I admit that I don’t watch as much TV as most of my friends do, but I watch enough to get my fill of the stupid and annoying commercials that fill the airwaves. I also admit that I am not a good case study for marketing executives. My cynicism is so acute that it’s tough for me to like just about anything that companies are trying to sell me. Yet there are a few marketing campaigns that really drive me nuts. Here is my list of the top 5 most annoying product spokesmen.
#5. Kylie the Microsoft 7 girl.Hey Bill Gates…. I’m buying an operating system for my computer not a “Care Bear”. Alright, so she’s not a spokesmen per se, but gee whiz Microsoft have you completely given up on presenting your product as a leader in the business software industry? I suppose after the Windows Vista disaster only an overly cute 6 year old girl could make the public forget. |
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#4. Flo the Progressive Insurance salespersonFlo proves beyond any doubt that insurance sales people are condescending jerks. I’m here to buy car insurance and she’s mocking me? What the…? This is the reason I swore to myself I would never become an insurance salesman, apparently everyone who sells insurance alienates their family and friends by acting like a self serving creep. |
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#3. Frontier Airlines AnimalsThere is nothing funny about these animals. Poorly written, contrived dialog between Airliner tail graphics isn’t funny, clever, or compelling. “Larry the Lynx,” “Grizwald the Bear,” “Jack the Rabbit”, “Flip the Dolphin”, “Hector the Sea Otter”, and “Jim, Joe, Jay, and Gary the Penguins” are about as funny as a visit to the proctologist. Is it any wonder why Frontier Airlines filed for chapter 11? |
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#2. The Geico money.So this is the money I could be saving with Geico car insurance eh? Uh, I get it… I GET IT!!! Geico, how long are you going to milk this stupid idea? Coming from the same people who brought us the moderately entertaining Geico cavemen this campaign is unfunny and makes me never want to buy car insurance from Geico. With Progressive and Gieco holding two of the top five spots in my list I guess I will have wait for Obama to step in and take over the car insurance business. Hey Gieco… let me show you a picture of the money you won’t be getting from me. |
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#1 Jared Fogle – the Subway guy.Ok so you were fat and now you aren’t. Do you really think that makes me want to buy a sandwich from you? Are you kidding me? Recently we’ve seen you singing songs and frolicking with real sports super stars such as Tony Stewart and Michael Strahan as if you were their best friend, well guess what Jared your 15 minutes were over 15 years ago. Get out of our face. Go away, we are sick of you. Dear Subway please put Jared out of his misery we’ve all had enough. What I want to know is… who are the morons out there that want to buy a sandwich from Subway when they see this guy on TV??? “Hey honey, look there’s a guy on TV who used to be fat and now he isn’t, wanna go buy a sandwich?” |
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Ahhh… I feel better already. Venting is good. I would love to get your comments (below) regarding the spokesmen you feel are the most annoying.
That’s really thinking at an imviessrpe level
That’s more than seeibsln! That’s a great post!
Great info. Lucky me I ran across your site by accident (stumbleupon).
I have book-marked it for later!
The absolute worst is that Nationwide insurance guy with the telephone and mic. Talk about a turn off on insurance. He’s the one!
Let me ad another stupid insurance spokesperson and that’s that stupid Nationwide guy with the telephone. He’s the absolute worst!
Jared is just plain annoying (like Neicy Nash). Why does he say “sammich” when it is really “sandwich”?
I agree with all of your picks actually, and Cassandra says Rocky from Rocky’s auto is in her list. I agree with that as well.
When my husband and I watch TV and Flo comes on we almost have to leave the room, it’s so bad. The Geico cavemen are okay. Oddly enough, we kind of like the Cymbalta commercials. No spokesperson, but it almost makes you wish you were depressed so you could go and get a prescription.
The Old Navy Mannequin commercials annoy the heck out of me!
Another one that has annoyed me for years… “Choosy mom’s choose JIF”
Commercials that try and make you feel that you are less of a parent if you don’t buy their product makes me want to purposely not buy it.
Thank you for speaking out against the most recent self-embarrassment committed by Microsoft. “Eyeme a pee see an ayhm fouw yeas old”…Makes me want to vomit.
And btw, jared had aides. (look it up ;D)
Oooo… good call Scott, especially on the Viagra, Cialis commercials.
As you may have guessed… I tend to enjoy the “I’m a Mac” spots. 🙂
The very first Geico caveman commercial (“We didn’t know you guys were still around.”) was pretty funny, but now the angry caveman is EXTREMELY annoying.
Progressive’s, Flo, tries to be hip and funny with everyone but she’s very unimaginative and makes me fantasize about slowly strangling her.
Although not referencing any particular spokesperson, I have to mention any ads from the Ad Council. The government believes, apparently, that their lame public service announcements actually cause people to change their behavior for the better.
Any product the late Billy Mays spoke for.
I’d like to punch every Viagra, Cialis, etc., spokesperson right in the mouth while they’re saying the annoying disclaimer.
I know you won’t like this one, Eric, but I’ll include among the most annoying product spokespersons the, “I’m so cool and you’re so not,” Mac, the Apple Computer spokesman.
That is all…