Do You Mind?
July 28, 2008
Actually, yes. An OMAC survey on advertising found that “results reflect a growing level of irritation and avoidance of interruptive advertising”
For irony, check out the article:
Not the best place for an ad...
If there’s a worse place for an ad than an article stating how much people don’t like ads, I don’t know what it would be.
So people are sick of ads. Ya think? What’s that expression - the opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference… Most ads don’t even register with me - and when they do it’s only that something is so intrusive or irksome that I’m particularly peeved.
So, here is my list re: especially irritating advertising placements.
Yesterday I learned a wonderful Taiwanese expression: “Shut up you’re annoying even the dead.” On that note:
- In bus shelters. It’s bad enough that the term “ transit shelter” in Vancouver is a woeful misnomer (as it provides absolutely no shelter from any of the elements), but must I also be tortured by how this new cologne make women promptly disrobe?
- In bathroom stalls. Really, is nowhere sacred?
- In office elevators. Lest you make conversation with anyone near you.
- In nightclubs. If the best thing to stare at in a bar is a screen playing ads, you are, most definitely, in the wrong bar
- In RESIDENTIAL elevators. Wait, I have a second to think. Nope, spoke to soon…
They even call most of this “captive” advertising. Which reminds me of the irritating dude on the bus who tells his life story to the bus driver because, well, where can he go?
Where else do you see ads that are particularly infuriating?
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Entry Filed under: 1, advertising. Tags: ad overload, advertising, bathroom stalls, captive, elevators, Monica Hamburg, OMAC survey.
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1. Marissa | July 28, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I don’t know what category of individual this puts me into, but to be completely honest, the advertisements in the toilet stalls don’t bother. In fact some of the funniest ad’s I’ve seen have been while I’ve been sitting in a toilet stall.
What, in my opinion infuriates me more than anything, is commercials before the film at the cinema. When did I start paying 14CAD, to watch advertisements for cars and ‘energy’ drinks? I love watching film previews, but can’t recall when I started having to sit through 10 minutes of product advertisement, before the 15 minutes of previews. Before I actually get to see what I paid to watch.
2. Jeremy Lim | July 28, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Music. As a marketer, advertisements of any kind jump out at me.
It’s bad enough that everyone name drops products, but Chris Brown’s latest single, “Forever”, takes top spot in my list of songs I wish would burn.
A sampling, if you will:
Its like I waited my whole life
For this one night
Its gon be me you and the dance floor
Cuz we only got one night
Double your pleasure
Double you fun
And dance forever ever ever …
Yarr. How did gum get pulled into this?
3. Jan Karlsbjerg | July 28, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I actually don’t mind these ads much. For example the bus shelter ad paid for the shelter — and if the shelter actually performs its function and gives you some shelter, then I’m happy the ad paid for the shelter I’m getting.
Same thing with bathroom stall ads: I’ll assume that the bar’s or restaurant’s prices are a liiiittle bit better because of the revenue from the ads.
I don’t like big outdoor billboard ads. I find them intrusive and annoying, and I know that they don’t give any benefit to me, only to the owner of the sign.
4. gillicious | July 29, 2008 at 3:06 am
I have a silly addiction to the TV show “What Not To Wear” and in most shows the makeup artist chick does some totally-obvious-product-placement with Crest White Strips or 1-800-Contacts or something, where she gives a free year’s supply of the shit to the person in the chair, who’s often gritting their teeth because it’s lame enough they’re on reality TV but they’re being forced to be in a commercial now too and pretend to be enthusiastic.
The ads in Yaletown elevators crack me up. Especially when they display a pop-up box of “Internet Explorer Error”.
5. monicahamburg | July 29, 2008 at 10:53 am
@Marissa - I absolutely despise commercials before films too! I actually love previews - at worst it’s something to laugh at. (”A man. A dream….”), at best it’s letting me know about something I want to see. But advertisements are infuriating - you’re right, I choose not to watch them in general, and there I am paying exorbitant prices and being forced to sit through them. Arrrrg!
@Jeremy. Yuk. Totally forgot that they “place” products in lyrics. I think a Kanye West song has this too. You’re right - that’s simply awful.
@Jan. I think I’m too short to notice the outdoor billboards ;) But they certainly are visually assaulting. I might be more forgiving if the shelters actually provided shelters… Are restaurant prices lower because of advertising? I wonder about that one…
6. monicahamburg | July 29, 2008 at 1:02 pm
@Gillian. I’ve seen that show a number of times and can see the appeal. Good lord, that “total obvious product placement is” painful!
I also despise the ones in magazines (advertorials) - those freaking ads disguised as editorials “For an Awesome summer do - we have a few tips. 1) Wash hair with a great shampoo like Pantene Shampoo-Ready-to-Go 2) Condition lightly. We recommend Pantene’s Easy-on-the-Hair Conditioning Light 3) Use a Volumizer that won’t be sticky - Electric Do by Pantene is a great choice”. Bite me.
7. nancy (aka money coach) | August 22, 2008 at 9:57 am
oh boy, don’t get me started.
But I will…
1. On kits beach, beautiful summer day. Want to lazily watch the waves, clouds, sailboats. Except this freaking huge Billboard on a Boat (bell, I think) kept crossing English Bay. It had a HUGE black sign, and the whole and only reason it was there was to advertise. Get the f* off the ocean! (do I have an opinion?)
2. Buildings “wrapped” in an advert. This summer I saw one promoting NIKE, that covered easily 5 stories. Hello?? Environment? Wrapping a freaking BUILDING?
3. and beyond that, I’m simply fatiqued of adverts everywhere - on the floors, on the walls, on the ceilings, on the windows. My god. Can I just enjoy the world in peace? Please?
Yikes. That was a rant, more than a comment. I didn’t realize how strongly I felt! Thanks for letting me vent…