Ads

I watched NCAA men’s tournament games last night and have them on in the background as I write. Not long ago I reported here on the amount of actual action in NFL broadcasts (11 minutes of action, but 17 minutes of replays and 75 minutes of commercials). I’d hate to see the same numbers for NCAA tournament games. The clock is clearly off more that it’s on during the broadcast, even excluding half time.

So it comes down to whether one can deal with all the ads, or in one word, ARGHHH!

First, all cell phone companies. I would do without cell service just out of spite over their ads if it were possible in today’s world. Can these commercials possibly have any impact on what cell service people choose?

Then there’s Buffalo Wild Wings. They’re the ones extending the TV game into overtime because the crowd at the restaurant is having such a great time. The ad currently in rotation has a camerman shooting off an immense photo-flash to blind a player so that he misses the game-winning shot. Hence, overtime. Waitress, over here, another round please.

If you’ve never been you could undoubtedly guess, but otherwise do you have any idea what kind of food they have at Buffalo Wild Wings? Is it tasty? Is it different than any other chain sports restaurant? (No.) Is it, god forbid, healthy?

No, the ad is strictly a fantasy that has nothing to do with the actual restaurant. Oh, it’s a cute ad the first few times. But not the 30th and 31st times.

And there’s the Enterprise car rental ad. You know the one, where the couple is off for their romantic getaway. Why exactly they need a rental car for this is beyond me, but what is really annoying is when she asks him does he want her to take the red negligee or the black negligee. He gives a goofy, shit-eating grin that should get her to reconsider her weekend plans (if not her life), and says, “Both.”

Moron.

The correct answer is, “Neither.”