Reply #124: agree [View All]

[cosmicdot]

I've mentioned my observations to others for some time now.

Matter of fact, I wrote to Mike's Hard Lemonade and the, then, British owners (pre-2002) of Burger King. This does goes back a number of years. I think it was Mike's very first TV ad which had someone falling off a building-under-construction only to get skewered by a metal rod. Doesn't that make you want an alco-pop? Of course, Mike didn't see any concern. I believe he had another one after that whereby a pedestrian got hit by a car while crossing the street. Let's party.

Burger King's ad was set on an airplane. One person had a Burger King hamburger the other the airline fare, and the passenger in the next seat just brutally took the burger. If you want something, just take it, right? That's what Bu$h did in 2000, and more subtlety in 2004. I wrote asking what kind of values does this ad suggest. Interestingly, I never saw the ad again.

The first time I saw the recent VW ad where the passengers are cruising along only to get real-time broadsided by an oncoming car practically made me jump out of my skin. Yes, the passengers lived to see another day. I just don't think I needed to simulate the shock, too. Post-traumatic syndrome must be a great seller.

Would you fall off a rainbow to your death for a Skittle?

How far will you fall off a cliff, hitting everything to the ultimate bottom, because you won't let go of a Mountain Dew addiction? No pain no gain.

I've noticed the Vonage ads, too.

Hopefully, more people will begin noticing.

The process of ad making starts before its airing. Perhaps Sociologists can help explain what has influenced the thinking behind these ads and the mindsets of those accepting them, i.e., "This is great stuff. Here are millions of dollars. Do more."? Regardless of intent, the increase of sadistic, brutal, bullying, selfish, etc., ads must have conditioning effect on some viewers. Torture isn't so bad, is it?

Of course, the ad industry will give awards to the creators reinforcing the negativity and the motivation to produce more of the same. Repeat and rinse.

If there's one beer left, why not share it. Sharing is good. Let's go buy some more. Share a Snickers bar? That's so Gay. I'd rather poison myself with anti-freeze (but, don't try this at home).

Pardon me, I think I'll go now to con some naive customer sitting at the bar into buying me a beer which I'll take back to my friends at the billiard table. Suckers are born every minute. Plus, crime seems to pay. No harm done. Look at the Bu$h Administration. Look at Nixon. So what if I get caught, I'll get pardoned. Lie, cheat, abuse, mistreat, steal ... it's the American way. Corporate values. Let's reinforce it through advertising. Who knows, perhaps 'the deciders' got their positions via those values, and that's just the way they 'think'?