# What commercials say to you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135 "2013-11-17T18:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/61 "2013-11-18T23:02:19Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > 😕[Dyson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_(company)) is a British company. The guy in those commercials is [James Dyson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_James_Dyson), a British dude. Of course he has a British accent. Do you expect him to fake an American accent to sell us vacuums? Actually, despite the fact that Dyson is actually English, Americans do tend to respect the English accent. There’s a recent commercial (I don’t know what for) that talks about the product and then says [paraphrasing] ‘And if you don’t believe me, here’s an English guy.’ [Cut to shot of English guy who says something in an English accent.] ---
**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:** [November 18, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/62 "2013-11-18T23:05:44Z")
Now that I’ve read the others… > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > As my husband and I say after seeing a commercial like that, “It’ll get you laid!” > [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Sadly, this is the _actual_ concept behind about 95% of all advertising. Yep. In a nutshell: “Buy This Shit and Your Wish Will Come True.” > [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Geico \*could \*save you up to 15% or more… > **Takeaway** : Geico might save you 15%, maybe less, maybe more. In other words, we ain’t promising nothin’!! “_Promising_ nothing”? They’re not even _saying_ anything. The statement is nothing but qualifying weaselwords. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/63 "2013-11-18T23:05:58Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Not quite right. He was mentally blocked on his advertising and thought he was cracking up and had himself committed. At the psychiatric hospital, he got the mental patients to help him with his new strategy of telling the blatant truth. Thanks for the correction. It’s been over 20 years since I’ve seen it, and things got a little fuzzy. 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 18, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/64 "2013-11-18T23:11:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Actually, despite the fact that Dyson is actually English, Americans do tend to respect the English accent… Also, movieland uber-intelligent villains and aliens often sound British. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/65 "2013-11-18T23:39:09Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Also, movieland uber-intelligent villains and aliens often sound British. Hmmm… I don’t remember British-sounding aliens. Can you remind me of a movie? But I DO remember that everyone in the Roman empire had a British accent. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/66 "2013-11-19T00:05:44Z")
> [@](#): > > How about Cialis? “Women! It’s not your fault if your husband doesn’t get it up!” > > Because you still have so much in common and you still make him laugh. Because it \* is\* the wife’s fault if the man can’t? Last I checked, having a lot to talk about and laughing together was pretty sexy. What do I know. I’m just a middle aged woman who takes a lot of offense at being told that if my husband came down with erection problems it’s probably because I’m too ugly. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/67 "2013-11-19T00:08:13Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > Because it \* is\* the wife’s fault if the man can’t? > > Last I checked, having a lot to talk about and laughing together was pretty sexy. What do I know. I’m just a middle aged woman who takes a lot of offense at being told that if my husband came down with erection problems it’s probably because I’m too ugly. :dubious: Perhaps you don’t bathe (in your own tub) frequently enough. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/68 "2013-11-19T00:13:37Z")
Nothing is better than [Our Product] for your [product related needs] = NOTHING is better… In other words, using their product will screw your stuff up worse than not using anything at all. Reminds me of the old joke: “Your skills are second to none. No, they’re even better than that. They are none.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/69 "2013-11-19T00:20:32Z")
The commercials for a certain product only tell me that Jamie Lee Curtis really likes taking dumps. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I never thought of Sam Adams as bad beer, nor do I have a negative image. For a mass-market beer, it’s pretty good. I just prefer to ‘drink local’. I mean, I don’t drink often; so when I do, I don’t want it to be ‘just a beer’. Its my go to beer. When I go out I like draft. Their seasonal is usually one of the best on tap at most bars. Their Oktoberfest is just about my favorite from any company. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/70 "2013-11-19T00:27:58Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Not quite right. He was mentally blocked on his advertising and thought he was cracking up and had himself committed. At the psychiatric hospital, he got the mental patients to help him with his new strategy of telling the blatant truth. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HCiGusVYOgY/hqdefault.jpg "Crazy People "Jaguar"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCiGusVYOgY) ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/71 "2013-11-19T00:39:33Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > Because it \* is\* the wife’s fault if the man can’t? > > Last I checked, having a lot to talk about and laughing together was pretty sexy. What do I know. I’m just a middle aged woman who takes a lot of offense at being told that if my husband came down with erection problems it’s probably because I’m too ugly. :dubious: Oh, I agree about the talking and laughing being sexy. But it would help if the men in the ads weren’t looking at the women like they were a Las Vegas buffet. The Cialis men aren’t as predatory-looking as the ones in the Viagra ads, but they’re still a bit too focused. They don’t look loving or appreciative – they look hungry. I get that there aren’t a lot of ways to advertise ED drugs at primetime, but it just seems so patronizing and smarmy. OTOH, maybe I’m just not the right audience. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/72 "2013-11-19T00:48:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Hmmm… I don’t remember British-sounding aliens. Can you remind me of a movie? > > But I DO remember that everyone in the Roman empire had a British accent. Man of Steel Thor Hellboy II The Avengers Doctor Who ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/73 "2013-11-19T00:59:58Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Man of Steel > Thor > Hellboy II > The Avengers > Doctor Who 2nd Star Trek from reboot if we knew what species the Star Wars bad guy general was (he certainly looks human), we might include ANH. “You prefer another target? A MILITARY one?! […] You’re far too trusting.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/74 "2013-11-19T01:19:09Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Man of Steel > Thor > Hellboy II > The Avengers > Doctor Who Man of Steel? Am I missing something? Superdaddy: Aussie Supermommy: Isreali Supervillian: American Superkickassgirlvillian: German Were there British accents I missed? I know Superman is British but he used an American accent. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/75 "2013-11-19T01:33:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Man of Steel? Am I missing something? > > Superdaddy: Aussie > Supermommy: Isreali > Supervillian: American > Superkickassgirlvillian: German > > Were there British accents I missed? I know Superman is British but he used an American accent. You do realize that Zod and Jor El were from another planet? ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/76 "2013-11-19T01:46:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Hmmm… I don’t remember British-sounding aliens. Can you remind me of a movie? > > But I DO remember that everyone in the Roman empire had a British accent. I guess I’m going by vague memories, but I’m thinking “advanced civilization” scenarios like the Kryptonians in the original Superman movie (Chris Reeve). More or less “identical to us” aliens, not “monster with nasty pointed teeth” aliens. And I think some of your Roman Empire Brits might be bleeding over to my questionable sci-fi recollections. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/77 "2013-11-19T01:52:00Z")
My take-away from every commercial ever - you’re a loser who is missing out on a bunch of stuff that our product will provide for you. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/78 "2013-11-19T02:07:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Dudley Moore made a movie, _[Crazy People](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099316/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_, in which he played an ad exec who wound up being committed to a psychiatric hospital because he started writing ads which told the blatant truth. One of his ads: > > “Jaguar – for men who’d like hand-jobs from beautiful women they hardly know.” I don’t know, I always thought “Frtzykk! Sony Gurm!” \ had a compelling charm to it… “Sony, because Caucasians are too damn tall” ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/79 "2013-11-19T02:16:07Z")
Even better, WTF do infommercials say not just to you, but…about you? What kind of sucker sits through a 30min ad, in the first place??? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135/80 "2013-11-19T02:19:02Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Dudley Moore made a movie, _[Crazy People](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099316/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_, in which he played an ad exec who wound up being committed to a psychiatric hospital because he started writing ads which told the blatant truth. One of his ads: > > “Jaguar – for men who’d like hand-jobs from beautiful women they hardly know.” I love that movie once the nuts start writing the commercials. And the _cars_! > [@bouv](#): > > Your exactly the kind of person the ad is catered to. > > Among a lot of craft/micro brew fans, Sam Adams is seen as no better/only marginally better than Bud, Coors, etc…even though many of those people might not have had it in a long time, i.e. since they became craft brew fans. They could even like the taste were an exact duplicate of it brewed by some local microbrewery. > > So Sam Adams tricks them, because there is a SHIT LOAD of bias in anything subjective like that\*. If they were told up front it was Sam Adams, they’d be more inclined to say it’s not as good, because of their inherent bias. > > \*For a great example, look up some wine tasting experiments. Things like serving the exact same wine twice, but the first time saying it was a $5 bottle, the second time saying it was a $100 bottle, and naturally the second time around it scores much better. Actually the main thing that the non canoe beer commercials make me take away is that the parents of these people are wine snobs, so they are beer snobs - and most wine snobs couldn’t tell 2 buck chuck from the best french wine you can get. Me? I liked the local plonk that came by the generic pitchers full in little hole in the wall places around Perpignon - you know, the stuff fresh out of the barrel and barely aged. The stuff wine snobs figure is so dead common they wouldn’t be seen with a glass of it. > [@AuntiePam](#): > > Oh, I agree about the talking and laughing being sexy. But it would help if the men in the ads weren’t looking at the women like they were a Las Vegas buffet. The Cialis men aren’t as predatory-looking as the ones in the Viagra ads, but they’re still a bit too focused. They don’t look loving or appreciative – they look hungry. > > I get that there aren’t a lot of ways to advertise ED drugs at primetime, but it just seems so patronizing and smarmy. > > OTOH, maybe I’m just not the right audience. Neither are as bad as Enzyte Bob … now that was a skeevy set of commercials. McDonalds on their change of coffee a couple years back - “It’s good now”… so it was utter shite before? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-commercials-say-to-you/674135.md?page=5)