It's tough to beat anything by Rose City Motors, but Appliance Center shows a real niche for poor creativity and bad acting.
Any others come to mind, "Turtle"?
Favorite Bad Local TV Commercial
Comments ... #
I was anti-Appliance Center commercials until they did the one with the kids singing/dancing...I actually liked that one and thought it was better than all the others - combined!
Never understood the 'turtle' thing...
posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 12, 2007 at 08:26:34 pm #
I thought the 'turtle' came about because Steve at Car Stereo One said 'Turn it up" so fast that people thought he was saying 'turtle' so he made a turtle a part of his commercials.
My favorites are some of the promo spots for FOX 36. They hit a few good ones, but they sure have a lot of duds in between...
posted by MoreThanRhetoric on Dec 12, 2007 at 08:56:22 pm #
The best/worst were the Affordable Chiropractic commercials back in the 90's. The acting was so horrific but I believe they did that on purpose.
posted by imacableguy on Dec 12, 2007 at 09:23:23 pm #
I remember the Affordable Chiropratic ones and they were bad. The ones I can't stand are the commercials that must be made locally with the really bad singing: ie the Reynolds Corner Dentist---"making every something, something" ...waking up to that watching the local news in the morning, can't stand them!!
By far the worst offender of local spots, and the guy seems proud of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xloVDMSmxAE
The best/worst were the Affordable Chiropractic commercials back in the 90's.
Affordable Chiropractic is freaking CLASSIC. Does anybody have those around on tape?
posted by TheTalentedMrC on Dec 12, 2007 at 11:13:09 pm #
Have you seen the commercial for the jewelry store where the friend drops the ring? Is it me or does the friend with the ring on his knees, looks like the girl that comes to the door? like they are twins?
posted by ToledoLatina on Dec 12, 2007 at 11:40:04 pm #
I think that they used to sing a cheesy song for Contrada & Associates (law firm)...
"Because justice should be blind . . . Contrada & Associates!"
(So bad... showing patients limping in rehabilitation . . . people with bandages on their heads ... and then shaking the hands of the lawyers.)
Oh boy!
By the way, I seem to remember that Affordable Chiropractice changed their name to "Med Back."
If it is the same people, they've gotten into a huge amount of trouble lately. I'm thinking that he won't be playing a guitar and happily singing any time soon.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/NEWS02/712050549
I think Turtle comes from this Dana Carvey movie Master of Disguise.
Never seen the movie but I doubt it was funny back then either.
In regards to local commercials...
I almost think it's by design. Slick and polished might work on Madison Ave. but quirky and non-professional works on Main Street.It's the same Affordable Chiro peeps. One of them had a house w/ a full indoor basketball court gym at his house and a helipad if I'm not mistaken. I only saw the court.
oh god where do I begin????
you know what commercial I used to rock out to was the
READ TO ME when they wanted the library levy to pass....I miss that. I made it into a ringtone on my phone though...hhaa
Also. That NBC I believe commercial with the Mathies girl singing
"fair accurate honest" We care about you more, at NBC 24 ......but my favorite ever was the VIDEO GAME UNDERGROUND HAS THE BEST PRICES ON GAMES IN TOWN
VIIIEDEEEOOO GAMMME UNDERGRRRROOUNNNDDD
ohhhh!! Another....MY NAMES DAVE AND I KNOW CARS AND I KNOW CREDIT WHEN YOU PASS ME THE BALL I WONT DROP IT
TRUST THE PROS!!!
I’ve known Phil Brondes Jr. and Steve Braun (Stereo One) since we were kids. One day in high school another student asked Phil if he was embarrassed by his father’s commercials. His response was “who’s the first Ford dealer that comes to mind?” I’ve asked Steve repeatedly what “Turtle” means and he consistently insists that it means nothing but has referred to the old Brondes ads.
What gets me is the use of non-local firms that mispronounce local areas like Mowmee.
Hi Loves,
Carlos Summer here, founder of the Crusade of Love for all of mankind. Our purpose is to move the world... to love. You can help to accomplish this goal for love by thinking, speaking, and acting in friendly ways with family, friends, coworkers and all of our neighbors everywhere.
Thank you.
How long did that ad run? I think I remember seeing it in the late '70s, and the last time I recall seeing it was 1986 (my freshman year of college).
The Rose City Motor commercials especially that one with "pancho".
But ya know what they maybe stupid,but you still remember them years later and thats what they want.
posted by camaroman2125 on Dec 13, 2007 at 12:20:34 pm #
How about Sam Bolotin's "You Can Call me Sam" and then he gives that big stupid fake grin.
I too remember those crazy Carlos Summer ads. Did you know he was dead and gone for years when they were running those ads? I guess it was some kind of wacko cult that his family tried to keep going.
I HATE the commercial for The Ohio-Michigan store where the guy reaches towards a rack of clothes and that loud alarm goes off. It's not that I mind the commercial, but what I HATE is if I happen to fall asleep with the TV on and the commercial comes in in the middle of the night! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!!!!!!
posted by justsimplyholly on Dec 13, 2007 at 12:40:37 pm #
Ok, here's one for your memory banks.
Brondes was always out there bashing in windshields, then there was one for Carpet Center, I believe was the business - where the guy just sat there with a big cigar and said "I want your carpet business"..
Does anyone remember when they traded formats?? the Brondes bros came out sitting on stools with cigars and said "We want your car business" and the Carpet center guy had a couple matchbox cars on a carpet and he was hitting them with a hammer..
it was great. musta been 30years ago by now...
I guess the commercials appeal to the kind of people that watch too much local commercial TV, that is to say voters:)
I blame infomercials citing easy real estate money on the coming 10 year decline in housing prices. But at least they're, in jail, some of them.
Ok, here's one for your memory banks.
Brondes was always out there bashing in windshields, then there was one for Carpet Center, I believe was the business - where the guy just sat there with a big cigar and said "I want your carpet business"..
Does anyone remember when they traded formats?? the Brondes bros came out sitting on stools with cigars and said "We want your car business" and the Carpet center guy had a couple matchbox cars on a carpet and he was hitting them with a hammer..
it was great. musta been 30years ago by now...
Billy -- I remember that one! Oh my goodness. That was funny!
lew - do you mean Tom Watkins of local radio fame?
The trunk monkey is local to Oregon, the one with the trail to it.
Just yell “Modern Floors”…..”Our products (vacuums) suck”, ACE the upside down place ….Roth Furs “Doowin Toowin”, Dang, I do what too much TV!
Any Roto Rooter ad...."I'll be back...and so will we!"
posted by Molsonator on Dec 13, 2007 at 01:55:26 pm #
Everybody's zooing it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that song! I loved walking across the bridge listening to that song. When I'd start singing along my kids would yell "MOOOOOOOOOOOM, that's embarrassing"....LOL!
How about the Blue Flame commercials? Who has the mightiest (something) in town, it's Blue Flame!
posted by justsimplyholly on Dec 13, 2007 at 02:09:11 pm #
I used to date the guy in the fix it shop commercials where he says after his dad WOW THEY REALLY DO SUCK , my vaccums have great suction. uggghghhh to this day I cringe when I see that commercial lol
you know what radio commercial I freaking HATE is the one for the lion king coming to Toledo...ughhhhh I hate when that jibberish comes on!
Appliance Center - Christmas Tree Hunting and they end up with a LG TV. UGH!
posted by Molsonator on Dec 13, 2007 at 02:27:55 pm #
Stooks: That commercial on TV has a nice visual appeal but I jump out of skin when the sound comes on.
By the way, does anyone remember the old Porch of the Maidens restaurant commercial where the waitress poured wine over whom I presumed to be the owner/manager?
Molson: I like the rhythms during the LG part
Billy - thanks for reminding us of how they switched the themes...had forgotten all about that...
posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 13, 2007 at 04:21:51 pm #
Wow wonder how much the trunk monkey chaperone would cost me for when my daughter is old enough to date.
posted by camaroman2125 on Dec 13, 2007 at 04:34:44 pm #
The best scenes from Crazy People with Dudley Moore and an actress playing a posthumous William Holden.
Trunk monkey could take care of that new (chemical) car smell.
I hate the commercial on the Cable Preview channel for Grandma's Kitchen.
Most of the commercial is okay, but where the 2 old ladies start screaming at each other.....that has an effect on me like someone scratching their nails on a chalk-board. I hate arguments; I don't want to see it during a commercial.
Did anyone bring up those Jeff Heitz ads, that ran before and during The Blade lock-outs. He talked like he was all for Toledo, but he doesn't even live in Toledo. He lives in Michigan.
The old Don Bronde's commercials were great. Especially the 1 where a few Bronde's sales people were holding stray cats over the cars and giving the cars a "Cat-Scan." The 1 where they chopped the car in half with a chainsaw was okay too.
posted by WalterAnthony on Dec 13, 2007 at 05:40:47 pm #
"fair, accurate, honest", the stupid song that girl sings. It looks more like a mtv video than a tv station commercial.
The Porch of the Maidens...wow, I forgot that place was ever there. As a kid I was always intigued by that place, I thought it looked more like a funeral home, then a restaraunt. Vaguely remember the commercials.
It's not local to Toledo, but it's the WORST local commercial I've ever seen:
posted by TheTalentedMrC on Dec 14, 2007 at 08:15:03 am #
Buckeye: The Porch did look like a funeral home….in a Kmart parking lot to boot!
How about AAA Standard Services... "Smoke... fire... water damage..." Gotta love a little ditty about those things!
Call ACE appliance - we'll get it fixed right away...
I hate that I remember that and 'sing' it in my head!
posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 14, 2007 at 11:32:45 am #
HEAD-ON
I'm hope this works, because its commercial GIVES me a headache
What about those darn adult commercials that come on after 11pm on Fox. Same 3 commercials running every spot. Annoys the heck out of me.
posted by ToledoLatina on Dec 14, 2007 at 01:49:51 pm #
I agree toledolatina - really bad acting, posing, trying to look all 'come hither' & fake laughing into the phones, bending backwards just enough to jut out her hips & show her stomach (like we all talk on the phone like that). I"m sure there's guys out there though who probably really think those will be the girls on the phone if they call that number (when really, they're probably going to be talking to skanky, flabby women who are doing the ironing as they talk dirty).
maggie - I hated the Appliance Center commercial with the singing brats. Drove us all up a wall - I had to mute it everytime. My first thought was they had the idea to involve every kid in a class or something. I couldn't stand those kids. (but I admit I am anti kids right now, ever since the Stand Up brats with the smoking ban. To me, it is prostituting kids to sell a product or belief that they are too young to have a real grasp on yet. They are used as a tool by adults. It's fine with me if kids are used to sell kid products, or products kids use, but appliances & spouting second hand smoke studies that you know damned well they never read? (if they had, they'd have seen the studies were bogus & poorly done, as was shown in courts.)
My daughter loved the Car Stereo One Turtle man - not him personally, just the gimmick. I tend to channel surf when commercials are on - I hate commercials.
posted by starling02 on Dec 14, 2007 at 10:26:06 pm #
How about the old commercial for Earl Brothers Transmission where they did that really bad rap and dorky white man dance? Anyone remember that one? Aarrghh! I hated that!
Don't know how local-but the commercials I've ALWAYS HATED more than ANY others---"1-800-SAFE-SAFE AUTO!" They have NEVER had a funny or upbeat commercial, but rather try to inspire terror in your heart. CAN'T STAND 'EM!!
I think that was Weber Transmission.
posted by WalterAnthony on Dec 15, 2007 at 08:25:18 pm #
Although these are not commercials for local businesses, have you noticed how bad the Wendy's commercials have been ever since Dave Thomas passed away? I'll bet he rolls around in his grave every time that guy with the singing hamburger comes on. "Makin' love out of nothing at all".... can't stand it.
posted by braincramp on Dec 15, 2007 at 11:04:51 pm #
Contrata & Associates...really, really bad jingle.
The Highland Appliance ads from the '70s-'80s were pretty cheesy. I remember the one where Wayne Walker of the Detroit Lions was trying in vain to bounce a football alongside of Dave Bing of the Pistons, who was of course dribbling a basketball with ease.
As mentioned before, the Carlos Summer ('Hi Loves') ads take the prize for...weirdness. I hear folks refer to those ads alot. Certainly made an impression, LOL.
Hey, how about the Jeff Heitz ads for the Blade? Talk about weird, LOL.
these aren't local, but the swiffer and wendy's commercials with the play on elections just really annoy me - as if we don't get enough election commercials during campaign season, we now have to suffer through them for floor cleaners and fast food???
posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 16, 2007 at 10:23:29 am #
Glad to see you have let it go Starling.
Can I get some love for that Meigs girls shop in PBurg? In this day and age there is no reason to still have such a low budget looking commercial. The girls are cute, but look awfully uncomfortable to me.
Ryan - I totally agree with you on the Meigs commercial. But the same producer must have done the commerical for New York Collection because it's the same concept and a tad bit worse. It plays on WTO5 a lot. I think channel 5 has the worst commercials over all, they play a lot of the locally produced ones with horrible singers.
Buckeye is terrible at producing spots. Almost as bad as Don Lea Associates. There is lots of crap out there.
posted by Molsonator on Dec 16, 2007 at 04:39:13 pm #
Okay - have to add another current one. The commercial for Dawn Halls cooking show. Tehy keep showing food and the announcer tells about the show and a girl keeps going "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm". LOL! it is so annoying. I actually watch that show all the time. It's not gourmet, but she is from Swanton and has been through a heck of a lot in her life and admire her positive attitude.
Wow! My Video Game Underground commercial is popular and oh so loved :)
Here is the newest ones that aren't so cheesy as my first commercials.
and for the Holidays
However it does make me proud when so many people know the Video Game Underground song!
I love local advertising! Cheesier the better!!
Roth fine furs, DOWN TOWN??
Remember Brondes bashing out car windows??
How many people do you really think stood in the middle of Alexis and Secor and yelled Modern Floors just to see if anyone'd come out and get them?
posted by billy on Dec 12, 2007 at 08:09:14 pm #