I was flipping through the channels the other day when I saw what I assumed was a promo for a new show that had somehow slipped under my television radar. Right there on the big screen was TV’s Hunter himself, Mr. Fred Dryer. He was asking all kinds of questions to a cute girl. It was all very strange, but in the good way. It looked like Fred had landed himself some sort of a cable series. After all, if we’ve learned one thing from cable, characters are welcome. The web address flashed at the end of the episode and I made for the internet, only to have my hopes crushed.

Read the rest of this entry »

www.vw.com

I just love it when ads are odd. Not so odd that you don’t know what’s being sold, mind you. But odd enough that the first couple of half-assed times you’re watching a commercial, you have no idea what’s going on, but are intrigued enough to pay attention the next time it comes on. Then, when you finally watch the commercial in full-assed fashion, you’re amazed, fascinated, or repulsed. But by that time, you’re hooked.

That’s what happened when I saw VW’s new Routan campaign the first few times. In it, Brooke Shields talks in somber tones about how people are having babies just to “get German engineering.” The couple standing by the new VW minivan would bellow back “We wanted to have kids anyway!” or something else that completely refutes what Brooke was saying. I was wondering what the hell Brooke was getting at; is it just another quirky VW ad? Sure, but one with a theme. Video after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

CBS

I’m really, really excited for CSI to start its new season tonight.  Now, if you know me well, you may be wondering why… because I don’t actually watch the show.

Well, my excitement has very little to do with the show actually.  I’m excited for CSI to start because it means I don’t have to watch the stupid ads for it anymore.  I think I’ve seen the commercials for the new season about 10 thousand times by now and I am so sick of them.  Seriously, I think they show one during every single commercial break on CBS.  Is this really necessary? It’s the most watched drama on TV, why are they wasting so much money on these ads?

I know I should stop whining in this age of the DVR, but, honestly, I do watch a lot of TV live.  Besides that, they always put them right at the end of the commercial break, so when you over fast-forward and have to go back to make sure you didn’t miss anything you end up right in the middle of that frakking CSI ad.  Is anyone else having the same CSI commercial overexposure that I am?  It’s driving me crazy… crazy!!!

Amazon

Hey everybody, I’ve found a great new snack to eat while watching TV – high fructose corn syrup!  I like to get a nice big bowl of it, curl up on the sofa, and spoon that sweet, sweet nectar into my mouth while enjoying my favorite show. “That’s gross!” you may say, “It’s so bad for you.”  That’s what I thought too. That is, until I saw the new ad campaign from the Corn Refiners Association.

Has anyone else seen these ads?  Or do I just watch far more Food Network than the average person?

Read the rest of this entry »

US Army

Listen, before you start emailing this article to your friends as another example of the liberal media’s crusade to destroy America (does a blog even count as “liberal media”?), please understand that I’m not being willfully obtuse with this question to make a larger point.  This is an actual question that occurred to me last night and I thought it would make a compelling discussion topic.  Please note: I’m not some Boris Badenov crypto-communist hoping that by merely asking the question, I’ll be able to undermine the American military machine.  I support the troops as much as anybody who isn’t Lee Greenwood.

All that being said, last night I was watching Monday Night Football when one of those “Army Strong” ads aired.  It was typical of the series: it stressed the pride and discipline necessary to be a US soldier and how joining the army would make you a better person (a video follows after the jump).  These are all ideas that anybody would agree with: there is no higher form of service to your country than being a soldier.  They’ve earned that pride.

The commercial showed lots of training.  It showed lots of saluting.  It showed lots of well-built young men and women standing tall in their uniforms.  You know what it didn’t show?  Fighting.  No fighting whatsoever.  I couldn’t help but think this was some false advertising…

Read the rest of this entry »