# What's up with the "co-opting" commercials? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458 "2004-12-07T00:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/1 "2004-12-07T00:45:19Z")
I’ve seen two instances lately of companies running ad campaigns designed to undermine the existing campaigns of their competitors. Budweiser has come out with a “football referee” ad mimicking the Miller Lite series, and NetZero has a couple ads mimicking a recent AOL campaign (with the everyday users coming into board meetings and such). How new is this? I don’t recall seeing this kind of direct copying intended to undermine before. It’s actually kind of cool, and I can’t believe no one’s done it before . . . -andros- ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/2 "2004-12-07T01:10:35Z")
Also, Subway and McDonald’s have been going after each other. After the McD’s Chicken Selects (Stay away from my Chicken Selects) campaign, Subway started airing ads saying that people should INDEED stay away from the Chicken Selects, as they are unhealthy. McD’s just started airing commercials saying that you can be sued for doing what Subway did. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/3 "2004-12-07T02:16:03Z")
Duracell used to have commercials where there would be several toys running, then they would all die out except one. This would be revealed to be run by Duracell. A variation of this commerical had bunnies toys doing this, after the Duracell died, the Energizer kept going and going and going. This was the birth of the Energizer bunny. > [@](#): > > McD’s just started airing commercials saying that you can be sued for doing what Subway did. I havn’t seen this commercial, what can they be sued on? ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/4 "2004-12-07T02:21:45Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > I havn’t seen this commercial, what can they be sued on? From [this link](http://www.publicinterestwatch.org/irs_10_26.htm) > [@](#): > > This letter is to formally request that the Internal Revenue Service investigate whether the apparent marketing agreement between the American Heart Association (“AHA”) and the fast-food sandwich chain Subway (“Subway”) violates IRS guidelines for non-profit organizations and/or constitutes an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/5 "2004-12-07T03:31:55Z")
> [@NotWithoutRage](#): > > McD’s just started airing commercials saying that you can be sued for doing what Subway did. Grasping at straws, or is McDonald practicing running for office? ---
**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:** [December 7, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/6 "2004-12-07T03:41:09Z")
Hey, if it works for politicians… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/7 "2004-12-07T05:20:21Z")
The AHA logo doesn’t appear in the online versions of the Subway ads, [viewable here](http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/MenuNutrition/comm/index.aspx). The website does mention that Subway is sponsoring an AHA “Heartwalk,” though. I can’t see why McDonald’s would be in a position to get litigous on them over that connection, anyway. I can’t find any online reference to a McDonald’s ad that threatens Subway over claims in the ad – Any more detail on that? ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/8 "2004-12-07T10:09:03Z")
I was _so_ hoping that in the past election one of the candidates would air an ad parodying the “Enzyte Bob” commercials. Maybe Dole will run again … ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/9 "2004-12-07T14:31:28Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Budweiser has come out with a “football referee” ad mimicking the Miller Lite series I laughed my tail off with that one. If you are going to do it, do it well! But in all fairness, Bud started this round when it co-opted Miller’s President of Beers ad (which was a swipe of course at the King) by pointing out Miller has been bought by a foreign holding company. It really deflated the ad campaign (which stunk despite the presence of Bob Odenkirk!) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/10 "2004-12-07T17:35:24Z")
Commercials do this all the time. Colgate compares themselves to Crest, Swiffer to whatever Pledge has, Bounty to Brawny paper towels, etc. IIRC, this may not be a global thing. I believe in some countries (Japan, for instance) you cannot mention a competitor in your ad. Also, if a company advertises on one network in Japan, they will not advertise on another network. I cannot see how that works, since in the States it seems no matter where you flip you see Enzyte Bob (except for Nickolodeon, of course). Maybe some of our Japanese Dopers can explain the reasoning for it? (Unless I’m all wet, which is also entirely plausible.) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/11 "2004-12-07T18:55:40Z")
No, Budweiser did **not** start this TV ad insult match. Miller’s “president of beers” campaign slammed Bud by name in every spot (well, in one, the “opponent” was represented onstage by a Clydesdale horse.) The Miller “referee” ads were likewise snotty and showed the Bud Light trademark. I’m a Miller High Life guy, myself, but I found the Miller “ref” ads really annoying. You can’t spit in your competitor’s eye, and not expect a reply. The Heart Assn., by the way, has been lending their “heart-friendly foods” logo to dozens of foods for a long, long time. McRonald’s is jealous because they’ve never sold a heart-friendly product. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/12 "2004-12-07T19:04:35Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Commercials do this all the time. Colgate compares themselves to Crest, Swiffer to whatever Pledge has, Bounty to Brawny paper towels, etc. I disagree. Sure companies say how well they compare to the “other brand”, but rarely do they say the competitors actual name in their commercials. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/13 "2004-12-07T19:25:25Z")
Sure, comparaisons are commonplace. What I find fascinating is the deliberate modelling of a commercial on a commercial’s existing commercial. I had forgotten about the origins of the Energizer bunny, **Odinoneeye**. Good catch. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-co-opting-commercials/278458/14 "2004-12-07T19:26:49Z")
Sorry, on a _competitor’s_ existing commercial. (Commercial, commercial, commercial? Commercial, commercialcommercial.)