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Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, movie, music and pop culture links, as well as gossip and idle chat from around the Web.

Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



TV commercials: Keeping the discussion alive

Posted: Thursday, July 19, 2007 9:40 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

When I left for the TV critics' summer press tour, I had high hopes of interspersing TV commercial-contest posts with my updates about the new fall shows. Ha. Yeah. We plan, God laughs. As you may have noticed, that's just not happening. The tour is pretty all-consuming, and I'd hate to skip a panel on an old favorite show, or what could be the hot new show of the fall.

So I'll start this post and what's called an open thread, meaning all topics about TV commercials are pretty much fair game here (decency rules apply, duh). You can revisit one of the topics we've already discussed, bring up a new topic, or just share your nominations for best/worst ads this year.

When I do get time, or when I'm back from the tour, some of the topics I'd like to bring up include: regional commercials, foreign ads, sex in ads, humor in ads (when it works and when it flops), ad cliches and stereotypes, car ads, personal-product ads and the fine line they must walk, and more. So feel free to throw out thoughts on any of those -- or other -- topics.

If you want to see what's already been said, here are past commercial posts:

--Vintage ads: Bring back Evil Grimace!

--Ads we actually like: Mac vs. PC

--Creepy ads: Man as milking machine

--Cell phone ads: Can you hear me now?

--Fast-food ads: SpongeBob No Pants, kicking trees

--Kids in ads: Why are they so bratty?

--Music in ads: "Lust for Life"

--Frequently mentioned ads: IDK, my BFF Jill, berries and cream lad

--Contest ground rules: Toenail monster is no longer eligible

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Comments

The newest Wendy's commecial is keeping in line with the tree kicking one.  I don't understand why there are "tear outs" covering the screaming faces or really the entire concept.  It's just weird and another reason why I'm not encouraged to go to Wendy's.  I think the good old Dave commercials were there best.

LaDonna, Indiana (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 1:11 PM)

I would just like to add to the discussion one of the Wendy's ads, where you see black and white video of people screaming in huge crowds. The ad talks about how it's bad to obsess, unless you're obsessed about the new baconator (aka heart attack express). It's really ineffective, and very weird. For no explainable reason, all the people in the ad have their heads covered up with cut outs from other people's heads. It really does not make me want to go out and buy that caloric monstrosity.

Brandy, FL (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 1:32 PM)

I have two nominations for best ad-Geek Squad with both the meteor attracting magnet and the transporter with the teen-mosquito cross. The tagline of "i'll get my stuff" is great.  The other I like is for Blink car cleaning products with the clean empty handed child is left in the car for under 10 seconds and the door opens to a complete mess.  The first time I saw it I cracked up, and it still makes me laugh every time.  

Kat Dupre Denver CO (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 1:45 PM)

Presonally, I'm curently enjoying the McDonalds commercial where there are two young guys beat boxing about McNuggets. That song is so infectious! I'm into nuggets ya'll, I'm into nuggets ya'll, McNuggets, McNuggets...my husband and I have a great time singing along to it everytime it comes on (or sometimes when I'm bored at work..

Maria, Bronx, NY (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:13 PM)

We don't talk much about commercials for TV shows, and we don't talk as much about commercials we actually like, so I'll hit both with one stone here.  I love the USA Network's "Characters Welcome" series that feature interactions between its original shows' characters.  You don't need to watch a particular show to understand, and enjoy, ads featuring its characters (one of my favorites involves characters from "Monk," "Psych," and "The Dead Zone").  They're creative spots that show off the various series quite well.

LV (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:15 PM)

On the topic of regional ads, I absolutely have to weigh in.  Embarq (which used to be Sprint Local) has this ad series with 3 or 4 geeky-looking guys who play in a "band."  The worst of these ads begins with a normal-looking scene - a woman paying the internet bill online and the husband looking over her shoulder asking if the bill will ever go up.  The room darkens and this band comes out of smoke singing a song about how the price will never go up.  The song is annoying, the band is annoying, and I hate this ad with such a passion that you cannot even know.  There is a relatively new one where the wife comes home from work with a bag of groceries, looks at her slob of a husband (white tank top, hasn't shaved, etc.) and asks if he did anything all day.  He informs her that he tied their Embarq home phone service to their Embarq wireless service....enter the band, who are once again singing some annoying jingle.  Embarq needs a new ad agency, because these ads are of the kind that make me want to avoid their service just because the ads are so bad.

Heather, Chambersburg, PA (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:19 PM)

I don't live anywhere near the region, but it's been a big hit on You Tube...Montgomery! Flea Market! It's just like, it's just like, it's just like a mini...MALL!
Best. Commercial. Ever.

Nikki, Danbury CT (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:59 PM)

The Wendy's commercial is supposed to be a bunch of guys excited about bacon like teenage girls screaming for Justin Timberlake.  To get the point across, apparently poorly, they used teenage girl bodies and voices with cutouts of men's faces.

My vote for Best Commercial:  The Bud Light Swear Jar..this is an internet commercial but is hilarious.

Worst Commercials:  The Hardees/Carl Jr. ones...the way they portray men as pigs and idiots annoys the crap out of me.  I think the stereotypical male they are going for is a pig and an idiot, which might be why they eat at Hardee's.

David, GA (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 3:03 PM)

Ah david in GA! Thank you for clearing up the wendy's commercial for me!! I thought I was the only one who noticed that they were all guy head cut outs, but i just couldnt figure out why? Thanks! Worst ad (besides the wendys) "Ahoy" By old spice? They just show 3 diff girls with diff hair color and each one looks into the lens of the camera and says "ahoy"...umm ok?

C , Lincoln NE (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 4:00 PM)

My all-time favorite commercial this year is still the petsmart add with the little sister bulldog.  I saw it again today - it never gets old and it never fails to make me smile.  It definitely is a feel-good commercial.

I also still laugh everytime I see the Sonic commercial with the two women and one is still in her bathrobe, telling her friend she was ready, she was done.  Her friend looks at her and says "I think we have different definitions of done". The friend looks at her quizzically and asks "what's your definition" and the other looks at her and deadpans "not that".

Nichole, Pineville, LA (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 5:36 PM)

I love the Coldstone Creamery ads, especially the one with the heiress! Funny and clever.

Angela, NY, NY (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 6:26 PM)

Here's a blast from the past...In the Sacramento area there is a car dealership named Cal Worthington. He was this old rhinestone cowboy type. And every commercial, he would be riding some different type of animal( elephant, horse, camel etc.)The announcer would say " Here's Cal Wothington and his dog spot" refering to whatever Cal happened to be riding that day. But, the song in the background was so garbled that every one thought it was saying " pussy-cow, pussy-cow" eventually decifered as " go see cal, go see cal!!!" Am I the only one who remembers that?

caineme, Quincy Ca. (Sent Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:05 PM)

i really like an ad from orbit gum (dirty mouth?  clean it up.).  its the one where the wife catches the husband w/ his secretary & they go on this rant of what would be obscene language if they didnt substitute it w/ cleaver phrases.  what the french, toast? funny!

tealv8 (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 8:12 AM)

Cainme - We have Cal Worthington here in Long Beach, CA too. They still air his commercials only without him riding animals. He's still wearing his cowboy getup and that horribly bad toupe sticking out of his cowboy hat. I still remember some of the lyrics "If yer looking for a car, go see Cal. If you want a car or truck, go see Cal..." Haha...memories.

Norma, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 9:36 AM)

I've got a regional ad gripe...this was dumb for so many reasons.
Down in El Paso, TX and surrounding areas, they've got a pet food/pet accessory store called Valley Feed.  The ad is a typical regional ad.  Shots of the store, etc.  But the song is these little girls with what sounds like VERY forced British accents singing, "Dogs, and cats, and birds, and fishes.  Even horses get their wishes."  
Where do I begin?  First off the song sounds like it belongs in "Village of the Damned" instead of a pet food commercial.  It's very sing-songy (think going back and forth between two notes on a piano), and it tries to be cheerful, but it just comes off as creepy.  Secondly, the accent seems so off...I can't tell if it's forced or if they doped the kids up with animal tranquilizers before putting them in front of the microphone.  And finally (for those of you that don't have a map out), El Paso is right on the US/Mexico border.  98% of the population is Hispanic.  Did they REALLY think the creepy British kids were going to sell when Spanish is actually the predominant language?  They should have taken a page from every car dealership in the area and hired some mariachis.  

Leslie, NM (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 9:38 AM)

Caineme,
I remember the Cal Worthington Commercial! That thing is at least 20 years old!
The other commercial I remember from that time was a waterbed commercial where some kid was singing "all I want for Christmas is a waterbed..." to the tune of "All i want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth."

Zoe, Orlando Fl (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 10:00 AM)

caineme, Quincy Ca. -  No you're not the only one who remembers good ol' Cal and his 'dog' Spot.  I remember him from the LA area, and I had the same mis-hearing of the lyrics!  

Sunset (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 10:52 AM)

Nichole, I too love the Pet-Smart and Sonic commercials.  I love the Sonic one with the husband and wife who spot their neighbors and then say bad things about them under their breaths.  I also love the Pet-Smart commercial with "Bo-Bo".  The M&M guys are always good for a laugh, too!

Felicia, Albany, GA (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 12:13 PM)

Well I am originally from between LA and Sacramento (really narrows it down right?) and I fondly remember the Cal Worthington commercials.  A lot of us wanted our parents to buy cars from his dealerships so that we could go see Cal and his "dogs." We also preferred to sing the "pussy-cow" version of the song, even when we knew the real words... "If you need a car or truck and you wanna save a buck..."  Ah, the memories!

Heather, Hollywood, MD (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 12:26 PM)

How about the Clorox commercial that's supposed to be nostalgic?  Something in the voice-over's syntax is off.  It says something like, "Your mother, your grandmother, her mother (etc...) all did laundry.  Maybe even a man or two."  First time I heard this I had to make sure I was watching a serious commercial.  'Scuse me?  I don't want to be reminded that the women who came before me were "doing" people.
Anybody else?

Cody, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 12:32 PM)

I know I am in the minority, but I still like the Dairy Queen ads with the Ice Cream wife and the Waffle Bowl husband.  The newest one where they are in the fertility doctor's office and the doctor tells the husband he is not...lactose intolerant!  Love it, love it!

Misti, Republic, WA (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 1:37 PM)

I liked the Aspercreme commercial from the current ad campaign before they changed the words. It is now "You bet if it's Aspercreme!" but originally it was "You bet your sweet Aspercreme!" I caught the original a couple of times before it was switched and it made me give a little giggle everytime. The first time I saw/heard it, I thought "Nooo... Did they? They couldn't! They did!" I was disappointed when they changed it, but I suppose it's understandable.

Heather, Hollywood, MD (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 2:23 PM)

As this discussion seems to be winding down, I have to mention some ads that I haven't seen discussed:

My favorite one is still the Aflec commercials (even the newer one with the dumb goat) but especially the Christmas one (snowman, carrot); they make me howl every time.

Also, being a fifty-something baby boomer, I like the retirement planning commercial with Dennis Hopper; he's looking very good.  Haven't seen it for a while, though; I must be alone in that opinion.

I think the Vytorin(?) cholesteral medication with the "You get high cholesteral from..." and they show the food with a person "dressed" like the food.  They're not funny but I think they are very clever.

The one I hate/creepy is (drumroll here) for the male enhancement drug and the couple they have to "postpone intimacy".  I swear if that woman strokes the side of her husband's face one more time (she does it like six times in the commercial) I'm going to scream.  If I did that to my husband that often, he'd relieve me of my hand.

Just my slant...

Marty; St. Paul, MN (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 2:32 PM)

Marty: I agree with your on those ED commercials and their "postponement factor"...don't like them one bit. Another commercial that makes me cringe every time I see it is one for Tanactin with the John Madden. It follows the usual athlete foot commercial but instead of just having icky cartoon caracters, it includes a larger than life John Madden. I can't see any reason why he would agree to do these horrible commercials!

Maria, Bronx, NY (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 3:29 PM)

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the new "edgy" ad campaign for the supposedly young and hip Toyota Scion is horrific. It features animated characters called the "Little Deviants" who brutally murder "Sheeple", wear their skin around, and use their decapitated heads as hood ornaments on their cool new Scions!

I have been subjected to this ad every time I've seen a movie this summer. It always leaves the audience disgusted and confused.

Slate has an article about it here:

http://www.slate.com/id/2170388/

Lori Naylor, Pasadena, CA (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 3:35 PM)

I recently saw a new JCPenney commercial with a young girl who is doodling in her notebook at school.  She draws a heart with her initials and the initials of her crush inside.  Suddenly the heart disappears and starts appearing all over the classroom.  She dashes around trying to cover the heart before her crush sees it.  At the end, the heart appears on the table just in front of him.  She slides across the table to cover it, and looks up to find him smiling at her.  Very cute.  I can't remember the punchline, but I think its something along the lines of "Enjoy the little things" or "Enjoy each day."

Sara; Roanoke, Virginia (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 4:25 PM)

I'm a big fan of the insurance commercial that starts with two wrecked cars in the middle of the street.  Slowly, stagehands come into the picture with fixed car parts, taking out streetlights, replacing a broken fire hydrant with a fountain... all as the backdrop raises to reveal a beautiful home.  And suddenly everything you see is picture perfect.  Very Very Very well done!!!

KendallJaye Springfield, IL (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 4:26 PM)

This is for Cody, from Ann Arbor, regarding the Clorox commercial.  I haven't seen it, but I'm guessing that it means even a man or two did the laundry, not that your grandmother did a man or two.

Sarah, Richmond, VA (Sent Friday, July 20, 2007 5:28 PM)

Does anyone know the commercial where a father and son are trimming hedges and talking about great savings, father asked son "where is your mother anyway" son responds "online shopping" and father then trims the internet/phone line with garden shears.. hilarious. I cant remember whose ad and rarely see it.

Delicia, New York, NY (Sent Saturday, July 21, 2007 10:42 PM)

OK, I used to think the Wendy's ad with the tree kickers and the idiot in the Pippi Longstocking "Wendy's wig" was the worst new ad, but as of this past Monday I have a brand-new candidate...the little band of middle-aged guys on acoustic instruments singing what sounds like "Viva Las Vegas" until you realize they're singing about a woman who "sets my soul on fire" and the chorus is "VIVA VIAGRA"! EWWWWWWWW! Who ever approved THIS exercise in bad taste????? Thanks a lot, fellas,--I'll never be able to listen to Elvis without cringing ever again!!!!!!

Tru M., Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 7:41 AM)

It's probably already been mentioned before but...Funny one I just saw was for Capital One.  Little girl is in bed and the Tooth Fairy comes in and gives her a little bit of $ and she asks "is this all?" and he explains the rules of the cash rewards from the tooth fairy.  It's along the same lines as this one http://youtube.com/watch?v=lFn4cxy05HA

Maggie, St Louis, MO (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 11:51 AM)

good thing u sticks in the mud arent in charge of a corporation...my family has several wendys franchises and the numbers are through the rough on those baconators. if u dont like em, yer probably too old cuz  the are targeting college town kids. BACON!!!!!!!!!!!

dave thomas (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:55 AM)

I get the creeps every time I see the Capital One Tooth Fairy ad. A man climbing in a little girl's bedroom window and they show her talking calmly to him? Since kids watch TV so much I think this sends a really bad message. That little girl should be screaming her head off! And being a Capital One credit card holder I find it funny that all the things this credit card company advertises as bad are the very things they do to their card holders.

Susan, Arlington, TX (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 11:10 AM)

What is the name of the wigs the girls are wearing in the Las Vegas
tv commercial where they switch wigs in the bathroom?

Sandra Maisel, Pleasanton, Ca. (Sent Sunday, August 12, 2007 7:00 AM)

I have to agree with David, GA about the Hardees/Carls Jr commercials. I shut off the TV when these come on. Nothing like sitting there listening to someone chewing with their mouth open. Utterly disgusting. I find it revolting that this company seems to think that is ok. What ever happened to table manners. You know chewing with your mouth closed, not making squishing noises or "smacking" when you eat. When I was growing up if you "smacked" while eating you got smacked.

On several occasions I have sat down to write Hardee's a letter to let them know just how I feel about these spine shuddering gut wrenching commercials but never have completed it. Heck maybe one of their people will take  notice that there are a lot of people out there that despise their commercials

Chris, Sevierville, TN (Sent Tuesday, August 14, 2007 10:13 PM)

I have to agree with Susan, Arlington about the Capital One Tooth Fairy ad. The person that came up with this idea should be fired. Are these IDIOTS not paying attention to what has been happening in the news? I am considering canceling my Capital One credit card if they do not pull this despicable ad.

Arvid Folger, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Sent Wednesday, September 05, 2007 7:26 AM)

I completely agree about the Capital One tooth fairy ad.  I was going to try to write to Capital One and complain about it but I couldn't find the contact info. to do so.  Given the fact that so many news stories are about little girls getting abducted from their bedrooms by men, I think this ad is totally distasteful and it should be pulled.  At the very least, it should air every morning on the TODAY show!

Lindsey, Newtown Square, PA (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 3:03 PM)

I love the ad for - oops, I think it's Petsmart - where they guy walks into his house calling for "Mr. Barky von Schnauzer......Mr. Barky von Schnauzer!"

Who doesn't give their dog(s) funny nicknames.  I never get tired of that one.

VIcki, Osteen FL (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 5:50 AM)

dose anyone know where i can find a video of the clorox commercial with the old fat britich lady that would rip shirts off of people and say my this shirt has a bad case of the dingies"

mark salazer, whittier, ca (Sent Thursday, May 29, 2008 2:10 PM)



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