Ads Kids Hate

Student Responses: In the introductory lecture to my class of college students, and whenever I gave a speech at high schools and middle schools, I would begin by asking everyone to write down 2 or 3 things which they thought were wrong with ads. Sometimes I asked them simply to identify their gender and age (F,17).This random and chaotic collection of opinions and dislikes (below) was gathered from these responses. Then, as I read them aloud, I sorted them out into the common categories listed in the Classroom Ideas. I do appreciate the help of everyone who gave me this raw material: anecdotal responses, not "scientific,"but interesting and useful.

Too much sex and not enough education. (F16)

Almost every product promotes sex or the consumer is treated as though they were brain dead. (F17)

Advertising now–a–days promotes too much sex. (F17)

Sometimes advertising goes way overboard. It emphasizes on certain topics instead of important issues such as aids, violence etc. (F18)

The wrongs with advertising are sometimes they can be so phony, or they try to sell their star spokesperson instead. They stopped informing us about the products and made into if the person selling it is not or as a good athlete the public will buy it. (F17)

Too much sex to advertise things other than what sex is associated with. (F17)

Too much sex and not enough educating things. (F18)

There is too much sex or exploitation of it especially when children are watching TV (like after 3 p.m. before 8 or 9 p.m.). (F18)

In advertising there is to much sex with many children glued to the TV everyday. We should watch what our commercials advertise. Some advertisements on TV as well as radio are too long and dragged out. They bore you. There should be a point behind an add, many times there seems like no point. (F17)

It tries to convince the consumer that he/she needs to buy a product. Sometimes ads exaggerate the quality of a product. (F17)

There is too much of it already I mean, who wants, when they turn on the radio or TV, to see it or hear it? Nobody I know. (F18)

Advertising is too forward. There are a lot of sexist topics that young people do not need to see. (F17)

Too much violence and sex! (F17)

Too much sex. (F17)

Advertising is to misleading. (F16)

Advertising plays on people's insecurities. If someone has a hard time finding a mate, usually there is some cologne that says wear this and they'll come knocking at your door. (F17)

The people in the commercial (especially the women) are always stereotyped. Examples: Housewives, "psycho" independent women, "take me, I'm a slut" woman. (F14)

They show unrealistic portrayals of people in certain situations. (F14)

The commercial for advertising some things are really stupid. (F16)

Too much sex (with females).Not enough sex (with males). (F15)

Too many people want to advertise and they don't make good, thoughtful, meaningful ads. (F14)

A lot of companies enhance the actual results of a certain product. (F15)

They are all sexist and racist most of the time. (F14)

Women are looked at as nothing but sexual objects. (F14)

They do not tell the real truth about the product. Especially with the faults and price of object. (F14)

They deceived you, and exaggerate. (F14)

I think there is too much sexism in advertising. (F14)

Don't like the way they portray women as sex objects for perfume or jeans, etc. They need cuter Mexicans in their ads. (F15)

Not enough cute guys on TV. (F14)

Some products are advertised beyond reality. (F14)

It has too much sexism, they just dog out the girls. They need some boys playing with dolls and girls playing with trucks. There isn't enough of a feminine view on things. (F14)

Some commercials come on too much. They put women in them that are acting like dumb sex toys and they only use women for 1–900 numbers. (F13)

Send across negative messages–especially to young children. Some ads make products seem better than they really are. (F17)

Nothing. There's a lot of nonsense going around about how advertising is geared to give messages against moral teachings. I believe that products and companies can advertise anyway they wish to. Some people just read into it a little more than necessary. (F17)

Ads prey on insecurity. They make you think that you're not rich, pretty, etc. enough. Ads make their products seem like it will solve your problems. Like beer will actually make a nerd a stud–or that mascara will draw men to a women. (F15)

Advertising is very sexually subjective. Many items that are marketed today have a sexual undertone, when there is nothing sexual about the product. The advertiser uses a sexy woman to display the product or even a sexy man. The best example of this are the milk ads that are now in most magazines. Various models are in the milk ads with milk around their mouth as to make the reader believe that they just finished drinking a glass of milk. But notice what the models are wearing–most of them barely anything. Now what does being sexy have to do with milk? (F24)

This is a somewhat loaded question but I will attempt to provide a response. Advertising in and of itself is not bad or wrong, the issue as I see it is the content or substance of the advertising which is under scrutiny. Additionally misrepresentation of product or service reliability is a problem with regards to advertising. Advertising slighting (slang) towards a group or groups predisposed to using a product is also a issue I have with some advertisers. Thirdly, the cost associated with advertising is substantial in relationship to the product development cost. (M33)

Nothing is wrong with advertising, because they're getting the job done. (M34)

Advertising is a method of reaching people that is so astounding. It offers individuals a chance to be aware or as to date or current issues and products. Although advertising is a great way of reaching the public it sometimes steers away on subject matters that are not basic or well explained. If the basic format was brought back then advertising would sky rocket. (F18)

Advertising today is based on a persons own perception. Advertising does not state clear meaning to the product being marketed.

Depending on the individual background advertising could be perceived to others in many ways. (F23)

Advertising, for the most part is fabulous. The only defect comes when promotional ads are taken out of context, such as commercials for candy bars with women in swimsuits, who are publicizing their bodies. Candy is good for taste not sexy. (F22)

I believe advertising is a good business and away for people/public to see what happening or things to get information. Its a communication pattern. (M24)

They don't tell you everything bout their products they should. (M43)

They persuade you to buy or do things you should not do.

Don't tell the truth. Don't tell it all. Lie (M11)

Everyone claims to be the best, just to sell a product. (F44)

The amount of money people put into their commercials. It's always attempting to lure people in, when half of the things advertised are items that your going to buy anyway. Examples: milk, beef and toothpaste.

There is nothing wrong with advertising for that is the way to bring attention to a product or a service, its the gimmicks and the competition between product producers that often times fail to reach a specific group of consumers. (F42)

Too costly.

Only the positive things are mentioned. (M32)

Advertisement is an institution developed for the sole purpose to have me and you spend money. Children in our society are the number one victims in this institution. Advertisement is to adversely tease you into wanting something you don't have. People are easily persuaded by what they see because the eye's are the windows to the inner man known as soul. (M30)

It is encouraging our society to value trends and materials more than actually purchasing something that is of good value and purpose. (F33)

I think today's ads are too sexually oriented. It seems as if everything from milk to cars have some sort of sexuality. (F28)

The majority of it is geared towards middle class America, people with middle incomes to point whatever children and plays to the stereo typical images of the so–called minorities, when there is an attempt to reach them. It also plays on the gullibility of the average consumer by using celebrities to endorse products that they may or may not use. (M40)

The only problem I have with advertising is the messages that are mistakenly brought across by promoters. (F22)

All advertising is good for cars, homes. Household stuff you really need, and dogs and cats too. (M42)

It plays down the intelligence of the general public. At times, I feel that the advertisers think us to be idiots. The humorous commercials are fine, but just give me the facts and I will decide what want or don't want. (F47)

Advertising is a form by which consumers can be notified of the best buys in sales. Advertising is one of the best ways to reach people because of the great source called television. Although advertising may be a productive way of reaching people, it could be improved or increased if the advertisers went back to the basics. (F18)

In some, too sexist, or to much sexuality in them, (even though sex sells). Most of all...the ones that don't let you know what their talking about...mystery commercials... Example: New cars and Rogaine w /monoxidel (what is it?) (F27)

Focuses too much on "the perfect" person––gives idea that if you use the product you will turn out just like the person in the ad. (F21)

I feel that advertising is very sexist. They always have to show a women half naked. They never show men in this way that they do women. (F19)

Most of the time they hide the truth and compare themselves with other products in order to say why theirs is better instead of what the product can actually do. (F23)

Most of the commercials promote the product. Some commercials are very annoying such as loud noisy background when homebody's trying to talk. (F30)

Too much advertising it wastes too much money. (F25)

To much of it. To long on one thing. To many beer commercials (M51)

Advertising is usually very interesting and sometimes informing but has to many fine lines to read. (F51)

Underestimates the integrity of the consumer. There is a preponderance of beer commercials Es–on radio. The gimmicks and ridiculous assumptions and claims of the intangible. (F37)

The subtlety of messages to our children; drinking is outdoor, healthy fun, for sharing good times with friends. They begin to question why we, as Christian parents are so opposed to it. Also, I can't tolerate feminine hygiene commercials! (F45)

Appeals too heavily to emotions. Don't tell truth. Don't give enough information to support claims. (F39)

They have no shame. They will say and/or do anything to sell their products. (F26)

Some people could consider advertising an invasion of privacy. (F23)

Advertising can be very misleading and it glamorizes some things that are health risks, etc. (F45)

Overall I think advertising shows a product to be better than it really is. (F23)

Some of the toys they advertise are made so good on TV. Stupid after you buy them. Children get hooked on these things. (F39)

Some advertising is inappropriate for children's viewing but shown during shows that children watch. (F41)

They market products that usually do not work or are stupid. They always target children who should not have such a choice in what they're buying. (F39)

Make sex seem sleazy, too accessible. Cheapens it. Too loud, too frequent. (F38)

False claims by the going as prescription for everyone––to produce sexual promise. Never ending. Quality products might not be available, because of lack of ad budgets, where other products, inferior in quality might have high marketing budgets.

Passionately dislikes products that are promoted that all bad for our health.

It makes it seem like if you buy the product you'll turn into this rich beautiful person with tons of guys/girls hanging off you. Get real!!
Women appear weak and stupid. (F17)

Women degraded, very unrealistic. (F17)

Dishonesty (F17)

They sell an image and not the product. (F17)

Lately, commercials have nothing to do with the product they're trying to sell. They are often exaggerated and make the product look like more than it actually is. (F18)

They send across the wrong messages to young children. Sometimes commercials make life look like a big party. (F17)

There's a lot of false advertising, example: for every Mustang you buy you receive a scantily clad beautiful woman. They say if you buy something, people will like you better. (F17)

Today's advertising doesn't reflect. The product that is being sold. I feel that advertisements use sex and alcohol to send messages to younger readers and viewers. (F17)

They don't portray what's really being sold. Image seems to be more important. (F17)

Too competitive. Some are very ridiculous. Degrade the female sex (too sexual). Often people don't even pay attention to them. (F18)

Many times advertisements don't tell all they have to offer you. They just tell you the advantages and not the disadvantages. Also, a lot of commercials and ads do not pertain to the product they are selling. (F18)

It's false advertising; none of it is true. (Most of the time) Advertising tries to make people think that the particular product will bring you sex appeal, AUTOMATICALLY. (F17)

I hate commercials that use something that was nothing to do with what they are advertising. (F17)

It treats women like children who need to be led around by men or who don't know how to do anything but shop, have sex, or ask stupid questions. (F17)

They send across negative messages like oxy commercials which stereotype all teenagers as self conscious about pimples. (F18)

Too many beautiful women–be a little more realistic. (F18)

You are either marked to as a moron or as someone who needs to be "beautiful" in order to have friends. Children are shown to be smart mouthed know it all. (F35)

Too much money spent on advertising. Not truthful. (F58)

It doesn't always tell the truth. (M35)

It never portrays anything realistic. Many times advertising can be very misleading. It presents factual material in a way that wants to convince the audience of a certain view. (F31)

There is too much advertising on some items. It often confuses the consumer. Sometimes it is over done to the point where the ad turns the consumer off. (F35)

It is difficult to determine the validity of the benefit simply by what is said.

Most commercials are silly and vague. There are too many on TV, breaking up the composition of station programming.

It's annoying–they make it so stupid you can't forget. It's deceitful. Not enough guys in it. It makes for a good excuse to use inappropriate materials. Hair club for men–enough said. When a commercial shows the best parts of the movie the rest of the movie stinks.

In general, there is plenty wrong with advertising. Children are exposed to so many commercials during Saturday morning cartoons that they end up begging to go to the store to buy the new "in" item, toy, or food. Advertisements can easily brainwash vulnerable little children as well as many adults. They always tell you what's good, but never include the downside of purchasing the item.

I think advertising is too persuasive. Advertisements encourage people to buy what they don't need or want. They also make people feel guilty or not good enough if they don't buy it.

What is wrong with advertising is the impression it gives to young children. For example Pizza Hut's commercial on their buffalo wings gives very young children the impression buffalo have wings and can fly. This is just one commercial, youngsters will grow up having many false impressions. Other examples is the type of world children view. This world is very unrealistic. Homes, people, and cars are all beautiful and perfect.

Advertising is full of trickery and word play. The soft voices and beautiful music of a TV commercial, the half–naked bodies in print ads, the no consequence fun of alcoholic beverages in all forms are there to excite the senses and emotions because the core of what's for sale is simply dull or bad for us.

It is very difficult to determine the truthfulness of it. It is too time consuming. So much time is spent advertising that could be better spent with something worthwhile.

I don't know too much of what's wrong with advertising. They do what they're supposed to do–they get dumb jingles in our heads that don't go away. If anything, they're quite often geared to the fourth grade mentality level and that does bother me.

Advertising is too pushy! Buy, buy, buy. And if you don't buy itself make it seem as if your missing out on life. Also, there are a lot of stereotypes involved in advertising. For instance, if your not in "this group" then your not liked as well.

It is geared towards a hidden agenda and consumers don't usually receive what they thought they were receiving. The bottom line is to make a profit and not necessarily profit the consumer. The individuals in advertising tend to be pushy. Reminds me of judging the book by the cover.

I feel that advertising, especially TV advertising, is very misleading. I hate being told that if I use a certain product I'll be thinner, look younger, or be more attractive. The messages go from blatant lies to subliminal messages. Advertising would be acceptable to me if the information we received was simply informative information on a product.

Misleading, tell parts of the truth.(F35)

Enticing (F33)

Too provocative (F26)

Sexist (F21)

There are too many between television programs. (M50)

Not positive influences on children. (F52)

Gives society negative messages. (M33)

Too many advertisements during television programs. (M16)

They interrupt favorite television programs, they are stupid. (M11)

They are overly sexist–hard–core for men, soft and flowery for women. There is more manipulation than information. The only concern is with making money, as opposed to the physical well–being of the consumer. (F26)

I don't like ads that degrade a company that is a competitor. i.e.. Burger King demeaning McDonalds. (F17)

I don't like ads that compare themselves to their opponent. If their product is better, their should be no competition. (F18)

I don't like the ads that discriminate against sex. Those perfume ads that have nude women on them! (F17)

I don't like the ads where the women are half naked to sell some jeans. (F17)
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The ads that emphasize in sex. (F16)

Cigarette ads with the woman who is supposed to be so glamorous and she's not. (F16)

Ads that treat the consumer like an idiot, such as the orange juice commercial that tells you to lick the screen. (F17)

Ads that portray women as stupid females. (F18)

The ads that I dislike are the car ads that use models or ads that are not realistic. (F17)

The stupid one's that don't say anything, they don't make no sense. (F18)

Ads that don't seem to cater to anybody and seem to have no point. (F18)

I think many of the obsession adds are pretty vulgar with their actions. When kids see that, it brings many questions to their mind. I think advertisements should focus on the good things in life. I don't like beer commercials. They always show girls as sex objects. For once I wish men were the sex objects and we were enjoying the product. (F17)

Pizza Hut commercials-the one where the new boy in school doesn't have any friend but when pizza comes everyone wants to be his friend. (F17)

The ads I don't like are the following: Mentos, Oxy/Clearsil, Jenny Craig (only) (F14)

Mentos commercials, GNC and Jenny Craig commercial, Slim Jim, Workout commercials, Clothes commercials, Life insurance commercials. (F14)

Mentos, Empire, GNC, Slim Fast, and Jenny Craig, Slim Jim, Wrestling, MCI, McDonalds, Car dealers, Eagleman, Solo Step, Stove top, Stuffing, Rice o-Roni, Boboli, Snickers, Milky Way, Oxy, Monasted, Tampons, Midol, Aspirin. (F14)

I don't like KFC ads. They are boring! (F16)

Cheap-Lookin ones. (F15)

Do like interesting ads with a point and a little comedy.

Do not like local "homemade" ads. Like Insurance Ads and "Generic" car ads. (F14)

Half-naked ladies, psychic commercials, low budget commercials, insurance commercials. (F15)

Ads that are lame! Like Wendy's and Eagle ads. (F14)

I don't like the 1-900 sex lines commercials. (F14)

I don't like the ads for Budweiser commercial. Too many feminism and those stinky bikinis. (F14)
The ones that lie and deceive you. (F14)

I don't like the kind of ads that show only girls playing with Barbies and boys playing with trucks and "Cook tools workshop" and the like. (F14)

I don't like the really boring ads that have no point. Like the Maxwell House coffee commercials. Why do they stop right in the middle. I hate the Moo and Oink commercials. I hate GNC and Mentos commercials. I love the ones with songs so I can sing them. (F14)

Beer commercials with half naked women (F14)

Those dumb 1-900 commercials! They are demeaning and rude. (F15)

Stupid commercials that are trying to be funny. Homemade commercials that only local stations play. (F17)

I like all ads. I believe that some ads are more entertaining that television. (F17)

If I had to rank ads which bothered me, the most-political campaign ads would have to rank #1. Generally, the information is factually altered to prove or disprove ones position on a particular issue. Secondly, although pleasing to the eyes in most cases but totally misdirected is the over use of sex and skin to sell products which are not related to the use of sex and or skin. Thirdly, factually misleading advertisements such as the ones who say you've already won a particular prize-that's a real bother. (M33)

Political Advertising (M34)

I love to see ads about little children and toys. Car or automobile ads also catch my attention. The most liked ad, in my opinion, are ads about the family. The family is the primary institution upon which this land was created. Since the family structure is so quickly falling, more ads bout the good parts should be encouraged.

I don't like ads that gear products to one particular races. This is a diverse world made up on millions of people so ads should be more geared to all individuals regardless of race color or creed. (F23)


The type of ads I enjoy the most are those with a message of character behind them. Such as the ads that promote life and education. (F22)

I don't like ads for sex. Don't like phone sex, sex shows. Little kids can get involved, in otherwords its easy for them to get access to. (F29)

I don't like beer advertisement that make it look cool or in fashion or great. I don't like smoking ads because they are to persuasive and smoking is bad. (M11)

Emotional (corny) ads example AT&T.

Diarrhea commercials unnecessary.

Commercials that pray on your fears example (bad kids, drug abuse, etc.)

The kinds of ads that I do like are the kind that say "if you find a better price we will give you the difference," as if a consumer is going to take something back to a merchant for a few dollars maybe the item advertised is lower because of poor quality and all consumers know that "quality is better than quaintly."(F42)

Geared toward specific nationality. (M32)

I like ads that deal with thirst or food products. It's easy to show you a nice car and say buy it but to persuade me to eat something would be a lot harder. (M30)

The perfume and cologne ads have gotten to sexy. (F33)

Beer commercials which exploit women by giving the impression that if you drink a certain kind of beer it will impress women. Beer and soft drink commercials which include a token minority race member in a group of whites as if that is a normal representation of mainstream America. (M40)

I do not enjoy ads that promote sex appeal or behavioral disorders. I abhor commercial that promote harsh liquor ads with half naked individuals, they send terrible vies to our youth. (F22)

The ads a bout jobs, and people that take care of other people. Some of the ads not really true, like about the jobs. (M42)

I hate billboards advertisements of any kind, I think it takes away from the scenery in the countryside. Cigarette commercials, alcohol, women's personal products on TV, women's underwear on TV. (F47)

I enjoy watching family oriented ads because it shows that there are or could be stable families. There are so many families that are in turmoil or at the point of b breakup. If more families based ads were shown, then the family unit as a whole could prosper. (F18)

Car, physic, and weight loss (pills). (F27)

Cigarette ads, also beer ads tend to use too many sexual innuendoes to sell the product. (F21)

Beer commercials, car magazines, beach commercials, sport commercials (F19)

I don't like ads that uses sex to sell items or presents women in a negative manner. (F23)

I hate Calvin Klein ads! Augh! They are so pretentious. I hate them. Besides the stupidity, the anorexic models give me the creeps. Ungh! (F15)

I don't like commercials that are demeaning to somebody's intelligence. (F30)

Commercials, billboards seeing alcohol. (F25)

Beer, cigarettes, food. (M51)

Personal hygiene commercials, cigarette commercial, beer commercial. (F51)

TV ads that are too fast-bombard you with quick clips (like music videos). TV ads that are too noisy. TV ads where too many facts are given-boring-not creative. (F39)

Cigarette ads because they glamorize feminine hygiene products too corny. (F26)

Weight loss ads are misleading. The before and after shots show much more than weight-new hairdos, makeup, clothes-that also enhance the overall look. An overweight person is not necessarily slovenly. Also, ads that seem to say if you use their product, you will attract all the "beautiful people", are sending false hopes and promises. (F45)

Personal Hygiene, weight loss, fast food. (F32)

Feminine hygiene, bras, underwear. (F39)

Feminine hygiene, perfume, underwear, cruise commercials. (F41)

The ads that target children to want more and more toys, and these are usually the ones that fall apart. (F39).

Makeup commercials, hair loss, eternity. (F17)

Cigarettes, Insurance, Makeup, hairloss. (F17)

Most car commercials the ones that just show the car on the road or just sitting there with just the prices and rates. Boring! Household product commercials-only women are the one's cleaning (stereotypical, though I guess it's pretty true).

Most ads on syndicated TV stations! (F17)

I don't like ads that make females look inferior. Ads that put down other products shouldn't be allowed either. (F18)

Commercial that send across false messages. (F17)

I don't like ads that sell alcohol or drugs. They use these models that probably never drink or smoke. (F17)

Perfume ads in magazines because the advertisements reveal women's body parts. (F18)

I don't like the Budweiser Swedish Bikini team. Low-budget commercials. (F17)

TV commercials that look tacky. Beer commercials with bikini-clad women all over the place. (F17)

Beer commercials with Swedish Bikini team. Low budget, weightloss commercials, pimple. (F17)

I don't like commercials in which they interview people because we all know they are either getting paid or just want to be seen on TV. Hair loss commercials. (F18)

Car commercials where they just show rates. Hair loss commercials (F18)

Cola/soft drinks. feminine hygiene products, video games, make-up. (F35)

Personal hygiene products, telephone ads, car and biker vehicle ads. (F58)

I don't like ads that talk down to you or insult your intelligence. Local car dealership ads. Local ads in general. (M35)

Commercials-they always portray things unrealistically. The perfume ads can be very annoying in women's magazines. (F31)

I dislike the ads for cereals that are supposed to give super energy or a super ride. Some sandwich ads don't look anything like the product.

Some ads are misleading. (F30)

Diet relaxed ads that make it seem so easy to lose weight. Also the ones geared to children. It is difficult for children to assess the truthfulness of ads.

Don't like European type ads
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Using boobs to sell bear.

Those Coke commercials before the movies.

McDonald commercials when they don't tell you what's on sale.

The music commercials-"Songs from the 70's."

Those magazine cards in magazines that you have already subscription to.

I really hate seeing the TV commercials selling cars. They give you all the great financing rates and cash back advantages; however, if you really look closely at the fine print at the bottom of the screen you see things like- "A minimum $5,000 downpayment or sees not apply to all buyers."

I do not like commercials they encourage people to drink alcohol. It sends a bad message to people.

I do not like ads that show children being disrespectful. I can't stand a mouthy kid. The children on these ads always (or almost always) are cheeky, which causes young people to imitate this behavior. In my house that behavior will get one into trouble. So will my class.

There is a soap commercial showing currently that shows mom, dad and baby. The soap is safe for the entire bunch-to prove this, we see close up shots of dads muscular back, mom's thigh and stomach, etc.

I don't like ads related to food. If you are dieting it is difficult to stay on the diet if the foods are tempting.

Boob-jiggling ads - the ads for beer or so that have overly endowed females advertising a product.

I don't like ads that put down others. For example, the election ads. Everyone is so worried about putting his/her running mate under. They don't get to what he/she can do for us. They spend too much time knowing each other instead of getting to their ideas.

Exercise ads with all slender people involved. Car dealership ads listing one price vs. a different price inside.

I don't like diet ads, cosmetics ads and some toy ads. The kind of toy ads I don't like are the ones that are violent. Oh yeah, the Bally exercise ads drive me nuts.

Hate new larger bill boards. They have grown in size. Interfere with highway view. This can be dangerous by distraction.

Hates liquor ads along highway (also smoking)-they are there because they can't be on TV.

They run one ad 5-6 times during/half hour of a movie.They are on purpose to get us to remember product some.

AT&T (a company that was almost considered a utility and had been given concessions and market monopoly for decades) being able to advocate with a budget in the 100's of millions-another inequity because of its history.

Furniture, never have items in store, underwear, beer, any depicting scanty dressed women, the majority of them, beer, beer, ads with scantily dressed women, ads that deal with embarrassing products ex-feminine products, all of them.

" SOME ADS INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE. THEY'RE SO STUPID..."
"BE MORE SPECIFIC," I asked:

In many ads, the advertisers depict situations that are absolutely incredible and unbelievable that adults do not take them seriously. Many ad people do not aim their ads toward a younger audience and adults are insulted by these ads.

The ads have people jumping around shouting words that are not found in the dictionary, or used in everyday language. Some ads have people on them that don't say anything, they just sit there, or make funny faces.

Beer commercials are particularly stupid. Slogans like why ask why are catchy but annoying. I wonder, when I watch these commercials, who falls for this? Glamour and alcohol are not the reality, and I would think most people know this.

"They" make assumptions about people. The ads that claim to be interviewing the "average Jo" on the street about their product–these people are being paid! The little Caesar's commercial with the chickens–what does that have to do with pizza. The Nyquil commercial where the husband is sick and helpless in bed and lets his wife take the "good" medicine. The Lexus commercial about the gold plated sensors for air bags: no other sensors will work? Only if you do this or buy this, you will feel better or you won't be happy if you don't buy this. There's a pledge commercial advertising a new product which uses old furniture–the new pledge didn't keep the old furniture looking good all these years.

For example: I think that informercials are really dumb. There is advertising for one product for a half hour or an hour straight. They often repeat much of the information as if I didn't get it the first time. They also have really bad actors pretending to be people off the street. I really hate how fakey and ungenuine the actors are. It seems like the target audience would be ten year olds instead of adults.

Advertising for home video games are ridiculous. They spend an insignificant amount of time showing you the actual game. Instead of focusing on the features and graphics they devote the majority of the commercial to promoting the theme of the game. If the game is on wrestling the vast majority of the commercial is dedicated to footage of Hulk Hogan romping around.

The commercial that I dislike a great amount is the Colgate Clear commercial. Once an individual uses this product the entire opposite sex "wants them." It makes the ugly and dull–beautiful and exciting. I must say that this makes me feel this way for all of the cosmetic industry (almost all). A product does not change the individuals appearance, feelings, or outlook on life. Another commercial is the old smoking commercial. The product will kill you and the surrounding. They took it off–yet they are still on bill boards.

Many ads appear to try to push for a particular product but instead are so dumb one is tempted to change the channel. One such ad is for Burger King. The ad features a long haired, twenty–something year old man advocating for Burger King. The ad is a pathetic attempt at trying to show the fast food chain as hip and geared towards young people. Many young people find these ads annoying and as a result change the channel. Is it worth Burger King's money to advertise these spots?

That they actually believe that people will buy a certain product just because a famous person tells them to. Like this is going to make them be like the movie star who is promoting the product.

I think ads are made stupid because the stupid commercial are the ones that people remember the most. I don't remember ads that make sense, I remember the silly and stupid ads and commercials like (the beer commercial with the dogs drag racing). Not commercials like IBA computers.

To site a specific example would be the Mr. Clean commercials. All cleaners are bound to streak with the sunlight but Windex is so powerful that it won't. People know not to expect streaks if the sun is directly shining on the windows. The ads are so silly that, they do insult our intelligence. I understand that this silliness is for promotional effects. Such ads are necessary. People believe or remember the idiotic ads. Human plays a major fact.

SOME QUESTIONS ON ADVERTISING?

Is there any kind of legal recourse one can take when a product is advertised in a certain light but does not produce same result? False ads?

Is there any legal limitations when one competitor "bashes" another wide competitor's product?

Are we really persuaded by advertising? Does it depend on education, intelligence income? For instance, the more educated I became, the more skeptical I become.

Has a producer of a movie ever gone "head to head" with a corporate owned movie studio over a product that did not 'fit in' the movie? i.e. Pushing Levi's on a actress who in the script is an uptown designer jean wearing person?

Who or what constitutes the success of a commercial..How long before a commercial is yanked?

Why aren't there more commercials about God?

What is the difference between persuasion and manipulation?

Is the expense of the ad really worth the people consuming the product?

Why can't more "down–to–earth" people be represented in advertising?

Why do they spend so much money on advertising?

Why can't they involve men in more commercials?

How can they make more ads workable?

How much is spent on ads or advertising?

How do advertisers know that people are buying their products because of seeing the commercials and not just because they decided to on their own?

Would products not sell without advertisements?

When and where did advertising start (TV)?

Can we change what we forced to watch on TV ads?

Are there different standards for those who advertise on TV vs. those who advertise in print?

Are subliminal commercials for real or not?

Is it enough for ad agencies to hear their repetitive jungle from the mouths of consumers. What constitutes success–notoriety, or big bucks?

Who can we complain to in person promoting products today?

Are the standards the same for print ads and TV ads?

Does the disclaimers (small print at the end of TV ads) above the product makers from lawsuits.

Are there any commercials longer than 30 seconds?

What is the average cost of making a commercial?

Who do you contact when a toy advertised to children doesn't live up to the advertisement?

Who makes the rules that govern infomercials?

Are all advertisers out for "a buck", or do some really want to promote a worthy product?

How can a "smart consumer" tell the difference between simple persuasion and outright brainwashing?

What's the most expensive type of advertising?

How much do commercials cost to make?

How much does advertising really affect the public?

Why are claims repeated over and over again?

Do they really count that much toward selling the product?
Who monitors what is advertised?

WHAT THINGS ABOUT ADS DO YOU THINK ARE UNKNOWN BY MOST PEOPLE:

Food in most food ads are carefully chosen and set up to make them look good.

Some people who do food ads do not really eat or drink the products.

Lighting and camera tricks can make products look different then they are.

That any detergent will get the stain out if it is not ground in.

Political advertising is very effective and not regulated. As a result: Wealthier candidates or those with financial backers have an unfair advantage.

Taken as a large picture-Advertising as a dynamic of politics threatens the democratic fiber of our country.

Why are advertisements allowed on video programs consumers rent? This almost negates the purpose of renting the video.

Most data can be manipulated to suit the need.

The people in ads usually don't really eat the food for the ad, they spit it out during "takes."

Advertising is very coercive.

Repeating something over and over makes people remember.

Advertisers hire well-known people to advertise their product as if to make their product have more validity.

Adds often show something visually while talking about something else verbally which are not related, yet they show them together in order for you to erroneously relate them.

Commercials link product with association of a popular figure.

Repetitiveness sinks into the subconscious.

Products are trusted by the trusted actors selling it.

Ads are created to be annoying, because people will remember annoying.

Ads for toys are run more frequently between 2:00p.m. and 5:00p.m. (Monday-Friday) then at other times during those days.

A lot (not all) of businesses who advertise via radio do not advertise by television.

Ad's can make you buy things you really don't want.

Most companies spend millions of dollars a year researching ways to make people buy their products.

Ad's do really work, even though you may think they don't.Ads make people buy it even though they don't need it.

Cost of ads. Time spent making ads. Effectiveness of the ads.
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You can't drive a car as fast as the "professional driver on a closed road" in a normal setting.

Using one product over another will not make you more popular with people.

Wearing specific shoes will not make you successful in sports.

Ads are annoying but necessary in a fair market system.

TV ads are expensive and only larger corporations can afford them.

Ads are designed to stick with you.

"Interviews on the spot" are rehearsed.

Many famous "pitch persons" don't actually use the products.

People are hired just for certain body parts (i.e. great hands, legs, hair, etc.).

Ads try to get you to buy their products.

Most people know when advertisers are embellishing.

Products sometimes don't work the way they are supposed to.

Their motivation-to sell you a product.

Televised ads are usually louder than regular TV.

It doesn't always work like they say.

Ads are targeted at specific age groups and genders.

Teenagers are easy targets for advertisers.

Ad's are very persuasive to children.

Ads can be very useful.

For an extensive, systematic survey of ads as seen by middle school students, see:
Roy Fox, Harvesting Kids: How TV Commercials Control Kids
An advertising blogger comments on this list: makethelogobigger.blogspot.com Sunday, October 29, 2006
"while Googling for something about something andI came across... something. It’s a page full of feedback about ads and what students dislike about them, from persuasion analysis classes taught by Dr. Hugh Rank. Many responses reiterate the usual slant against marketing and advertising, which is basically: next to politicians, lawyers and car salesmen, advertising is as trusted as John Mark Karr is babysitting your kids. Still, it’s interesting to hear the wide range of opinions, from pre-teens to adults. Could some of them phrase things better? Sure, ok, but focus on what they’re saying. Some funny yet some insightful things."
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