What's the Real Message?

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:15 pm

I like most Americans, spend time watching TV and much of that time is watching commercials. I wonder, do commercials reflect our society or simply the morons who think them up? I know most are pretty bland and straightforward, but there are some that send a secondary message, like destroying property, doing stupid things, or simply trying to get away thinking you are stealing. :rolleyes:

Here are a few examples:

I child is playing in the yard and covered with mud, the mother says as soon as you get cleaned up we can go for ice cream, so the father simply turns the garden hose on his son and when he falls he sprays him again. Nice shot dad.

A women is checking out at Ikea and notices her bill with surprise, the screen reads “It’s not a mistake” but the women thinking it is runs out of the store screaming, “Start the car, start the car” jumps in and speeds off yelling with delight thinking she has just ripped off the store. Make sure you tell your kids how to do that.

A young lady stops her car, pulls out a chain saw and cuts down a telephone pole that falls into a string of polls all of which come tumbling down. I bet the phone company loves that, could it be a felony?

What are these advertisers thinking?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:24 pm

I actually think this "Dairy Queen" commercial is funny. :wah:

[QUOTE]child is playing in the yard and covered with mud, the mother says as soon as you get cleaned up we can go for ice cream, so the father simply turns the garden hose on his son and when he falls he sprays him again. Nice shot dad[/QUOTE]

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:31 pm

Well, most commercials are dumb. But then, I won't watch TV but only listen to the news when at the gym. I don't know who pays their salary to think up this stuff, but it's not worth it.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:38 pm

People are people and people need to take responsibility for their own actions...

I don't feel in the slightest that anyone within the public should be held responsible for what it is others do...To act as if commercials were the ideology of those whom make up the particular community from which it was derived is no different than trying to blame that particular society for what any individual does within that very same society and is completely unjustified...

This is my opinion...

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:43 pm

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;904978 wrote:

Here are a few examples:

I child is playing in the yard and covered with mud, the mother says as soon as you get cleaned up we can go for ice cream, so the father simply turns the garden hose on his son and when he falls he sprays him again. Nice shot dad. If this is looked down upon and were to be "corrected", to whom "corrects" your typical preachers duaghter from getting pregnant at 16 because their parents feel their bedroom is an adequate jail cell?...AKA--All I see here is a little humor and fun...

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;904978 wrote: ...doing stupid things,...:rolleyes: Who said having a little fun with the hose is stupid?...

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;904978 wrote:

A women is checking out at Ikea and notices her bill with surprise, the screen reads “It’s not a mistake” but the women thinking it is runs out of the store screaming, “Start the car, start the car” jumps in and speeds off yelling with delight thinking she has just ripped off the store. Make sure you tell your kids how to do that.

A young lady stops her car, pulls out a chain saw and cuts down a telephone pole that falls into a string of polls all of which come tumbling down. I bet the phone company loves that, could it be a felony?

What are these advertisers thinking?

As for the rest I see politically correctness gone way too far...

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:29 pm

I find most commercials have other meanings.

Everyone will have their own interpretation of the message.

I usually click a commercial off - but there is one I like:

Verizon

You've moved into the dead zone

well, you have crab grass.

I love this commercial.

Patsy

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:54 pm

K.Snyder;904990 wrote:

As for the rest I see politically correctness gone way too far...

Afterall,..no one is forced to spend their money...

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:18 am

K.Snyder;904989 wrote: People are people and people need to take responsibility for their own actions...

I don't feel in the slightest that anyone within the public should be held responsible for what it is others do...To act as if commercials were the ideology of those whom make up the particular community from which it was derived is no different than trying to blame that particular society for what any individual does within that very same society and is completely unjustified...

This is my opinion...

Isn't that like saying rap music is not a reflection of a part of our society? The design and message of commericals (and advertising) is a reflection of society and the expert marketers know more about the way we think than we do.

Do you see that Ikea ad (beating a store out of its money via what you think is their mistake) as the norm for the typical customers behavior? Please don't tell me yes, and you see nothing wrong with doing that.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:32 am

I think most of us can differentiate between a commercial and real life. Most of us aren't that stupid that we are unable to do that. I agree worrying about an ad like Ikea's is just too much PC.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:52 am

Ok RJ, you are correct to a degree but please consider this: how many times do you see a commercial make a man out to be a dumbass? According to TV, men can't do laundry, can't operate a microwave, can't cope with fixing the kids' dinner, don't know how to shampoo a carpet, would burn down the house if it wasn't for the wife. Ok, some may be like that, I'll be fair, but seeing that stuff even insults ME as a woman because I know it's untrue. Ever watch those feminine hygiene commercials? God! You might think all we women are is dirty plumbing! And that we spend the majority of our time in the garden talking to our mothers about "that unfresh feeling." :wah:

I think commercials (most of them) discount our intelligence and try to assume we are all base creatures. Some ads are brilliant and I like the thought behind them but I'm just making mention of the insulting ones.

As to your question about our consumerism, the ads may help direct us to buy something but I think the need to do so is a deeper issue.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:59 am

Patsy I love this commercial as well sucks you right in.

Folks there commercials thats all. Some entertain, so have hidden meanings. Who cares change the channel if you want, you have the remote. It's called target "Marketing" some do it better than others.

[QUOTE]Verizon

You've moved into the dead zone

well, you have crab grass.

I love this commercial.[/QUOTE]

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:22 pm

I actually have come around to the very strong belief that current Western popular culture is actually extremely pernicious in almost every subliminal message it sends to people. They are "you are what you buy", "be afraid all the time", "there are no consequences for selfish behaviour", "believe the person who shouts the loudest", "if you are not having sex all the time there is something wrong with you", "you need to buy more things to have more sex", "its OK to do whatever you want as long as you feel good about it", "and if you want something, buy it and it will make you happy", "complicated things are boring and smart people are nerds", "being cool is being ignorant and self-important, and doing whatever you want", "don't let anyone get in your way", "don't apologize for anything you do", "we are all individuals, express this buy buying mass produced consumer products and show them to your peers".

None of these are good things to teach young human beings growing up, its small wonder that we have created a generation of little monsters, or that so many adults are so unhappy with their meaningless lives. What is the answer? I don't know, because all this stuff is playing into real human fears and vices, and also its very successful at generating money, so its not going to stop any time soon.

Sad though.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:12 pm

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;905181 wrote: Isn't that like saying rap music is not a reflection of a part of our society? The design and message of commericals (and advertising) is a reflection of society and the expert marketers know more about the way we think than we do.

Do you see that Ikea ad (beating a store out of its money via what you think is their mistake) as the norm for the typical customers behavior? Please don't tell me yes, and you see nothing wrong with doing that.

A reflection of society but not societies reflection of advertisement...Considering that advertisement takes those ideas and exaggerates them to the point people are too overly concerned with political correctness...

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:09 pm

K.Snyder;905749 wrote: A reflection of society but not societies reflection of advertisement...Considering that advertisement takes those ideas and exaggerates them to the point people are too overly concerned with political correctness...

I'm not one for political correctness, heck I still say Merry Christmas. But it disturbes me that the Ikea example of what amounts to stealing on the part of the customer does not bother people, and that Ikea felt it was a way to sell its (rather junky) furniture and other stuff - I couldn't resist.:wah:

scholle-kid · Post by **scholle-kid** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:36 am

Galbally;905634 wrote: I actually have come around to the very strong belief that current Western popular culture is actually extremely pernicious in almost every subliminal message it sends to people. They are "you are what you buy", "be afraid all the time", "there are no consequences for selfish behaviour", "believe the person who shouts the loudest", "if you are not having sex all the time there is something wrong with you", "you need to buy more things to have more sex", "its OK to do whatever you want as long as you feel good about it", "and if you want something, buy it and it will make you happy", "complicated things are boring and smart people are nerds", "being cool is being ignorant and self-important, and doing whatever you want", "don't let anyone get in your way", "don't apologize for anything you do", "we are all individuals, express this buy buying mass produced consumer products and show them to your peers".

None of these are good things to teach young human beings growing up, its small wonder that we have created a generation of little monsters, or that so many adults are so unhappy with their meaningless lives. What is the answer? I don't know, because all this stuff is playing into real human fears and vices, and also its very successful at generating money, so its not going to stop any time soon.

Sad though.

http://www.merriam-webster.com

per·ni·cious 1: highly injurious or destructive : deadly

"actually extremely pernicious"

I don't have TV or radio and so get very little exposer to advertisements of any kind,, I live in one those dead areas that verizone talks about so I could be totally wrong when I question the use of these words you choose to use while expressing your opinion ,,it just seems a bit over the top .

no I don't have crab grass :wah: just in case anyone thought dead areas had because verizone said so,:D

and I had to look the word 'pernicious' because I had never heard it ..

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:17 pm

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;905777 wrote: I'm not one for political correctness, heck I still say Merry Christmas. But it disturbes me that the Ikea example of what amounts to stealing on the part of the customer does not bother people, and that Ikea felt it was a way to sell its (rather junky) furniture and other stuff - I couldn't resist.:wah:

To be perfectly honest no matter who you are or how wealthy you are and no matter what you buy, you get what you pay for...

If someone is lazy enough to buy something they have no idea is a piece of junk then they deserve that piece of junk but not only that, but they deserve that piece of junk for exactly in which they've bought it for...

You can't tell me(Not singling you out rather just ranting) that whatever people try and sell, at an asking price that isn't worth that asking price, is the fualt of the owner selling it...

Ads to me are nothing more than a random set of words thrown together to get more money...Whether or not what the owners are selling is worth it or not is irrelevant because people have the right to buy whatever they choose...The only necessities in life are, and incrementally most important, intellect, food, shelter, and clothing(To a certain extent)(I would add love as well but irrelevant to the thread)...Everything else is luxury...When you have luxury you either have choice or irrelevant opinions (Which at most times are mutually exclusive)...

People can buy what they wish...Everything else are ads that should have no significance to concern whatsoever...

qsducks · Post by **qsducks** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:33 pm

Has anyone seen the commercials for Four Eyes? Where the older woman looks through her glasses and see's a sexy man saying "Do you want to go home now"? or the guy who is getting glasses from the young woman and she says "does anything look different:? and he sees a room of people walking around in their bras/underwear?

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:52 pm

rjwould;906623 wrote: You don't understand how retail works, I see. Let me educate you a little on what the term "suggested retail'" means.

Lets say that you, me and Joe Blow all make widgets. All of our widgets are for all intent and purposes the same with the exception of color (yours are blue, mine are red and joe's are rainbow colored) and maybe a small tweak here and there in order for us to patent our particular widget. The cost for each of us to manufacture our widget is basically the same.

Now, the Ballsmart chain of stores is currently carrying Joe's widgets and selling them for an "everyday low" (the "everyday low" price is determined by the store chain) price of $10.00 each and is competitive with Ballsmart's rival chains, which is a $15.00 reduction, or 60% off of the "suggested retail" price (suggested retail price is any arbitrary price which is determined by the manufacturer of the widgets).

The question is, how do either you or I get Ballsmart to carry our widgets in place of, or at least along side of Joe's widgets. The buyer of Ballsmart informs us that the company is not sure whether or not they want to carry more than one brand of widget's for their own reasons, and so, Ballsmart is going to make us work for their business. What can we do to make our widget seem more attractive for Ballsmart to carry them?

Well, I'll tell you what is one thing we can do. One of us will be smart enough to tag our widgets at a higher "suggested retail" price than Joe tagged his. Since Joe priced his widgets at $25.00 (suggested retail), I will price mine at $30.00 (suggested retail) and allow Ballsmart to create the illusion of a bigger discount to its customers. That illusion of a larger discount along with good customer service and standing behind our widgets at the manufacturing level is good enough to get us Ballsmart's business, and, ta-da, we've sold our widgets to the largest retail chain on the planet.

What does that have to do with the worth of the product and the publics readiness to buy it?...

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:10 pm

rjwould;906628 wrote: Nothing is worth anything unless marketing creates an explanation and worth. You really don't see the relevance of what I've explained here? WOW!

No...

Because you've just said that "Nothing is worth anything unless marketing creates an explanation and worth" which implies that the owner knows what the public feels is worth their effort to buy their product, while I just explained that most of what people buy is luxurious things from which whatever the public is willing to pay is what the product from which they've purchased is worth as it's not a necessity...

I know there is plenty of meals out there that can be made exceptionally cheap as well as clothes(Google Russians and clothing) so to say that it's hard to make a living because of this is absurd...What you have left is the luxury of automobiles(Example: I can take an older 80's or 90's vehicle, restore it with a relatively good used motor and other used parts, and drive it around for $10,000-$15,000 cheaper than those of you who drive around your year old 2007 vehicle both being equally sufficient)...

Which leads to home equity and the outrages prices associated with realestate but that's a whole another thread and if you'd like to start one by all means go ahead...Which is one of and most certainly the biggest problem faced with Americans and their net worth...As I've said if you'd like to start a thread about over priced real estate being the prime reason people are lacking sufficient income to support a healthy life style that's your prerogative...

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:33 pm

rjwould;906633 wrote: So, lets say you go into Ballsmart and see a thing called a squeegee. You've never heard or seen one before so you have no use for it, right? Well, once someone points out to you that it is used to clean windows with, you may consider buying it. That is how marketing defines what a thing is worth.

If I were in a store and hadn't known what a "squeegee" was then I surely wouldn't be in that store for the sole purpose of buying that "squeegee", ultimately leading to my point that those to whom do not know of this "squeegee" and buy it after no research done into it, they deserve it at the cost in which they've payed for it regardless of whether it's a piece of junk or not...This consumer mentality most assuredly is the determining factor in at what price the marketing of any given product is set at associated with the consumers idea of " product worth"...Not the actual worth of the product...Which is what I'm after...

I personally would use a towel...Bought for $5 and can be very sufficient in household chores, without having to pay $19.99 for a "squeegee" who's handle will break before you can get it out of the package...

It's the buyers fualt for what they buy...Doesn't necessarily mean everything people buy is junk...The difference being that in which people buy represents their intellect...Not marketing ads...

weeder · Post by **weeder** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:28 am

I also do not subscribe to TV. However, of course, I do have ocassion to see commercials. They fascinate me, and scare me, The reason is because firstly I am apalled to realize just how dumb advertisers think most consumers are.

Its sad for me to realize that there are people who sit mesmerized by commercial content, and then run out to buy stuff. The worst commercials are the pharmecuticals. When the announcer speeds up his voice, and races through the list of possible side effects at the end, I almost always have the urge to burst out laughing. Like, Youve got to be kidding me! If fuzzy tonge, greasy diareah, painful swelling of the extremities, and disorientation, arent enough reasons to avoid something..... I dont know what is.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:54 am

weeder;906712 wrote: The worst commercials are the pharmecuticals. When the announcer speeds up his voice, and races through the list of possible side effects at the end, I almost always have the urge to burst out laughing. Like, Youve got to be kidding me! If fuzzy tonge, greasy diareah, painful swelling of the extremities, and disorientation, arent enough reasons to avoid something..... I dont know what is.

They say it's because of the lack of time they're allowed in their air time...:rolleyes:

As if they need the unneeded constant hugging of 5 different couples...Wouldn't people get the general idea from the first?...(Rhetorical)

scholle-kid · Post by **scholle-kid** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:08 pm

Galbally;905634 wrote: I actually have come around to the very strong belief that current Western popular culture is actually extremely pernicious in almost every subliminal message it sends to people. They are "you are what you buy", "be afraid all the time", "there are no consequences for selfish behaviour", "believe the person who shouts the loudest", "if you are not having sex all the time there is something wrong with you", "you need to buy more things to have more sex", "its OK to do whatever you want as long as you feel good about it", "and if you want something, buy it and it will make you happy", "complicated things are boring and smart people are nerds", "being cool is being ignorant and self-important, and doing whatever you want", "don't let anyone get in your way", "don't apologize for anything you do", "we are all individuals, express this buy buying mass produced consumer products and show them to your peers".

None of these are good things to teach young human beings growing up, its small wonder that we have created a generation of little monsters, or that so many adults are so unhappy with their meaningless lives. What is the answer? I don't know, because all this stuff is playing into real human fears and vices, and also its very successful at generating money, so its not going to stop any time soon.

Sad though.

I am retracting my un informed, non exposed opinon to your post yesterday,, and an apology for letting my mouth overload my --- in here, I stopped by a friendds house last evening and the TV was on and commercials came 3 and 4 at a time and one wanted the veiwer to believe that if a parent and a kid both logon to the net from thousands of miles away from each other as long as they both had cookies and milk it was as good of quailty time as if they were sitting in the same room,, another one had two aduilts in one of their kids bed 'catching a quicky' while children could be heard out side playing ,, it was a K -Y gel commercial,, ,,

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:23 pm

another one had two aduilts in one of their kids bed 'catching a quicky' while children could be heard out side playing ,, it was a K -Y gel commercial,, ,,

Ugh. That's disgusting.

Dewey2Me1MoThyme · Post by **Dewey2Me1MoThyme** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:43 pm

The ones I hate most as far as the message goes, is, "Life Takes Visa" ...... I survive 90% of my life never pulling out plastic, but using good old fashioned paper money, anyone remember that stuff? :-5

Second on my list are the ones who advertize exercise equipment, ever notice how they tell you how little you have to work and they all store neatly under your bed, dew they realize that most people who buy these gadgets will dew just that, store it under the bed? :-5

Third is the diet commercials or non-diet diet commercials, you know the ones, all you have to dew is thingk and lose weight. Eat all you want and lose weight. I'm guessing in the first of the two you are suppose to be thinking, where did I store that exercise equipment and whats for lunch? :-5

Anything Billy Mays sells, must be good because he is the loudest! :-5

Oh don't forget Sham-Wow! After all a sponge only lasts a week and you spend $20 a month on paper towels ........ What the heck dew people dew with $20 worth the paper towels in a month, dust off the exercise equipment under the beds? :-5

And last but most certainly a groaner, the new HD sunglasses! "You could easily buy these starting at $200 and pay up to $400" Yea I bet anyone with a pair would let themgo for those prices. And why dew the actors always nod yes after putting these things on? Did they just remember they forgot to dust off the exercize equipment under the bed? Or, I must go get another sponge, it's been a week since i bought any? Hmmmm Whats for dinner, I feel like losing a few pounds today? :-5

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:26 am

:wah::wah::wah::wah:

I think I just peed!

*ahem*

I mean....yes to Billy Mays. I want to smack that guy into next week. Why does he have to YELL?

Yes to Sham-Wow. Notice it (and everything else on late night TV) is "REVOLUTIONARY?!" It's a chamois wrapped sponge, how revolutionary is that?

Yes to actors nodding yes when they put on Miracle Shades. I thought only I noticed that!

Dewey2Me1MoThyme · Post by **Dewey2Me1MoThyme** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 11:07 am

RedGlitter;907638 wrote: :wah::wah::wah::wah:

I think I just peed!

*ahem*

I mean....yes to Billy Mays. I want to smack that guy into next week. Why does he have to YELL?

Yes to Sham-Wow. Notice it (and everything else on late night TV) is "REVOLUTIONARY?!" It's a chamois wrapped sponge, how revolutionary is that?

Yes to actors nodding yes when they put on Miracle Shades. I thought only I noticed that!

Sorry about that Red, I'll go get you a sham-wow to clean that up! :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl