The Beagle Log, 29 October 2007 - TV Commercials

Subject: The Beagle Log, 29 October 2007 - TV Commercials 29/10/2007, 2:04 am

Is it Monday again? Must be time for TV trivia.

I don't know about the British TV, but advertisements on American TV have been going downhill in both creativity (with some exceptions) and content. There are some ads that cause me to change channels; I'd rather watch a test pattern.

You have probably seen the Energizer Bunny.

It first appeared in the early 1980’s. After 2 or 3 years of the Bunny beating it’s drums as it crossed the screen, there was a rival ad where a woman took a bat to the bunny, then turned to the audience and said “someone had to do that”. I only saw it two or three times before it was pulled.

What, if anything, do you have to say about TV commercials?

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Don

Hola Don!

Sometimes the ads are better than the programmes in my opinion. However I'm not sure that is so true these days. I have noticed that policemen look like schoolboys and also that I don't always understand the adverts. Now those two facts together may be telling me something!! My age group make up a very large proportion of the population and I believe that our tastes need to be given greater consideration in all things. Right, I shall put the soapbox away now!

I really loved the old 'hovis' bread advert. The deliveryboy with his cap and bicycle, the steep, wet, cobbled street and the music........Those were the days when ads really meant something. Lancashire life in that case I think.

A more recent ad that I fell in love with was the 'Churchill' dog! The expressions on that dog's face, and the voice....they just cracked me up. I could put the TV on just to watch that dog. I knew the man behind that advert, he is sadly dead now, but he was one of the most brilliant minds in the advert business.

Hasta Luego Gillian

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''What will survive of us is love.''Philip Larkin

Hi

I like the Cadbury's ad with the drumming Gorilla.

Do you remember the Gold Blend ad with Anthony Head who went on to star in "Buffy " and as the Prime Minister in "Little Britain".
And the "Smash" ads

I don't like all these ads for Personal Loans, Debt Management or Personal Injuries.

Jean wave

Hola Jean!

Do you remember the 'Access' card ad which used the Three Kings alias Magi to sell itself? I thought that was dreadful
Adios Gillian

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''What will survive of us is love.''Philip Larkin

It's clear that ads on the two sides of the Atlantic differ; I've never head of the ones mentioned above. I guess we have not achieved a global economy at the local level yet and that is probably good.

One of the major advertisers here are pharmaceutical companies.

There are multiple ads with multiple airings nightly for prescription drugs for every thing from toenail fungus, weight lose, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, to you name it. Side effects, required to be mentioned, range from indigestion to death - although the later is severely played down. You can get prescriptions to counteract side effects but then have new side effect.

Another big advertiser is the automobile industry. For $50K plus, you can get a sports car that guarantees happiness.

The 2nd week in November is Election Day. It is an off year (no federal elections) so all candidates are for local or state office. Most of the political ads are negative ads, which makes one wonder how the targeted party can walk and chew gum at the same time. Since all target each other, one can only conclude they are all inept. (I think I mentioned in another post that I am a political junkie. It is fun to watch and speculate on the stance of my favorites.)

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Don

Hi Gillian

sorry I don't remember that ad.

Jean

I have a problem with this one, would you believe it i dont watch the Adverts very often. My son can repeat them all and always has infact i said that the childrens mathimatical times tables should be an advert and therefore more children would know them.

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Maxine Friendship~ Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. - Oprah Winfrey