Have you ever been offended by advertising?

[robinb]

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.

True dat.

 

[Rora]

I get offended every time I see an ad for Disneyland or WDW on tv. Cause it means I'm not there!

Me too!!


While there are definitely some commercials I don't like for whatever reason, I don't find them offensive. I try really hard not to be bothered/offended by stuff like this and find that just muting the TV during commercials works for me.

 

[FireDancer]

Nope, nothing offends me at all in life so advertising isn't any different. There are plenty of ads I don't like because they are either not really true or just unoriginal but they don't offend me.

 

[Scurvy]

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 totally forgot those. They don't offend me, but they really annoy me. Yet again, it's as though they assume their audience is too stupid to figure out that the ads are completely misleading. The Verizon ads they are trying to counter show maps of 3G coverage. The AT&T ads try to argue that the Verizon ads are wrong, and they use maps of non-3G service to show that their coverage is just as good. Their regular coverage might be just as widespread, but their 3G coverage isn't anywhere near as extensive as Verizon's. AT&T lost their lawsuit against Verizon because the Verizon ads were true, so now AT&T is resorting to airing misleading ads in the hopes that they can confuse people into doubting Verizon's claims.

Plus, I find both Wilson brothers annoying. I'm not a fan of either one, but Luke especially annoys me. Even if the ads weren't misleading, I'd still dislike them just because he's in them!

I had also forgotten how annoying I find the jewelry commercials for places like Kay and Jared. Those things make women seems so shallow and superficial . . . "Who cares that I just got engaged, the important thing is where he bought the ring!" I also really hate the trend of pushing one type of pendant each season, and acting as though all women would be overjoyed to get one and all husbands are failures if they don't buy their wife one. Usually I find them really unattractive and I'd way rather get a gift that I thought my husband had actually put some thought into instead of some generic jewelry item of the moment. I refuse to shop at either store just because I dislike the commercials so much.

 

[mrsklamc]

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.

Um...yes. I got an email earlier this year from a certain lingerie/clothing company touting the 'playdress' as the new look for spring. Play dress? excuse me? I am a grown woman. A play dress is what a little girl used to wear so she didn't get her 'good' dress dirty. Now they just wear jeans and shorts like they should.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

There have been some Carl’s commercials that have not agreed with me. I can’t remember the exact commercial but it had something to do with girls not being able to eat Carl’s because it was messy and “too much to handle” or something like that.

Usually, I just laugh or shake my head at the creators' stupidity. I mean I can’t even remember what the commercial was, so it’s not that big of a deal.

Overall, though, I don’t like a lot of Carl’s commercials because many of them seem more like they are trying to sell a good-looking girl than a hamburger.
Anyone remember the car-washing commercial? Did they even show a hamburger?

I wouldn't say I'm really "offended" by commercials, either, but those Carl's/Hardee's ones are awful!

Every single Sonic commercial offends me. Every one has the sound effect of someone being punched. Really, really offensive.

I don't think I've ever noticed that sound. I'll have to listen for it next time.

I hate those tax commercials: "We owed $150,000 in taxes, but we only had to pay $2,000!"

Also a lot of political ones annoy me. They're so condescending.

Oh, yea, political commercials are the worst. The influence me more to vote against the candidate than for them.

I hate the commercials that try to make jokes out of adoption, as well. There was a fast food one, (McDonald's, maybe?) where the cheeseburger says to the fries "maybe you're adopted", met by silence. Is that supposed to be funny? Do they not realize what a turn-off that is to so many potential customers?

 

[C.Ann]

Offended by some - annoyed by many.. One of my biggest gripes is blatantly false advertising - drives me nuts - and so many people get sucked in by it..

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I haven't seen that one.

But...they're adults, right? Not little girls?

LOL no they're grown women!!! But that is quite bad enough...

My new favorite commerical is the Kotex one where the girl makes fun of all the other tampon commericals...those other commericals drive me crazy! Why would I get up and twirl with my friends because I got my period??!! The blue liquid they use is the worst - we're all very aware that it does not look like that

 

[connorlevismom]

Not really offended, but kind of grossed out. The pregnancy test with the giant stream of pee.....nasty.

Kristine

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

there's been two Labatt Blue commercials that i haven't really been thrilled about. the one has a bunch of girls standing in a lake pulling bottles of beer out of it and wearing nothing but aprons.

and the next one has girls sliding down poles and there's a blonde girl who gets stuck on the pole, and then she gets her tongue stuck to some ice....i think there were a few other things, too.

i get that they're trying to advertise towards men, but there are other ways i'm sure. and if i have to watch that, why don't they have commercials like that for us women?? at least make it fair...

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

there's been two Labatt Blue commercials that i haven't really been thrilled about. the one has a bunch of girls standing in a lake pulling bottles of beer out of it and wearing nothing but aprons.

and the next one has girls sliding down poles and there's a blonde girl who gets stuck on the pole, and then she gets her tongue stuck to some ice....i think there were a few other things, too.

i get that they're trying to advertise towards men, but there are other ways i'm sure. and if i have to watch that, why don't they have commercials like that for us women?? at least make it fair...

well the DO have some new old spice commercials....

"look at your husband, now look at me, now him, now me"

"here are two tickets to that thing you wanted to go see"

"here is a box of chocolate, now look again they are diamonds"

hehehehhee

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

well the DO have some new old spice commercials....

"look at your husband, now look at me, now him, now me"

"here are two tickets to that thing you wanted to go see"

"here is a box of chocolate, now look again they are diamonds"

hehehehhee

lol ugh i HATE that commercial! it offends me with how stupid it is, actually lmao!

 

[Deb in IA]

Any commercial with slurping, chomping, or crunching makes me change the channel or at least mute and look away. Hardees are the worst, followed now by Kit Kat commercials.



The bull riding woman with the burger was disgusting, too. I see a pattern with Hardees and women and burgers. Insulting and disgusting.

another for Hardee's. Any commercial even like those that depicts women that way.

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.

Yes, the Hardee's and Go Daddy commercials are just this side of being pornographic. Yuck.



The commericals that irritate me are the Volkswagen commericals, where someone sees a VW and punches his friend, and says "Red one!"

I don't think punching people is funny at all.

And it sure does not make me want to buy a VW.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

Yes, the Hardee's and Go Daddy commercials are just this side of being pornographic. Yuck.



The commericals that irritate me are the Volkswagen commericals, where someone sees a VW and punches his friend, and says "Red one!"

I don't think punching people is funny at all.

And it sure does not make me want to buy a VW.

i forgot about the Go Daddy commercials. yeah those are some of the STUPIDEST commercials i've ever seen i don't get it with those commercials.


altho DH and i always do the "punch bug no punch back!" thing in the car but we don't actually PUNCH each other. it's more like a nudge or something.

 

[JoShan1719]

The blue liquid they use is the worst - we're all very aware that it does not look like that

Hee hee hee ok that made me giggle because you're absolutely right, it isn't at all like that.

 

[Ephany]

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.

OT but Target here had 4-6 different styles of two piece swimsuits today that were tankini style that don't tie around the neck or have little triangle fronts. I grabbed two for DD in the next size up because I know I'm never going to see that again. Usually I'm lucky to find one maybe two acceptable swimming suits each season.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Okay, I love that Old Spice commercial. (And now they are diamonds. I am riding this horse, backwards.)


And the VW Bug commercials just make me mad. Doesn't the company know that the name of the game is Slug-a-Bug?! Have they never travelled cross-country as a child?




But. But, if I were a man, I would totally be offended by this yogurt commercial. Some snotty woman is on the phone telling presumably her girlfriend about her losing weight and talking about chocolate cake, and strawberry shortcake and the like and the husband overhears her and starts to look in the fridge for the goodies, pushing aside the yogurt to see behind it all. And then she starts talking down to him, like he was a moron or just plain stupid. How terribly rude. I refuse to buy that product now. If my spouse were on the phone talking about how he keeps sweets in the fridge, I'd be going in there, too.

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

well the DO have some new old spice commercials....

"look at your husband, now look at me, now him, now me"

"here are two tickets to that thing you wanted to go see"

"here is a box of chocolate, now look again they are diamonds"

hehehehhee

That is the FUNNIEST commercial ever! Every time we see it we pause to crack up yet again.

I'm not offended by sexy commericals (Carl's or beer) or by silliness, I think a lot of that is funny. I don't care for the ED or feminine hygiene products ads, but oh well. Why are people in the cealis commericals sitting in unplumbed bathtubs, btw? what is sexy about seperate cold toumbs of steel without at least relaxing in hot water? That makes no sense to me.

The commericals that really annoy me are cell phone commericals where the teenage kids act like thier parents are complete idiots. Its a good thing you aren't my kid, you little punk, becuase if you talked to me in that tone of voice you'd have to dive to the bottom of the pool to find your cell and I'm not getting you a new one until you change that craptastic attitude. Seriously, who puts up with that? And what about that attitude would make me want to buy a cell phone plan?

 

[FireDancer]

there's been two Labatt Blue commercials that i haven't really been thrilled about. the one has a bunch of girls standing in a lake pulling bottles of beer out of it and wearing nothing but aprons.

and the next one has girls sliding down poles and there's a blonde girl who gets stuck on the pole, and then she gets her tongue stuck to some ice....i think there were a few other things, too.

i get that they're trying to advertise towards men, but there are other ways i'm sure. and if i have to watch that, why don't they have commercials like that for us women?? at least make it fair...

The opposite of that is how men are always portrayed as complete idiots who need saved by their women folk in every situation.

If you have walked through the men's underwear section or seen Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo's underwear ads those are just as pornographic as the GoDaddy ads but I don't care or get offended by them. I see them for what they are, an ad the is made to draw attention.

Stereotypes, real or not, are a part of advertising. It is what it is.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

The opposite of that is how men are always portrayed as complete idiots who need saved by their women folk in every situation.

If you have walked through the men's underwear section or seen Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo's underwear ads those are just as pornographic as the GoDaddy ads but I don't care or get offended by them. I see them for what they are, an ad the is made to draw attention.

Stereotypes, real or not, are a part of advertising. It is what it is.

i've only seen the Calvin Klein ads online, i haven't even seen them on tv. and underwear ads don't offend me if they're male or female. i mean, walking by Victoria's Secret doesn't offend me or anything. it was just making the girls wear next to nothing for a beer commercial, and then have her act like an idiot because she was blonde.

i don't think i've seen too many commercials or advertisements where men are portrayed as stupid...maybe a few but not many. and most of the time when the guy is acting like an idiot, he's not standing there wearing next to nothing, you know?


but the OP DID ask if any kind of advertisements or commercials offended us, so i just responded.