Commercials that bug you?

[Mamaw]

American Express where the couple are buying the ring and his credit card is over the limit and she suggest AE with unlimited spending. I want to say if he is over his credit limit maybe you better back off and getting his finances in order before marriage. Second maybe you don't need such an expensive ring because if it is going on a credit card you will soon be part of paying both bills.

I think this is has been the attitude in America and why people have houses etc they can't afford.

[disneysteve]

Most commercials bug me since they are almost all for products that you don't need and they encourage people to spend more than they should.

More specifically, I hate a lot of the fast food commercials, particularly the ones that push the 2-for sales, like McDonald's advertising 2 breakfast sandwiches for $3. It's bad enough that people eat that garbage at all. Nobody should be eating 2 of them in one sitting.

Tops on my list of annoying commercials, which I strongly feel should be banned, are ads for prescription medications. I think this was one of the government's huge failures when they voted to allow this to happen. Advertising to the public does nothing but encourage overuse of costly products that, in many cases, aren't needed. And advertising controlled, highly addictive medications like sleeping pills is totally insane. Why not just start running ads for cocaine?

[poundwise]

The American Express commercial is total nonsense. If Joe Cardholder is out to dinner and hands the waiter a VISA, and the waiter comes back and tells him he was declined because he was over his limit, then that's on Joe. You ought to know what your limit is and, further, you should keep your distance from that figure. Whereas, if you have a card with "no pre-set spending limit," then you have no idea when a purchase might be declined due to your balance or the amount of the purchase. I much prefer a limit that I know about to one that is a mystery.

Commercials I really hate:

1) Vehicle ads that state cars/trucks are being sold for $X over dealer invoice. The implication is that the dealer is selling the vehicle for just over what he paid, which is total nonsense.

2) Vehicle ads that state you can save multiple thousands of dollars. Such as, "Save $15,000 on a new ______." What a load. If the $15,000 off vehicle sells for $25,000 today, do you really think it was $40,000 before this great sale/incentive/rebate, etc.? Don't be so naive.

3) Any item sold on TV with a clock. "If you call within the next 10 minutes..." Also a bunch of hooey. Those ads run all of the time and, what's more, the people who purchased the air-time buy the slots in bulk and, generally, have no idea when the ads air outside of a certain time-frame. What's more, the call center taking the orders certainly don't know. I've always wanted to call one of those that says, "If you call in the next _____ well double the size of the bottle," and say, "No thanks. I just want the regular size." Just so they can explain to me how they don't have a regular size.

4) Diet pills. Some supplements have value. Most, if not all, of the diet pills sold on TV are complete nonsense. There is one that says, "You don't have to change your lifestyle or exercise." Then, in the small print, it says that it's so-called 'clinical trial' featured people who followed a program of diet and exercise who lost an average of 8 pounds over 12 weeks. Are you kidding me?

5) Anything being sold that might require credit that says, "We finance anyone." "Bad credit, no credit, bankruptcy, we can get you financed today!" Either it's a lie, idiotic, or get ready for some fun interest rates and terms.

6) Buy here, pay here. That could go on to read, "Way too much, every week, for way too long." Please don't be so foolish. Take the payment amount, multiply it by the number of payments, compare to Kelly Blue Book, and run away.

7) Fast tax refunds. Idiotic. So that people don't have wait a couple of weeks, they'll pay a several hundred percent APR finance charge to get their money, which in most cases they didn't mind loaning the government for free all year. (Side note: Your tax refund is not a prize. It is money you overpaid. Don't blow it all.)

8) Payday lending, cash advance, car title pawn, etc. Thankfully, these are outlawed in my state, however, whenever I return to my home state, these things are all over the place. Some argue that these are services that poor people need. Really? Poor people need to be financially raped? I'm not sure how that helps the poor.

And now, a newer type that I also hate...

9) Any ad that uses the concept of "the economy" to sell you something.

[sweeps]

I think they're gone now, but Toyota was running these wretched "Saved By Zero" commercials. Ugh.

[FrugalFish]

Talk about car ads reminds me of one that bothered me for some reason. It ran a few years ago and was for a particular SUV (I don't remember which offhand). In the commercial it's said and shown in boldface type that this vehicle starts at only $18,000, but in the very fine print under that it reads "as shown, $52,000." Sure it's buyer beware, but at almost 3 times the cost, what they are showing is not what the commercial is selling.

[poundwise]

I think they're gone now, but Toyota was running these wretched "Saved By Zero" commercials. Ugh.

The Fixx (Original Version)

[sweeps]

Thanks PW

They would play it during football games last fall. And it would literally be played at EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK. Often twice during a single break.

Forget waterboarding -- Bush should've played that commercial over and over to suspected terrorists. The war on terror would've been over in a week.

[red92s]

Commercials for swiffers/mops/cleaning/dusting products. The ratio of commercials played to the value and volume of products sold, as well as the time they are used, seems highly disproportionate.

I can safely say that year to date, I've spent more time watching commercials about cleaning products than I have actually cleaning.

[disneysteve]

Another thing that bugs me about commercials in general is they tend to portray men as incompetent individuals in every area of life. I think it was JC Penney that had a series of ads where the dad was taking care of the kids and things were out of control and he was asking "Where is your mother?" while she was off shopping the sale at Pennneys. Newsflash folks: Lots of guys are highly competent parents, capable of caring for their children, cleaning the house, cooking, shopping, etc. Insulting your customers (guys shop at Penneys too) isn't such a great marketing message.

[simpleyme]

Thanks PW

They would play it during football games last fall. And it would literally be played at EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK. Often twice during a single break.
.

that commercial would sometimes play back to back,why the heck do they play it twice in a row?


I hate ads that show how stupid people are
cannot carry a vacuum up the stairs without harpooning yourself with it
cant use a wrench without flinging a wrench and it landing in the toilet
just try to use a broom or feather duster its near impossible!

there's one running now for a blanket with sleeves that describes how difficult it is to use a normal blanket

I have to admit we like the commercial with the Shamwow guy selling a little food dicer he just starts randomly rhyming that has nothing to do with the dicer its funny,but the dicer looks worthless

[poundwise]

I hate ads that show how stupid people are
cannot carry a vacuum up the stairs without harpooning yourself with it
cant use a wrench without flinging a wrench and it landing in the toilet
just try to use a broom or feather duster its near impossible!

They sometimes ask, "How often has this happened to you?"

The answer? "Never. Either because I'm not a total idiot and/or that never happens to anyone ever."

[disneysteve]

They sometimes ask, "How often has this happened to you?"

The answer? "Never. Either because I'm not a total idiot and/or that never happens to anyone ever."

Very true. They really do try and portray people as imbeciles.

I also hate how germ-phobic they try and make everyone. You couldn't possibly clean the toilet with a brush that you reuse like everyone has for 100 years. You have to get the super costly disposable ones that you throw away after each use. And it is far too much trouble to spritz some cleaner on the counters and wipe it off with a rag that you toss in the wash. You need the premoistened kind that get tossed out.

[Gruntina]

Reading all your comments is a hoot!
I cannot stand commercials that tying to brainwash you through emotions. For an example, using negative comments or music on a product in comparison with their products with positive cheers or music. I am most peeved when these types are targeted to young children promoting toys. They tell you that if you’re good, you will get the toy for Christmas when the parent has no say. Young children do not have fully developed critical thinking minds when they come across these types of commercials. It’s like it is forcing the children to think one way using the method of Classical Conditioning.

[Gruntina]

Opps! I had not realized my name switched on me automaticaly after I logged out earlier!

[disneysteve]

I also get annoyed by commercials that are made to look like they're not commercials, like fake news reports usually. They don't fool me but I'm sure lots of people see them and don't realize they are ads.

I also hate pretty much any commercial by DeBeers, the diamond company. How much a guy spends on an engagement ring shouldn't be determined by 3 months of his salary or how much he loves his girlfriend. And a married guy shouldn't need to give his wife expensive jewelry to express his love for her.