# Things in dumb TV Commercials that make you go "huh?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735 "2005-12-15T16:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/81 "2005-12-18T22:48:42Z")
> [@Phnord Prephect](#): > > Uh… makes you sleep, is addictive… isn’t that the definition of A NARCOTIC? Wikipedia: In the U.S. legal context, narcotic refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semisynthetic or totally synthetic substitutes. I assumed there was some other chemical in Ambien that could be addictive, but they could also mean that you can get so used to just passing out that you can’t seem to do it on your own. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/82 "2005-12-18T23:13:02Z")
> [@Caractacus Pott](#): > > The other one shows, from the perspective of a convenience store security camera, a Coke routeman filling the fridge. He finishes then grabs a Pepsi out of the cooler. Hundreds of Pepsi’s fall off the shelves in a loud clatter, alerting everyone in the store of the Cokeman’s traitorous sip. Huh? Do I want to risk getting buried in Pepsi cans because they’re too cheap to buy sturdy shelves? But it’s OK. The falling cans sound like empties. You won’t get crushed but risk paying a buck for a can of air. I guess that commercial has two Huh?'s. You have no soul! That was a Super Bowl ad a few years ago and it was a big hit on those “big Super Bowl commerical” polls. I loved it. And if you noticed, the time stamp on the security camera was the same time as it actually was. Making you think it was live. And the way he still sadly reaches for the one remaining Pepsi after they’ve all hit the ground. Priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/83 "2005-12-19T00:23:05Z")
> [@](#): > > McDonald’s really needs another ad agency: a few years ago, they were growing concerned that they were being perceived as a kid’s place. They wanted something to appeal to adults, so they came up with a hamburger (the Big Extra, IIRC) that fit the bill. What on Earth made you think that the Arch Deluxe was supposed to be marketed to adults? Adults don’t care about something having a “grown-up taste”. It was marketed deliberately and from the get-go to children who want to be grown-up. As for not consuming alcohol on TV commercials, I think that’s an FCC regulation. I’ve seen a number of alcohol commercials which deliberately make fun of the rule: “Now, we’re not legally allowed to show anyone drinking on TV” _lights go out, come back on to show the formerly-full stein emptied_ “We’ll let yu draw your own conclusions.”. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/84 "2005-12-19T02:02:43Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > There’s an ad, I think maybe for Lowe’s (?), where an elf delivers a note to a woman which says, “'Tis the season for tools. —S. Claus” . The woman then closes her door and the elf yells either “thank you” or “you’re welcome” to her. Either way, I really don’t get what the ad is telling us. Does Santa want tools? Is Santa telling this woman to buy tools for someone else? Is the woman supposed to be Mrs. Claus and, if so, why have an elf deliver the message? > > Any clarification would be much appreciated. It’s a Home Depot commercial, actually. My impression is that it’s the woman who yells “You’re welcome” from the other side of the door after reading the note aloud then slamming the door shut. I think the point of the commercial is just a reminder from our friends at Home Depot that tools can be gifts. I’ve also seen another Home Depot commercial with the same elf. A couple are in their car getting ready to back out of their home’s driveway when the car is blocked by another car. The elf appears and hands the man (who is driving) a note that reads “Your brother really wants a circular saw - S. Claus”. The guy says “My brother!” The elf nods then rather pointedly rolls his eyes and turns to walk away, presumably back to his own car. The guy’s wife then says something like “We are going to his house” and the scene cuts to the guy in a Home Depot looking at a circular saw. Again, I think, it’s a reminder of tools as gifts. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/85 "2005-12-19T03:11:54Z")
> [@Landshark](#): > > Again, I think, it’s a reminder of tools as gifts. I think it’s a reminder that advertisers are tools. There is a common theme in beer commercials where people will go to all lengths to steal beer from their friends, family or neighbors. They’ll chop through walls or create these elaborate devices to do so. For fuck sake just buy the beer. It’s like five bucks for a sixer. You don’t need to make a fake refrigerator with a hole in the back. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/86 "2005-12-20T00:38:38Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > No, it claims to make things harder as well. They don’t go so far as to claim that it’ll turn Mr. Limpy into Mr. Rockhard, but they do say things like, “A new firmness, etc., etc., etc.” which implies if you’re 90% the way there, it’ll put you over the top. Ah. I suppose that explains visuals like the toast vigorously popping up out of the toaster. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/87 "2005-12-20T02:57:26Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > How does he get back to his house after work? that was my first thought, too ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/88 "2005-12-20T02:59:07Z")
> [@Who\_me?](#): > > Uhhhhh… I don’t watch much TV, but that’s not how the Tivo commercial that I’ve seen goes. > > Mine goes… > > Little Boy: Read me a story! (Looks at football game on TV) Oh… football… > Father: That’s okay! I can freeze time! (snaps finger, football stops) > > They go on snapping their fingers several times, but the impression I got was that the father would “freeze time” in the football game, read his son the story, then resume watching the game from where he left off. I don’t think that was TiVo - I think it was DishTV or the other satellite service offering DVR boxes ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/89 "2005-12-20T03:03:10Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > That’s exactly the question my wife asked. WARNING: This will drive you crazy if you think about it too much. > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky > How does he get back to his house after work? I did have the thought that it takes him all day to drive back up the mountain, and hiding in the back is an employee of the household whose sole job it is to drive the jeep back down the mountain for the next morning. Doesn’t pay much, but boy is it fun! ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/90 "2005-12-20T03:20:50Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Whay annoys me most about this commercial is they don’t actually eat the marshmallow! It ashuold flash 'A sense of discovery," and then have the dumb bitch take a bit out of it, or something. They all just assume that a flaming marshmallow dipped in Bailey’s will taste good. they couldn’t - you’re not allowed to actually consume alcoholic beverages in commercials - against FCC regs or some such ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/91 "2005-12-20T03:32:10Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > There’s an ad, I think maybe for Lowe’s (?), where an elf delivers a note to a woman which says, “'Tis the season for tools. —S. Claus” . The woman then closes her door and the elf yells either “thank you” or “you’re welcome” to her. Either way, I really don’t get what the ad is telling us. Does Santa want tools? Is Santa telling this woman to buy tools for someone else? Is the woman supposed to be Mrs. Claus and, if so, why have an elf deliver the message? > > Any clarification would be much appreciated. I’ve seen a second one in this series - guy and wife in car about to go visiting. run down vehicle pulls up and blocks their driveway. Ragged elf walks over and hands man card that says “your brother wants a power saw - S. Claus” man says “my brother :smack:” wife says “we’re going to his house (you dumass)” (she didn’t say the words in parentheses but it was implied) It was for Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/92 "2005-12-20T03:35:42Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > Although that is an interesting parody, **jasonh300** , there are two flaws with it: > \2. If the commercial had the side effects in it, the commercial would also say what the drug does. In many cases, there are advertisements that only say the name of the drug without saying what it does, because if you say what the drug is for, you also have to list the side effects.\ actually - up until 3 or 4 years ago - they didn’t say what the drug did - just what the side effects were and “to ask your doctor” I can recall many times shouting at the TV “What the heck is it for???” ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/93 "2005-12-20T03:37:05Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > they couldn’t - you’re not allowed to actually consume alcoholic beverages in commercials - against FCC regs or some such Nah, there’s some booze commercial where a chick digs the ice cube out of her (now) empty glass, and licks the last drops of booze off of it. And, IIRC, in the “Zero Gravity Bar” commercial, you _do_ see people sucking down globs of floating booze. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/94 "2005-12-20T03:51:41Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Nah, there’s some booze commercial where a chick digs the ice cube out of her (now) empty glass, and licks the last drops of booze off of it. And, IIRC, in the “Zero Gravity Bar” commercial, you _do_ see people sucking down globs of floating booze. I thought about that - do we actually see the hot chick lick the ice cube - or the floating people actually swallow? - no. the camera cuts just before. watch again. I could be wrong and I’ll watch, too. But I’m pretty sure I’m right. Just like with the Bailey’s “sense of adventure” one where the guy is holding the bottle over the gal’s head so the little droplet will land in her mouth - only to be intercepted by another guy’s glass ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/95 "2005-12-20T04:11:05Z")
> [@Max the Immortal](#): > > All in all, it’s a decent commercial. So was the other ad in the same campaign, whose symbolism was clearly “Bailey’s = Jizz” (in a good way). One little yet key detail bothers me, though: What kind of a dumb bitch panics when a marshmallow catches on fire? See, the problem is that after seeing the Baileys=Jizz commercial, I watch the marshmallow commercial and all I can think is “jizz covered marshmallows”. Which is just horribly unappealing. And a band name. So if you’re going to associate your product with splooge, stick with the theme! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/96 "2005-12-20T05:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > they couldn’t - you’re not allowed to actually consume alcoholic beverages in commercials - against FCC regs or some such I don’t know if there really is such a rule or not but Foster’s made fun of it on an ad a few years back when they were using Paul Hogan as the spokesman. The ad would open with Hogan holding a big glass full of beer and he’d say something brief like, “Fosters. A great beer from Australia. You’ll love it.” and then he lift up the glass and obviously be ready to chug the whole beer down. A off-screen voice would call out, “Paul, wait! You can’t drink beer on camera in American television!” Hogan would pause, “Really?” “Yeah, FCC rules.” “Okay, I’ll wait.” A brief pause. “How long is this ad?” “Thirty seconds.” “How much longer?” “Seventeen seconds.” Another pause with Hogan staring longingly at the beer. Then he’d say “Cue the logo” and the screen would go black with the Foster’s logo on it and you’d hear the beer being drunk. Then it would cut back to Hogan putting the empty glass down on the bar. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/97 "2005-12-20T06:09:00Z")
Jim’s favourite method of making stupid commercials better is to say after each one, “Product Name - it’ll get you laid.” in a cheesy tv announcer voice. Try it some time. 😃 (When we see the stupid Christmas commercials with the elf delivering personal messages from S. Claus in Canada, it’s not for Lowes, because we don’t have Lowes in Canada. I’m guessing Lowes and Home Depot are owned by the same company.) ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/98 "2005-12-20T06:23:09Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Jim’s favourite method of making stupid commercials better is to say after each one, “Product Name - it’ll get you laid.” in a cheesy tv announcer voice. Try it some time. 😃 > > (When we see the stupid Christmas commercials with the elf delivering personal messages from S. Claus in Canada, it’s not for Lowes, because we don’t have Lowes in Canada. I’m guessing Lowes and Home Depot are owned by the same company.) No. it’s Home Depot - I was mistaken - but they’re pretty much the same - at least they’re the same type of store ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/99 "2005-12-20T07:50:07Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > Kentucky Fried Chicken has been running an ad campaign on the slogan “You’re the Boss!” The idea is that when you go to KFC they have three different kinds of chicken wings and, because you’re the boss, you get to tell them which you want. > > Maybe this seemed like an amazing idea in Kentucky but the rest of us aren’t as impressed by what we call a “menu”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735/100 "2005-12-20T12:47:05Z")
> [@Millit the Frail](#): > > Bailey’s has another stupid commercial that I’ve been hating on for a long time. There’s a shot of a bar, the title “Zero Gravity Bar” appearing onscreen. Someone knocks over a glass of Bailey’s, and droplets go flying everywhere. Beautiful people swim through the air, catching drops of Bailey’s in their mouths. > > GROSS! If it’s flying everywhere, in zero gravity, the droplets of Bailey’s would presumably get in your hair, on your clothing, all over your skin, making you sticky as hell. I’d be pissed. > > (Not to mention that this bar must exist in outer space or something. People dressed for cubbing in zero gravity. Stupid premise.) The thing that pisses me off about this commercial is that there’s zero gravity and everybody’s floating and flying, but their _hair is still hanging straight_, obviously still in gravity’s cruel grip. If you’re going to use a stupid illusion, _commit to the friggin’ concept!_ I hate half-assed effects… :mad: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-in-dumb-tv-commercials-that-make-you-go-huh/335735.md?page=6)