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Some commercials just grind against the grain
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Location: Blogs Sly Comments |
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| Posted by: Emory Schley |
8/13/2007 4:51 AM |
I really don’t know why, but some commercials on TV really irritate the heck out of me, and I really can’t figure out why in all cases. Some TV commercials are absolute gems, masterpieces of the cinematic arts, but unfortunately, many fall somewhere at the opposite end of the scale. Some are just abysmally stupid, so it’s easy to figure out why they are offensive. But others reside in some vast gray area where some element, or attitude, or implementation, or whatever, just grinds against my grain, big-time.
One of those presentations that belong to this category are the Bright House commercials featuring an asterisk. My flesh starts crawling whenever one pops up, followed quickly by an increasing heart rate.
Those commercials irritate me on at least several levels. For one, the concept just seems plain stupid to me. For another, what they refer to as an asterisk looks more like a star to me. Most asterisks I’ve seen have six points, but the symbol they’ve chosen to use in these commercials has only five, which I consider to depict a star (yes, I know a Star of David has six points). How the actors in these commercials can deliver their lines with a straight face is beyond me. I know TV commercials pay pretty good to those lucky enough to land them, but I would think an actor’s pride would preclude him from accepting some roles, and this one definitely belongs in that category.
If I were the one doing those commercials, I don’t think I’d ever include them on any résumé I’d fill out in future years. I believe it may have been Henry Mencken who once said something like “No one ever went broke by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” I truly wish I could disagree with the perceptive Mr. Mencken, but in all good conscience, I find I cannot. |
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Re: Some commercials just grind against the grain |
By kay mccullough on
8/13/2007 10:36 AM |
| The ones that get my goat right now are the Geico cavemen commercials; and the nerdy guy in the dirty shirt waiting for the chicks to call him and having his phone service checked....UGH! I hear that the cavemen are having their own TV show this next year. I won't be watching!<br><br>Give me the Maytag repairman anytime. |
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Re: Some commercials just grind against the grain |
By Phil Slater on
8/14/2007 6:30 AM |
| ALL commercials in which the "pitchman" yells at me, leans forward and points his finger at me! The louder they yell, the less i think the quality of their product/service may be. |
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Re: Some commercials just grind against the grain |
By jackie on
8/14/2007 12:39 PM |
| i can`t stand the ones with like crying babies or like someone screaming at the top of their lungs! or what aobut the ones with those songs that get stuck in your head forever. |
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Re: Some commercials just grind against the grain |
By Martha on
8/14/2007 2:46 PM |
| Look up "irritating" and "inane" in the dictionary and it'll refer you to the Ovaltine commercials of late, with their too-perky Moms and perfectly groomed kids reciting their oh-so-enthusiastic lines, professing their undying devotion to Ovaltine. It's enough to make one retch! |
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Re: Some commercials just grind against the grain |
By Bawble on
8/14/2007 2:46 PM |
| Did you ever hear about reverse psychology? Even though you are irked by these commercials you still remember them. Yes the effeminate cavemen, Billy Mays yelling about kaboom, the irritating "put it directly where it hurts" thing. The gecko with the British accent etc. So. do you really buy ANYTHING because of the commercial or the print ad? Does the drop down advertising on your screen make you apt to buy the product? Does the spam you get entice you to buy viagra? Let's be realistic, if all of this stuff was not causing people to buy the product they'd not do it. |
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