website and check it out!
Hey, was anybody offended by the old Outpost.com commercials? I was. They clearly advocated the dismemberment of band members and the batterment of gerbils. We should take their asses to the Supreme Court.
And what’s up with all these funky new adds? “Vote Gore”? They’re clearly saying that people should be as violent and gory as possible. Sue 'em!
Oops… “ads”, not “adds”…
[Barney]
Two plus two is four… Two plus two is four… Two plus two is four…
[/Barney]
While there are extremists in every group (religious, political, philosophical, ethical, etc.) and often people are reactionary and overly sensitive, and while I don’t always agree with whatever evil of the month (or day) gets their panties in a bunch, I can at least respect the fact that there are people are willing to take a stand to defend or oppose something they think is right or wrong (respectively).
As far as the “get a life” and “too much time on their hands” mentalities, some people might say the same thing about people who spend hours and hours each week (day?) reading random items on a message board. But if that’s important to an individual–its what’s important, and they make room for it in their lives? Perhaps opposing something they believe is wrong and harmful is a valued part of their life. I know that fighting for my principles is an important part of mine.
For the record, I thought the Lycos ad sucked. If I were to decide to write someone about it, it would be Lycos ad team telling them it does nothing to generate interest in the product. I’ve done it before and no doubt will again.
Seems to me that sometimes people are so vehemently opposed the concept of being (or being expected to be) “PC” that they zealously rebel against it to the point of defending things that are in poor taste, mean-spirited and pointless (possibly even detrimental at times) feeling a need, perhaps even a duty, to poke fun at anyone remotely PC who stands in opposition.
Just MHO.