The Good News is that the blogisphere has two new additions. The Artist Formerly Known As Pest (actually, now that I think of it, she's STILL known as Pest) has started Pest's World. Pest has been commenting on my blog practically since I started. Now I get the chance to return the favor! (And no, that isn't a "threat"....) And Dariachick (who also has been known to comment here), along with Sir Trent, are writing Swats and Thoughts. Both of these blogs should be excellent additions to anyone's reading list. I have links to both of them, and I urge everyone to check them out, and to leave a comment welcoming and encouraging them.
The Bad News? It's not "bad", really--more annoying than anything, in fact. I'm referring to a specific ad on TV and radio--those spots for Free Credit Report dot com. Are there two more annoying songs anywhere? Catchy, yes, I'll give them that, and they're not so bad that I can't get them out of my head. It's not like I'm humming them all day long (thank god!). But it's sneaky and insidious they way they crawl into your mind and stay there. A few days ago I was sitting at the computer and got up to get a nice cold beverage out of the refrigerator. As I walked to the kitchen, out of nowhere I suddenly started singing, "F-R-E-E that spells Free/ Credit Report dot com baby...." The song hadn't been going through my head, I hadn't heard it recently--I just spontaneously started singing it (and most people would tell you that I shouldn't try to sing anything, much less an ad!). Out of all of the great songs I've heard in my lifetime--that's the one that jumps out of my mouth??
That's just not right. There's some trickery involved here.
And if that's not bad enough....The other ad jingle that they use has the line in the chorus, "Shoulda gone to Free Credit Report dot com/ I could have seen this coming at me like an atom bomb". When I hear that, I always want to yell, "And done WHAT, pray tell?!? 'Cause I gotta tell ya--if you can SEE the atom bomb, it's probably pretty much too late to do anything about it...."
I mean....arghhhh!!! No wonder I keep the remote handy! It's a conspiracy, I tells ya.....
You're right, Doc - those songs are insidious, though highly entertaining, and extremely well-designed to do exactly what they're supposed to do, which is to forever etch in the hearer's mind the name of the service provider. That the free service is free only if you pay $12.95 a month for some other service is conveniently glossed over, and unfortunately most of the public fails to remember the primary dictum of capitalistic entrepeneurship - TANSTAAFL. (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.) *G*
ReplyDelete-Dev
Well said, Dr. Ken. Those ad songs can be annoying, but as Dev says, they achieve their goal by staying with you. I still remember those old McDonalds songs from when I was a kid. But that may also be because my friends and I would substitite our own ribald lyrics. Not as well done or clever as your 'Rockstar' parody but way more rauchy and downright vulgar.
ReplyDeleteMichael
First, a quick thank you for welcoming Dariachick's and my blog. Secondly, I know FULL well the insidiousness of those commercials as I hear at LEAST one everyday, either on the way to work or home again. LOL Just reading your post got the atom bomb bit stuck in my brain once again. I wouldn't be surprised if it went the way of the Chicken Tonight jingle (I fell like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight), where the service long outlasted the product. Maybe some distraction might help me get this nefarious tunes out of my head.
ReplyDeleteNow where did Dariachick wander off to...?
LOL! Dr. Ken, soon after sending my last comment I got in my car to run an errand and when I turned on my radio that blasted free credit report song was playing. I must admit I thought of you and cursed. LOL Don't take it personal though. :)
ReplyDeleteMichael
Dr. Ken, thanks for the welcoming of my new blog. It does mean a lot to me and you are a wonderful inspiration along with Uncle D and some others too numerous to mention.
ReplyDeleteI hate when songs get stuck in my head and they stay with me all day long. It was funny though and it is a nice vent.
Ken, you missed the other extremely catchy (though irritating) ad from FreeCreditReport.com. It goes like this:
ReplyDelete"I married my dream girl, married my dream girl but she didn't tell me her credit was bad. Now instead of living in a pleasant suburb we're living in the basement at her Mom and Dad's".
That one plays a lot here but the rapping one ("Instead of looking fly and rolling phat, my legs are sticking to the vinyl and my posse's getting laughed at") gets my vote for the all-time worst from those guys. Mainly because the tape and audio appear out of synch at times.
However, for annoying commercials, NOTHING beats that guy on the Oxyclean commercials who yells all his lines at the top of his lungs. I hope he gets a whopping case of laryngitis soon.
Smiles,
Cheryl
Earworms, Dr. Ken, they are called earworms!
ReplyDeleteDEV--it's true, if I'm suddenly singing the jingle, all it really means is that the ad people did their job well! And you can't help but remember what's being advertised. I can't begin to tell you the number of (relatively) good commercials I've seen and told people about but can't for the life of me remember the name of the product
ReplyDeleteMICHAEL--Ah, yes. The classics....of course I'm referring to your ribald lyrics and not the actual commercial...
SIR TRENT--you're welcome. And that's a very good plan for getting the tunes out of your head with Dariachick's help. So, "distract" the heck out of her! LOL
MICHAEL--no offense taken....(grin)
PEST--You're welcome. A blog is great place to vent!
CHERYL--Is that a new one from those guys? I've never seen or heard it before you mentioned it!
JO--Earworms? Never heard that term before, but it's certainly appropriate. Also a little disgusting....LOL
ReplyDelete