Two of my favorite commercials have to do with medicine. I like how nowadays these commercials are informative enough so that the viewer gets an idea of what the drug is for (yay science!), but still keeps it interesting for those who don't really care about them. Don't get me wrong, I do like to know all of the info in the commercials, but face it, ads have to play to the "average" (as they say) viewer and I'm willing to bet that I'm not really in that group.
That being said, I've linked the two ads I'm talking about in this post. First off you have Rozerem, a sleep aid; and secondly Zoloft, an antidepressant. Most people will probably recognize these two commercials and might feel that they have been played out or overdone, but to me they haven't. They're that catchy and fun.
I never understood the argument that making entertaining commercials for medicines causes people to want to take them rather than solve a problem that doesn't need pills to be solved. I feel that such a statement is basically a cop-out in the sense that you just come off as one of those faux-elitists that want everyone to live like you do, but all the while not be as "good" as you are. Sure, you can say that people these days overdo it on medications, but I while I agree with most of that argument, I have to say that I can't accept that statement unless you either have evidence to back it up (other than everything I've already seen, and I read journal articles for fun!) and can accept the fact that there are a lot of people who simply need to take certain medications. Too many people that subscribe to that argument seem to be a bit elitist lately, what with the "I don't take anything, I just tough it out" attitude in some form.
Also, please don't tell me that these commercials are "irresponsible" for whatever reason you can conjure. They're not being marketed to kids (you won't be finding these commercials during morning cartoons on Nickelodeon or whatever children watch these days) and they tend to always go through a short list of indications, contraindications, and potential side-effects.
Now that I realized I've been rambling on about this, I think I'm just going to finish this post as is. I seem to have taken a short turn for editorializing this week or something?
Lately I've been wondering about why many people immediately dismiss someone upon finding out that they underwent plastic surgery (cosmetic variety, reconstructive is not the issue of discussion right now), and if they don't dismiss them, a fair number of people will think differently of someone if they learn this. It just makes me wonder what is so bad about it; what is so bad about changing something about yourself?
I completely agree that you shouldn't undergo plastic surgery if you are doing it for someone else, or if you have unrealistic expectations regarding the outcome. People will not like you more all of a sudden, people won't respect you more, and people won't give you anything you want because you look different.
Yes, I think the media has given many people reasons to have plastic surgery when they don't need to, and yes, I think many people have it done for the wrong reasons; but what about those that do it for the right reasons, what's wrong with them? If someone wanted something changed about himself/herself, and they are doing it out of their own interests, I can't say that I see anything wrong about it. Sure, they will likely be treated differently and turn a few heads, but there's really not much wrong in that. If you don't like something about yourself, feel free to change it; whether it means exercise, changing the way you think about things, or even surgery...just do it because you want to, not because someone else wants you to.
I can't say that I accept the cliched reason of "you should like yourself as you are" or anything along those lines as a reason that people shouldn't have plastic surgery done. I mean guess what, not much thought went into that argument in the first place, please don't rehash it to me and think that you sound profound. I feel that the aforementioned reason lately just comes off as a facade to prevent people from saying something along the lines of "well I like myself, so you should like yourself too". For a good amount of people there are many reasons not to have cosmetic work done, but at the same time there are many reasons to have it done for others; you just have to weigh them yourself as they relate to you, just as I think you shouldn't use someone else's opinion to decide if you have it done, you should also not impress your opinion on someone else unless they ask you to do so.
Oh, and I included that TV trailer above to make a point, even though it's not that great of a show (I also like the imagery, though I don't really watch the show). The specific thing I am getting at in the ad is the image of the angel with its wings cut off. I feel that most people would see that and think something along the lines of "oh that's so sad, she had one of her most beautiful features removed", but what if at the same time the angel in the commercial wanted them removed; not to fit in, but because she really did not like them and how they made her feel? Yes, everyone looks the same in the ad, and to me that's kind of playing towards the stereotype that everyone who undergoes plastic surgery does it to fit in with others.
I guess in the end beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say, but I think people need to remember that you can be your own beholder sometimes.
Video: Show us a clip from your favorite cooking show.
A Cook's Tour hasn't been on in a while, but when it was it was on the Food Network. It was an interesting show hosted by Anthony Bourdain, and featured him traveling the world eating the more exotic foods of the countries he was visiting at the time. A simple concept, but it was entertaining and informative nonetheless.
He's on No Reservations on the Travel Channel now if you were wondering.
Share your current favorite song or music video
An old Volkswagen Golf commercial, and I think it might be one of the older ones that I have seen...I remember it from some time ago, I think it came out in 1997?
The song is much older than that (1982), but it got a rush of popularity in 1997 when the commercial came out. It was a short bit about these two guys driving around one afternoon, seemingly not doing much. They happen upon a chair sitting by the side of the road and decide to take it, only to find out later on that it smells bad. They then proceed to put the chair back and continue on their drive. Simple enough, but it seems to work well
I'm kind of liking the Sony Bravia commercials right now, even if I saw them online and not on TV. They're about the color that can be displayed on the TV, but don't show the color on the TV at all, rather they show paint flying everywhere and little plastic balls rolling down streets. Sounds like they are trying too hard to be artistic when it's described that way even if it doesn't come off that way when you watch them, but give them a look and you'll see what I mean.
The youtube one linked is about a building that was filled with paint during its demolition. The result is what looks like a fireworks display of color. The second one I'm linking if off of another website so I can't easily embed it, but if you click the link you can see it (it's quicktime so you know). Here, it's the extended version! This one is about lots and lots of little plastic balls rolling down the streets in a city. It looks pretty cool and it feels like you are in a big one of those bouncy castle things if it were filled like a ball pit if you know what I am talking about.
Lately I've been watching lots of stuff on youtube. This includes commercials, random clips, as well as music videos...and let me tell you, it is great for listening to random songs! It's also especially good when said songs get stuck in your head, nothing stopping you from watching a video of the song too!
So yeah, here's another crazy Otsuka Ai song! This one's Frienger, which is just as easy to get stuck in your head as Chu-lip. Oh yes, and the video is subtitled for your viewing pleasure.
Here are a couple more commercials from the Gap that I liked.
I've been on a bit of a commercial binge lately, finding random ones on youtube and other places to watch again. I've been finding that good commercials are just few and far between these days. I mean, more often than not, it's the sam old basic thing just showing off the product and nothing else. Granted, that is what they are supposed to do, but take these two for example...they do just that and more, they also make it entertaining and add a nice dash of refreshing creativity. Sure, they are using an old song (first one) and a newer song (second one), but they are catchy and fit the attidute of the advertisement and the product.
It's nice to see something refreshing like that every now and then. It's a nice change of pace.
Old news, but it needs to be said yet again...Wii Want Cricket!
Think about it, possible technical limitations of controller responsiveness aside (this can be fixed), the Wiimote is basically a digital cricket bat! So this leaves you with the choice game developers...the choice to make a cricket game!
Remember the old Gap commercials from the 90s anyone? Well I do, and thanks to Youtube I was able to relive some of the glory of those old commercials. Khakis rock!
