Worst/Best Radio Ads

Nightwish · 11-10-2006 05:46PM

The ad for some bank, possibly TSB, which ends in a David Bowie song. Its played every 10 minutes. Also the GE Money ad with the stupid diddly-idle music.

Wertz · 11-10-2006 06:06PM

Nightwish wrote:

The ad for some bank, possibly TSB, which ends in a David Bowie song. Its played every 10 minutes. Also the GE Money ad with the stupid diddly-idle music.

That one about customers revolting? That's T-rex and Marc Boland at the end...the only reason it annoys me is cos everytime I feckin' hear it I end up going round humming Children of the Revolution...

Fortunately I've been mostly avoiding Irish radio and it's adverts for the last couple of weeks (and long may it last) so I don't have any current pet hates...

mikedragon32 · 12-10-2006 07:52AM

Today FM are airing an ad for some coldsore treatment with a "rap" that goes "You've got a coldsore on your face...".

It makes me long for the Pat McDonald Paints ad, it's so bad.

Surely programmers must realise that some people will change station when ads this bad come to air.

tbh · 12-10-2006 08:37AM

mikedragon32 wrote:

Today FM are airing an ad for some coldsore treatment with a "rap" that goes "You've got a coldsore on your face...".

It makes me long for the Pat McDonald Paints ad, it's so bad.

Surely programmers must realise that some people will change station when ads this bad come to air.

ROTFLMAO!!! "we're gonna paint this town (paint this town)"

Imagine, you're a musicican and you get the gig to write and perform the PMD Paint ad. Would you tell anyone?

That coldsore ad is horrible.

Genghis · 12-10-2006 09:16AM

There are a couple of classics on Newstalk at the moment. And, as it is Newstalk, you get to hear them time and time again.

Exhibit Number 1 - "Cork Car Centre" - not sure of actual name.

Annoying, voice, stupid entree "Good Morning Cork". And ridiculous tagline "Don't you just love the smell of Leather in the Monrning". As far as I can see there is absolutely no connection between the product, the company, the people in the company or even its general location with a 20-year old movie about Vietnam. Did 'creative' simply fall asleep to the movie the night before he came up with the concept? I mean, WTF?

If thats not mad enough, Ted, they then tailor the theme to 'Good Afternoon', 'Good Evening' and 'Leather in the afternoon' / 'Leather in the evening'. Its enough to drive you nuts.

Exhibit Number 2 - For some server product

Here we feature two characters - presumably an MD figure, and then the IT manager (note: he plays the role of hero). Mr MD, true to stereotype, has been doing all sorts of investigations, but one thing puzzles him. He suspects that someone could be intruding on the premises, evading the security system to sneekily back-up the server.

Looking for answers he corners the IT guy. Now Mr MD appears to have the competence to understand security logs, read server logs, etc, but the IT manager has to explain everything about the new server to him slowly. Then the ad has a WTF moment when the MD rounds on the IT guy and blames him for saving electricity.

But our hero, thanks to his new server, can defend that allegation too.

The scenario above is so concocted that it really shows the intelligence assumption these guys have for IT managers to be really low. Why doesn't the ad say - 'Automtic, fail-safe back-up while your office is closed, and X% saving on running costs. Just buy it.' It shorter, snappier and the message comes across without all the **** that currently surrounds it.

DMC · 12-10-2006 03:24PM

Ads for IT dont work on the radio. remember the one a few pages ago which had Murphy sum up the alternatives to a HP server product? If my boss called me on last name terms, then there would be a thump. From me. A server knocking my boss unconcious.

And what IT personnel would buy a server based on a radio ad?

SprostonGreen · 13-10-2006 03:26PM

DMC wrote:

Ads for IT dont work on the radio. remember the one a few pages ago which had Murphy sum up the alternatives to a HP server product? If my boss called me on last name terms, then there would be a thump. From me. A server knocking my boss unconcious.

Thats exactly what I thought.

MarinoMark · 14-10-2006 11:07AM

Genghis wrote:

Exhibit Number 2 - For some server product

Here we feature two characters - presumably an MD figure, and then the IT manager (note: he plays the role of hero). Mr MD, true to stereotype, has been doing all sorts of investigations, but one thing puzzles him. He suspects that someone could be intruding on the premises, evading the security system to sneekily back-up the server.

Looking for answers he corners the IT guy. Now Mr MD appears to have the competence to understand security logs, read server logs, etc, but the IT manager has to explain everything about the new server to him slowly. Then the ad has a WTF moment when the MD rounds on the IT guy and blames him for saving electricity.

But our hero, thanks to his new server, can defend that allegation too.

The scenario above is so concocted that it really shows the intelligence assumption these guys have for IT managers to be really low. Why doesn't the ad say - 'Automtic, fail-safe back-up while your office is closed, and X% saving on running costs. Just buy it.' It shorter, snappier and the message comes across without all the **** that currently surrounds it.

I have heard the above ad and the guy prentending to be the IT guy is actually Dermot from Fair City on RTE. He is involved in local politics and property in Carrickstown and knows diddley squat about IT and even less about servers. Dont be fooled by him. His laptop broke in the pub once when he was having a pint with Charlie and he had to leave in in for REPAIR !! I, for one wont be hoodwinked....:D

tbh · 15-10-2006 05:07PM

DMC wrote:

Ads for IT dont work on the radio.

DMC wrote:

HP server

tbh · 01-11-2006 08:03AM

I must say , I really hate the ad for the tuna - the sinking trawler sending fish up to a rescue 'copter - I think it's in extremely bad taste.

Wertz · 01-11-2006 07:02PM

Those bloody BUPA ads!

"Your" this, "Your" that....yes everyone out there in radio listener land is a high income professional that likes nothing better than sports and keeping fit....the updated theme tune (I'll be ready....I wanna be readyyyy), sang by some random girl instead of the Al Jolson soundalike and the most annoying f*cking bit, to me:

You can call us in Fermoy on 1850 etc etc"

Call you's in Fermoy? WTF?
What has that got to do with ANYTHING???
It's a lo-call number...it doesn't matter if your call centre is on Mars, it'll still amount to a local call.

Grrr....I heard that ad one too many times this week...the stress of it alone has me worying about helth insurance...

FlutterinBantam · 01-11-2006 07:29PM

Wertz,I think you should take a little lie down for a while;)

DMC · 01-11-2006 09:31PM

Wertz wrote:

Call you's in Fermoy? WTF?
What has that got to do with ANYTHING???
It's a lo-call number...it doesn't matter if your call centre is on Mars, it'll still amount to a local call.

Emphasis that a British company has an Irish base, employing Irish people, and you talk to a langer on the phone, not Saurav in India.

But the ads are annoying, granted.

Wertz · 01-11-2006 09:39PM

Personally I'd find Suarav a fair bit handier to communicate with than the average corkonian

setanta70 · 09-11-2006 01:39PM

My latest pet hate is the Jingle Bells adaptation (as heard on NewsTalk) for Hibernian. Annoying since day one...

sudzs · 09-11-2006 01:45PM

Any of the Eagle Star ads, telly or radio, with the condescending smart cat and the stupid Boxer dog....

just bloody awful.

Lynfo · 09-11-2006 01:48PM

the one for windsor scrappage deal

'how much did ye get for ih?'

grrrrrrrrr

Wertz · 09-11-2006 05:34PM

Eircom's current campaign for broadband, with the tagline "This is broadband for [name]" going on to describe a generalised stereotype of some "typical" user out in listener land, listing off reasons why they need highspeed internet in their lives...
That bloody background music is highly irritating too, but I think it's outdone by the voiceover guy who's accent has been known to strip the bark from trees when played at a certain volume.

This must be a lot more infuriating to listen to if you're one of the unfortunates out there who can't avail of wired DSL, mainly due to Eircom's piss poor record of upgrading their wired network in rural areas...

Liam Byrne · 09-11-2006 05:54PM

Yup, those are annoying, but at least they've dumped the "there's no stopping you" ads; every time I saw/heard those, I used to scream - "there is - you can't give it to me, so stop advertising it!"

The eircom phonewatch ads are sick - trying to prey on and exaggerate peoples fears about their home....the latest one where they say burglars might break in and rob the stuff you've bought as Christmas presents is particularly warped.

sudzs · 10-11-2006 09:20AM

Liam Byrne wrote:

Yup, those are annoying, but at least they've dumped the "there's no stopping you" ads; every time I saw/heard those, I used to scream - "there is - you can't give it to me, so stop advertising it!"

The eircom phonewatch ads are sick - trying to prey on and exaggerate peoples fears about their home....the latest one where they say burglars might break in and rob the stuff you've bought as Christmas presents is particularly warped.

Yes, those Eircom are just the worst. Especially the way yer man says "Burglars"

You'll be robbed when you're in your home. You'll be robbed when you're out, you'll be robbed because it's Christmas. You'll be robbed because it's the Summertime...

Aren't the number of burglaries going down???

magnumlady · 10-11-2006 11:00PM

Love those Daft Dave tile ads! Also like the GE money ads, with the guy singing about how his missus left him.
All the local radio ads here are rubbish (Ocean FM) so dull and uninteresting.

Tallspoon · 11-11-2006 04:08PM

Hey I see your Connors face has cleared up......yes he uses horse urine, its really great....there ONE OF THE GANG AGAIN......GGGGGGGGRRRRRRR

Those Superyaks ads done in rhyming couplets. The description bears absolutely no relation to the.. ahem .. fayre that they serve up. It most certainly is not fresh cod, creamy dairy ice cream or gorgeous macs.

Who is responsible for writing this bollix. My theory on Irish advertising is as follows:
One of the centres of the advertising world is London. The biggest ad companies in the world, the biggest accounts and lots of money sloshing around. This acts as a magnet for advertising types with talent.
They flock to London like flies around the honeypot. There are many highly capable Irish ad executives in London. They have no interest in working here. We are left with the detrius, those left behind who can only perform at Eircom League rather than Premier league level. Hence the standard of advertising to which we are subjected!!!

sudzs · 11-11-2006 05:47PM

This isn't on the radio so apologies!

But Tallspoon brought it to mind with his ppost... I think the very worst ads are the one's for Mace.... "It's the Maceys!"

Dear Gawd, make it stop!

Ryaller · 05-12-2006 11:32AM

sudzs wrote:

Yes, those Eircom are just the worst. Especially the way yer man says "Burglars"

You'll be robbed when you're in your home. You'll be robbed when you're out, you'll be robbed because it's Christmas. You'll be robbed because it's the Summertime...

Aren't the number of burglaries going down???

"The next thing any BWOOORGLUR" will hear is...."

"This is eircom phonewatch - is everything allright? I love you. Can I make you a cup of cocoa and tuck you in?"

Bulls*it. I had phonewatch for a year. Some tinker rings you up and tells you your alarm is going off, and if they get another callout - the cops won't respond anymore.

J.R.HARTLEY · 05-12-2006 03:38PM

those stupid ads for the tv licence inspector, "...suddenly a man poked his head around the door ' tv licence inspector' he said"
suddenly he poked his head around the door, did he let himself in, or was the shopkeeper from Mr Benn, they're trying so hard to be funny, they'd be better off getting someone to read out the details, ie. you need one, they cost X you acn get them at X,Y,Z and the fine for not having one is N

dan99989 · 05-12-2006 05:21PM

There's a colesore on your face, There's a colesore on your face, There's a colesore on your face, Gotta get some viraleaf...:D

Wertz · 05-12-2006 06:31PM

OMG that f*cking lyon's tea ad with the carol singers...now my love of christmas aside, this piece of thrash had me bouncing toward the work radio today in a fit of rage after it managed to pop up on every damn ad break on fm104 and most every other station I tuned to....in the car on the way home it's on nearly every time Matt Cooper goes to commercial.
Grrrrr.

Ryaller · 06-12-2006 09:30AM

"Man you should see me doin' the mexican hat dance; Thumb up my ass with one hand... slice a laaaame in the uthah...":mad:

What???

Genghis · 06-12-2006 10:50AM

Those ads by the LVA for 'Dublin Pubs' (there are 2-3 of them on offer). If I ever ended up in a pub beside a such a smug, witless and self-centered waanker as the guy in the ad, God help me, I'd have to punch his lights out.

cashback · 06-12-2006 11:58PM

Genghis wrote:

Those ads by the LVA for 'Dublin Pubs' (there are 2-3 of them on offer). If I ever ended up in a pub beside a such a smug, witless and self-centered waanker as the guy in the ad, God help me, I'd have to punch his lights out.

That's Daire O'Briain, the comedian. They don't bother me too much.
Most annoying for me are BUPA ads and Eircom Broadband, both on TV and Radio.
I kinda like the daft dave ones I have to say!

Worst/Best Radio Ads

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