I was reading the label of a bottled tea this morning. It said something like:
To offer you the fullest flavor, our leaves are not washed prior to steeping. The first time they experience water is when boiling spring-water is poured over them for brewing. This is why it’s so important that we use organic farming methods. This ensures the product you get is only tea… and water… and trace amounts of poop.
Sometimes I think big advertising is out of control. Nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Sesame Street. Big money letters like “M” get all the play and “Q” ends up being the stumbling block letter in the road-trip “ABC” game. No one wants to make more words starting with “X” or “Z” any more. Sure there’s a grassroots counter-culture movement, such as Ernest Vincent Wright’s short novel called Gadsby. Wright’s book was written entirely without the letter “e.” To be sure, “e” is a big money letter; it’s made more money off of Wheel of Fortune than any other vowel. Vanna turns the “e”s and the whole puzzle becomes clear. I heard e’s manager wanted to make its purchase value higher than the other vowels, but Pat Sajak showed his ugly side and “e” backed down.
You probably thought this post was going to be about the Super Bowl ads. I didn’t get past the first Go Daddy ad, which creeped me out. I still don’t know who Go Daddy is and what he does. (His name sounds a little like a pimp.) Which, by the way, is just like the medicine commercials. They have these ads for medicine that leave me like, “I don’t know whether your product will give me a boner or loosen my bowels, why are you advertising to me– especially if you’re going to end by telling me that, ‘Side effects may include a bleeding rectum?'”
Here’s said Go Daddy ad. Bon appetit.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 
I agree, there is definitely TMI in advertising. That commercial gave me the creeps also…it was disgusting.
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It was the sound levels. I guess if it was meant to be memorable (good or bad) it was spot on.
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The art of making viewers desire, then purchase what they never knew they needed. A big reason for no T.V. in my life. Brought to you by –
Later…
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I guess pharmaceutical ads are mostly intended to get hypochondriacs to ask there doctor to put them on a medicine for an ailment they’re not sure they have… but think they might.
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The name of your blog seems to indicate a familiarity with Mark Twain’s “The Art of Loafing.” Riffing on the words and works of giants is so admirable.
Later…
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Thanks. I love Twain, but can’t say I made the connection. I was just reading the Tao Te Ching a the time, and since the blog is mostly my loafing from the writing I should be doing, it seemed apropos.
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don’t drink the tea.
i like when they say the side effects of the medicine, in the commercial, are the reason you are taking it in the first place: a vicious cycle.
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My favorite commercially listed side effect is “suicidal tendencies.” What could you have that would make that worth it?
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that’s funny and how do they know the person didn’t have those anyway. it isn’t like your tooth may turn blue… something you can see…
ok, one time my tooth did turn partially blue .my brother in law looked the antihistamine up in his PDR and that wasn’t listed..
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Well if you want a boner, loose bowels AND a bleeding rectum you could just try gay sex. I don’t see them advertising that in the Superbowl breaks any time soon.
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