ABOUT TEST PATTERN

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.



Ads we hate: Why is that man YELLING?

Posted: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:34 PM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

500+ comments in two days. I'd say we all have a lot of stored-up hostility about the TV commercials we've been seeing lately (and, to be fair, some praise for the rare good ones).

But let's start with those ads you hate, hate, hate. I can't possibly get to all of them (check the comments for more), but here are a few that kept coming up. Oof, are they bad.

Note: If just reading through the ad descriptions turns your stomach, here's a link to that Discovery Channel ad as a palate-cleanser. Because the world, after all, is just awesome, even if all its ads are not.

ADS WE HATE (just the beginning...)

MENTOS GUM: IT'S NOT MOUTHWATERING
I hate that Mentos has come to this, since their delightfully foreign-flavored ads were what made their candy famous in the first place. But now they have Mentos Gum (I tried it, not bad) and for Mentos Gum, they have an ad where a woman drinks out of a man's mouth. I don't know, because the gum is "mouthwatering" or something. That word, I do not think it means what you think it does. Just awful. Watch it here if you must. It's worth noting that the guy who posted it did so in order to discuss the ad at CommercialsIHate.com.

Reader comment: "I agree that the Mentos commercial where the woman drinks from the (man) like a water cooler is absolutely the grossest!! They actually pay people to come up with that garbage?"    --Barbara

DOES A BEAR USE CHARMIN IN THE WOODS?
Yes, we all know the phrase about bears and what they do in the woods. But since that phrase contains a not-so-nice word, I didn't exactly expect to see it turned into an ad. It can't be easy to make ads for Charmin -- we all know what it's for, but you can't exactly show it being used in your commercial. Still, back to the drawing board, Charmin. Watch one of the ads.

Reader comment: "I hate the Charmin bear commercials--they are way too descriptive of what the benefits of Charmin are.  'It doesn't leave pieces behind?!'  I don't need that much detail when choosing my toilet paper!"    --Amy

BILLY MAYS: THE LOUDEST PITCHMAN ON TV
One of the world's great annoyances: Commercials that come on SO MUCH LOUDER than the show that they've just interrupted, making you dive for the volume control like a crazy person. Speaking of crazy people, hi, Billy Mays. ("HI, I'M BILLY MAYS FOR INSERT PRODUCT NAME HERE!") He hawks dozens of products, and always at a volume just below that of a freight train. He's become such a legend that YouTube is full of goofy tributes to him. Here's one (warning for the language-sensitive, he swears at the end, but it's still funny.) I almost like him better after watching that. Almost.

Reader comment: "I cannot stand to watch / listen to any ad featuring Billy Mays (or however you spell his last name).  He's the one who sells Ka-Boom! and a number of other household cleaning products (and, I think, some sort of glue product).  His voice is extremely irritating -- mostly because he screams!  I immediately hit the MUTE button when a commercial of his comes on.  His voice is actually the earworm.  I can hear him screaming now, right along with Free Credit Report ...  AAGGHHH!!!  My ears!! My ears!!"    --Pat

PED EGG: IT'S LIKE A CHEESE GRATER FOR YOUR FEET
There are commercials we don't like because they are stupid and loud. And there are commercials we don't like because the product itself is disturbing, and seeing it used is more so. Do people really walk around judging people on their foot calluses? Do people really sit there and shave their feet as if they are carrots or potatoes? And most importantly, do we really have to see someone dumping a PedEgg full of excess skin crumbles into their wastebasket as if they were pencil shavings? Your answer, based on the blog comments, is No, No, and UGH NO! (Note: We may hate the ads, but Diane Mapes tested the thing for our "Does It Work?" blog and actually ended up as a fan...as did many of the readers who commented on her review.) Oh, and for bilingual foot fetishists, there's also a Spanish version of the ad. Ay caramba!

Reader comment: " I would say THE most annoying ad to me is the PED-EGG commercial--YUCK!!! they show the women with these horrible nasty feet filing the nasty dead skin into the "PED-EGG" and then they open it up and empty out all the shavings! I know that it's not actual skin shavings in the commercial but it sure is nasty!"    --Cynthia

Vent. Get it all out: Share your comments on these four ads, and any other TV commercial that's currently bugging you, in the comments. We'll discuss GOOD ads next week.

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

I hate the skittles commercial with the man doing a job interview and he has this really long beard that moves by it's self. He rubs the lady's face and then puts a skittle into her mouth with his beard. It grosses me out everytime. It's just plain creepy!

Jackie, Houston, TX (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:24 PM)

Love the Denali commercials during the NBA playoffs! The Actor is fantastic!
Also, Dwayne Wade & Charles Barkley are hysterical, so natural, unrehearsed commercials.
About a year ago there was a commercial for Gatorade, Derek Jeter, Kevin Garnett and Wade were in it, SO CREATIVE!!

J (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:27 PM)

I, on the other hand, LOVE all the Geico ads.   They have a bunch of genius writers, but I must say that some of the cavemen commercials weren't too good.  

Judy, Idabel, Oklahoma (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:37 PM)

I love this new Huggies ad!:
http://www.huggieshappybaby.com/videos/index.aspx?globnav=hhb
(click on "Diaper geyser")

B, Porterville, CA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:37 PM)

People, do what I did. I e-mailed Mentos last Sunday, they answered Thursday(a lady called Jaqueline) to tell me they would forward my message to the appropriate department to let them know, how I felt. Hey, for what it's worth: At least they had the courtesy to answer.

Elke Cuevas, Ashland,OR (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:40 PM)

I wish they would bring back one ad(or try to follow suit on such a good taste ad)I can't forget: an eagle, perched on a tree in the woods, sees a car passing by. It follows the car for a while and, not believing what its eyes see, goes to have them checked. The eye doc says: "Nope. Your eyes are fine."

Claire Costello, Englewood, Florida (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:47 PM)

Geico ads with the "celebrities" acting as spokespersons for the claims recipients are embarrassingly bad.

Norma Reed, Scottsdale, AZ (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:47 PM)

I hit the skip button on my MCE remote, so I don't see 30-second commercials. However, I've almost completely stopped watching live TV because of all the ads DURING the shows. For example, Tom Cruise is upside down during Mission Impossible, it's a close-up, and suddenly Steven Seagal pops up right next to Tom's face. I practically needed Charmin. Of course, no pop-up advertisement is complete without sound effects that kill an intense, quiet moment in a film. Other examples are ads that obliterate the entire lower 20% of the screen during a show. Of course, if there are subtitles running, like in Braveheart, you aren't allowed to read them...you have to see their advertisement instead, which is obviously more important to them than providing you with entertainment.

Roger, Redmond, WA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:50 PM)

There is a Quiznos commercial that has a little pet/animal as part of the ad.  This gray, hairy thing is crawling all over the place while the commercial is running.  I makes me think that there are rats/vermin in the Quiznos place, running all over the food.  Yuck.

PF, San Diego, CA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 7:52 PM)

It may just be a local one, but The Ohio Center for Broadcasting commercial is so annoying.
"You could be a DJ for a day!!  Yes!  A DJ for a day!!"
And they always play it twice in a row.

Claire (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:04 PM)

I really hate the commercials advertising personal products, (viagra, sanitary pads, herpes medication etc)  If the public is not smart enough to look for these products or talk to their Dr. if they have a problem then leave it alone.  The commercial industry really thinks the buying public will watch or buy anything.  Until we let them know we do not like the product commercials, they will continue.  It is a little scary when the advertisement industry thinks the buying public is so stupid.

Frances Paris, Tx (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:06 PM)

This list must have been sanitized. No way could that JG Wentworth commercial NOT be in the list. Right on top.

MJ Staley, Tombstone AZ (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:37 PM)

In my opinion, the most annoying and DISGUSTING ads are for Carl's Jr. What imbecile in marketing decided that wearing food on your face and being a pig sells? Not just once, but time after time. I have never eaten at Carl,s Jr., and I never will. "Gag!"

Brad (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:44 PM)

I agree with jerseygirl: the ad with people calling out voice commands as if they were in their car is hilarious. My husband and I will rewind and watch that girl wax herself on the glass door over and over; it never stops being funny.

Billy Mays is pretty annoying, but I had to admit that OxyClean rocks.

Deb D (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:45 PM)

Can't stand the Sonic ads...the ones with the people driving up to the restaurant talking about Sonic's food, and they say something really dumb and then you hear the punching sound and a sales pitch.  Makes me want to eat anywhere but Sonic. I also think the networks do a piss poor job of making sure that ads are content-compatible with the programs they are in.  I was an avid watcher of the family friendly show "7th  Heaven" and can remember seeing ads for Viagra and steamy promos for shows like "One Tree Hill" during the breaks.  

Mark B, St. Louis MO (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:47 PM)

I will never EVER use Stanley Steemer carpet cleaners since they've been airing a commercial of dog wiping his butt on the carpet.  I actually experience a gag reflex every time I hear the boy scream, "Hey, Mom, come see Toby's new trick."  Really, really, gross!  

K. Henehan San Marcos, CA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:56 PM)

There were some ads for Klondike bars that were on recently, and I absolutely hated them.  In one, a woman is telling some story to her husband, he responds to her, and the announcer says "Joe Shmoe actually listened to his wife when she was talking.  Give that man a Klondike bar."  In another, a man is sitting outside at a cafe with his wife, a blonde walks by, and the speaker says "Tom Smith kept his eyes on his wife.  Give that man a Klondike bar."  Yeah, yeah, it's supposed to be a joke, but are wives really such harpies that you should be rewarded for listening to them?  Or for not blatantly ogling other women in front of them?  A lot of ads have that sort of tone to them, which I don't find funny.
And by the way, Klondike, your ice cream isn't even that good.

TE, Boston, MA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 8:59 PM)

Oh, I also like the Progressive Insurance ads with the cashier played by Stephanie Courtney. She's hilarious.

I disagree with anybody who say that an ad "works" if we remember the product. Those Mentos ads actually make me gag thinking about their product. The old Quiznos commercial with that guy suckling on the wolf had the same effect. An ad doesn't work if it makes me remember not to buy the product. Ever.

Deb D (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:03 PM)

The commercial that really gets on my nerves is the one for the Jitterbug cellphone. Its really loud and all I keep hearing is Jitterbug... Jitterbug...

Christina (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:09 PM)

Does anyone remember the quiznos commercials with the mexican rats? Singing something like "we love the subs, they so delicious". OMG I hated them! It was so disgusting seeing those nasty rats being associated with food. I still don't eat a quiznos to this day because of that.

Christina, Philly (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:24 PM)

I watch A&E often, and the J.G. Wentworth "Need cash now" commercials are THE worst since the HeadOn "apply directly to the forehead" commercials.

The whole commercial is idiots, one after another, screaming-whining, "It's my money and I need it now."

You have to be a moron if you call them.

Kevin C, Nashua, NH (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:47 PM)

The commercial that absolutely gets under my skin (and most commercials are annoying at best) is the Celebrex ad. There have been mini-series that have been shorter! And it plays the same redundant guitar riff, over, and over, and over.... UGH!!! I do find the e-trade commercials humorous, though.

Jeffrey, Pasco, Washington (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:47 PM)

I hate the one with the people who are some kind of people/animation hybrids.  It's for some finanacial institution.  They have the one great line "it's like people are paid to come up with ways to nickle & dime us to death."  But either use people or animation.  The hybrid just gets on my nerves. Also, that freecreditreport.com commercial sucks.  Those guys are geeks.  Who wants to take advice from them.  

Michelle O. Dallas, TX (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 9:59 PM)

this is not a national commercial but in louisville there s a company called builders supply that sells contractors goods like doors and window and such but the guy screams (louder taht mr mays) and breack a payne of glass what the heck is that about? I hate hate hate them

Nick Louisville, KY (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:10 PM)

I would like to nominate the diaper commercial in which a dad is changing a diaper and his baby pees all over a bedroom.  Also, the ad which has some idiot shouting "WIZARD" and a guy in a wizard costume appears out of thin air.  I can't understand how this sells their product.

TJ, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:13 PM)

I have to second Pam on that Taco Bell commercial - but the other Taco Bell commercial where theres this horrific song that goes "79 89 99 yayaya" makes me cringe in physical pain

Sandy, Chicago IL (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:17 PM)

Billy Mays (or whatever! There are plenty of commercials that I cannot stand (thank God for the MUTE, but Billy Mays is the worst ever. I have never bought anything from him and I will never buy even if is the best thing ever.

Irene, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:27 PM)

There are very few commercials on TV that I don't find annoying or insulting to my intelligence.  What really gets me are the huge animated scrolling ads at the bottom of the TV screen which are invariably for other TV shows on the same network.  Sometimes they take up the bottom third of the screen.  I have a projector and a 92 inch screen in my living room so they are really huge.

Bruce, Wisconsin (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:29 PM)

The Hallmark remake of MC Hammer's, "You can't touch this". Does this creepy looking guy REALLY want to be HIM? Some of those cards are cute, but pricey. How often are you going to LOOK at that card anyway?
Ditto on the Cialis, Charmin, Hardee's and the rest too.  

Debbie Turner, Metropolis, IL (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:34 PM)

I hate the ads for Lipoderm.  If you read the fine print it says it averaged 3 lbs of weight loss over 6 weeks.  How can they even sell that?  Also the free credit report ads, not because the guys is a dweeb, although he is, but because it ISN'T free. And the one that really grosses me out is the nature valley one with some womans naked legs (and who knows what else) just soaking in the cold mosquito larvae filled lake in the shade of the rockies.

Stu, S.L., UT (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:42 PM)

Worse than Cialis, Viagra and Levitra is the Enzyte commercial. They throw in and emphasize words like "chubby", "sack", "pole" all while trying to make the middle of summer Christmas thing seem innocent. This veiled obscenity hidden behind Christmas is simply disgusting.

Celeste Brown, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:50 PM)

What commercials?? Every time one comes on I hit the mute botton or I switch channels.

Jerry Bayer (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 10:59 PM)

Enough of Jared and Subway.  He's funny looking and I'm sick of him.  Has no one else on the planet lost weight eating Subway sandwiches?

Celeste Brown, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 11:01 PM)

Mary in Buffalo, I'm with you on the annoying hatchback lady and virtual shopping. I almost broke my neck trying to get to the remote to mute it before "you can see what the front looks like and what the back looks like." Sadly, its on every commercial break on late nite schedules.

Erika, Alameda, CA (Sent Friday, June 13, 2008 11:45 PM)

There are commercials that I just don't get; a couple doing the tango next to a mattress propped up against a wall, some cartoon singing you can be yourself, people screaming "It's my money...", two tubs for Cialis, any pharmacutical commercial (tonic water will stop "restless leg syndrome" w/o side effects).
Pepto Bismal shows the worst screen tests, and Head On has a spot just to complain about it's previous commercials

Crystal, New York (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:00 AM)

Maybe I missed it but I'm surprised no one else is as grossed out by the A-1 Steak Sauce commercials as I am. The worse one is in a hotel, where a man is walking down the hall and stops when he sees a used plate with A-1 sauce sitting on the floor outside of a room. I don't know what happens next because I always turn it before I can find out. Please, please don't tell me...my imagination is on overload and I already threw up a little in my mouth just thinking about it.

Catrina, Norfolk, VA (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:35 AM)

Head On; Never once do they make any claim for what the product is supposed to do other than goop up your skull. I guess they want us to assume that it is a headache remedy, but even the people in their new ads state how much they love the product, but NEVER state what happens when they use it.

Lynette Johnson (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:40 AM)

That Taco Bell rapping commercial has an even more annoying predecessor, the McDonald's commercial where these two dweebs are rapping about McNuggets: "I'm into nuggets, y'all! I'm into nuggets, ya'll!" Gaaad, that commercial makes me want to put a stake through my TV!  That and the other Mickey D's commercial with the kid who can't eat a Happy meal without first dancing like an idiot.  I don't know what the song is called, but I couldn't stand it before it was used in that commercial. Y'know what I mean, "Sliiide to the left! Sliiide to the right! Criss-cross! Everybody clap your hands!"  Does it ever end? Aaaaaaugh! If that were my kid, I would immediately disown him.  

Mike, PA (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:49 AM)

I agree with Amy 100% on the 'most technological thing you'll ever pee on'.  Are standard home pregnancy tests so difficult to decode that you actually need something to digitally spell out PREGNANT or NOT PREGNANT just so you can throw it away after you pee all over it?  I used a home pregnancy test in 1996.  It had a pink dot.  I looked at the directions.  A pink dot indicated that I was pregnant.  I went to the doctor.  I had a daughter about 8 months later.  How difficult was that?!!?

KC, Ohio (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:24 AM)

Any commercial with Billy May, I can't stand this guy...

Jeff S (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:26 AM)

it's good to know i'm not the only person who's annoyed by the freecreditreport ad - the ditty is grating at best. all of the personal hygiene ads, male enhancement ads, and nail fungus/headache remedies/mucous ads are channel-flippers. the online trading ads presented by a burping, pooping baby -- awful! the geico commercials!!... has-beens and syrup bottles talking nonsense with nobodies about their insurance! the cave men were bad enough already!! damned-near every commercial out there insults my intelligence, and i tell the companies just that on a regular basis.

on the other hand, the bloodhound who locates the kitty's litter box is one of the best. corporate America: take heed! amuse us. inform us... hire an agency that employs creative, intelligent writers, and ditch the doped-up pinheads who are sabotaging your products/services.

m.j. spencer, phoenix, az (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:27 AM)

I agree wih everyone who thinks the Cialis ads are the stupidest EVER. First of all, how did not 1 but 2 large bathtubs get into the middle of nowhere? Why are they in two separate tubs-is that supposed to be romantic?How did they get water in the tubs or are they sitting on cold porcelain;aren't they supposed to be romntic TOGETHER? The Six Flags ads do strike me as racist- I'm sure that Asians are capable of using more than one syllable words. The WaMU ads are extremely annoying and stupid also-how much did this multi-million dollar company pay an ad compny to come up with a slogan that's not even a sentence or a word but a made-up sound (Whoo hoo ?????) And I've never hd a good period either. Hilarious analysis of those Allstate insurance ads ("life comes at you unexpectedly" with the little boy sending pens through the bank chute damaging the mans car). I do like the commercials for Free Credit Report.com.

Michele, Queens, New York (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:29 AM)

There are so many awful commercials on tv right now, I wonder how they manage to sell anything. Who are their focus groups? Billy Mays really needs to go. The new Honda Van and the AT&T commercials are the best I have seen in years. Great music and visuals.

Gina, Melbourne, FL (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:50 AM)

I have to agree with Mike in Minn. that the "Girls Gone Wild" ads don't belong on TV. Yeah, its late at night, but still, porn is porn! Advertise it somewhere else. The fact that the skeezoid that sells these is taking advantage of drunk, barely legal young women makes the ads that much more distasteful. Can we start a petition or something? lol

Lynn, Paris, Texas (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:56 AM)

The worst commercial EVER is the Always add for pads. "Have a happy period" Happy period? HAPPY PERIOD!?!?!?! I'll take your F&%#ing happy period and shove it up your A$$!!!!!!

Just a girl, Seattle Wa (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:01 AM)

Already left a comment, but here's another stupid, annoying comercial-American Express. The man calls Amex in the morning before he leaves for work and keeps asking the SAME representative questions  (did he call back all day or keep the same rep on the phone all day as he brushed his teeth, went to a meeting at work, at lunch, worked out at the gym after work and returned home?)Did this woman have no other calls to take and tht much patience, andhow could anyone have so many questions ??

Michele (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:25 AM)

Worse than the Optimum Triple Play commercials are the 1-800-OK-Cable ones. It's like someone took a bunch of American Idol rejects and ran with their delusions into some room and let 'em loose. These commercials cause migraines.

The worst one out is the new Celebrex commercial. It starts out like your typical background noise - you pay no attention to it, you're doing something more important (i.e. anything), then you look up. Five minutes later. It's still playing. OMG. The horror!

Tiffany, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:29 AM)

Billy Mays, Vince Chamwow...ear assault! Moral assault: the Planters Nuts Company who hired some idiot to make
an "ugly" woman seem irresistible after she douses herself with Planters Nuts scents and then hired some
yes-men to approve the commercial. Really, really
wrong and might I add...ugly?!

marycat, virginia beach VA (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 7:18 AM)

"A commercial that I CANNOT STAND AT ALL is a commerical where people are yelling "IT'S MY MONEY AND I NEED IT NOW!". Not sure what it's for, but it's absolutely ridiculous! I hit the mute button whenever I see that one starting!"

OH I SO AGREE!!! I can't stand that commercial, I put my TV on mute too!!!

Suzy (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 7:28 AM)

What about all the commercials offering to help people lower their high credit card debt,(especially the one that first said "it's not your fault"?) Whose fault is it?  And then there are those commercials regarding the back taxes people don't pay.  (If you owe $10,000.00 or more in taxes, call us and we'll help you not pay most of that.)  What about those of us who actually pay our own credit card debts and taxes?  In reality, we are paying more because some people aren't paying any or very little at all.

F Davis, Boise, Idaho (Sent Saturday, June 14, 2008 8:40 AM)



SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.): 

 Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private)

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://testpattern.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1137694

More Test Pattern

Recent Posts:

Archives:

Categories:

Links

Syndicate This Site

Add Test Pattern to your news reader:
live.com xml
myyahoo msn
bloglines newsgator
google

MSNBC Weblogs