Advertising blitz

 

 "Only a penny."

Richard Quest said that in his promo piece that seemed to be run a 1000 times a day, it became a joke between my husband and myself. In fact, CNN international runs the same promo pieces and adverts so often that we can recite them by heart.

In flipping stations when adverts come on, it seems like they all run their adverts at the same time. The news channels from many countries all decide to report on Africa and sports at the same time too. No escape.

I have begun to think that programs on USA and ITV especially are allowed on the air only to interrupt and give a little breather from the adverts.

Some European stations tend to group their adverts together between programs or on one break. This is good for a potty, shower, nap or meal preparation break. When done the program resumes in large enough junks that watching is a pleasure not a frustration.

I feel I want to invite the white-haired lady in the wheel chair on one advert over for a cuppa and ask her who her hairdresser is. And there's a recipe for fried oysters given by a woman in a great African costume, I might like to try--except I'm allergic to oysters. The boat that cruises European rivers never seems to get very far. It is always goes by the same place hundreds if not thousands of times a month.

It seems once a week Facebook floods my page with sponsored posts (read adverts for products I have no interest in.) I "hide" every one of them as irrelevant hoping their algorithm will decide I'm one of those rare people who don't buy stuff unless it is absolutely necessary. Today it was 26 with regular postings tucked in every now and then, probably by mistake.

As a retired professional communicator, I know adverts pay for content. And I know if a person doesn't know about a product, the company will never sell anything and go out of business. But enough is enough.

Years ago, when I bought stuff through direct mail, I'd change my initial and in that way I could track who had sold my name. I was also a buyer of direct mail lists so I was part of the problem, I admit.

 What makes it worse, most of the adverts are boring. Every now and there is a memorable one. Here's some oldies but goodies .

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz4O6y3LEXw Joey called today
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLQYKCJ9zQ8 mashmallow meatballs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0 where's the beef?
  

But as amusing as they may be, if they are shown just as the name of murderer is about to be revealed, it is annoying at best. 

Is there a solution? Yup, shut off the TV or find another way to be entertained.

Where's my book?