Okay I have to admit I feel a bit empowered by this whole blog thing. And, it has only been one day. Oh my! I feel like I have this forum and even if no one actually reads it I have expressed myself and I can point out issues, injustices and maybe make someone think about something they may not have otherwise. Kinda neat. (Forgive me I am a child of the 70's and we all said "neat".) Anyway I sort of feel like Michael...um...um... Michael... um, you know the guy, Michael. The guy that does the movies and exposes stuff and makes us all think. For goodness sake! Michael... Michael Murphy??? Is that right? I don't think so. I think he was a singer and made a record about horses or something. What is the name of that song? Darn! Ummmmm... Michael Parks... no that isn't right either. He was the actor that played on that show, you know, that show where he was a motorcycle loner guy. Geez what is the name of that show?!?! Okay, it's Michael Eisner...no, no, no, no. He is the CEO of Disney. Or is he? Did he get fired or something. I remember something about him. What was that? Oh my goodness, why can't I remember this guy Michael's last name? You know he is a big guy and wears a baseball cap. He did the movie about Columbine and 9/11. If you are reading this and shouting the answer at your computer, it is NOT helping me right now! Okay... wait... I have the answer. I will go through the alphabet and it will come to me. I know it will. Okay.... A.... B.....C.... must go faster.... must go faster (that sounds like Jeff Goldblum in Jurrasic Park).....K.....L.....M....MOORE!!!! That is it! Michael Moore. Whew I am glad I remembered. Awwww.... but wait. Now I have three more questions to answer. What song did Michael Murphy sing? What show starred Michael Parks? And is Michael Eisner still with Disney. Okay, I have a choice now. I can either wrack my brain for a while which may make for a very long day OR I could look this up on the Internet really fast. Ohhh, I will choose the latter. Good idea! So while I go check the Internet, why don't you hum the theme for Jeopardy. I find that to be very appropriate in this instance. So hang on, I will be right back! (da da dadadada dum dum dum and repeat.)
Alright! I am back. Thanks for waiting. I found out lots of stuff to answer my questions. First of all, Michael Murphy is actually Michael Martin Murphey (I spelled his name incorrectly...there is an "e" in Murphey.) and he did sing a song called "Wildfire" along with many other songs. Wildfire was an awesome song, you should hear it. Michael Parks was in a TV show that lasted about a year called "Then Came Bronson". It was such a cool show and if you have never seen it you should. Finally, Michael Eisner did step down as the CEO of Disney in 2005 for lots of sordid reasons which if you don't know about it you should check it out. You can actually find all of this information on Wikipedia and it is all quite interesting. That is if you find this sort of trivia interesting. I actually like trivia. I am not sure what purpose it serves though. A bunch of random pieces of information taking up space in my head. Maybe the space could be used for a better purpose? But how does one get rid of random pieces of information? It isn't like I can attach a zip drive to my brain and download it and store it elsewhere, now can I? Another dilemma! The pros and cons of trivia. That's a subject for another day, don't you think?
Anywhoo, back to Michael Moore. I kind of feel like a tiny, itsy bitsy, teeny weeny replica of him. He pointed out some very significant issues in the world. And now, in my own way, I am too. I have brought attention to the issue of commercials that insult our intelligence. Not a critical matter but one worth mentioning and at least having a brief discussion.
The truth is we can all make a difference even if it is in small ways. We all do matter.
Until next time,
Anne
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Commercials
So today I am going to write about TV ads which is one of my pet peeves in life. I know you must think that the nightly news is something to write about but I have been banned from watching the news, any news, because I get so incredibly upset. I want to throw stuff or cry or scream or all of the above. For my health and safety I was told "NO NEWS FOR YOU, period, end of discussion". I am allowed to watch The Weather Channel.... oh, I love The Weather Channel, I could watch that all day except I get bored with the "Local on the 8's" because generally weather doesn't change that much in 8 minutes, maybe in 20 minutes but not so much in 8 minutes. My favorite part is the Tropical Update. Wow! That is so cool! I enjoy watching all of the spinny things way out in the Atlantic but then I learned about spinny things that hit Hopewell. Suffice it to say I would never name a child or even a pet from Hopewell Isabell, if you get my drift. And I am always amazed at the names that they come up with on The Weather Channel for weather events like "South's Summer Scorcher" and then they get coordinating music. Wow! Is it really weather or is it just entertainment like wrestling. Oh don't get me started on wrestling. Don't be shocked people but it is all FAKE!
Okay back to the REAL subject...commercials. So for instance, imagine a commercial that you think is really dumb. I see you squinting I know you are thinking! Okay, got one? All right, now imagine this big board room in a very tall building in New York City. There are lots of guys and gals in their suits, pant suits and three piece suits in the lovely shades of gray, charcoal, and black. There would be no fuchsia in this group. And they are all sitting around this great big oval oak table with the cool ergonomic chairs (who cares about ergonomic chairs, really?). So they are sitting with their water glasses and folders and pens presenting the completely and utterly dumb commercial that you are imagining to the CEO of some great big company. AND, the CEO thinks it is a really GOOD IDEA! What planet is he living on anyway! And the best part he is willing to PAY LOTS AND LOTS OF REAL MONEY to put this dumb commercial on T.V. I do always imagine that the CEO is a man. Not really trying to be prejudiced but I just don't think a woman CEO would fall for a dumb commercial you know. She might sell you one but she wouldn't buy one. Point made.
So here's my example... so imagine with me. Activia....yes, the commercial with Jamie Lee Curtis who I personally believe to be one of the ugliest actresses in America..perhaps the world. Not totally sure why everyone thinks she is so great. Her face looks like a horse. Now mind you I love horse faces on actual horses, not on people. Now before I go any further I am going to apologize for not being nice to Ms. Curtis. I am sure she is a very lovely person with a great personality. Anywhoo, the new commercial for Activia is about the improved taste. Jamie Lee is pushing a little cart in the park and this man and woman come up to try the new Activia with the improved flavor. So I am watching these two people and the woman is chewing her Activia. I didn't know one could actually chew yogurt, I sort of thought it was more of a swallowing thingy. And then the man ISN'T swallowing at all. He is looking like a chipmunk holding the Activia in his cheeks while he is talking. That kind of leads me to believe he doesn't want to swallow it and will be spitting it out after the director says "Take!". So let's analyze. The CEO of Activia first thought it would be a good idea to have Jamie Lee Curtis as the spokesperson. Just because her dad was Tony Curtis and her mom was Janet Leigh does not make her pretty too! Enough said on that. Then the CEO is told that this commercial will be about the improved taste of Activia. Well on the surface I can see where that would be a good idea. But, when the CEO actually viewed the finished commercial don't you think he would say something like, "Hey, those actors don't look like they LIKE Activia. I would have, wouldn't you? But, NO! The CEO and all the little commercial people said "YES!, the American consumer will love this commercial". REALLY!!!!!????? Really and truly? Do they think we are that dumb?
The truth of the matter is that I think commercials should look good and get to the point and not insult our intelligence.
Until next time,
Anne
Okay back to the REAL subject...commercials. So for instance, imagine a commercial that you think is really dumb. I see you squinting I know you are thinking! Okay, got one? All right, now imagine this big board room in a very tall building in New York City. There are lots of guys and gals in their suits, pant suits and three piece suits in the lovely shades of gray, charcoal, and black. There would be no fuchsia in this group. And they are all sitting around this great big oval oak table with the cool ergonomic chairs (who cares about ergonomic chairs, really?). So they are sitting with their water glasses and folders and pens presenting the completely and utterly dumb commercial that you are imagining to the CEO of some great big company. AND, the CEO thinks it is a really GOOD IDEA! What planet is he living on anyway! And the best part he is willing to PAY LOTS AND LOTS OF REAL MONEY to put this dumb commercial on T.V. I do always imagine that the CEO is a man. Not really trying to be prejudiced but I just don't think a woman CEO would fall for a dumb commercial you know. She might sell you one but she wouldn't buy one. Point made.
So here's my example... so imagine with me. Activia....yes, the commercial with Jamie Lee Curtis who I personally believe to be one of the ugliest actresses in America..perhaps the world. Not totally sure why everyone thinks she is so great. Her face looks like a horse. Now mind you I love horse faces on actual horses, not on people. Now before I go any further I am going to apologize for not being nice to Ms. Curtis. I am sure she is a very lovely person with a great personality. Anywhoo, the new commercial for Activia is about the improved taste. Jamie Lee is pushing a little cart in the park and this man and woman come up to try the new Activia with the improved flavor. So I am watching these two people and the woman is chewing her Activia. I didn't know one could actually chew yogurt, I sort of thought it was more of a swallowing thingy. And then the man ISN'T swallowing at all. He is looking like a chipmunk holding the Activia in his cheeks while he is talking. That kind of leads me to believe he doesn't want to swallow it and will be spitting it out after the director says "Take!". So let's analyze. The CEO of Activia first thought it would be a good idea to have Jamie Lee Curtis as the spokesperson. Just because her dad was Tony Curtis and her mom was Janet Leigh does not make her pretty too! Enough said on that. Then the CEO is told that this commercial will be about the improved taste of Activia. Well on the surface I can see where that would be a good idea. But, when the CEO actually viewed the finished commercial don't you think he would say something like, "Hey, those actors don't look like they LIKE Activia. I would have, wouldn't you? But, NO! The CEO and all the little commercial people said "YES!, the American consumer will love this commercial". REALLY!!!!!????? Really and truly? Do they think we are that dumb?
The truth of the matter is that I think commercials should look good and get to the point and not insult our intelligence.
Until next time,
Anne
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