The idea that all attention is good attention is one that toddlers AND media folk love.
Making something memorable, which is often the aim of advertisers, doesn't always mean making it awesome. Sometimes awesomely annoying is enough as far as they're concerned.
We, the people, disagree.
Reddit user Ragna_Blade asked:
"Has an ad ever annoyed you enough to never buy that product? If so which one?"
I'm not gonna name names (mostly because Reddit will) but advertisers, pay attention. It turns out being annoying will only get you so far... and by "so far" I mean backwards.
It'll get you backwards.
Nobody likes being screamed at and annoyed into buying things.
Forget It, Fi
"Most recently google fi, but pretty much any unskippable ad is a guaranteed way to get me to never use a product."
- RusstyDog
"I will never buy a pixel or Google-Fi plan. Their incessant, long, and unskippable ads cannot be successful."
- ThePhiff
"NOW YOU CAN SOAK UP THE FUN!"
"HELLO GOOGLE FI! THE PHONE PLAN THAT CAN!"
"That sh*t is in my nightmares at this point."
- AdmiralStarNight
"Hello Google Fi, a phone plan that CAN'T"
- Ph6r60h
"I just got irrationally angry."
- Mumblerumble
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Earning A Vengeance Rating
"Raid shadow legends."
"Every f*cking time I hear about it, it cements the fact I will never play it."
- -M_A_Y_0-
"When a game has to be pushed that much, I figure odds are it's because it isn't good enough to attract a fanbase organically."
- CarbonIceDragon
"I feel so depressed every time a YouTuber launches into their 3 minute Raid Shadow Legends ad read."
- JeromesDream
"I downloaded it specifically just to give it a 1 star rating. Didn't even play it. F those ads."
- stickacupcakeinmyeye
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It's Called Leaning In
"I get that the Liberty Mutual spokesman, Doug ,is supposed to be silly and off-putting, but holy sh*t is he off-putting!"
"The emu is bad but Doug is insufferable."
- 5-On-A-Toboggan
"Liberty, liberty… lib-er-Ty."
- s56820i
"I always had them on as background noise and never really gave them a second thought - then I actually watched one and realized, 'Wow, Doug is SUPER annoying.' "
- PAKMan1988
"Now that I think of it, ALL of Liberty's ad campaigns were annoying!"
- [Reddit]
"Still like Liberty Biberty bit, though. That one has me laughing just thinking about it."
- Pacer_44
"So I have the commercial free Hulu, my friend doesn't, and we were watching American Dad at his house."
"The Liberty Mutual ads came on Every. 3. Minutes. (It felt like) I hate that a-hole and his dumb ass emu at this point."
- twisted_nipples82
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ADHDont
“ 'Students with ADHD save 10 hours studying with this chrome extension. BUT NO. BY ALL MEANS. SKIP THE AD. SAVE A FEW SECONDS.' "
"If you condescend me there is no f*cking way I’m buying your product, ADHD or not."
- cactibob
"Same - I have adhd and since they wanna be such a know-it-all about it they should know I don’t have the attention span for this bullshit."
- ado_adonis
"Worst Part Is That Statistic Is Likely False!"
- AstaTheBakasta
"I have ADHD and that ad was so smug that it made me lose interest in the video it was playing during."
- CDewfus
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Screaming Us INTO A Headache
"HEAD ON! APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD!"
- MrTeeWrecks
"Oh god I just had flashbacks."
"It was so incessant and so LOUD. I didn't have a headache before the ad, but you screamed me into one and I'm sure as hell not buying your product to treat it."
- [Reddit]
"Wait. Was it a real product?!"
"I always assumed it was a joke because no real product would be advertised that annoyingly."
- paulwhite959
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Predatory Advertising
"While we're here, not really a product but US Army commercials trying to appeal to young kids."
"They're all ads promising adventure and a way out of debt - like they recognize the student loan crisis but are trying to capitalize off it."
"The worst ones are the commercials that make it seem like a videogame. It's not a videogame, you're signing a 4 year contract to possibly be shipped overseas to kill people you've never met."
"Those commercials are predatory. They're trying to fool young people to fight a rich man's war."
- Sam-Miller
"Or to be killed by these strangers."
"Honestly, you don’t become bullet-proof in boot camp, and real bullets are…real bullets."
- OldBob10
"Agreed. The ads are very well done and are borderline Call of Duty lookalikes."
- 12VElectronics
"I strongly believe recruiters should be banned from high schools. The only person a kid should be talking to if they're thinking about joining, is a veteran."
"But then no one would join."
- TheMeanGreenGoblin
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Pillow Problems
"My Pillow Guys commercials have always been bad, but the new ones really turned me off."
"His new commercials are a joke."
"He's claiming that he's a victim of cancel culture. Dude, you tried to get the former president to overturn the election!"
- TheDeadGunslinger
"How anyone thought a guy who took 5 years (!) to chop up some memory foam and shove it in a bag as a pillow had enough marbles to advise any politician at all, ever, is beyond me."
- UnknownQTY
"I'll never forget that time Trump brought him to the White House to pitch his sh*t from the White House podium during a presidential address or whatever it was."
"Why was there a pillow commercial in the middle of a Presidential speech?! It's not a YouTube ad, dude, and if it was at least it would probably be skippable."
"One of the cringiest things I can recall ever seeing on TV."
- User_492006
"I don’t have cable so I only get a handful of channels."
"My Pillow runs ads on literally every commercial break in the evenings. I am not exaggerating."
"I refuse to buy his products."
- chicagotodetroit
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No Family Talks About Poop Like This
"Charmin. Those f*ckin' bears, I swear."
- DenverDudeXLI
"It's literally like:"
" 'HEY MOM AND DAD I TOOK A SH*T AND WIPED MY A$$ WITH THIS SOFT TOILET PAPER!' "
" 'WOW SON! I,TOO, LOVE RUBBING THE SOFT TOILET PAPER ON MY A$$!' "
"No family talks like this. Especially about poop or the caress of anything against their anus."
- Hurricaden
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No Cars, No Kids, Where's The Charity?
"Kars for kids... Hope they all die."
- coolguy1793B
"Whenever someone mentions wanting to donate a used a car I make a point to explain that the 1877kars4kids charity is just funding a cult."
- Dave9387
"When I was younger, I heard that commercial all the time."
"I was unfortunately one of those kids that needed a car and had no emotional or financial support from my parents, they were really abusive."
"I tried reaching out to the company and had a really hard time getting someone on the phone. Once I did, they said they didn’t 'just give out free cars.' "
"I obviously understood that, no need to be so rude about it."
Giphy
"I asked what the qualifications or process were to apply for one of the donated vehicles. I felt I might qualify because of my situation. WOW was I wrong. lol"
"The lady vaguely and very carefully explained that they only TAKE donations of cars. They do not PROVIDE cars. There are, in fact, no cars for kids, adults, or anyone else."
"I never understood why they were advertising themselves as a charity. Every time I hear the commercial now, I scoff at it."
"Not sure what cult it is but is seems like some sort of scam or tax write off scheme."
- dirtyredheadhippie
"Did some research and found out in the fine print it explains that the cars will be sold for profit to benefit an Orthodox Jewish organization."
"That organization has ties to homophobia, mistreatment of young girls, anti-education stances, etc. So that's nice."
- [Reddit]
The Strangest 'Wrong Number' Stories | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Before we all had caller ID, wrong numbers phone calls were commonplace. But now that almost everyone screens their calls, it's wrong number texts that have ...I'm Telling Google
"I searched ONE TIME for Spartan Races and got absolutely inundated with those commercials on YouTube afterwards."
"It was so annoying that it got to the point where I actually spent time and figured out how to tell Google I'm not interested (it's somewhere in the advert settings)."
"I will never, ever, ever run one now."
- mr_etymologist
Jimmy Fallon No GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
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Drastically Tone Deaf
"The State Farm ones where it's different customers giving the company rep free steaks or pizza or whatever as a thank-you for the *winkwink* 'special discount' that is just their normal rate."
"Like we should be falling over ourselves to give more money to this corporation in gratitude for the honor of being gouged by the insurance industry?"
"That is just drastically tone deaf."
- FrankyDonkeyBrain
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Ok GIF by Saturday Night Live
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Like Clockwork
"Honestly, I largely avoid Procter & Gamble products because of how insulting their cleaning product ads are."
"It’s like clockwork: kid/husband spills or breaks sh*t, is clueless as to how it should be tidied up. Mom/wife steps in with a playfully emasculating grin and does the cleanup."
"It’s beyond stupid, and reinforces exhausted stereotypes."
- CampVictorian
Sponge Bob Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
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Quiz-NO.
"I have never eaten at Quiznos solely because I've hated all of their ads."
"From the spongmonkeys to the one featuring a chef so obsessed with Quiznos he neglects everything else - there's one I can't find where he walks past his bird cage where we see his dead bird at the bottom, presumably having been there for a while, like wtf?! - I've never liked a single one."
"But the very first Quiznos ad I saw sealed it for me; this guy has a Quiznos sandwich prepared, and when he turns his back to get something, his dog grabs the sandwich."
"The guy chases after the dog, pulls the sandwich out of its mouth, and eats it anyway. I get that they're trying to say 'It's so good, I'll even eat it out of a dog's mouth,' but I was so disgusted by it."
- PAKMan1988
Cbs No GIF by HULU
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"Military Grade"
"Literally any VPN advertisement."
"They all promise you 'military grade' protection and privacy, while "military grade" means that there is https before a website, and "privacy" means that there's one additional company having all your data."
"If they at least admitted that the main purpose of VPN's is to do illegal activities (watching content that is banned in your own country)... but no."
"It's just pandering to people who don't know what they're doing, but get off on anything that sounds like it involves guns and explosions or whatever."
- StawberryIchigo
Game Time GIF by Hollyoaks
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So Tightly Controlled
"I listen to a lot of podcasts, and ads in general make me less likely to buy the product or service advertised, because break up the flow of the content and they immediately get me thinking 'What's the catch/grift here?' "
"Especially when the hosts personally endorse the product/service they've almost certainly been given gratis/at reduced price."
"But a major red flag for me is when the ad copy is so tightly controlled by the sponsor that I hear the exact same script being read out by my favorite podcasters like they've all suddenly become pod people."
"Looking at you, re-skinned Candy Crush– I mean, Best Fiends! Yeah, Best Fiends."
- captainthomas
Laverne Cox Abc GIF by Emmys
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Loud Jellyfish
"Prevagen- 'NOW MADE WITH REAL JELLYFISH PROTEIN!' "
"I wouldn’t have bought it anyway, but the fact that the commercial always came on at 120db higher than the show I was watching (and because they were advertising blatant bull) made sure that I wanted to burn all of them to the ground."
"Also advertising using real jellyfish is gross."
- busyB_83
Disney Pixar Ocean GIF by Disney
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On Repeat
"The ones they repeat over and over and over again."
"Last year it was Academy. This years winner is Disarrono Velvet Cream & Target."
"Ho ho no! You can add any plaque psoriasis and diabetic medication."
"And, for decades now it's a certain CGI gecko who can't decide if it's British or Australian, but who's company obviously has WAY more money than they should."
"Honestly sometimes I feel positively harassed by repeat advertisements. I wish they were regulated like in Britain."
- spacednlost
Exhausting Mariah Carey GIF by Apple TV
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So it's my turn to go now, huh?
When I was younger, the 877-Cash-Now commercials drove me bananas, but recently a much worse campaign has wormed its way into my brain. Not because it's annoying, but because it makes me incredulously angry.
Has anyone else seen that "Recharge yourself with dairy" ad featuring the student trying to stretch their 2 page essay into 3?
She's sitting there going "in conclusion, with the conclusive summary whereabouts..." just BS-ing her way through things. The struggle is real.
But then she takes a sip of milk and suddenly has language skills!
That's not how milk works.
Most people are kind of lactose intolerant, so this should be illegal on the grounds of ... like ... inciting a digestive riot? I don't know. It seems aggressive.
But even if you're not lactose intolerant - who is sitting around going "wow I really need a pick me up, let me chug some milk!" ????
Nobody, that's who!
No student is using MILK to power their way through a late-night BS sesh, let's be real. Get that girl a Cuban coffee and stop trying to trick stressed-out students into gastrointestinal distress!
They're already dealing with enough!
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Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
Giphy
What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
Giphy
Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
Giphy
Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
Giphy
"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
Unimpressed Uh Huh GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Giphy
"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
Hungry Debra Messing GIF by Will & Grace
Giphy
"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
Getting Ready Episode 2 GIF by The Office
Giphy
"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.