What is with modern companies obsession with trying to be funny in tv ads?

[foam rolla]

Although I try and avoid watching tv these days, I can't help but notice that nearly every commercial has an obsession with trying to insert wacky humour . Whether its a bank ad, a soda or a fast food place these dumb cunts hire some cocksucker advertising company who's comedic influence is Big Bang theory who think "Hmmm, instead of explaining the benefits of this product, lets instead have a guy wearing an alligator costume walk into the shot. Because that's pretty random!!"

Like I get you have to appeal to the lowest form of people who are into Minions or some shit. But fuck off with trying to inject low effort funnies into every insurance commercial.

 

[TapewormSalesman]

Have you seen a single ad from the last century at all, you fucking autist? Here, let me help you out

 

[Tablet County]

Because being funny works. It's just that people are allowed to be less and less funny as time goes on and the standards for funny keep lowering.
Still, though many try to surpass it, no commercial will ever be as unfunny as the Geico cavemen.

 

[Inco G. Nito]

Years ago, many eons ago. There used to be a handful of advertisements that were genuinely funny and memorable, to the degree that it sticks with you even long after the brand has gone under. I still remember 1-800-contacts. But now every time I watch an ad I get the feeling that the people who made it genuinely want me to die.

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

Have you seen a single ad from the last century at all, you fucking autist? Here, let me help you out

I think OP means that every ad tries to be a meme rather than genuinely funny. Which is kinda grating when it's every single one and they do the "force a meme" shtick.

 

[didelphigina]

I don't mind commercials being funny, as long as it's executed well and not for the sake of "How do you do fellow audience/kids?". Many companies have unfortunately been doing that route for a couple of years now, and those are the kind of "comedic" things in a commercial that I cannot stand. Either find a way to make the commercial both interesting in a comedic and marketable standpoint or dish the comedy and focus on the advertising.

 

[Tablet County]

I think OP means that every ad tries to be a meme rather than genuinely funny. Which is kinda grating when it's every single one and they do the "force a meme" shtick.

In fairness, commercials are literally supposed to force a meme upon you so you'll remember their shitty product.

 

[PFM]

In fairness, commercials are literally supposed to force a meme upon you so you'll remember their shitty product.

Just yesterday i had the Chili's baby back rib song stuck in my fucking head. That commercial aired what, 20 years ago?

 

[starborn427614]

Is this an American thing? We've had humourous ads in the UK for years.

 

[indigoisviolet]

Dracula has woken up, and appears to have broadband access.

You wait until you see what women are wearing these days, Count, you'll craw back into your coffin.

 

[foam rolla]

Is this an American thing? We've had humourous ads in the UK for years.

I understand that there's always been humour in ads, but now it seems to be done in every type of ad and done in a more and more generic way where it's not comedic or well written. It's like Big Band Theory level comedy that's shoved into an ad but doesn't make it memorable.

 

[Agamemnon Busmalis]

Just yesterday i had the Chili's baby back rib song stuck in my fucking head. That commercial aired what, 20 years ago?

At least 25, Fat Bastard quotes it in AP2.

I understand that there's always been humour in ads, but now it seems to be done in every type of ad and done in a more and more generic way where it's not comedic or well written. It's like Big Band Theory level comedy that's shoved into an ad but doesn't make it memorable.

If you think about it though, how many commercials do you remember from 5 years ago? Or 10? Or 25? Most of them are like that, maybe you're just more aware of it now or notice it more. Could also be the style used is one you don't like so you notice it more.

I actually think commercials have gotten better compared to 4-5 years ago. You see white men being helpful and people of different races interacting normally with proportionate casting.

 

[YouTube Autist]

Humor lets you get ahead of the ball. It lets people know you're in on the joke. You're not naive. You "get" it. They can't laugh at you if you've already preemptively laughed at yourself.

 

[We Are The Witches]

I don't watch TV (because it's absolute crap), nor do I watch AIDS ads, however I remember when they tried to make those that were borderline pornographic or extremely suggestive because of the implications, and it was an absolute disgrace to life itself.

 

[SNU]

They should go back to using unintendedly terrifying mascots that scare children like ghettie the spaghetti mascot. It scared me as a kid and my parents bought me a plush toy of him to troll me

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

In fairness, commercials are literally supposed to force a meme upon you so you'll remember their shitty product.

Maybe, but you can differentiate a cute jingle made by some producer's wife 30 years ago, and modern jingles that are built by teams for the sole purpose to maximize gen Z and Boomer engagement.

 

[Rock hard as a Flintstone]

Funny == memorable. Meaning that whatever they're selling (cue that Stonetoss cartoon) will stay in your head at some level whether you want it to or not. Because good cattle have a ton of screen time each group has to compete with one another for your subconscious mind with increasingly more wacky and zany antics. Its all in good fun though.

 

[TheRaptorJesus]

You watch ads in #currentyear?

 

[Cats]

Like with many insufferable and faggy mainstays within the modern zeitgeist, blame Reddit, probably.

I blame them for morphing the general public's sense of humor into something that is far beyond lame, which causes it to stand out everywhere. The fact that you can even identify something as "reddit tier" proves this.

 

[Blue Gem Kosher Queen]

Let's focus on the genuinely shit ads that try to be funny, quirky and relatable. Like that KFC series of commercials with a comedian rotation that was making fun of the brand and had the CEO saying 'it's good people hate it, because we can market to hate' or the What A Pro Wants ad from AT&T that became more and more insufferable because they played it ad nauseam last season.