Monday, February 19, 2007

...and now a word from our sponsors....

Is it just me or do some television commercials make everyone a little crazy?

I sometimes find myself in a "zone" while watching tv and this slightly "catatonic" state continues as I absentmindedly sit and view the commercials.

A persistent question comes to mind, "What are these marketing specialists thinking?".

Some are such an insult to our intelligence, some are annoyingly repetitive, and some are just outright repulsive.

I mean, when they have these weight loss commercials where they have the "before" and "after" bikini- clad bodies walking on the beach showing how they have gone from blubbery to totally buff by just taking the product being represented. To me it is obvious that through the magic of photography they have "grafted" the same head onto a different body. Agree?

And, then what about the cute little gooey, slimy cartoon character for Mucinex? UGH. Do we really need a cartoon for that? Do they not realize that some people eat meals while watching tv?

I guess that one of my all time pet peeves would be the commercials where the spokesman is screaming at you through the tv over and over again. For some reason these are mostly for automobile sales. Most of us are wary of car salesmen already...doesn't this particular occupation have enough of a bad reputation without this unnecessary screaming?

It is a known fact that during commercials the television volume goes into extreme mode, sometimes making sounds that I believe can only be heard by dogs. aagh

How about that commercial that squeals "Head-on! Head-on! Head-on! Apply Directly to the Forehead Sinus Headache Relief"!! This goes on continuously until you run screaming to the nearest drugstore to get some of this product to alleviate your now throbbing headache.

Could that be part of their strategy? : o

And, then there are the lawyer commercials espousing that "...we don't collect a cent unless you do"... !! What they don't mention is how much they will collect when you DO win! Again, like car salesmen, lawyers need some positive PR. These commercials certainly don't help their image.

I could go on and on....

Don't get me wrong, I understand the competitive world that we live in.

I am just asking for a higher level of intelligence when trying to sell their products.

4 comments:

Bert Bananas said...

I think that the 'specialists' know the market they are targeting. They can't target smart people, who, by definition, wouldn't buy their products...

Which makes you ask the question, if I run out to buy something I just saw advertised on TV, what does that say about me?

Not to be offensive, but by the time we are our age, dear Grammie, we really ought not to be in the market for what the world is selling.

L. said...

Bert, I must disagree with your last statement in that I think that we 'Baby Boomers' are a very large part of the market that they are appealing to!
I think that as consumers we are all affected by commercials and other advertising...some positive, but most negative.
It must be working, or they wouldn't continue putting millions of dollars into the advertising of their products.
Right?
: )

Gattina said...

I see you "added" little Owen to your profile picture ! Looks very nice. I mostly use commercials to leave my sofa go somewhere ... or pick up something. But lately I have seen one very good. A singing potatoe with singing peas and a singing meatball, and it was for a mobile net provider who told us to call when we are late for supper !
Really cute.

Bert Bananas said...

I stand by my opinion, Grammikins. Baby Boomers are a huge, and growing market, and one of the things "they" pitch at us are things that will keep us young or make us younger. I happen to be lucky enough to know age cannot be reversed. It just may be that men have an easier time 'accepting' what age is and how to live with it.

You may not get this... Do you have any idea hoe BIG the herd of independent thinkers is?