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discussion

Favorite Commercials

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grant
Oct 30 2003
07:51 am

I don’t have a remote control for my television, so I sit through the commercials. Kristin and I like to recite them to eachother (Kristin’s very good at the “Hello, I’m Carnie Wilson…” one about the benefits of “lypro-scopic gastro bypass surgery”). It’s gotten to the point now where I enjoy the commercials as much, if not more than the real shows. And I’ve developed some favorites and some not so favorites.

As far as the “not so favorites” go, I have noticed an unfortunate trend in commercials right now where the characters are able to see into the future and they foresee some crazy dangerous result and they change their minds about wanting this or that thing. BEST BUY is doing that with people who want to purchase something and then they look into the future and decide that they should get smaller speakers so they don’t break their neck at the party next weekend, for instance. I’ve seen this scenario played out in Washington Mutual ads and many beer commercials too. It’s the curse of the “maybe that wasn’t such a good idea” commercial. It just seems like a way to present a funny scenario for a product that really doesn’t lend itself to funny scenarios unless you force one on it.

Favorites: I have loved the Mittsubishi ads, the ones with the rockin’ guitar riff and dvsch-dvsch drums, where the car is seen through the windows of an office-apartment building from both the first and second floor and then up from the sewer and then from up above the skyscrapers. Those commercials aren’t being played right now, but the newest one is where the rockin’ guitar riff is interrupted by “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUARE PANTS!” I actually call Kristin into the room when that one comes on. I am also smitten with the AT&T commercials that make telephones seem like a saving grace in the midst of crazy and uncertain times. I remember being moved by one that hinted at the tragedy of 9-11. It suggested that telephones help to keep people together in a world where we are so far apart. The music was some Nick Drake-sounding thing that made me want to cry. For some reason, I didn’t feel manipulated, but was willing to agree that telephones have a moral dimension as well. A product is not just a product, but can actually be helpful to my humanity.

What are some of your “favs” and “not so favs”?

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Jasonvb
Feb 27 2004
09:40 am

Actually, the Quizno’s things are just the strange creations of the guy at http://www.rathergood.com. For years he’s been producing all manner of bizarre animations and videos. About a year ago he did promos for VH1 with singing kittens.

View at your own risk. Some of the animations are a little crass…most are just really, really weird.

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mrsanniep
Feb 27 2004
11:02 am

The Quiznos “things” look more like taxidermed (is that a word?) roadkill than sock puppets. They are completely unappetizing with their human teeth and skewed eyeballs. It’s crossed my mind at least twice now to drop their corporate an email.

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Jasonvb
Feb 27 2004
02:12 pm

What would it say?

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Norbert
Feb 27 2004
04:46 pm

I’d tell them that they’re doing a good job. This is the third conversation I’ve heard about those commercials. Suddenly people remember Quizno’s name. I’ve never eaten there, but the next time I’m hungry and have those sock puppets in my head (which is way to frequently) I’ll stop.

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mrsanniep
Feb 27 2004
07:08 pm

They definitely get my attention, but I won’t eat there. The decaying rats angle just doesn’t do much to convince me it’s all tasty. And the fact that they serve their subs warm … hmm … are they still TWITCHING, too?

Roadkill, I tell you. That’s what they’re trying to tell you. It’s roadkill.

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anton
Feb 27 2004
08:44 pm

I’ve often wondered what Quizno’s is doing with those annoy, deranged rodents. Getting our attention I suppose.

My favorite commercials are the identity theft commercials. Seeing a little old grandma talk like a gangster pimp is hilarious. The old man talking like a teenie-bopper also gets me going. The irony is out of control.

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Adam
Feb 29 2004
07:06 pm

Whoa, this is weird. I was JUST about to say that the Quizno’s ad is easily my favorite right now. Totally offbeat, but in an ultra-quirky brilliant kinda way. You’ve got to have an imagination and appreciate humor that’s sort of a satire of humor itself. I just discovered the guy’s website yesterday from a friend.

Some of the cartoons are crude. BUT—and I do not say this lightly—I have NEVER laughed as hard as watching several of his short (non-crude) musical kitten/gopher/dog cartoons in succession. I’ve had laughs of longer duration, but never have I laughed so hard that my roommate was actually watching me, worriedly, to make sure that I did not pass out. And the boozes I had consumed played only a minor role. I mean it.

Jason: The Nutrigrain ad is totally in the top 5. Friggin’ hilarious. Totally unconventional comedic arc. I’ve been walking around going “I feel GRREATT!” and “BABIESS!”

Some of my favorite ads of all time have also been Canadian. Much music makes stinkin’ funny ads. My favorite:

(Black & White) A guy in a Much Music mascot suit is walking down a downtown street with a friend. They are arguing:
Friend: You screwed up!
MMguy: I did not screw up!
Friend: You screwed up!
MMguy: How did I screw up?
Friend: You screwed up!
. . . on like this for awhile, then as they are crossing the street, a car nearly hits the MMguy stopping in front of them. He reacts angrily (Hey! Watchit! Etc.) and hits the car hood. They resume walking. There is a short silence.
Friend: You screwed up!
MMguy: I did not screw up!
. . . etc.

Maybe I just go for the weird stuff.

Kristin: I hear you on the lame commericals. The ones I hate the most are the insidious ones. Por ejemplo, I think GMC has adopted the slogan, “It’s not more than you deserve, just more than you’re used to.” I’m pretty sure that this translates into Thirdworldese as “I hate poor people.”

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ByTor
Mar 01 2004
09:53 am

The Nike commercial that I like right now is the one where all the atheletes are competing in sports that they aren’t famous for. Lance Armstrong is boxing, Andre Agassi is playing baseball, Michael Vick and Brian Urlacher are playing hockey, Marion Jones is a gymnist.

Oh, and the Quizno’s commercials are made by these guys: http://www.rathergood.com

Click on the “We like the Moon” video for the same tune as the commercials. They are also responsible for the “kitten ads” on VH1.

Edit: Oops! Just saw that Jason already linked to that site.

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JabirdV
Mar 02 2004
03:04 pm

I still crack up over the new Got Milk? commercial where the old man attempts to pick up the wheel barrel and both his arms fall off resulting in the family next door guzzling milk at an alarming rate. I don’t think I have laughed so hard at a commercial in a long time.

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laryn
Aug 30 2005
12:53 pm

it’s a big ad. a very big ad. an expensive ad.

http://www.bigad.com.au/