Watching the same commercials over and over again during the 18-inning World Series Game 3 Friday night-Saturday morning was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. I feel it necessary for my mental health to get some grievances off my chest regarding a number of the ads shown during the Major League Baseball post-season.
It only seems appropriate that since YouTube TV is FOX Sports’ lead sponsor for the World Series that their hosted content is front and center below.
Ford chose the catchy Jerry Reed tune, “East Bound and Down,” for one of its new truck commercials. Anyone who was alive in 1977 immediately and forever associates the song with the wildly-popular Burt Reynolds movie “Smokey and the Bandit”. The problem as I see it is that the most enduring of Reynolds’ co-stars in the comedy is a General Motors product – a black Pontiac Trans Am – not a Ford. And Reed, cast as a truck driver, piloted a Kenworth. Burt and Pontiac, RIP!
Speaking of GM, does Chevrolet really expect us to believe that any living, breathing adults in the entire country are not already painfully aware of who employs their annoying fake focus group moderator/actor? They’ve even started “disguising” him in mechanics’ gear. Right.
We are supposed to believe the “real people” when they guess “Ford” and “Ram,” like they don’t know where they are and why. Why does Chevy continue to subject us to the artificial surprise demonstrated when the their vehicles are unveiled? #thesharkhasbeenjumped
P.S. “Initial quality” is the first 90 days. Does anyone keep their new vehicles longer than that?
(OK, part of this clip is not a real Chevy commercial, but if you don’t laugh, you don’t have a pulse.)
Kudos to Progressive Insurance for taking a pot shot at the Chevy focus group series through a commercial of their own. Though their lampoon was not totally on target, they still get an “A” for effort from me. We need more commercials making fun of each other!
https://youtu.be/vqobY3r203k
While Progressive is the subject, why on earth did Peyton Manning stoop to become Nationwide Insurance’s version of Flo? You know, the one-track-mind insurance nerd who is ever-cheerfully out of touch with reality? Manning has already made millions as one of the NFL’s most successful quarterbacks of all time. Why could he not choose an image a bit more dignified in his retirement days than that of the clueless stooge to Brad Paisley’s straight man?
“Cut that meat!” was funny. This series is not.
(However, thumbs up to Paisley for his (solo) National Anthem rendition prior to World Series Game 3 on Friday night.)
https://youtu.be/yuiw1Piazck
Athletes pitching insurance in a series of commercials is hardly new. Shaq’s smirking banter with a cartoon character, “The General,” is simply Shakespearian in comparison to Manning’s doofus delivery.
In fairness, even Peyton’s role is better than the unfortunate choice made by MLB Hall of Famer Frank Thomas to star in a cheesy commercial set in a health club to push a text order testosterone booster in pill form, Nugenix. I guess it makes sense in a way for FOX Sports to put “The Big Hunk” on the same baseball studio panel with A-Rod and Big Papi.
Speaking of the FOX Sports pre/post-game crew, who did Dontrelle Willis piss off? They have three American League power hitters on their panel and their only pitching expert is banished to the back set, only allowed to comment for a few moments in each show when the regular crew of four leave the desk to stretch their legs. So much for diversity.
Chuck Norris, if you want to do a commercial in which you are upstaged by a Toyota truck, who would dare stop you? But, let’s be frank. You are going to be celebrating your 80th birthday in 18 months. Not even 78-year old martial arts experts have long, fluffy red hair like that. It is not a good look. Honest. But, no, I would not say that to your face!
Remaining with the subject of aging former action stars being force fit into strange places, why would Jean-Claude Van Damme ever be invited to parties held by people who are less than half his age (58)? They aren’t even going to know who he is. And what does any of this have to do with Tostitos? At least his hair doesn’t stand out compared to Norris’ – other than its unnatural darkness.
Are we expected to believe that Common really cares about the power of artificial intelligence? Do we? Do we care about Common? And why is he giving an oddly-impassioned speech in an empty theatre? That does seem artificial, at least. I would beg to differ about the intelligence part. I suspect Microsoft is really warning us they are planning to jam AI down our throats in their next bloated Windows 10 update. Cortana, silence thyself!
https://youtu.be/9tucY7Jhhs4
While I am very much looking forward to the new Freddie Mercury/Queen movie, I am confused by its commercial. Since they selected “Bohemian Rhapsody” as the movie title, why do they play “We Will Rock You” as the soundtrack instead?
https://youtu.be/vNFrH8xgjzg
I will finish with MLB itself. I challenge anyone to show me even one family of four in this entire country who are fans of a LEAGUE (let alone entirely different teams in it – with additional teams’ caps randomly sitting on the coffee table and other logos on the cushions). As the youngsters say, “Prove it!” I get that MLB is using kids in their ads to try to interest them in buying their overpriced officially licensed gear, but their commercial is dumb – and even the youth of America have to know it.
The bottom of the barrel is near, however. At least in MLB telecasts, FOX Sports has not yet mimicked its irritating practice of flowing commercials in between plays during NFL games – using the same on-air talent calling the action. The intent is to trick us into paying attention. In this case, both Troy Aikman and Joe Buck followed up by plugging the product in social media posts. What is next – Buck crooning, “Like a good neighbor…”?
https://youtu.be/_22U4zz7qRw
Actually, commercials are being inserted during World Series live play, but they are shorter, placed into a side window and do not include the broadcasters – yet. However, up to four games still remain – enough time to try about anything. I can hardly wait.
Now, if you will please excuse me, I am going to try to catch up on my sleep before the first Saturday kickoff, and yes, I will try to stick to baseball from here on out!
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