Has anyone seen a recent series of tv ads by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company? They have a "pay it forward" theme where average joes see someone do something nice and then are inspired to do likewise, which someone sees as well, and so on to infinity it is supposed. And LM gloms onto that and says that's exactly the way they do business, such warm, altruistic people are they. Which I find incredibly annoying and downright false for several reasons.
First is the tone of the ads, in which some person does a fairly obvious nice thing, such as pick up a dropped item for someone else, or stop someone from crossing the street in front of a speeding bus he didn't notice, or keep a child's ball from going in to the street, etc. Actions that take little or no effort and are the everyday, obvious thing to do.
The ads then focus on the witnesses to the acts, They drop their jaws in astonishment, as if they've just seen a miracle, or a sacrifice like falling on a grenade. I'm not kidding, they're shocked by basic kindness; as if to say, "Wow, I never thought about taking the time to tell someone to look out for that runaway car!" As if setting up a knocked-over safety cone at a pothole in the street is the equivalent of Sydney Carton taking Charles Darnay's place at the guillotine.
It's more of that never-ending gross hyperbole of modern life, where everything is portrayed as the ultra-bestest in bazillions of universes. I guess we expect it by now almost.
But what makes me want to tear my eyes out is the idea that these simple, near-automatic acts of "niceness" are road-to-Damascus events for witnesses. I don't know about you, but where I'm from, these little looking-out-for-the-other-guy things are the way we've always lived. It's not taught any more than breathing is "taught". It's just expected. If people see a way to help somebody avoid trouble, they automatically do it, no big deal.
These ads were clearly conceived by, made by, approved by and intended for people who must live in absolute hells of self-centered-ness and alienation. Do they think that's what large US cities are? Is that what the US centers of population have become? Where the simple act of moving an untended glass of water away from where it teeters at the edge of a table is seen as a life-changing moment for the person who witnesses it? Dear God - what that says about the people who thought these were great and effective ads.
And then like pouring rock salt into my bloody eye sockets, there is the absolute cravenness behind the ads' implication that LM is just a big-hearted bunch of wonderful folks who'd love a chance to give you a big ol' bear hug and make sure nothing bad ever happens. Do they think we're cretins? That we've never dealt with a blood-sucking insurance company and their so-evil-they're-gonna-burn-in-the-ninth-level-of-hell adjusters and executives? Or that we'll believe that somehow LM just wants to give all that premium money back to us, plus a lot more, just because they want to do a good deed?
I hate those emo-ads that try to make you have a warm feeling about their product (remember the cotton ads? Where if you wore cotton clothes you'd be a rich white yuppie who rolls on the bed in slow motion with your beautiful young children?) Just tell me why your product is unique, mandatory or better/cheaper than a competitor's, and let me supply the emotions associated with the product (most likely feelings of irritation, even rage, if I've been sold a steaming pile of crap).
Of course, my opinion may be swayed by - heh - emotions. It's 6:00 am where I am. I hurt like hell and I think I slept about an hour in snatches between 12:30 and 3:00, when I finally just gave up and decided to infect everybody else with my toxic 'tude.
So, Cheers! Maybe I'll be on the lookout for insulting, enraging ads so that I can screw even more with my (and your) wa and chi - if I can really twist languages, cultures and religions, just for a start.
The saddening fact is that they actually think that common people will fall for their corporate horseshit. Just look at those microsoft ads....absolutely horrible. Looks like something Jehovas wittnesses has come up with for their watchtower magazine or whatever. "Proper" looking people infront of computers with a smile on their face so fake that even a model magazine photoshoped to death would be embarrased.
That they think we would fall for that they are either:
1. retarded/incompetent or whatever
2. They know for a fact how disgustingly greedy they are but are to psychopatic to even understand that the "cover up ads" looks so fake.
3. All PR directors have the corresponding intelligence of a chimp and not worthy even a salary above 10$ a month, a banana perhaps...at the most.
Either way the world is run by clowns in costumes and tie which would sell their grandmother for a dollar if it was possible.
We'll enough ranting...back to watching my lightmaps and skybox renders tick.
TURN OFF THE TV'S everyone! I just watch movies, work, or some FH... oh, porn, cant leave out the internet porn. Thats the extent of my screen watching. Except when the kids watch Avatar on Nick. That show is the bomb. Oh and Hogan's Heroes!!!
And then like pouring rock salt into my bloody eye sockets, there is the absolute cravenness behind the ads' implication that LM is just a big-hearted bunch of wonderful folks who'd love a chance to give you a big ol' bear hug and make sure nothing bad ever happens. Do they think we're cretins? That we've never dealt with a blood-sucking insurance company and their so-evil-they're-gonna-burn-in-the-ninth-level-of-hell adjusters and executives? Or that we'll believe that somehow LM just wants to give all that premium money back to us, plus a lot more, just because they want to do a good deed?
You're missing the big target here. Nothing, and I mean Nah-zing compares to the Washington Mutual ads in terms of craven pandering. In case you haven't seen them, the Washington Mutual ads are the ones where 19th century rail tycoons sit around hating on small buisness owners and do ridiculously rich shite like eating lobster garnished with hundred dollar bills and hunting the underprivaliged with shotguns shells loaded with diamonds.
How, oh how could a small buisness or idividual survive in this unforgiving enviroment? Thank God Washington Mutual's here! You can tell they care, becuase they have an honest to goodness black person! And we all know that whitey can't stand to let a brotha preach Da Truth about free checks for life. Never mind that this guy makes Mr. BoJangles look like Nat Turner.
Racial pandering aside (for now), am I suppose to fucking shit bricks when I hear free checks for life? I mean it's a good perk yeah, but it's been the center of the ad campaign for about a year now.
Nowadays the ads include a TV show were The Bankers show their disdain for the common man. And by common man I mean 'Sassy black lady', 'Quiet Asian in sweater', and 'hassled working mother.' We know Washington Mutual is different becuase other bank companies monocles would litterally fly across the room at the effrontery of appealing to minorities or women.
Also, they say WaMu. Fuck you Washington Mutual. You may hide your goofy second name by letting people assume it's Mutural, but I'm on to you.
Bonus awsome; The CFO's name is Kerry Killinger, which is the best name I've heard all day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lobo
And you must know it well, since you are being trained as psycho killer in the marines, seals, rangers or any other of those organizations for dudes with Peter Pan syndrom
I think Fenring is ready to grab the pitchforks and torches. Huzza!
Quote:
Originally Posted by stylie
TURN OFF THE TV'S everyone! I just watch movies, work, or some FH... oh, porn, cant leave out the internet porn. Thats the extent of my screen watching. Except when the kids watch Avatar on Nick. That show is the bomb. Oh and Hogan's Heroes!!!
...Oh, yeah, and Dogfight on The History Channel, and maybe Shootout, too. And usually their WWII things. And maybe WWI stuff, too. Or the Civil War. Can't do without most of sister-channel History International, with the Greeks and Romans, Pagans, Vikings, etc. Oooh, I almost forgot about The Discovery Channel(s), with sharks and dinosaurs and volcanoes, planets and space, and that includes The Military Channel, which is pretty good on WWII stuff, although it broadcasts it's programs three times in the same day, and twice in the same week, and then shows them all over again in three months. And there's The Deadliest Catch reruns, oh and I take a look at Ice Road Truckers usually, and sometimes I gotta see what Dad is yellin' at Paulie and Mikey about on American Chopper. And I can't live without Turner Classic Movies, and the Independent Film Channel, and there's always good old PBS, and then there are Seinfeld reruns on TBS, oooh, and The Comedy Channel so I can get enough Office Space. SciFi Channel is pretty good. And VH1 and VHClassic can do good stuff on old rockers and classic albums. And then whenever movies come on TNT or FX. I almost forgot about A&E with its Biography and crime stuff. Oh, yeah, the BBC America Channel to get Monty Python and some other stuff. And there are some pretty good house-fix-up things on a few channels. And The Food Network is pretty neat for barbecue and grilling, and for when you need a nice pate' or cherviche, or maybe a hearty paella or cassoulet in winter. Oh, and the cable news channels, I like them.
But outside of that I don't watch tv. Ever.
*edit* Yes, JW, I know those "Come to us, we hate rich, old, white guys toooooooo" ads. Which brings to mind another concept: in TV Ad Land, who is almost 100% of the time portrayed as stupid, incompetent, befuddled, over-matched, tentative, pompous and a complete useless ass? Oh, and pudgy, too.
"No, I do NOT want to talk about it."
Last edited by jumjum; August 7th, 2007 at 08:46 AM.
Aww shit, You caught me lying. I freakin love deadliest catch, forgot about that one. Even the GF who freaks out when I watch war stuff, (Growing up in Lebanon'll do that) also had her jaw on the floor watching Dogfights. It was Ami's vs. Migs... And well... dammit. I do like American Choppers cause Junior is a genius. Sunday nights Im forced to watch The Hogan family which can be a crack-up and then we rip on Bret Michaels and his harem of crack-heads as we like to refer to them, so yeah, I guess Im full of shit!!!
Oh yeah, looking forward to LA Ink... for well obvious reasons.
I think Fenring is ready to grab the pitchforks and torches. Huzza!
LOL yeah guess i wouldnt mind that, life is essentialy pointless so one could just die in some horrible riot/revolution and at least get the honor of gutting some repulsing bourgeois fat man.
And I dont own a TV so i have nothing to turn off I'm afraid
Any fans of Human Weapon? On after Dogfights. Haven't seen much of it, but I did see an old Okinawan man snap a fucking baseball bat in half with his wrist.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lobo
And you must know it well, since you are being trained as psycho killer in the marines, seals, rangers or any other of those organizations for dudes with Peter Pan syndrom
stylie, she reminds me of Amy Winehouse. And JW, please, I just told you I hardly ever watch tv. I have absolutely no interest in seeing Jeff and Bill go to Thailand or Burma, or the fights at Lumpinee Stadium, the Science of Eight Limbs, Eskrima stickfighting or the Muay Thai boxing championships.
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FH Off Topic 
Stinker of an ad for an insurance company 
"No, I do NOT want to talk about it."
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