Sunday, February 27, 2011

Who Comes Up With This Stuff?

We have a new obsession with advertising, around here.  Television commercials, print ads, radio ads and billboards are all included.  We've turned it into sort of a game.  The point of the game?  Pick out the stupidest statements advertisers make.  Here are a few favorites:
  • Farm picked broccoli (from a commercial for frozen meals).  As compared to what, free range broccoli?  Seriously, where else are you going to pick broccoli?
  • Check with your doctor before taking prescription X (from dozens of ads for prescription medications).  Wouldn't I need my doctor to prescribe the medication in the first place?  Maybe this statement is for people who buy their meds on the street.
  • Sauce made with real tomatoes (from a commercial for frozen pizza).  I agree with this one, I hate the taste of faux tomatoes.
  • We pick only the most tender vegetables (from a commercial for frozen vegetables, the vegetables shown are carrots).   Should carrots be tender before they're cooked?  I like them to be crisp.  
  • With crisp vegetables (from a magazine ad for frozen meals).  Should vegetables be crisp after they've been cooked?  I like them to be tender.
  • Why mess with morning coffee (from a commercial for an energy drink).  Maybe because I like the taste of coffee?  If you follow this logic, why mess with eating food when you could just take a vitamin?
  • Professional installation (from a carpet company ad).  Who else would a carpet company send to install your carpet?  Good hearted volunteers?  Isn't anyone paid to install carpet, by definition, a professional? 
  • Made in our kitchens by cooks (from an ad for a fast food restaurant).  I'm so relieved that they don't have the janitor preparing my chicken.  
  • Now I have the confidence to improve my credit score (from a commercial for an online credit reporting service).  Confidence, as far as I know, is not a form of legal tender.  Ever try using it to pay your bills?  It takes money, not confidence, to improve your credit score.
  • Call *insert-phone-number-here* (from any number of billboards along the highway).  Is there a safe and convenient way to call, write down, or even read a phone number when traveling at 70 mph? 
I really do want to know, who comes up with this stuff?


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Willoughby

6 comments:

Tins and Treasures said...

Good Morning,
Oh, you are way to funny this morning! I needed a laugh!!

As, you know we had been stranded in the most recent blizzard, so am way behind on blog reading and commenting. I hope everything is well with you.

Have a relaxing Sunday ~Natalie

Bill Lisleman said...

great selection of stuff coming from a-few-clowns-short-of-a-circus marketing team.
The drug companies are the worst IMHO.
too bad the ads are not like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RLqLx1iYI

Matty said...

Good observations. Or how about the "mountain grown coffee, the best kind". Ahem, all coffee is grown on mountains. But as you know, the slogans are there for psychological purposes to get us to buy their product.

PS Thanks for asking about me.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Ahhh, truth in advertising.... or a case of the stupids, but I always wonder who writes that stuff too :-)

Hope all's well with you. xo jj

Hi! I am LiLi! said...

funny. so true. these points make me think too.

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Hi! I am LiLi! said...

oh by the way, i live at Willoughby court. hehehehe

Giveaway @ Thinking Out Loud