On commercials
I’m finished talking about last night’s game, so feel free to click away. This is now a rant that I could have saved for the podcast, and probably will still elaborate on during the recording of episode five of The Canuck Way Podcast.
What happened to commercials? If you’ve ever watched an American television feed, you know that the commercials that come from south of the border are typically better than the ones that are played for Canadian audiences.
This is especially apparent during the Super Bowl, where it becomes important to make sure you’re getting the American commercials, not the Canadian ones. We’ve got some elite commericals, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re watching three periods of hockey with approximately two commercial breaks per period, you’re going to get tired of seeing the exact same advertisements in the exact same order.
Over, and over, and over again.
I’ve memorized so much information that I didn’t know I needed. For example, if you asked me why Dan Murphy and his family choose Papa John’s, I would immediately respond “better ingredients make better pizza.”
Or maybe you come to me for advice on how to get out of debt. While I would advise heavily against asking me for financial advice, I’ve heard that Sands and Associates are great. Need winter tires? John Shorthouse recommends Budget Auto Centres; they are, in fact, the guys who know cars.
Feeling hungry? John Hamm’s SkipTheDishes ads play every night during the broadcasts and are among some of the only ones that are somewhat enjoyable or clever. But these aren’t the bad ones. The bad ones, boy, you know what they are.
The law group ones. Look, I respect lawyers, and I certainly respect the law, but hearing Ray Ferraro and a lawyer tell you that you should call them before your spouse does more than 10 times a night is enough to start subconsciously convince you that your spouse really does hate you.
The Superstore ad, which hardly makes any sense, tells us to “shop like a mother”. I just don’t get this one, and neither does my mother, who, by definition, shops like a mother anytime she shops.
My point is, the commercials that Canucks fans are being subject to during broadcasts are repetitive and mostly not entertaining. That being said, they’ve clearly done what they were intended to do, as I will almost certainly have every slogan and jingle from every company that pays for that advertising engrained in my mind forever.