# Words I never want to hear in a commercial again **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642 "2010-07-05T22:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/21 "2010-07-06T12:25:22Z")
Hmm, where to begin… 1. **In a world where…** in movie trailers is really beginning to piss me off. 2. I’m sick of hearing about these mysterious side effects seem worse than actually having the condition the medication is treating: 4 hour erections and anal leakage spring to mind. 3. I’m sick of commercials aimed at stupid children. Seriously, any pasta in a can is made of pasta goop and ketchup. Being “fun” doesn’t improve the taste. The same goes for toys in crappy cereal. Screw you, Kap’n Crunch and your mouth-lacerating, tasteless wheat offal. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/22 "2010-07-06T12:36:18Z")
One reason you hear so many words over and over is because there are a limited number of words you can use in advertising that can sound good without actually legally meaning anything. Subway’s “Eat Fresh” springs to mind. They’re not _saying_ their food is healthy or high quality, because they’d have to back that up. But “fresh” sure carries those connotations without being legally binding. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/23 "2010-07-06T12:50:31Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > But “fresh” sure carries those connotations without being legally binding. “Fresh” is definitely on the list. Aerosol sprays that make your furniture smell “fresh”, even though it isn’t, are another example. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/24 "2010-07-06T12:56:03Z")
“New and improved”. OK, either it’s new or it’s improved; being improved requires preexistence, ok? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/25 "2010-07-06T14:50:01Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > 1. **In a world where…** in movie trailers is really beginning to piss me off. I know people quote this line often when joking about movie trailers but is it or was it really used that often? I can’t remember it actually ever being used recently. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/26 "2010-07-06T15:12:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > “As much as”, as in “You could save as much as $400 on your car insurance” which is really pretty meaningless, as most people won’t save that much. You might as well say “You could save no more than $400” and it would mean the same thing. “Up to” falls in that category as well. “Save up to 50%!” means I could be saving 0%. Likewise, prices listed as “starting at” which invariably means “You will actually be paying a hell of a lot more than this”. Any product involving scents named after things that don’t have scents. I’ve seen products that supposedly smelled like fresh air, snow, silk and diamonds. I’m sorry but your product smells like chemicals, not small shiny rocks. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/27 "2010-07-06T15:22:09Z")
Anal Leakage, vaginal itching, hemorrhoids, burning nipples, athlete’s foot or any other ailment when I am trying to EAT some food. Especially if they run the commercial on the Food Network ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/28 "2010-07-06T15:27:21Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > Any commercial that makes it seem like you’ll die without it. Like Boniva. IMHO, Boniva is what they should have called Viagra. In fact, until I listened to the commerical (Sally Fields is the spokeshuman, right?), I thought it was a new Male ED pill. …Boniva…and Mary and Jane and Marge and Julie…😃 ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/29 "2010-07-06T15:37:33Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I know people quote this line often when joking about movie trailers but is it or was it really used that often? I can’t remember it actually ever being used recently. Oh, it was used many, many times and the most famous voice-over guy started to do self-parody before he died recently. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/30 "2010-07-06T15:47:58Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Hmm, where to begin… > > 1. **In a world where…** in movie trailers is really beginning to piss me off. Then you need to watch [this trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVDzuT0fXro). The guy who filled so many previews with _In a world where…_ keeps trying to start the audio for Jerry Seinfeld’s film _Comedian_ with… … “In a world where…” It’s the only video I have on my iPod… except, of course, for the near-obligatory [‘Chaaah-leh’ bit my finger!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/31 "2010-07-06T16:32:56Z")
“Call in the next 30 seconds…” Does anyone really think you’re keeping track of when your stupid infomercial will air? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/32 "2010-07-06T16:39:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I could do without “natural”. As in the “natural” goodness of your product. > > Tetrodotoxin, snake venom, ricin , E. coli 0157:H7 and strychnine are “natural” too. And probably organic. Since we’re a bunch of commercial skeptics here, try this experiment - listen to commercials without watching them, and watch them without listening to them. You’ll be shocked (or maybe not) at how _filthy_ they are. They use the combination of visuals and words to mitigate the filth (I assume to get them past censors), but our poor old brains are getting the message loud and clear. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/33 "2010-07-06T16:59:51Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Not so much a word, but a style of commercial that is currently in vogue that drives me crazy: > > White woman: “Nearly 200,000” > Hispanic teen: “New cases” > Asian middle-aged man: “Of invasive breast cancer” > White elderly woman: “Will occur among women” > Young adult African American woman: “In the United States” > Asian middle-aged woman: “This year.” > > Note to ad (wo)men: it is no longer cutting edge, it is no longer original, and it is no longer clever. > > SO STOP IT ALREADY! > > mmm > > An estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will occur among women in the United States during 2009. Jesus, yes. Golf commercials are the worst for this. Fifty different guys saying one or two words. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/34 "2010-07-06T16:59:58Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Hmm, where to begin… > > 1. **In a world where…** in movie trailers is really beginning to piss me off. I can’t believe I’m the first one to bring this up, but Don LaFontaine, who did the voice-overs for basically every movie trailer, recently died. He said he invented the “in a world where” introduction to get people into the spirit of the movie quickly. I haven’t heard it lately, but it seems like it will outlive Don’s passing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/35 "2010-07-06T17:04:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > “Call in the next 30 seconds…” > > Does anyone really think you’re keeping track of when your stupid infomercial will air? You forgot the obligatory preceding phrase: “But wait…” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/36 "2010-07-06T18:01:24Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > “painful rectal itching.” “With a name like [Painful Rectal Itch](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/75/75qjam.phtml) you gotta bet that it’s great” ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/37 "2010-07-06T18:01:36Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Oh, it was used many, many times and the most famous voice-over guy started to do self-parody before he died recently. RE: In A World… Any google hits instantly bring up Don, him being credited for using it, and the Seinfeld clip. But for the life of me I can’t find any actual trailers that use this or even a list of trailers that use this line. I don’t doubt it’s use but why is it so hard to find examples? ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/38 "2010-07-06T18:12:42Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > RE: In A World… > > Any google hits instantly bring up Don, him being credited for using it, and the Seinfeld clip. But for the life of me I can’t find any actual trailers that use this or even a list of trailers that use this line. > I don’t doubt it’s use but why is it so hard to find examples? He usually did it for movie trailers shown in the theater (not on TV), so you’d had to have to brought in a videocam, and risked getting arrested for piracy to get a sample. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/39 "2010-07-06T18:20:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > “As much as”, as in “You could save as much as $400 on your car insurance” which is really pretty meaningless, as most people won’t save that much. You might as well say “You could save no more than $400” and it would mean the same thing. Bonus points if they add “or more!” to the end of it. Up to $400 or more? So, basically, my savings are the entire set of real numbers? Thanks, that’s some helpful information, there. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642/40 "2010-07-06T18:31:36Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > “Call in the next 30 seconds…” > > Does anyone really think you’re keeping track of when your stupid infomercial will air? I REALLY love the ones that show a little timer up in the corner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-i-never-want-to-hear-in-a-commercial-again/545642.md?page=3)