With talking geckos, creepy mask-wearing kings, butchered classic songs, and annoying spokespersons like Jared and that Verizon guy, marketing seems to have hit an all-time low. Ads are just getting stupider and stupider, and their ability to interest anyone other than the slackest jawed yokel in their products has diminished significantly.
I think that this decline in advertising is all a direct result of the FTC's "truth in advertising" requirement. Back in the good old days, when I was just a glimmer in my dad's sac, ads threw truth and decency to the wind. Anything they could do to titillate, shock, scare, or amuse, they would. That might just be what we need to make people care about ads again!
In that vein, here's a little contest. Which of these are real ads and which are fake?
Leave your answer in the comments. The winner gets an original Avitable artwork! If there are multiple winners, I'll just choose one at random.
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I could believe all but the last one.
But that's just because it doesn't make any sense.
Comments by Miss Britt
I have no actual idea, so I'm going to go with the one with the lady in the chef hat and the stand mixer.
The king in the mask scares the hell out of me.
Comments by Amanda
I think they're all real ads but that you've photoshopped them!
No?
Okay.... hmmm...
Damn.
I suck at this!
Comments by Sybil Law
Okay, I know I keep saying all over the Internet that I'm a computer loser
...but I really am! I can't read any of the ads, lol. I'm trying and squinting and squinting and squinting, but no luck.
So I'll just throw out a guess....the baby with...cigarettes is it? Yeah, that one.
Comments by BlondeBlogger
1. real
2. real
3. fake
4. real
5. fake
6. real
Comments by Angel
I'm going to guess that the ad for the mixer is the fake one.
Comments by Jay
1. Fake
2. Real
3. Real
4. Real
5. Fake
6. Fake
Comments by Amy
Oh and the Burger King - King... umm, that has got to be the scariest commercial EVER. It actually makes me want to AVOID Burger King. It even freaks MIKE out!
Comments by Amy
I'm gonna take one for the team and say that ALL of them are real.
and the burger king ad that creeps me out the most, is the one where the guy is looking at BK way out in the yard , then turns away for a second, then turns back, and that creepy mother fucker is standing RIGHT FUCKING THERE!!!! *shiver*
Comments by Zom
I think they're all real too...
Comments by Dee
I'll guess first and last are fake and the remainder real.
And I SOOO agree the Burger King "King' ads are CREEPY!!!
Comments by turnbaby
The fake one has to be the Lysol. I so hope it is the Lysol.
Comments by Trishk
I think only the first one is fake.
Comments by DeannaBanana
I'm gonna go out there and say that all are real, even the Pakistan Airlines ad.
Comments by Coal Miner's Granddaughter
I know the first one is real because I saw it on another source. I'm doubting the last one, and saying that's the fake - but wouldn't be at all surprised if it was real too. You should get the cigarette ads that tout improvements to your health obtained from smoking!
Comments by RW
Britt, you mean you don't douche with Lysol?
Amanda, but that's what wives are for!
Sybil, I didn't photoshop anything.
BlondeBlogger, sweetheart, you do realize you have to click on each image, right?
Angel, we'll see - thanks for guessing!
Jay, isn't that 100% true, though?
Amy, I wouldn't do a victory dance yet!
Zom, yeah. Maybe their message is "Eat a Whopper or we'll send a serial killer after you."
Dee, that's one theory, I guess.
Turnbaby, remind me not to show up outside your window with a mask on.
TrishK, aren't you old enough to remember these ads?
Deanna, if not, that would be pretty eerie, wouldn't it?
CMG, I guess we'll see.
RW, yeah, I saw some of those, too. Cigarettes were like the Atkins Diet of the 40s and 50s.
Comments by Avitable
Cute. Don't know which are real, but I like them.
You know, for the most part, I actually like a lot of the commercials that are out. Less than 50%, but there are some good ones.
1. The Fedex commericial where the guy goes around the table and tells everyone what their job is.
2. My new fav: The guy asks the other guy to submit his receipt for a burger for his expense report, and he asks the guy if he can just photocopy his butt.
I hate the Fav5 commercial. That one drives me nuts. I did like the caveman commercials, but I do hate the gecko ones. I also hate those ones where they bring in some actor to enact a real person's experience. Those SUCK.
In Business Week, this week, there is a great print ad. You would probably only find it hilarious if you are a techy...Well, I can't find it online. Someday I will.
Comments by The Absurdist
1. real
2. real
3. fake
4. real
5. real
6. real
Comments by em
I think #4 is the only real one, though I'm wavering on the last one. It's just bizarre enough to be legit. I have a few magazines from the early 1900's and some of the ads are pretty damn strange.
Comments by y not i
lmao
Comments by Christie
Mr. Avitable, well now I don't come here to be offended...*sob*
woops, wait, yes I do....
see what you've done to me, made me all weepy and stuff...
Comments by Trishk
They're all real. The only one that got me was the first one, but apparently it's real.
Comments by Linda~
Ok, here's my guesses:
1. real
2. real
3. real
4. real
5. fake
6. fake
Comments by Sinjin
I think they are all real.
*Did I win?*
Comments by metalmom
Trying to get the gravatar to work
Comments by Turnbaby
All real except last one is my lame guess. :-)
Comments by Cheri
I'm going to say that number one is fake.
Comments by Tracy Lynn
Not bragging, but 52 original Avitable artwork pieces means I should sit out the contests for one. ;)
Comments by Poppy
LOL! I did that, I swear! But even when I clicked, it was small. I think it's just my fucked up computer (I'm not even going to admit what kind of screen I have *grin*)
Comments by BlondeBlogger
Im going with the first one being fake and the rest real.
I made my brother phyiscally sick with 2 girsl 1 cup rotflmao
Comments by L
I think they're all appalling enough to be real.
Comments by golfwidow
I'm afraid they're all real... so I guess that's my vote!
Comments by This Mom
Absurdist, I don't mind the Geico commercials with the re-enactments. The James Lipton one is funny.
Em, thanks for playing!
Y Not I, yeah, they are!
Christie, but no rolling on the floor?
Trish, it's okay - just think of Herbert Hoover and you'll feel happy!
Linda, did you Google them?
Sinjin, thanks!
Metalmom, maybe. We'll see . . .
Turnbaby, I have no idea why it doesn't work for you. And now that Joe's not around to help anymore, I'm fucked!
Cheri, why's it lame? That's a valid guess.
Tracy, it's amazing that it's not.
Poppy, you should repost that video for all of your new readers.
Blondeblogger, suuurrreeee, blame the computer.
L, did you make him watch the fingerpaint one, too?
Golfwidow, you mean they don't echo your own feelings on the subjects?
This Mom, thanks for the vote!
Comments by Avitable
LOL! I was hoping that would work. You're too smart for my own good!
Comments by BlondeBlogger
Um, I decline to guess about the ads, but I'll vote that this post is fake. I think someone else made your blog post today, so it's not real. Tomorrow you'll give us a real post.
Comments by Wayne
Santa smokes? What is the world coming to? Am I to find out next that he's sipping whiskey whilst delivering toys?
Comments by MyWeeWorld
BlondeBlogger, it's a blessing and a curse.
Wayne, shit, how did you know?
MyWeeWorld, well, smoking is healthy, right?
Comments by Avitable
All real. Times have changed, haven't they?
Comments by Mrs RW
cocksuckin monkeyfuckin fat hairy rat bastard piece of shit stolen internet! i can't enlarge any of these. rrrrrrrrrr.
must break down and actually pay for internet access. SOON.
until then, i am rendering a vote that all are real. because folks used to lie their asses off.
wait, they still do. truth in advertising my ass.
Comments by hellohahanarf
p.s.
oh how happy i am that this machine doesn;t have a breathalyzer
Comments by hellohahanarf
I totally have that Santa ad on a t-shirt. And people think Joe Camel is selling cigarettes to children.
Comments by Gwen
Mrs RW, that they have!
Hello, yes, you should join us in the 21st century.
Gwen, Santa's a good spokesperson!
Comments by Avitable
The contest is closed, so I already know the answer....but OMFG...douching w/Lysol? Woulda never guessed that was real.
Comments by Lexi
Lexi, at least it would smell like flowers and potpourri.
Comments by Avitable