Retro Commercials--What's the Attraction?

[wwfpooh]

I know, he's making fun of me because I'm one of the few people in the world who actually appreciate the laugh track, and here I am saying a commercial with a laugh track is a terrible commercial.

I guess I'm being oximoronic.

Yes you are, but that's due to the horrid commercial.

 

[D'Snowth]

Yes you are, but that's due to the horrid commercial.

And it IS a horrid commercial!

For one thing, anything Hogan's Heroes sucks, and secondly, what was the point of having Carol Channing if all she was going to do was watch them all like "OMG! IT'S JELL-O! THE LIGHT DESSERT WITH FRESH FRUIT TASTE AND... OH LORDY! DRRRRRRRRRRREAM WHIP! WITH ONLY 14 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON!", and then they hide her. What's the point?

 

[wwfpooh]

And it IS a horrid commercial!

For one thing, anything Hogan's Heroes sucks, and secondly, what was the point of having Carol Channing if all she was going to do was watch them all like "OMG! IT'S JELL-O! THE LIGHT DESSERT WITH FRESH FRUIT TASTE AND... OH LORDY! DRRRRRRRRRRREAM WHIP! WITH ONLY 14 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON!", and then they hide her. What's the point?

Utter nonsense is what it sounds like.

 

[D'Snowth]

Utter nonsense is what it sounds like.

That's Hogan's Heroes for you. That's why M*A*S*H leaves them choking on their dust.

 

[wwfpooh]

That's Hogan's Heroes for you. That's why M*A*S*H leaves them choking on their dust.

So I take it in a "Grudge Match" between the two, M*A*S*H comes out on top?

 

[D'Snowth]

So I take it in a "Grudge Match" between the two, M*A*S*H comes out on top?

Well, there WAS a "Grudge Match" between Kommandant Klink, and Colonel Henry Blake, thankfully, Henry come out as winner.

 

[wwfpooh]

Well, there WAS a "Grudge Match" between Kommandant Klink, and Colonel Henry Blake, thankfully, Henry come out as winner.

Ah, good ol' WWWF Grudge Matches. Good times, good times.

 

[bazooka_beak]

When I watch old tapes of what my dad recorded for my sister and I in the 80s, the commercials become a PART of the experience, you know? Like, watching a Christmas special - it's not the same unless you see an ad for "My First Sony" or "Krispy Kritters cereal" (or is it with a "C"? Can't remember!) for me. One of the reasons I've avoided buying "Muppet Family Christmas" or "A Christmas Toy" on DVD is because I'm excited to see all the toys and food for sale when I was a kid, it makes me feel nostalgic and get into the holiday mood. It's not the same without that.

Is it just me (and I hate to sound like some kind of old fogie that prattles on about "back in my day..."), or are commercials these days trying too hard to be clever and snarky? A lot of whistles, too, to sound more "upbeat." Pretty much the ONLY commercial I'm happy to see is the "Boom De Yada" one for the Discovery Channel.

 

[wwfpooh]

When I watch old tapes of what my dad recorded for my sister and I in the 80s, the commercials become a PART of the experience, you know? Like, watching a Christmas special - it's not the same unless you see an ad for "My First Sony" or "Krispy Kritters cereal" (or is it with a "C"? Can't remember!) for me. One of the reasons I've avoided buying "Muppet Family Christmas" or "A Christmas Toy" on DVD is because I'm excited to see all the toys and food for sale when I was a kid, it makes me feel nostalgic and get into the holiday mood. It's not the same without that.

Indeed and agreed, the commercials are part of the overall experience.

Is it just me (and I hate to sound like some kind of old fogie that prattles on about "back in my day..."), or are commercials these days trying too hard to be clever and snarky? A lot of whistles, too, to sound more "upbeat." Pretty much the ONLY commercial I'm happy to see is the "Boom De Yada" one for the Discovery Channel.

A lot of commercials have tons of bells and whistles nowadays, I think, simply because the new generations expects it and because even commercials--even if they're fading--need to keep up with the times, it seems.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I'm very suspicious of the idea that things need to change with the times because that's what people want. Time again it seems to me people prove that they do enjoy older things and aren't demanding anything changed. It's the companies that seem to have this impression of people.