Commercials you can't stand!

[MaxPower]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Oh i forgot about Rent-A-Car. God how I hate that old women...

When I was in Kentucky this summer, they had the exact same commercial, completely identical, except the actors were all black.

You know, because race is how people decide which car to rent.

/and it was exactly as annoying as the one up here.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I've worked in the media and have a sense about the making of ads. There are ads that I dislike also, but do you guys have any idea how hard it is to always be creative and come up with great ideas within the bounds of a budget? Likely not. Try coming up with bright, new, creative ad ideas for breakfast cereal, financial products, cell phones and the like. There is always the option of ignoring the commercials that you don't like. Not judging you folks; just sayin'.

I made my living for a few years back in the 90s producing tv commercials (local crap in Lloydminster and Lethbridge), so I know the challenges.

The fact is that the vast majority of the commercials I produced had no budget, and pretty much zero creativity. They were standard hard-sell, yell about your sale for 30 seconds, commercials.

Occasionally, you'd get a client who'd let you get a little creative, but then you still had budget concerns, and even when they said they wanted to go "edgy", they never really wanted to go too "edgy".


I'm sure that most writers would be the first ones to tell you that a commercial is crap. Good ones are extremely rare.


Just because something is hard work shouldn't excuse you from criticism when you make a crappy product, especially when the goal of any commercial is to motivate the audience to give their business to the advertiser.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I can appreciate that but I'd rather see a straight-forward, informative commercial about a product than someone trying too hard and making it worse. If you don't have the tools to sculpt art, just make a damned spice rack.

Exactly.

What I don't understand is people trying to be funny when clearly it's not. Tim Horton's commercials are the worst offenders. I have yet to see one that is funny. They are all ridiculously stupid IMO.

I worked in the media, I know not all commercials are targeted to my age group or one specific age group, so I understand sometimes when a commercial appears to be quite silly to me, but Tim Horton's? What age group are you trying for? Same as Enterprise with that old lady commercial...Just don't get trying to be funny when clearly it is SO bad and not even remotely funny.

The latest Tim Horton's Christmas "Holidays" commercial - the one with the mug is one of the worst I think I've ever seen. I just want to throw my 46" LCD out the window every time I see it. The other Tim Horton's mushroom soup one with the greasy rag as well...ugh.

[Locke]

The "Experience AMA" ad on the radio.

It sounds like the choir hits puberty at the second 'A.'

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by pope04

X1000000

If this is the guy who I'm thinking of..........yeah. I think there was one ad where he says "I love you" about three times in the thirty-second spot.

I really disliked those Spence Diamond radio commercials, until he openly admitted he was annoying, and totally redeemed himself. Ironic that at the time I hated those commercials I was shopping for an engagement ring. Now that I'm not in the ring market I like those commmercials.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Locke

The "Experience AMA" ad on the radio.

It sounds like the choir hits puberty at the second 'A.'

The commercial I can't get over is the one where the AMA theme is played in reverse. It makes my ears bleed!

[Muta]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

I really disliked those Spence Diamond radio commercials, until he openly admitted he was annoying, and totally redeemed himself. Ironic that at the time I hated those commercials I was shopping for an engagement ring. Now that I'm not in the ring market I like those commmercials.

I want to strangle that guy... and make him dead. The way his dorky voice talks about lovey-dovey crap on the radio like he thinks he knows everybody's personal lives is worthy of me changing the radio dial.

[LChoy]

The new time Horton's mug and Tim Card.
"Eh? eh? Hello...."

[Gozer]

I listened to the MNF game on the radio, and the same commercial was on every freaking break (which is every 5 minutes for an NFL game) - the announcer would sound like a kid, and then a man, and then a kid again.

And there's a windows error message or something during the commercial, and EVERY FIVE F******G MINUTES WOULD BE THE SAME STUPID DING!

[Got Miikka?]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

The new time Horton's mug and Tim Card.
"Eh? eh? Hello...."

That commercial (like the Hi-Ho truck one) makes me feel capable of murderous violence that is totally out of line with my normal personality.

One that's been vexing me is the piano-ballad, kid-dreams-of-NHL-stardom Honda commercial. The thing that I don't get is that the piano sign-out to the ad sounds like the 'bah-bah bah-bah bah' riff from McD's - plagiarize much? (or is there a McDonald's/Honda partnership I am unaware of?) Overall, the message of the commercial has its heart in the right place, but the plodding, heavy piano keys are like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. I can watch but can't listen.

Is there any disdain for the hard helmet chubby dude from Panago ads? At first I hated them but lately I just have to laugh - the concept is so ludicrous! What's this new one - dude whistling totally out of tune with a holiday jingle while he's actually making the pizza... totally unappetizing! I don't want his grubby, pizza-holic fingers near my food thank you.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

The new time Horton's mug and Tim Card.
"Eh? eh? Hello...."

"Snap"

Really, who says that. Or "Heyyyooo", seriously... worst commercial on tv at the moment

[troutman]

That Scotiabank commercial is on about 100 X every night - I think I need a second opinion - okay, let's get started

It became a drinking game at the CP Grey Cup Party

[Red Ice Player]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

The latest Tim Horton's Christmas "Holidays" commercial - the one with the mug is one of the worst I think I've ever seen. I just want to throw my 46" LCD out the window every time I see it. The other Tim Horton's mushroom soup one with the greasy rag as well...ugh.

100% agree. The worst part is that Tim Horton's does the cliche Canadian politically correct "holidays" crap. Its meant not to offend any race or religion's sensibilities and ends up insulting the great majority. They figure we'll not notice and still buy their swill. I will not do business with anyone that uses the "holiday" copout.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by troutman

That Scotiabank commercial is on about 100 X every night - I think I need a second opinion - okay, let's get started

It became a drinking game at the CP Grey Cup Party

They stopped playing it for quite some time, hadn't noticed it until it was played every commercial break during the Grey Cup. I think they are trying to take advantage of the fact that every one on the planet is most likely not entirely happy with their investments at the moment.

Really, what can you do for me Scotia???

[Superflyer]

The thing that gets me about the Tim's commercial with the mug is the Chris Rock knock off, and his smug little smile at the end. Well that and everyone in the office.
Also the courier guy dropping off a package has one, sure you just carry around a cup like that when making deliveries...

[OzSome]

Beer commercial where those freaking idiots are trying to figure out the mountain changing the colors. The girl keeps telling them it is the label. Then another idiot walked in and asked what is going on. Then they all stand in front of the window looking at the mountain.

Next one is that guy showing off to this girl. Bragging that he wrote the song (by Beethoven, I guess) and also told her he made the Angus Burger from scratch.

Any commercial that shows how stupid/childish/idiots the BOYS are!!!

[WindomURL]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

What I don't understand is people trying to be funny when clearly it's not. Tim Horton's commercials are the worst offenders. I have yet to see one that is funny. They are all ridiculously stupid IMO.

I worked in the media, I know not all commercials are targeted to my age group or one specific age group, so I understand sometimes when a commercial appears to be quite silly to me, but Tim Horton's? What age group are you trying for? Same as Enterprise with that old lady commercial...Just don't get trying to be funny when clearly it is SO bad and not even remotely funny.

Steeped post, OilKiller!

[GoinAllTheWay]

Ok, my latest. It's a travel add on the Fan. Think it's for expeida or something. That couple talking about how the Bahamas are a paradise. The "girls" voice? That high pitched one? All this time I thought it was a guy with a really annoying voice but in the latest, she is clearly with her significant other. Could be a gay couple I guess but man, that voice makes my skin crawl.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Muta

...what annoys me about this commercial too is that the lady driving the car, the Enterprise employee, has that stupid smug look on her face when she shakes her head after hearing the old bag say "MUST BE EXPENSIVE..."

... both of them should be tied to a tetherball post and relentlessly beaten by a group of gradeschoolers doped up on sugar.

Just get her the really expensive car: a hearse. Ungrateful old bag.

[Red Ice Player]

Originally Posted by OzSome

Beer commercial where those freaking idiots are trying to figure out the mountain changing the colors. The girl keeps telling them it is the label. Then another idiot walked in and asked what is going on. Then they all stand in front of the window looking at the mountain.

Next one is that guy showing off to this girl. Bragging that he wrote the song (by Beethoven, I guess) and also told her he made the Angus Burger from scratch.

Any commercial that shows how stupid/childish/idiots the BOYS are!!!

The people that drink Coors Light will just say "nice rack" when they see the label girl. They won't notice that they are being shown to be idiots.