5 Bad Commercials

I'd like to title this post the 5 worst commercials of the year, but there are 2 problems:
1. I'm sure I've forgotten some that were worse
2. Some of these are reheated from a previous year


Here they are:
5. Any of several sonic listening devices. These things are apparently the key to getting ahead in life, true happiness and so much more. They show people wearing these things in all sorts of situations - on the couch, in bed, at a game, in church, while hunting, unloading groceries....Some highlights:
- The lady shaking her head when she overhears the neighbors marveling over how well she and her husband must be doing because they just got another new car!
- The elderly lady rocking the bluetooth looking device at what appears to be a church built sometime in the early 1900s. That's believable - she's always on the phone and at her age must have a direct line to God to still be alive.
- The guy who can hear the play calls in the huddle at a little league football game.
- The guy wearing at the gym who can overhear the 2 women talking about how cute he is.
- The lady walking along the beach wearing the device who overhears another woman wishing she could look like that.

4. The Snuggie - Have you seen this? It's a fleece blanket with arm holes. They market it as the perfect item for staying warm on the couch at home and still being able to use your hands, as well as for a ball game (really, you have to see this thing). The best is when they show the family at the ball game all in their Snuggies. The daughter (it's a one-size-fits-all item) has about a foot worth of the arms of this blanket draping beyond her hands when she stands up. But hey, I think they're 2 for $20 if you call today.

3. G. Gordon Liddy's ad for Rosland Capital - this is one of the litany of commercials urging people to buy gold. I have all sorts of issues with these philosophically (among them: they are targeting older people who may be frightened by the current market conditions, gold is a commodity and not a business that can really grow in value long term faster than inflation - because it's real value doesn't change, it's just changing relative to currencies, and while I haven't done the research I'm pretty sure what they are selling includes a nice fee to the seller). Beyond that, the commercial itself is terrible, the acting is bad, and I'm pretty sure I'm far less likely to buy gold or call that number than to go to my dentist and ask for an unnecessary root canal.

2. Christy Lane's Christmas album - This one is a holdover from previous years, but is a classic. I have yet to figure out what her demographic is or why they think that group of people will be more likely to buy if the commercial looks like it was made in the late 70s. It's just bad, trust me.

1. The Lebron James dust throwing commercial. I hate this one most because (Mike, I'm sorry for what I'm about to say, I love you, but I just can't get into the NBA) I don't care for the NBA in general and I'm not a Lebron fan to say for sure. Next Michael Jordan blah, blah, blah...Win some championships (like several) and then let's talk. Mostly I just can't fathom being in a crowd of people, watching him do this before a game and getting all in a frenzy about it. Really, you're getting pumped up because this guy threw dust (or chalk or whatever it is) in the air? Let me remind you, no one plays defense in the NBA until the playoffs and then there are usually a couple of teams that do.