Shortly after the premiere of their sitcom “My Name is Earl,” NBC introduced a marketing campaign so annoying that I had to change the radio station any time that it came across the airwaves. The premise of the advertisements was that we were supposed to be listening in on a normal conversation that several co-workers were having on their lunch break. I can’t recall the exact wording, but it went something like this:
“Have you guys seen that new show on NBC with Jason Lee?”
“You mean that guy from the movies? I love him!”
“Yeah, he’s so funny in this show! Let me tell you what the show is about...”
As you can see, this “conversation” is about as believable as the questions in Parade magazine. “I just love that Dennis Quaid! Can you tell me what he’s up to?” “I loved Baby Geniuses Two, is it too much to hope that number three is in the works?”
Unfortunately, this advertising technique has spread to television. The first example that comes to mind is the television spot for the birth control pill Yaz. For those lucky few that haven’t seen it, this ad takes the viewer inside a perfectly natural conversation among a group of friends who are discussing this new birth control pill that one of them heard about.
In an amazing stroke of luck, one of them just happens to be a doctor and is able to provide them with the details of the pill’s effects. Apparently, she is not only a doctor, but she also happens to be a lawyer for the company that makes the pill, because she is able to discuss all the side effects that one might encounter in the course of taking this wonderful medicine. For example, her friends shouldn’t take it if they have certain medical conditions, such as (oh, just off the top of my head) cardiovascular disease, which my friends and I often refer to in the course of our conversations.
“Hey man, what’s going on? Have you talked to your doctor about that pain in your leg?”
“Yeah, he gave me something to take. I think it’s called Balflix or something like that.”
“Wow, I heard about that medication! I’ve heard you shouldn’t take it if you have certain medical conditions such as chronic lung disease, advanced HIV or AIDS, or if you’re pregnant or may become pregnant.”
“Wow thanks! I wish my doctor knew this stuff! Thank God I have you, friend!”
Another advertising trend that is growing ever more irritating is the “unnecessary foreign accent.” At first, a spokesman with a refined British accent was employed to imply that the product in question is normally discussed during tea by the Queen of England. Unfortunately, in the same way that “Survivor” spawned such trash as “Boy Meets Boy,” uncreative ad execs decided that if they couldn’t come up with a new and innovative campaign, hiring some foreign guy will do quite nicely.
The majority of you have likely been subjected to the inanity of the new cable ad in which not one, but three foreign guys dance around and speak with an unintelligible foreign accent. The creators of this ad have bravely bucked the long-standing maxim that a potential client should be able to understand a product pitch. When an advertisement reminds me of the three dancing scissor-wielding nihilists from “The Big Lebowski,” I’m not likely to want to buy that product.
Finally, a special section of hell must have been created for whoever is responsible for the latest series of Verizon commercials. First of all, if you are a sweaty Cro-Magnon man that I don’t know, please don’t accost me and place your sweaty ear buds in my ears, stating that I must hear this new song. Based on your appearance, there is a good chance that I will get some kind of infection, and I don’t want to have to ask my doctor what medication I should take to counteract it. I don’t want to play “side-effects roulette.” You see, my friend said that medication may cause increased urination, heart attacks or a stroke.
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