# Things you see in TV commercials that never happen in the real world **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** commercials-ads\ **Created:** [February 18, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112 "2020-02-18T15:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/182 "2020-02-24T17:41:05Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > The panoply of wholesome outdoor activities people that undertake with their grandchildren, while cautions about pharmaceutical side effects are being read aloud. > > What can I ask my doctor to prescribe that will give _ **me** _ such a rich, full life? _I_ want that outdoor picnic for 50 in the beautiful Tuscan countryside! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/183 "2020-02-24T17:44:05Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Apartments sharing bathroom medical cabinets. (If you get that one, you are old). C’mon, I can’t believe that was ever a real thing. Who would want someone seeing/using their toiletries, or worse, their pills? And there’s no good reason for it; even if the wall’s only inches thick, you can offset the medicine cabinets from each other. Oh, wait, or… are you saying there was a commercial Way Back In The Day that invented that “feature” (and the creepy pillow guy is riffing on that)? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/184 "2020-02-24T18:00:17Z")
[1971 Right Guard Commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFzC-zvDoPE) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/185 "2020-02-24T18:31:25Z")
“Hi, guy!” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/186 "2020-02-24T18:36:00Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [1971 Right Guard Commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFzC-zvDoPE) I’m old enough to remember that the last line was going to be “MONA!” before I clicked on the link. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/187 "2020-02-24T18:54:04Z")
Fast food (usually burgers) that show attractive, fit and healthy looking people about to bite into a massive-looking greasy, salty, calorie-laden fat bomb. Yeah, right, like that awesome looking model would ever eat that food. Now, I know they select people with small hands to make the product look bigger and all, but c’mon - no one who looks like that eats like that. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/188 "2020-02-24T19:20:40Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’m old enough to remember that the last line was going to be “MONA!” before I clicked on the link. I think there was a follow-up commercial where the guy brought Mona with him to prove he wasn’t imagining things. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/189 "2020-02-24T21:32:34Z")
People having a minor auto accident, stepping out of the car, and grinning their heads off at each other . ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/190 "2020-02-25T01:58:33Z")
Cars driving around town with blank, gray license plates. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/191 "2020-02-25T02:07:07Z")
Deliberately generic looking cars with no visible emblems. Seems to be particularly common in insurance ads. I’m guessing they don’t want to appear to be endorsing any particular car brand or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/192 "2020-02-25T03:20:39Z")
Giant hamsters dancing, singing and driving cars. (The Kia Soul is a good car but I’m not impressed by its hamster commercials) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/193 "2020-02-25T03:37:06Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Fast food (usually burgers) that show attractive, fit and healthy looking people about to bite into a massive-looking greasy, salty, calorie-laden fat bomb. Yeah, right, like that awesome looking model would ever eat that food. Now, I know they select people with small hands to make the product look bigger and all, but c’mon - no one who looks like that eats like that. Of course they choose attractive fit healthy lookers eating fat bombs. 1) they film with a spit bucket to use in between takes, and 2) sure they eat that food! (Gwyneth Paltrow, our inspiration for everything healthy and zen and expensive, has been spotted at fast food drive-thrus, and smoking.) They eat and run and vomit it up right after. Tastes as good coming up as it does going down. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/194 "2020-02-25T04:50:17Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Applebee’s food looks good. > > :dubious: THIS! A couple of years ago JpnGal and I went to the NYC Midtown location. We ordered nachos and it had patethic generic chips with microwaved cheese and terrible toppings. Their menu options is way overpriced for the quality, similar to Hard Rock Cafe. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/195 "2020-02-25T06:17:46Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > What can I ask my doctor to prescribe that will give _ **me** _ such a rich, full life? “Ask your Doctor if _you_ can need Triopinin.” > [@digs](#): > > C’mon, I can’t believe that was ever a real thing. Who would want someone seeing/using their toiletries, or worse, their pills? And there’s no good reason for it; even if the wall’s only inches thick, you can offset the medicine cabinets from each other. > Oh, wait, or… are you saying there was a commercial Way Back In The Day that invented that “feature” (and the creepy pillow guy is riffing on that)? Yes. Person opens medicine cabinet to get toothbrush or whatever, finds himself face to face with another guy already doing the same thing. One guy tells the other about Brand X. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/196 "2020-02-25T06:27:18Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > One guy tells the other about Brand X. Right Guard, I think it was. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/197 "2020-02-25T07:40:52Z")
I cannot recall an instance where I sought or received car-insurance advice from a lizard. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/198 "2020-02-25T08:56:16Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > The thing is that the products in those commercials are generally made for disabled people, and yes people with significant physical disabilities are often ‘so incompetent’ they can’t do things like open a jar by hand, pour a pot of pasta into a strainer without help, or carry a bowl of chips to the couch without dropping it. Showing disabled people in commercials generally doesn’t do good for overall sales, but the primary target market for most of those products really is people who have difficulty with common tasks, with a secondary market of people who just like gadgets. I always hear that “rebuttal” but I don’t really believe it, because the examples they use of “products that were originally made for disabled people” like Snuggie’s are outright lies, and the fact a lot of those products are just outright cheaply made garbage even if it they were meant for disabled people so it’s not like the manufacturers are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/199 "2020-02-25T13:38:36Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Now, I know they select people with small hands to make the product look bigger and all So, is “if only Trump had become a fast food spokesman…” going to be the next “if only Hitler had become an artist…”? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/200 "2020-02-25T14:10:43Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I cannot recall an instance where I sought or received car-insurance advice from a lizard. What about a gecko? I think that’s one of the best ad campaigns ever. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/201 "2020-02-25T14:22:57Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Apartments sharing bathroom medical cabinets. (If you get that one, you are old). Mom told me about living in an apartment in LA shortly after WWII that had a refrigerator built into the wall. Like all refrigerators of the time it had a tiny freezer box, just about enough for a couple ice trays. One day she wanted some ice for a drink, opened the box, and watched astonished as the tray disappeared in the hands of the guy in the apartment next door. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112.md?page=11)