Is this the most despicable ad on tv?

Einhard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4BfxWK_6A

Everytime I see this ad on tv, or hear its equivalent on the radio, I get angry. I understand that such companies have to sell their products, but this is really a new low. It's blatantly using death to sell a product; using the death of a loved one as a marketing ploy. Makes me a little sick to be honest. I'll just have to remember Irish Life and not take out any policies with them in future.

sensibleken

No

two words

"Go compare"

DrumSteve

Einhard wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNhu1Mpo

Everytime I see this ad on tv, or hear its equivalent on the radio, I get angry. I understand that such companies have to sell their products, but this is really a new low. It's blatantly using death to sell a product; using the death of a loved one as a marketing ploy. Makes me a little sick to be honest. I'll just have to remember Irish Life and not take out any policies with them in future.

I wonder what he says to him before the Debs:

"Pack a vest for your Jimmy in the City of Sex"

That'd be my guess.

Sanjuro

Despicable? No. Shameful emotional manipulation? Yes. Advertising is one of the worst industries on the planet. This is a prime example of why it's so bad.

annacanna

your angry that some people take out life insurance to support their children/family incase they die?:rolleyes:

Einhard

Sanjuro wrote: »

Despicable? No. Shameful emotional manipulation? Yes. Advertising is one of the worst industries on the planet. This is a prime example of why it's so bad.

Despicable =/= shameful emotional manipulation?

annacanna wrote: »

your angry that some people take out life insurance to support their children/family incase they die?:rolleyes:

No. No I'm not. Read my post. You're the reason :rolleyes: should be banned.

Einhard

sensibleken wrote: »

No

two words

"Go compare"

Ha! I actually like those ads!

sensibleken

Einhard wrote: »

Ha! I actually like those ads!

Get.out.

GSI

That girl is a roide:D:D

Opelfruit

I turn down the radio for a minute when that ad comes on!

DrumSteve

Einhard wrote: »

Ha! I actually like those ads!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXcgt6l_LcA

sensibleken

GSI wrote: »

That girl is a roide:D:D

a what? as in hemor-roids?

mike65

(penny) Dreadful advert. The sort of thing that one imagines cable TV is chock full of in the USA

thehairyelbow

Einhard wrote: »

Ha! I actually like those ads!

Ahh no, they're rabbit ****.

optogirl

DrumSteve wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXcgt6l_LcA

Adam & Joe fan?

Sanjuro

Einhard wrote: »

Despicable =/= shameful emotional manipulation?

Despicable suggests something sinister or evil. IMHO.

annacanna

the ad shows reality, i dont see why you have a problem with a company that sells life insurance just showing a situation that happens to alot of people

Sanjuro

optogirl wrote: »

Adam & Joe fan?

Lookin' forward to the Taffin Songwars!

Opelfruit

mike65 wrote: »

(penny) Dreadful advert. The sort of thing that one imagines cable TV is chock full of in the USA

Oddly enough it's not!

Cable TV in the States is full of two catagories of commercials.

1. Ads for processed food, fast food, restaurant chains.
2. Ads for weight loss.

DrumSteve

optogirl wrote: »

Adam & Joe fan?

Pierce Brosnan fan.

optogirl

annacanna wrote: »

the ad shows reality, i dont see why you have a problem with a company that sells life insurance just showing a situation that happens to alot of people

It's pretty sickening to be honest - apart from the fact that it is schmalzy manipulative tripe, it is also highly offensive to people who have gone through such a thing. Not at all surprising though - a hell of a lot of advertising is of the 'Buy our product or you are a bad parent' variety.

Fran1985

I think its a case of showing you the inevitable, and saying look, it'll happen but don't forget the world will carry on, as will your legacy so help those you leave behind by planning some life assurance.
I think its done very tastefully actually, showing that while the lad obviously misses his dad, at least he can lead a good life and afford college etc. I certainly dont think something should be banned just because it talks about something so sad, yet totally unavoidable.

Biggins

No.

The one for Disney really pisses me off.
Talk about using kids to make adults feel guilty and make other kids not going or not able to go due to money, etc, left out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8DLyA315mU

old hippy

I hate ads. Just fwd through the blasted things, most of the time.

wolfpawnat

It is a life insurance/assurance ad. It will sadly have to touch on the topic of death. It is a upsetting ad, but to be honest with you there are far worse out there. I think it is done quite tastefully tbh.

The Disney channel has Trocaire ads on at 3 in the day! I am sorry but that is emotionally upsetting for a 5 year old who cannot comprehend political corruption, Western greed and famine?

arybvtcw0eolkf

I detest that ad OP.

In fact the radio or TV station is turned off when it comes on.

I was sitting here with my son, who has just finished his first year in college and the ad came on the radio - his first reaction was to turn off the station and tell me he hates the ad too.

Then I came here and found this thread!.

Hande hoche!

DrumSteve wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXcgt6l_LcA

If I could thank more than once I would. That's the first time I have ever seen anyone reference that movie.

Jesus Wept

It's a ****e ad but it is a life assurance ad, that is what life assurance is.
They could show some happy family in the park having an awesome day, but it isn't exactly representative of what they are selling.

Sanjuro

Is it just me who finds the Halifax ads the most infuriating things that have ever been vomited out of a box? The ones in the fictional radio station. They're so anger inducing, they make me want to kill everyone involved, their families, friends, close associates, distant acquaintances, pets, colleagues and strangers. Fuck those ads. Fuck everything about them.

Jesus Wept

Taffin plays by his own rules imo.

Riamfada

They obviously bumped off the dad to claim the insurance to send the kid to college. The black widdow there is totally in on it. For example, the dad was fine before the kids debs, he looked well and fit. Then only a few weeks later, before the kid goes to college the dad is dead and the insurance has paid out, meaning that the father died shortly after the son went to his debs.

Sam Vimes

I don't mind the ad using death to sell a product since that's the the whole point of life assurance but the line "when you were 5 I protected you even though you said it made your skin all slippery" is very creepy

Einhard

annacanna wrote: »

the ad shows reality, i dont see why you have a problem with a company that sells life insurance just showing a situation that happens to alot of people

It's a horrible ad because of the way that it uses death as a blatant marketing ploy to sell a product. Generally speaking, such companies market their products in a much more subtle way, because they understand how sensitive an issue it is. Not Irish Life though- just ram it down peoples' throats. It's cheap, and manipulative, and it uses the most traumatic moment of a persons' life to sell some wares. And that's not even mentioning the impact that it might have on people who have just lost loved ones...

Mint Sauce

The radio ad is hard hitting. The TV ad is just cring.

Einhard

Brenda Unkempt Glycerin wrote: »

I detest that ad OP.

In fact the radio or TV station is turned off when it comes on.

I was sitting here with my son, who has just finished his first year in college and the ad came on the radio - his first reaction was to turn off the station and tell me he hates the ad too.

Then I came here and found this thread!.

Hi dad!:pac:

Pm me with my pocket money!:D

Riamfada

Biggins wrote: »

No.

The one for Disney really pisses me off.
Talk about using kids to make adults feel guilty and make other kids not going or not able to go due to money, etc, left out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8DLyA315mU

always reminds me of two girls one cup

zeusnero

I'm one of those marketing/advertising fellas and I must admit I thought it was a new low the first time I saw the Irish Life ad. It's well choreographed and all but it's just such a blatant attempt at trying to sell life assurance using emotional manipulation.

Despicable - maybe. Thought provoking (for many viewers) - certainly. Effective from Irish Life's point of view - Most definitely.

ejmaztec

People flogging life assurance have always been tasteless. An insurance guy told me once that the reps from one of the major UK life assurers used to carry their pens in coffin-shaped cases, for added selling power.:eek:

Biggins

Riamfada wrote: »

always reminds me of two girls one cup

:eek:

How in hecks name! :pac:

*waits afraid of the answer*

Fran1985

Einhard wrote: »

It's a horrible ad because of the way that it uses death as a blatant marketing ploy to sell a product. Generally speaking, such companies market their products in a much more subtle way, because they understand how sensitive an issue it is. Not Irish Life though- just ram it down peoples' throats. It's cheap, and manipulative, and it uses the most traumatic moment of a persons' life to sell some wares. And that's not even mentioning the impact that it might have on people who have just lost loved ones...

They hardly "ram" it down your throat, its not like the show him being killed or on a death bed, its all happy times spent with the dad, then how his dad continues to look after him when he's gone. Hardly "ramming" it is it? do you have kids OP? Do you have life assurance? when you saw the ad did you think, well now, thats a distasteful ad, i wont be looking after my family when i'm gone because of this?

mconigol

Emm............no OP not really.

Are you one of those people who complain about undertakers & funeral homes advertising too?

:rolleyes:

Benny_Cake

One thing about this ad I don't understand - wouldn't the college year normally start before the Debs are on. I seem to remember most Debs not being on until October....just being pedantic here.

Einhard

mconigol wrote: »

Emm............no OP not really.

Are you one of those people who complain about undertakers & funeral homes advertising too?

:rolleyes:

Seriously, the next person who uses :rolleyes: in the wrong context, or because they misunderstand my objection to the ad, is going to need life insurance themselves!!

I've no problem with marketing life insurance, or funeral products and services. Nothing of the sort. You'd have seen that if you read my OP. Or are you one of those people who don't read the posts they respond to? I do though, have a problem, when death itself is used as a marketing ploy. There's a huge difference between the two, and this ad steps right over the line. IMO>

mconigol

Riamfada wrote: »

They obviously bumped off the dad to claim the insurance to send the kid to college. The black widdow there is totally in on it. For example, the dad was fine before the kids debs, he looked well and fit. Then only a few weeks later, before the kid goes to college the dad is dead and the insurance has paid out, meaning that the father died shortly after the son went to his debs.

Benny_Cake wrote: »

One thing about this ad I don't understand - wouldn't the college year normally start before the Debs are on. I seem to remember most Debs not being on until October....just being pedantic here.

The dad would also have had to written the letter between the debs and the guy starting college...totally unrealistic ad imo!

yupyup7up

Einhard wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4BfxWK_6A

Everytime I see this ad on tv, or hear its equivalent on the radio, I get angry. I understand that such companies have to sell their products, but this is really a new low. It's blatantly using death to sell a product; using the death of a loved one as a marketing ploy. Makes me a little sick to be honest. I'll just have to remember Irish Life and not take out any policies with them in future.

what if its an ad for a coroner or a coffin maker?

mconigol

Einhard wrote: »

Seriously, the next person who uses :rolleyes: in the wrong context, or because they misunderstand my objection to the ad, is going to need life insurance themselves!!

I've no problem with marketing life insurance, or funeral products and services. Nothing of the sort. You'd have seen that if you read my OP. Or are you one of those people who don't read the posts they respond to? I do though, have a problem, when death itself is used as a marketing ploy. There's a huge difference between the two, and this ad steps right over the line. IMO>

How is death used as a marketing ploy??

It's a product needed after someone dies. Hardly a ploy.

Thatnastyboy

The only quib I have with those ads is that,

They upset the fuck out of me, my father died when I was 11, I didnt even get to know him as well the fictional lad in the ad. Barely remember him.

Even shaking here after watchin it, poxy ad.

Apanachi

Einhard wrote: »

It's a horrible ad because of the way that it uses death as a blatant marketing ploy to sell a product.

it uses death to sell life insurance, where's the problem with that????

Death is the reason people take out life insurance.

That's the very reason my husband & I took out ours, so that our children are protected (not having to pay for our funerals out of their own pocket, or if we go early that they can get through college without taking out a sh!tload of loans etc..)


I actually think it's a good ad.

Einhard

mconigol wrote: »

How is death used as a marketing ploy??

It's a product needed after someone dies. Hardly a ploy.

Because, they're using the death of a loved one, an event that many people have experienced at first hand, to emotionally manipulate the viewer or the listener into buying their product. They're not just selling a product that's related to death as other such companies do; they're making a painful and emotional situation an integral part of their advertising pitch. They're incorporating death into their marketing strategy, and solely to tug at the heart strings, and emotionally manipulate people. And, IMO, the death of a loved one shouldn't be reduced to such a tawdry, mercenary marketing strategy.

mconigol

Einhard wrote: »

Because, they're using the death of a loved one, an event that many people have experienced at first hand, to emotionally manipulate the viewer or the listener into buying their product. They're not just selling a product that's related to death as other such companies do; they're making a painful and emotional situation an integral part of their advertising pitch. They're incorporating death into their marketing strategy, and solely to tug at the heart strings, and emotionally manipulate people. And, IMO, the death of a loved one shouldn't be reduced to such a tawdry, mercenary marketing strategy.

So what?

A lot of people don't like to think about their own mortality. Sometimes that's what it takes to make them think about what will happen to their family after they're gone.

I don't see a problem with it.

Superbus

My mum cried at that ad because it's pretty much our life.