Turn Off

Among the pleasures I get in watching TV are the commercials.

I know, I know, sometimes commercials can come at the worst possible time [like when Trump is about to announce who's being fired in The Apprentice... or when Grissom is about to reveal the maniac who mutilated 10 women with a fork].

But I've always liked watching TV commercials. I usually sit there and gauge how effective they are. They range from the highly effective [like most Pizza Hut commercials], to passably interesting [like most car commercials] to downright silly [like most snack food commercials].

There's one commercial that particularly irks me. A certain baby's milk formula commercial (maybe it's Enfagrow... don't remember).

The camera pans down a row of cute, little babies... one by one... and then suddenly, there's a HUGE baby gurgling away with the rest.

This totally rankles me. Every mother wants a healthy, happy baby. What sane mother would want a mammoth baby?

And then recently there's the ridiculous series of KFC commercials. First, the silly "throw away your spoons cause tomyam KFC is here!". Then, there's the "no more sticks cause KFC satay burger is here!"

Sheeeeshhhh.... Not only does this NOT aptly promote your product, it's just plain dumb. [Let me add that BOTH items taste HORRIBLE to me... Tomyam should remain liquid, and satay should remain juicy pieces of steak on a stick.] I know they want to localize KFC to suit Malaysian tastebuds but come onnnn... what's next? KFC wedges dipped in tempoyak?

Let's not forget the bizarre skin whitening commercials. What they teach you is that if you have fair skin:-
a) the guy who never noticed you in college will ask you out for a movie and be so dazzled by your fair beauty that he pokes a straw in the popcorn box
b) you will excape the drudgery of kampung life to be a TV newscaster
c) you no longer avoid parties or have to hide at home ala hunchback-of-notre-dame because your newly fair skin has cured your self-esteem issues

So DO spend, spend, spend on those whitening products as you'll get it ALL - love, fame and friends... Talk about simple solutions!

I'm not sure if I should even touch on the Smartshop commercials and others akin to it... Have you SEEN the ones where gorgeous, voluptious women sensually rub cream on their breasts and thighs?

I doubt many women would be intrigued enough to buy them in attempt to enlarge and slim down.. but trust me, those commercials have DEFINITELY captivated the male audience...

I should note that there are MANY great commercials out there. Like the Malaysian Idol commercials (especially 'Serenade - Now everyone is a critic'.. hehe). I like pizza hut commercials (cause it works!) and almost all of the Petronas special commercials.

In fact, there are loads of commercials that I like, I think I'll reserve another entry about them... along with radio commercials...