TV ads that show helpless people!

[kiwi]

What the F is up with the people who make/write/create these ads that show people as incompetent idiots who can not seem to complete the most basic tasks?

Case in point there is a paper towel ad at the moment with a couple "trying to take care of their latte budget" and they spill and slop coffee all over their kitchen while trying to make a coffee.
They can't open a syrup bottle without pouring some on the counter, the guy sticks the cup just underneath the steam nozzle so the hot air blows coffee all over the counter, then MAGICALLY they pull out the paper towels and their braincells reactivate.

Sadly this isn't the only commercial, the woman who can't seem to operate a fucking blanket in the snuggie add.... the people on infomericals who take 10 minutes to chop an onion, then wipe their brow because its such hard work...boofreaking hoo

It's so freaking insulting and aggravating! Way to inspire me to buy your product morons, by insinuating that the general public have the brain capacity equivalent to an flea! I wish they would give the consumer some credit, we are not all hapless individuals who stumble through life like paris hilton.

If you have confidence in your product you wouldn't need to make out like the competition is so blasted pathetic. Showing me why I should buy your product by over exaggerating how an everyday task is so tedious to the point of ridiculous mockery just makes me even more suspicious of just how good your product is in the first place.

[Boozy]

I find those things hilarious! It just illustrates how stupid someone would have to be to buy the product they're advertising.

[jackfaire]

Or that they would have to be 8.

My daughter sees those sometimes and tells me she wants them.

[Cats]

My favorite example of all this is from a few years ago with the hand-held little sewing machine commercials. You know, the one when the woman actually takes the full size table top machine over to the still-hanging curtains.

There is a reason they show mostly infomercials on some channels in the middle of the night. I've heard in the past that apparently people are somewhat dumber at 3 am than any other time of the day or something like that so the product always seems more useful than it really is.

[jackfaire]

According to How I Met Your Mother "Nothing good ever happens after 2 AM."

[protege]

There is a reason they show mostly infomercials on some channels in the middle of the night. I've heard in the past that apparently people are somewhat dumber at 3 am than any other time of the day or something like that so the product always seems more useful than it really is.

Well, at 3AM, most people are tired, or pretty full of the "happy juice." That is, they're less likely to be thinking clearly, and more easily persuaded to buy that crap. Also, stations usually don't have anything interesting on...and will fill up their down time with infomercials.

[Fryk]

That IS true, OP.... UNLESS they're children. Commercial children are supergenius assholes who must shepherd their poor befuddled parents away from dangers a blind, deaf chimpanzee would spot a mile away. They must also help their adult wards with any piece of technology more advanced than a rock (which they would probably injure themselves with, too, come to think of it. And they do so with the must arrogant, smug, eyeroll-y expressions they can muster. It makes me wonder what happens to children in the commercial universe when they become adults. Do they wake up on their 21st birthday and realize "the change" is upon them? Do their eyes widen in horror as they whisper, "Oh no!" right before the fire of intelligence is snuffed from their eyes, leaving them with less brainpower than would be require to power a christmas tree light bulb?

Just remember this little formula: in commercials, child IQ>Female IQ> Male IQ.

[kiwi]

I wouldn't even care if it was just informericals but its day time TV as well. Don't even get me started on the bossy intelligent female and blubbering clumsley male sterotype in actual TV shows....ARGH

I really hope I get a dvr for christmas so I can just block the ads from my life entierly!