Fat, Slow-Witted Men in Commercials

[InfiniteSpirit]

This has to do with the United States of Advertising culture ..

Why are there so many commercials on that portray the husband or male counterpart in the relationship to be, well, like a real life Homer Simpson. The wives in these commercials, lets face it - who are way too sharp for these slobs, look to them with that amused look (oh how I love my slob, fat, dim-witted husband) and then hold up the next great chemical cleaning creation. Are they just trying to make women feel smarter and thus not feel subservient in wanting to buy cleaning products, or are they accurately portraying the general oafishness of men? (this is a trick question )

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by InfiniteSpirit
This has to do with the United States of Advertising culture ..

Why are there so many commercials on that portray the husband or male counterpart in the relationship to be, well, like a real life Homer Simpson. The wives in these commercials, lets face it - who are way too sharp for these slobs, look to them with that amused look (oh how I love my slob, fat, dim-witted husband) and then hold up the next great chemical cleaning creation. Are they just trying to make women feel smarter and thus not feel subservient in wanting to buy cleaning products, or are they accurately portraying the general oafishness of men? (this is a trick question )

I was just thinking about this the other day. I think commercials meant to sell to the woman definitely portray the husband as the emasculated, slightly overweight oafish corporate cog, under the full control of his little woman. Ew.

 

[insein]

simple advertising.

 

[InfiniteSpirit]

True. Very true. But I think that advertising is the greatest brainwasher in many respects. Obviously, its good advertising for us promote cleaning products to those who buy them women and also do so in a way that makes them feel "so smart". But I also think it needs to be said (and as loud as possible) what the consequences/effects/etc are of advertising. I think most people are numb to the fact that advertising screws with us mentally in a very subliminal way.

 

[MtnBiker]

Originally posted by InfiniteSpirit
But I also think it needs to be said (and as loud as possible) what the consequences/effects/etc are of advertising

Selling of a product, that is the bottom line.

 

[nycflasher]

I can't stand commercials for the most part.
I generally find them to be insulting to my intelligence; pushing some product that I DON'T need; stupid and I hate the fact that they raise the volume for commercials. Ever notice that? One minute you're watching a program at the volume you desire, then...BLAMMO!!!! BUY ALPO --ROOF-ROOF-19.99--BLAH-BLAH-BLAH-whatever. Thank God for mute! I know from an acting class I took several years ago that there are like three things that all commercials revolve around, depending on the product that is being marketed. Sex is the only one I remember ;-)

As far as fat guys, yeah I guess I do notice them in alot of commercials. But remember, we live in a fat-ass country full of people who sit on the couch and eat potato chips and don't vote ;-) For that matter, the women should resemble the men in the commercials, there shouldn't be that discrepency. So yeah, maybe they are trying to make women feel better or just suggesting that all men are oafish slobs. I don't know. I try to mute commercials or not watch them at all as much as possible.

I have a friend that is a copywriter for a leading advertising agency. He is in his mid-late 20's and gets paid $350/day to sit around an brainstorm and write copy for online advertising--Best Buy, Toshiba, etc.

What a waste of talent! But he laughs all the way to the bank at the end of every week. Can't say I blame him. As long as we are acapitalist society, I don't see the state of advertising changing a whole lot.

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by InfiniteSpirit
True. Very true. But I think that advertising is the greatest brainwasher in many respects. Obviously, its good advertising for us promote cleaning products to those who buy them women and also do so in a way that makes them feel "so smart". But I also think it needs to be said (and as loud as possible) what the consequences/effects/etc are of advertising. I think most people are numb to the fact that advertising screws with us mentally in a very subliminal way.

There may be some truth to that. But no more than one can be brainwashed by a tv show, news program, movie, etc. They al share one thing--when yoiu sit in front of them they have a chance to captivate you and sell some thing or idea. But if you buy it, the problem may be more personal than anything. I mean, do you trust tv like you do your pastor or best friend, etc.?

One harmful effect that might be worth pointing out is the images sold on t.v., you know, the anorexic looking waif that most REAL women don't resemble. But, I'm digressing, that's a societal problem more than one just seen on television commercials. It's prevelant in tv, magazines, fashion shows...

 

[InfiniteSpirit]

Very good points, although I think (just a theory like everything else) that advertisers invest A LOT of money into those 2 minutes that you see in the break. They do studies, polls, research all to find out what images will best geneate a consumer response. Now, tv shows, etc also do this, but most of the time they aren't trying to sell us stuff directly (although lately dvd sets of tv programs have become popular), they are more trying to captivate us for the ads. I think that the basic ad theory that they try to get an image stuck in our heads is somewhat antiquated. I've read very interesting articles on how the best advertisements play on our prejudices, fears and even our guilt - for example the basic premise on tv is that sex is bad (no nudity, no real sex scenes, etc..) yet most ads use sex somehow. Some ideas contend that this is on purpose - the advertiser seeks to make us feel guilty by making us think of sex and thus when we are mindlessly walking through walmart we can somehow come to peace with that guilt when we see that product again (theres more to the research, but just something to chew on) ...

also, i have gotten rid of cable, i only use my tv for dvd's, i am a film lover and a filmmaker in training ..

 

[winston churchi]

The Dominos Pizza ad comes to mind.

If the ad is effective you will remember it.

There is an ad where a dumb fat guy doesn't understand how to wash his sons clothes so he buys something from tide that is a little brush and he sits there and watches it spin....

My favourite ad, and it has nothing to do with fat me but with fat candy - are those m&m fellows. Very clever advertising.

 

[nycflasher]

It seems to me there was one particularly scandalous case... a while back... something about subliminal messages in movie previews or something?

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I think it was like a split second where some image came on the screen. Tellig you to buy popcorn or kill whitey or something.

Big difference, I know, but I remember it being real scanalous which makes me think it was something more than a subliminal ad to buy popcorn. Maybe that's all it was, though.

 

[krisy]

Originally posted by InfiniteSpirit
This has to do with the United States of Advertising culture ..

Why are there so many commercials on that portray the husband or male counterpart in the relationship to be, well, like a real life Homer Simpson. The wives in these commercials, lets face it - who are way too sharp for these slobs, look to them with that amused look (oh how I love my slob, fat, dim-witted husband) and then hold up the next great chemical cleaning creation. Are they just trying to make women feel smarter and thus not feel subservient in wanting to buy cleaning products, or are they accurately portraying the general oafishness of men? (this is a trick question )

I think a little of both: Thsoe commercials probably portray most households to a point-I say again-to a point. Hubbies usually sit around while the wife cleans. But to be fair,the wife usually sits around while the hubby cuts the grass. These women are also far to clean to be cleaning :

 

[William Joyce]

This is all true.

Commercials basically make the white guy out to be nerdy, inept and uncool, and in need of hipping up by the black woman or the Asian woman or whatever. Proof ads are cultural subversion as much as corporate drek-pushing.

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by krisy
These women are also far to clean to be cleaning :

Commercials are too clean in general ;-)
They don't reflect life.
But yeah, these women in cleaning commercials look like they stepped right off the page of a JCrew catalog, lol.

It's all about selling sex I think.
But damn it, I like my sex dirty!
he-he

 

[krisy]

Originally posted by William Joyce
This is all true.

Commercials basically make the white guy out to be nerdy, inept and uncool, and in need of hipping up by the black woman or the Asian woman or whatever. Proof ads are cultural subversion as much as corporate drek-pushing.

Whaaaaa?

 

[nycflasher]

gotta admit, ya lost me too there Joyce

 

[clumzgirl]

Now that you mention it, there's some air freshener commercial that annoys the hell out of me. The guy is sitting in a chair waving a fan in front of the plug-in and goes "Ow" like he over-exerted himself. Then the wife comes in with a bag of frozen peas or something and puts it on his elbow and asks, "There, isn't that better?"

I agree, some commercials have begun to portray odd couples, but life is sometimes odd. I mean, not all models marry other models, and vice versa. And we can't all resemble the "Joneses."

 

[krisy]

There is a Dawn dishwashing liqiud commercial where the wife is super pretty,and the husband is not really all that. He runs out to cut the grass because he doesn't want to do dishes and at the end,she is filing her nails looking as pretty as ever because the Dawn is doing the work for her-it is soooo unrealistic!

 

[Merlin1047]

"This has to do with the United States of Advertising culture .."


I don't believe there are any dark motives which can be attributed to the trend in advertising. I believe that it is simply corporate attempts to be politically correct and to avoid "offending" any of the more sensitive members of ethnic minorites. Take a wider view of the television media. Take a look at sitcoms, soap operas, news programs etc etc. Do you notice any of these making fun of any minority group? A few cast blacks in a comic role, but these programs are essentially all black.


These days, the only group which can be made sport of in safety is white males. I don't mind men jokes, I think they're a hoot. But I'm getting a little tired of being a member of the only group that isn't allowed to be offended. If we can tell white male jokes, then let's tell black jokes as well as, Asian, Polish, Italian, Irish, French, German, Muslim, Catholic, Baptist, female, and any other category of jokes you can dream up. Our entire society has become way too up-tight and we need to lighten up. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves again. We need to stop being so damn sensitive. We need to stop looking for an excuse to assume the role of victim.

And while we're at it, let's find the bastards who stole our national sense of humor and crucified it in the name of political correctness. And then let's kick their sorry asses.

 

[insein]

Originally posted by Merlin1047
"This has to do with the United States of Advertising culture .."


I don't believe there are any dark motives which can be attributed to the trend in advertising. I believe that it is simply corporate attempts to be political correct and to avoid "offending" any of the more sensitive members of ethnic minorites. Take a wider view of the television media. Take a look at sitcoms, soap operas, news programs etc etc. Do you notice any of these making fun of any minority group? A few cast blacks in a comic role, but these programs are essentially all black.


These days, the only group which can be made sport of in safety is white males. I don't mind men jokes, I think they're a hoot. But I'm getting a little tired of being a member of the only group that isn't allowed to be offended. If we can tell white male jokes, then let's tell black jokes as well as, Asian, Polish, Italian, Irish, French, German, Muslim, Catholic, Baptist, female, and any other category of jokes you can dream up. Our entire society has become way too up-tight and we need to lighten up. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves again. We need to stop being so damn sensitive. We need to stop looking for an excuse to assume the role of victim.

And while we're at it, let's find the bastards who stole our national sense of humor and crucified it in the name of political correctness. And then let's kick their sorry asses.

Thatd be funny, lol.

 

[Moi]

Originally posted by Merlin1047

And while we're at it, let's find the bastards who stole our national sense of humor and crucified it in the name of political correctness. And then let's kick their sorry asses.

That'd be an awful lot of kicking!