I'm Sick Of All These Pandemic Commercials

The latest theme of the last 4-months, with people in quarantine, is for companies, to flood our brains with commercials, pretending that they actually care. If you've seen all these commercials, it doesn't take a rocket scientist, to figure out that there is a pattern. They all have piano music playing in the background, trying to make an emotional connection with you.

They all use terms like, were in this together, we are here for you, in these uncertain times, bla bla bla. Heck, the company Old Navy only but has a song We Are In This Together, Your A Winner, bla bla bla. But the reality of these commercials, is that they are anything but the truth. None of these companies actually care about you.

The business model of major corporations have not changed, simply because were living in pandemic times. The business model is always, MAKE PROFIT, and lots of it! These commercials are nothing but a scam, to lie you into a false sense of security, so that they can get more money out of you.

I was reading a comment from a guy, who said that an insurance companies commercial, was claiming to be there for people. So he called up that company who provides his car insurance. He was trying to get them to lower his premium, since he hasn't been driving for 2-months. They declined his request. Yes, I can sure see how the company was there for him!

I mean, who are these companies really fooling here? All these companies use the exact same marketing campaigns, using the Corona virus pandemic, as a means to sell product. I wasn't born yesterday, and I won't be fooled. But I tell you what, I am so freaking annoyed with every commercial break, being battered by these ads that I cannot skip.

We live in a country where its all about free capitalism, regardless of the impact. What we need is government regulation where it stops all these ads. Cause at the end of the day, if you aint an essential company making important products like PPE, medical supplies, or anything to help with the Corona virus, we don't need to hear from you, PERIOD!

Which means, Hershey chocolate company, you can go BEEEP off!

Agree with you entirely - over here it is just an emphasis of what was already the company slogan - every little helps! (Tesco - they tried to venture into the US as 'Fresh and Easy' = Virgin Prostitute! )

Advertising has always been that way. Before and after. I think you find the misleading presentation annoying regardless, to see it so blatant "during these uncertain times" just drives it deeper, is all.
Quite a few companies are boycotting FaceBook in protest of FaceBook allowing false or misleading campaigns.
Quite a few companies have donated large sums to PPE production and ventilators, with no direct or tangible gain for the company.

Many banks are under lawsuit for shiftily or downright fraudulently shuffling payment relief programs, Including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Chase.
I mean, we already KNOW that insurance companies out there will see nothing other than the bottom line. That is nothing new.
Even so, American Family Insurance has already instituted a refund program, culminating in US citizens getting 200 Million dollars in refunds due to the stay-at-home resulting in less driving.
AudioBooks began offering its Core Product streaming for Free- to provide relief for kids stuck at home.
Cisco pledged to cover the difference that Trump denied the WHO in trying to deflect blame, ultimately amounting to more than the US actually contributed to the WHO.
Fanatic apparel Co. that makes jerseys and sports clothes switched production to making hospital gowns, masks and much needed relief for PPE, donated for free.
Kroger Grocery increased employee pay to cover Hazard pay and donated $3 million to relief efforts.
Loom software changed its business ethic to provide its Loom Pro service free to all educators - For Life. Not just during the pandemic.
The New England Patriots sports team, sidelined by Coronavirus, used its sitting empty team plane to provide relief. The team Bought a couple million dollars worth of masks, then covered the costs of transporting them, by using the team plane to fly to pick up and deliver them.
PepsiCo has dumped over $45 million dollars into Coronavirus relief.
Hertz Car rental began offering idle Rentals For Free to new Yorkers stranded at home to help them get relief.
These are just a few examples of companies stepping up, not just marketing or seeking profit. It's not great or perfect, but it also is not all bad, either.
Just as with Individuals; some companies do care a little bit and many don't.
You are not being forced to buy, nor are you exposed to anything truly different in terms of how marketing works. And the economy really IS in shambles.
I agree with your sentiment and yes, marketing has always been and will always be annoying and come across as fake.

Which brings us back to full circle on the marketing front - the late great Bill HIcks:

https://genius.com/Bill-hicks-on-advert ... -annotated

I just find it insincere and tacky is all. People are going through some truly rough times these days. And there are many shady companies out there, like those banks you've mentioned. It makes it very hard to trust the companies, because you don't know who to trust. There is even a new add where its got a message in it where a family didn't have money to stock up on groceries, that they only have money for two-days of food.

Can I trust that the organization is really there to help people? I don't know! Don't know what company to trust these days. See, thats what happens when many companies create distrust like that. This is the new world that we live in and it sucks. Were just trying to make it through all this mess, and the poor handling of it by our current administration. Last thing we need are these adds being shoved down our throat.

Anyways, thanks for sharing the list of companies that do seem to care, if that information can be confirmed, then maybe they are doing something good for now, but will see how long that lasts.

star treker wrote:I just find it insincere and tacky is all. People are going through some truly rough times these days. And there are many shady companies out there, like those banks you've mentioned. It makes it very hard to trust the companies, because you don't know who to trust. There is even a new add where its got a message in it where a family didn't have money to stock up on groceries, that they only have money for two-days of food.

Can I trust that the organization is really there to help people? I don't know! Don't know what company to trust these days. See, thats what happens when many companies create distrust like that. This is the new world that we live in and it sucks. Were just trying to make it through all this mess, and the poor handling of it by our current administration. Last thing we need are these adds being shoved down our throat.

Anyways, thanks for sharing the list of companies that do seem to care, if that information can be confirmed, then maybe they are doing something good for now, but will see how long that lasts.

I think I just don't see this as new.

I mean, in the old days, companies were dumping horrific waste right into rivers and into the atmosphere.

Companies are not so different from People. Which makes sense, since people run them. And most people, I find, do not really care. They only are in it for themselves. Some are more sociopathic, like Trump, but all humans carry a survivors selfishness.
We look around now in dismay at the flaws. But in reality, we have also come a long way from how it used to be.

In the old days, people who had more melanin in their skin or were the Wrong Gender - could not vote or own land and property.
In the old days, companies could claim ANYTHING about a product even if it killed you and suffer no consequences (Snake oil sales and radium).

In modern times, we are Outraged that George Floyd was coldly murdered with excessive force. And rightly so. We are protesting and demanding change, enraged. As it should be.
But we cannot forget that we have come a long way since the murder of Emmitt Till. Back then, only black people protested. Today, we show more unity than we used to, with protestors of all walks of life, all colors, all creeds, all genders.
Your dissatisfaction helps drive change. However, don't let it depress you too much... Not long ago, the pleas would not only have fallen on deaf ears, but gotten you a beating as a result.

Amen to that! As you are aware I get notifications about various activities and petitions. The worst case I came across was a black prisoner in a US jail who was Steamed to death in the Showers by warders. Shameful! As was previous US Presidents forcing female first citizens of America through a forced birth control program.

I don't know if any of you watch Legal Eagle on Youtube, he's a lawyer. Well, I've seen a few of his recent video's. And it looks like the lawsuits against the administration has started, so its gonna get interesting.

star treker wrote:I don't know if any of you watch Legal Eagle on Youtube, he's a lawyer. Well, I've seen a few of his recent video's. And it looks like the lawsuits against the administration has started, so its gonna get interesting.

Lawsuits against the administration have been going on all through-out. The recent attempt by Bill Barr to remove the head prosecutor of SDNY to install their own support within the Office backfired badly and put a plug in that one effort. But there is a list as long as my arm of current investigations into the political corruption within the admin and Trumps MANY firings of investigators cannot curb it all.
Part of why Trump is so scared, now, is that I think it is growing increasingly likely that once he is out of office, he will be held legally accountable for his massive corruptions, fraud and campaign violations. They really HAVE to since if it is glossed over, it will set a precedent of presidential immunity that the nation cannot afford.
The damage that Trump has done to the integrity of the office, to thunderous applause of his supporters, demonstrates how fragile and unchecked the balance of power is. It will have lasting repercussions as future presidents also exploit Presidential Power and Immunity if we do not cap it off NOW.

Reminds me of a joke from MAD magazine many years ago. "Power corrupts power ... and absolute power is even more fun!"

Swarfendor437 wrote:Reminds me of a joke from MAD magazine many years ago. "Power corrupts power ... and absolute power is even more fun!"

That sums it it up rather well, I remember MAD magazine also.