Random Thoughts

TV Commercials – Can You Hear Me Now?

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I like TV commercials.  I know that sounds weird, but I carefully look at each new one.  After I have seen it once, I may have no further use for it.  As soon as I see Mr. Clean, I move on.  But, I keep watching for that special one I may enjoy.

This used to cause me some discomfort during the Super Bowl.  I didn’t want to miss any of the game and I didn’t want to miss any of the new commercials.  As soon as I would see a repeat commercial, I would race out of the room.  Now, with the ability to pause my TV, it will be a more enjoyable experience.

I enjoyed the “Can you hear me now?” commercials from Verizon.  I have Verizon and as much as I enjoy the commercials, I could take that fellow to a few places where my Verizon phone doesn’t work.  For example, the hospital at Walter Reed.  Now, I know it is a massive building with good reasons for poor reception.   I wouldn’t mind the reception problem  if everyone else had the same problem.  But, I see all kinds of people talking on their cell phones.  Mine says, “No Service.”

I don’t think I have selected products based upon commercials.  When I look at the Capital One commercials (“What’s in your wallet?”), I always say, I would never use that product.  But, I probably wouldn’t use Capital One regardless of their commercials.  Getting 30 pieces of mail from them each month may have jaded me.

I think after watching the commercial, the viewer should at least know the name of the product.  That’s about all I know about advertising.  I do think it is stupid to have your product used by someone that everybody finds contemptuous.  There is a Snickers’ commercial where a bunch of people dressed up in costumes are in front of a convenience store.  The first fellow says, “They were out of Snickers bars.”  The second fellow (who is dressed like a Viking) screams “No!” and at the same time picks up a trash can and throws it at a car in the parking lot (I would feel better if they told me it was his car).  Then the first fellow says, “But they did have Snickers with dark chocolate.”  Whereupon, the Viking fool screams “Yes!” and throws another trash can at the same car doubling the damage.  He then starts woofing down the Snickers like some kind of animal.

This is the moment when I scratch my head and ask, “Is this how Snickers want to portray their customers, as vandalizing buffoons?”  I guess they don’t care.  They just want me to know they have dark chocolate.  Well, I like Snickers bars and am probably not so offended that I will stop eating them.  I just wish the commercial would have ended with a blue-flashing light rolling up.

12 thoughts on “TV Commercials – Can You Hear Me Now?”

  9. I have always hated that Snickers commerical too. I am always drawn to see how bad the damage is to that vehicle. I look everytime. It’s nuts.

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