Don't forget the fruit gums mum (Best / Worst TV Adverts)

Member Name: lellagrace

Product:	Best / Worst TV Adverts
Date:	12/07/07 (256 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tempting us to buy products

Disadvantages: tempt vulnerable groups of society

I do think that tv adverts are not so good as they used to be, they certainly are not as entertaining as they were.

To be honest I don't watch a lot of television, and when I do it is mostly in the daytime. The ads then seem to be encouraging people to take out loans to pay off existing debts. Obviously they are aimed at people who watch tv in the daytime - unemployed perhaps? Mmm, do they need encouraging to take out a loan from one of the sharks to pay their bills? I think there should be some legislation about these adverts because they must be tempting to vulnerable people.

Then we have the car insurance ads, all claiming to offer lower rates. What the ads don't tell you is that if you ring for a quote, you will be pestered for ever after by unwanted mail and phone calls.

Slimming products are another pet hate of mine. We should all know by now that the only way to lose weight is to eat healthily and this does not mean having Special K instead of a proper balanced meal, except for breakfast of course.

Have you noticed also the never ending sales that are on offer, according to the ads, from all these suite firms? Well, I used to scoff at those and say "oh yes, don't tell me, must end Sunday at 5pm." However, I have to say that I did visit one of these stores one day, saw a suite I liked and returned a few days later to buy it. Only to find that the "sale" had indeed ended and the suite had reverted to its pre sale price. Needless to say I didn't buy it, but at least I know now that the adverts are not for the same items week after week,the sale items change regularly.

Talking of suites, why do they have that dreadful Linda Barker advertising? Her monotone voice and patronising mannerisms really annoy me!

The ads between episodes Coronation Street (well, I sometimes watch evening tv!) also drove me mad a few weeks ago. Corrie is sponsored by Cadbury's and we had that dreadful policewoman with a really gravelly voice calling someone "Sunshine". I don't know what else she said because I could never understand her, but then her voice changed and she started patting a dog. This has to be my most hated advert of the moment!

I say bring back the old adverts! The PG Tips monkeys were entertaining, especially the one where they were moving house and trying to bring a piano downstairs.

Then there were the coffee ads where we saw a young man borrowing coffee from his neighbour. The adverts then progressed and we saw a romance developing between the couple. Wonder if they are happily married now with a couple of kids? Wonder if they still drink coffee? Mmm maybe it is time the promotions people did an update on this one.

Talking of happy families, there was the Oxo advert with Katy. What a traditional mum she was, cooking good old fashioned meals for her family as they all sat round the table waiting for the oxo gravy.

And the Bisto kids - remember them?

And does anyone miss Beatty from the BT adverts? Maureen Lipman was a star in this. "You've got an ology? My goodness, you're a scientist" she screamed as her grandchild told her about his exam results.

Do you remember the ads for Carling Black Label where people could achieve amazing feats after drinking this? I remember once when I was busy typing and became aware that everyone was standing watching me, amazed that I could type so quickly without looking at the keys. When I stopped, they all clapped and one wit quipped "Bet she drinks Carling Black Label."

Years ago there was an ad for Murray mints that I have seen on a few "nostalgia" shows. This shows a soldier being shouted at by his superiors for not marching. The soldier looks and says "I'm finishing my Murray mint, the too good to hurry mint." Not very true to life this one, imagine a soldier disobeying orders, or even chewing when on duty, for that matter!

I remember slogans from ads from years ago - "Don't forget the fruit gums mum" for Rowntrees fruit gums. A sing song one for petrol - "The Esso man says happy motoring". And "Ask Sid" - who was Sid we all wondered.

My favourite ad recently has to be the Marks and Spencers one "this is not just ......., this is Marks and Spencers etc". It is a favourite saying in my house now that whenever I make something I say "This is not just gateau, this is mum's extra special, home made, raspberry gateau, filled with delicious, double, whipped cream", but of course it has to be said in that seductive voice (which I am trying to master!).

I once asked my students when I was teaching Media studies, to watch tv adverts as part of their homework. I wanted them to find out what kinds of ads were shown at different times. This was to help them to research how advertising works. Needless to say, at least one parent complained that I had set homework where they had to watch tv. I wouldn't have cared, but these kids probably spent all evening watching tv anyway, but the parents couldn't understand there were any educational benefit from the task I had set them!

So if your kids are bored in the holidays, and complain there is nothing good on telly. you could give them a similar exercise to this!

Summary: do you remember the ad slogans?