Sure, it’s a little trite to get up in arms about an ad. (Flashback to 7th grade “Media Literacy” class where we had to give five-minute presentations analyzing commercials. I think I found a phallic symbol in a Crest ad?) But I saw two ads this weekend that really baffled me. First, was a new commercial for Secret’s Clinical Strength deodorant. It showed a woman in a wedding dress rolling around in a bed with her groom in his tuxedo—presumably this is after hours of champagne guzzling and intergenerational dancing at their wedding. As they stare adoringly at each other and nuzzle, piano music in the background, of course, a female voice says, “It doesn’t take much to ruin the moment.” Really, Secret? All I have to say is, if you’re worried about a little sweat on your wedding night—you have much bigger problems than BO.
The next day, while lounging at the beach with my sister and some friends, I saw something even more egregious. You know those helicopters that fly over the beach with a banner for a band’s new album or a lady’s night at the local club? Well, one kept flying by that featured a photo of very blonde, Los Angeles looking woman. “Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, Breast Augmentation,” it read. “Call Doctor Stewart.” I have two issues with this. First of all, it seems just plain wrong to advertise these things at the beach, where in an ideal world we’d all frolic unselfconsciously in our bathing suits, but in reality I was seated near a teenager who wouldn’t take off her shirt because she’s, “so fat.” (Editor’s note: she was the opposite of fat.) And second, what kind of person who’s considering getting plastic surgery says, “Gee, I should call the dude with the beach banner.”
Anyone else have any favorite ads of the moment? —Kate
One of my favorite hobbies is analyzing and heckling commercials. Some of the worst offenders I’m seeing these days are the Wendy’s commercials that claim “It’s waaaaay better than fast food. It’s Wendy’s.”
More and more with the doublespeak. It’s so sick because I know that it works on some viewers. So wrong.
Which actor plays the groom in the Secret Clinical Strength deodorant commercial?