Infuriating Commercials

I'm a guy. . . don't want commercials. If God didn't want me to watch commercials, She wouldn't have invented the Remote Control.

That, and beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. (Thanks, Ben!)

I really don't like those "Zoom Zoom" commercials. . .

All the one's that seem to need women in bikini's to sell something. Half the time, you barely know what the product is.

Commercials with 21 year old models selling anti-ageing cream.

Acne cream adds showing models who've never had a pimple in their lives.

Millionaires asking me to donate to anything.

Ads for women's magazines with Princess Di on the cover. Maybe someone should tell them she's DEAD.

It's really funny. My husband can't stand commercials, and he puts the TV on "mute" when they are on. On the other hand, I seem to have a "tuneout" circuit in my brain. I really couldn't tell you what many of the commercials are. Years ago, I watched them, but now I seem to have found a way to obliterate them from my sensory perception!

In the US do they increase the volume by 20 decibels during the ads? They certainly do here, despite assurances that such actions are supposed to be illegal.

Wilso- I once heard an explanation for this. I may not be entirely technically correct, but I think that you will get the idea.

Let us say that the loudest a commercial is permitted to get is X decibels. In a normal TV show, there is a dynamic range within the sound frequencies. In other words, people speaking may reach a certain sound level, while a door slamming may be much louder, and people whispering in the background is softer.

With commercials, they raise the decibel level throughout the frequency ranges to the limit of permissibility, so that overall it appears much louder than the show itself.

On robertas original point, our society has taken "and a child shall lead them " way too seriously. There is an implied advocacy of children making, and enforcing the rules. NOT IN MY HOUSE. i keep telling the kids that adulthood is something to be attained as a goal, not a time spent looking back on your "greatest days of childhood and puberty'


Mute is the greatest function button on the remote. i wish some people came with this feature

Commercials work by creating a sense of discontent. Your life would be perfect if you... You would be attractive if you bought... Your neighbors are happier than you because they...

Television works by creating dissatisfaction with the way things are.

Stop watching television and you may find a sense of contentment that you are missing during the hours behind the glowing box...




By the way... I've watched the guys at the presses outside the lab fiddling with the mold that makes the floss threader off and on for a year. Never appealed to me. (I've also measured the toothpaste cap with the floss built in... that seems less foolish to me.)

Truly irritating or annoying ads stop me buying products, whereas ads only make me want to buy their product if it is something new and interesting.

One really deeply irritatingly stupid one currently is for a directory enquiries number and involves 2 weedy runners with droopy '80's moustaches shouting inanities - yuk! I'll NEVER ever use their number!

Ok, here's the one that gets by blood boiling....


While mom goes shopping, dad is left at home with baby. Dad and the baby are sitting in the kitchen and as soon as the baby starts to make a little noise, dad says "Where's your mother?"

Now that one sends me right through the roof.

Hey, I think that one of the reasons I got turned off by advertising, is the stuff that they do in Florida. I was used to the more sophisticated NY advertising.

Over here, the vast majority of ads are for trucks. Many of the actors are less than, shall we say, professional. Suppose that the ad agency wanted a "down home " feel.

There is one that I remember from a few years ago. It is for a plywood company, of all things. The three owners give their spiel, and then do that trick with their knees that people did when they did the Charleston, in the 1920's. All the time they are shouting, Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha. First time I heard it, I wanted to puke. I think that it was after that ad, that I turned off commercials for good!


One picture is worth a thousand words:

http://www.baycityplywood.com/

I'm so lazy I have one of those Braun power flossers (Water Pic makes one also). Don't really like sticking my fingers in my mouth. You never know where they might have been.

My beef is the sound level and with 5.1 digital surround sound, it's even worse. I'd been channel surfing this morning, for instance, and came upon a channel which was blasting a commercial so loud, my first floor is now on the second floor.

I've done this myself. Not because I can't handle the baby, but because I'd much rather my wife deal with it!

Oh Turner. Not the thing tou want to be telling me ;-)

You mean Turner has a proposal on the table, Monty?

The Sprint guy makes me ill. Is he actually supposed to be funny ?


Those awful diamond anniversary commercials, because THAT'S how you show someone you love her. (n o t)


And, ok, I'll say it: beer commercials that target "real men" as if they were gorillas.

(aw, c'mon, most of them are not.)

Turner, I'm not a guy. People who aren't guys also don't want commercials. The problem with using the remote is that most network stations show their commercials at the same time. Very annoying. Who's Ben?

Wilso, Princess Di is dead? Why am I always the last to know? BTW, I agree. All too often people are selling stuff that they obviously don't need. Also, the decibel level going up during commercials isn't as much of a problem as it used to be. But it still happens.

Phoenix, I admire your ability to tune out. I'm ambivalent about totally disengaging. Some commercials are clever. And some have wonderful music. As for local commercials. They can be beyond irritating no matter whether they're from Florida or New York. Any local commercial in which the business owner and/or his or her family is involved SUCKS. Without fail. Every time.

LW, Lazy I can deal with. You're too lazy to floss. Okay with me. But inept? Dental floss is just too much of a challenge? Aaaaargh! As for decibel levels, I've noticed that some stations are louder than others. The Animal Planet is the loudest. And A&E is barely audible.

Farmerman, Glad to hear that parental nos are not a thing of the past. And I can think of a few people for whom a mute button would be ideal.

Sealpoet, I know a number of people who have given up tv viewing. I won't be one of them. I'm amazed that you watched the lab guys working on the dental floss holder. You're right. The floss witht he toothpaste tube is a slightly more intelligent idea. However, I usually run out of toothpaste long before the floss is gone. With the two-in-one arrangement, is it possible to separate the floss from the toothpaste?

Vivien, There have been a few commercials that have driven me away from the products they're selling. Ring aroung the collar and please don't squeeze the Charmin are two that come to mind readily.

Montana, I've seen that commercial. It never bothered me. Of course now that you've brought it up, it probably will.

Angie, Is the Sprint guy the one who keeps saying "Can you hear me now?" Enough already. The diamond commercials don't bother me. And guys aren't gorillas? Who knew?

The Verizon guy is the "Can you hear me now?" guy. You should see my two year old run around the house "Can you hear me? Good." does it for about five minutes after that commercial is over. And then we get him doing it in the car. . .

Monty - Let's face it, I'm just lazy. I'd much rather have someone else deal with the things that upset me. . . but then, who wouldn't?

Most people are lazy about flossing -- ask any dentist. Yes, I do find winding the floss around my fingers and trying to get it between my teeth to be awkward and as I have a limited bite, I can't even get to all of my teeth (the technician who cleans my teeth has they same problem.) The water pick (I have a unit that attaches directly to the faucet) and the Braun Interclean does a great job. I would imagine the floss holder (which is not really new) will sell very well. There's even a toothpaste with the floss in the cap!

I'm sure we moms feel the same way at times, but who will we turn too? ;-)