Have you ever been offended by advertising?

[cruiserkaren]

I don't know if I'd say they offend me but I despise the Go Daddy commercials with Danica Patrick. Danica took every reason to root for the female in a male dominated sport by selling her body. The sexual overtones in those 30 seconds are just insane and completely inappropriate. I'm normally more upset by the violence shown in TV promos then sexual content but those commercials just make me cringe.

 

[arminnie]

I have yet to offended by an advertisement. Annoyed all the time, but certainly never offended.

I think I only have one that REALLY REALLY offended me.

It was a political ad. I know we can't discuss politics here, but this was so many years ago (20+) that I don't remember the candidate or the party.

I'm not even sure what race this guy was in but it was something pretty big like Senator or Governor. He was a single man, and I guess wanted to emphasize his "straightness" so he filmed all of these commercials with a beautiful woman on each arm.

He was quoted as saying something really stupid like "I'm going to have a blonde on each arm at my victory party".

Yeah - just what I find attractive - a playboy who wants multiple dates at one time. Yuck!

I was so glad when he lost. That was in Texas maybe early 80s.

 

[ChrisFL]

I'm not really offended by this one, but I keep seeing a commercial for "The Ladders" site ($100K and up jobs) and they have these guys in the african savannah chasing thousands of wild office chairs and snagging a big one, then shooting it with darts...

That's fine, but it's the "Do Not Attempt" part that has me

I completely disagree, I WANT to see someone attempt that!!!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I hate all the ones they show for weight loss drugs or the Nutrisystem type diets. They make it seem like all you have to do to lose weight is to take this pill and you'll be fine.. what they fail to mention is that you have to EXERCISE and change your lifestyle in order to become more healthy. Ugh.

And how about the ones that say, "I used to be a size 16, now I'm a size 4". And you look and think, "honey, if you are a size 4, then I am a size 4, too.
But why do all of my clothes say size 10?"

 

[mking624]

And how about the ones that say, "I used to be a size 16, now I'm a size 4". And you look and think, "honey, if you are a size 4, then I am a size 4, too.
But why do all of my clothes say size 10?"

And notice how nearly all of them are standing at an angle...which helps give the illusion that they're smaller than they really are.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And how about the ones that say, "I used to be a size 16, now I'm a size 4". And you look and think, "honey, if you are a size 4, then I am a size 4, too.
But why do all of my clothes say size 10?"

Oh, that's easy. You didn't replace your 'size 10' labels with the ones that display 'size 4'!

 

[ctinct]

I really, really disliked the shampoo ones (Herbal Essence Organics?) that had the woman who was using the shampoo moaning and sounding-well-very "organic."

I also dislike the one for the hair coloring for men that has the woman leading the newly hired man around by the arm saying "I've got big plans for you" in a seductive tone. Seriously?

 

[robinb]

I have only been offended by one ad, and it wasn't a TV ad. It was a large ad outside of the Dior store in LAX about 4 years ago. It had a young girl on it (maybe 12-13) dressed in a very provocative way in Dior looking for all intents and purposes like a half naked waif. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared it it with my mouth literally agape. I felt like a pedophile looking at it. I muttered rather loudly "That's a little girl! That's child pornography! How could they do that to a little girl?!" and another passenger next to me agreed with me. I was completely shocked and that takes a LOT to do. I still get angry thinking about how that poor little girl was abused by the camera and put on display in the middle of LAX.

 

[natcat117]

The only commercial that I can remember offending me Nutrisystem. One woman says, "My husband jokingly calls me his trophy wife". How sad that is intended to be a compliment.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

The only commercial that I can remember offending me Nutrisystem. One woman says, "My husband jokingly calls me his trophy wife". How sad that is intended to be a compliment.

when I hear the "trophy wife" bit, I always think of the "Everybody Loves Raymond" show when his mom says to his dad, "I'm not some trophy wife" and the classic reply: "What contest from hell did I win to get you as a trophy"

 

[JoShan1719]

I can't stand the new AT&T commercials with Owen Wilson bashing Verizon to bits. It's silly, but it bugs me because they don't present all the facts so they mislead the customer. "It's the only network you can do this on" and "it has the best service everywhere," meanwhile down here in South Florida it's the worst network to have, you can't get service anywhere. And it's only Verizon. I'm a little biased because I'm a happy Verizon customer, but why not attack Sprint too? Ok, I'm done.

 

[mking624]

I can't stand the new AT&T commercials with Owen Wilson bashing Verizon to bits. It's silly, but it bugs me because they don't present all the facts so they mislead the customer. "It's the only network you can do this on" and "it has the best service everywhere," meanwhile down here in South Florida it's the worst network to have, you can't get service anywhere. And it's only Verizon. I'm a little biased because I'm a happy Verizon customer, but why not attack Sprint too? Ok, I'm done.

It attacks Verizon because Verizon began the "war" with their attacks on AT&T. AT&T tried to sue, but it didn't go anywhere, so they began their campaign. We have AT&T and what actually amazes me is that we've gotten amazing 3G coverage in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma...but then we have friends who have crappy service in more populated areas/states. One friend of mine lives in St. Augustine and said they just recently got 3G coverage. But I have friends who have complaints & praises about all carriers...

It's Luke Wilson, by the way.

 

[mrsklamc]

I can't stand the new AT&T commercials with Owen Wilson bashing Verizon to bits. It's silly, but it bugs me because they don't present all the facts so they mislead the customer. "It's the only network you can do this on" and "it has the best service everywhere," meanwhile down here in South Florida it's the worst network to have, you can't get service anywhere. And it's only Verizon. I'm a little biased because I'm a happy Verizon customer, but why not attack Sprint too? Ok, I'm done.

I think the reason he is going after Verizon in those commercials is that (at least around here) Verizon started it by putting up maps that seemed to indicate AT&T had really poor coverage nationwide.

Those AT&T commercials just bother me because Owen Wilson looks like a fat, washed up actor.

 

[mking624]

I have only been offended by one ad, and it wasn't a TV ad. It was a large ad outside of the Dior store in LAX about 4 years ago. It had a young girl on it (maybe 12-13) dressed in a very provocative way in Dior looking for all intents and purposes like a half naked waif. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared it it with my mouth literally agape. I felt like a pedophile looking at it. I muttered rather loudly "That's a little girl! That's child pornography! How could they do that to a little girl?!" and another passenger next to me agreed with me. I was completely shocked and that takes a LOT to do. I still get angry thinking about how that poor little girl was abused by the camera and put on display in the middle of LAX.

Yes, things like this really bother me. Not just the ads, but the clothes they put out for such young girls. Why do companies need to make/sell clothes for little girls to make them look sexy?! And by no means am I justifying pedophilia...but why on earth would we market things that doesn't exactly help the situation? It really upsets me how children, especially young children, are marketed to be sexual and provocative.

 

[JoShan1719]

It's Luke Wilson, by the way.

Ah I knew that. It didn't look right when I typed it out, but I didn't feel like looking it up. One Wilson is as good as another?

Those AT&T commercials just bother me because Owen Wilson looks like a fat, washed up actor.

Maybe that's what it is. The commercials haven't changed but the spokesperson has. He's just so smug showing off his phone and all the wonderful things he can do with it. News flash, Luke, you aren't charming or funny. Stop it.

 

[Gwendolyn]

I am always really annoyed by the M&M commercials. A group of "friends" are watching a movie and they alway make fun of one of them portraying him as a looser, so he wont get his M&M's.

Oh and out here, the Burger King commercials with their "real men burgers". STUPID! They just excluded 50% of their potential market. As if I would ever eat at Burger King.

Oh and the Axe commercial, as if you would become a girl magnent if you would wear Axe.

And ofcourse Coca Cola zero, making boys mroe popular... And with Coca Cola light: that women always look for cute guys.
As if noone knows that Coca Cola zero and Coca Cola light are the exact same products, but then with a different label.

 

[mariolatry]

I don't know if offended is really the right word but the Jared jewelry store commercials that swarm around Christmas as so obnoxious. Obviously, women are materialistic hags who desire only jewelry and thus can be kept placated by shiny things (only from the right store, of course). Any man who doesn't plan on buying jewelry for his wife or girlfriend is a useless sack of poo.

Also, there was one for a little handheld wireless video player, about the size of a Blackberry. The commercial is a mom and two kids right before dinner time; peaceful, loving, doing homework or whatever. The mom realizes that the husband will be home in a minute and she throws flour in her son's face and messes things up so that it looks like she's had this hellacious day. She acts like her mothering day is hell just so she can sneak out and watch her little video player. What the heck? I have enough difficulty getting people to think my job as a SAHM is worthwhile and valuable without people thinking that I'm sandbagging all the time.

 

[Metsfan520]

Annoyed? yes, often. Offended? almost never.

 

[robinb]

Yes, things like this really bother me. Not just the ads, but the clothes they put out for such young girls. Why do companies need to make/sell clothes for little girls to make them look sexy?! And by no means am I justifying pedophilia...but why on earth would we market things that doesn't exactly help the situation? It really upsets me how children, especially young children, are marketed to be sexual and provocative.

No, the clothes were not being marketed for children. They were marketed for ADULTS. It was on a poster advertising the Dior couture inside the duty free store at LAX airport. Which makes be ponder exactly who the ad was targeted for ... grown women who want to look like a young girl with breast buds? Or a grown men who likes to look at young girls with breast buds? Either way it was stomach churning.

But ... you're right about the whole prostitot clothing for children. I had a heck of a time finding my 10-year old a 2-piece swim suit last year that did not have a traditional triangle type top.

 

[mking624]

No, the clothes were not being marketed for children. They were marketed for ADULTS. It was on a poster advertising the Dior couture inside the duty free store at LAX airport. Which makes be ponder exactly who the ad was targeted for ... grown women who want to look like a young girl with breast buds? Or a grown men who likes to look at young girls with breast buds? Either way it was stomach churning.

But ... you're right about the whole prostitot clothing for children. I had a heck of a time finding my 10-year old a 2-piece swim suit last year that did not have a traditional triangle type top.

Oh I understood that those clothes weren't being marketed for children...I just meant clothes in general. Sorry if I came off unclear. What a screwy society that we want our women to dress like young girls and our young girls to dress like women. It makes me sad.