59? 59? Really?

    Super Bowl is here! Yay! 1967, Vince Lombardi coach

I used to think the game was what people watched, and the commercials were entertainments to allow the teams to do whatever it is that teams do.  

But, these commercials are what many people (myself included) watch instead of or with the game.

These are two of the favorites:

 

My favorite commercial is of NFL reception with football players.  NFL forbids using it, but you can go to this site: 

 

youtube.com/watch?v=rENmkc2cUxA

 

You have never been at a reception like this one!

 

 

Commercials Have a Purpose.

  

Commercials can be grating and are usually important for bathroom breaks and snacks with regular snack argument. But, what if?

GEICO is crazy creative. Their clever commercials make me stop when searching for Fig Newtons and/or Twinkies with a cheap Pinot Noir.

My favorite this year I have chosen "The Aunts" for First Place. 

                                    With Second Place, Captain Ahab sails.

Third Place, with the squirrels and the spy! I love

this lady.

"The Squirrel" Third place

So, you can head out to the larder/pantry. Questions may require some thought.

Fig Newtons or Girl Scout Thin Mints?

Cold Stone or Ben & Jerry's (ice cream)?

Nachos or Frito Lay?...

So many options. So many commercials. 

Is it football or is it foot-ball?

The way it is

Which one is it? Which is the REAL football?

Of course, we know the authentic American football we know, but some may not love (which is me).

Not again!

Super Bowl is coming, and many rejoice. Some already know and care that the LA Rams and Boston New England Patriots will be facing off.  

The excitement happens with each team as they slam and smash, leap to intercept, and cruise into end zone, with the obligatory end zone dance.

We all know people like that. 

Oh, yeah.

They may/will have Doritos on the table with some sort of beer (American maybe) in the cooler. There will be chips/crisps and dip (French onion), tortilla chips and guacamole, and maybe a vegetable platter. Faces may be painted in team colors. Oh, and don't forget the strange over-sized foam finger.
  

Most Valuable Player

For me, that day is only for the commercials. And, whenever there is one of these clever commercials, the players are hanging around waiting for them to be over.

But is it foot-ball?

Pele

No, it isn't for me.  The real foot-ball (called soccer here) came from Europe. The World Cup has action that doesn't stop, so much so that there are rarely any commercials. 

When we were visiting family in Switzerland (2014), red with a white cross was prominent everywhere. At the AirBnB where we stayed, we watched each game with German commentators. But we didn't need any help understanding the action. It was awesome.

Pubs are filled with shouting fans, team colors flood the streets, and sometimes, too often sadly, disputes can break out in the stadium. 

Russia vs. Egypt 2019

 But in watching this game where action never stops, we see players who are passionate and in top physical shape.

The photos says it all.

Fans don't leave to get beers/lager/ale, but are watching every play. 

I don't know about most bloggers, but this foot-ball is the real one, the one to watch.  

Players get hurt, no avoiding that**. But that is another post, a very sad post, coming up.

**Injuries in any sport are inevitable, but in any style football they are frequent and some serious. Whether it is devastating or one that allows a player to continue, every fan has watched a player being taken off the field.Over the years in American football, head injuries had resulted in brain damage.  This is also the case in FootBall/soccer and especially Rugby.
.

Wanted: actors who are....

Grandpa's nose

Lines and lines of commercials pass across the screen of our television in a never ending stream, most of them telling me to buy this brand of laxative, buy this type of adult diapers, buy this car, and it never stops. But this is not the purpose of this post.

No, I am wondering about auditions casting calls, and what are the requirements regarding the actor.

Needed:

a male, ages 40ish, six ft., 180-190 lbs.,  rugged face, mean with furrowed brow, dark eyes, a few scars, black/dark hair, mercenary image, a tattoo or more, not bad looking, knows how to use a gun, possibly sociopath tendencies.  

maybe a few more males of same; facial hair, balding, body builder, unattractive, spits, toothpick in mouth

a female, 40ish, medium height, dumpy female body type, unattractive, hooked nose,  fine mousy hair, drives a 1992 or 1999 Toyota Corolla, wears Alfred Dunner, unpleasant nasal voice, sings off-key, willing to look like her mother.

maybe another female, who may look much the same.

Renter's Insurance

a male, mid-teens, thin/scrawny, 5' 8", 110 lbs., acne, greasy-needs-a-haircut, wears a nerdy plaid shirt un-tucked, broken fingernails, black rimmed glasses, awkward, slouches and doesn't make eye contact.

maybe a few more males like this. About the same description.

a female, mid-teens, snotty and obnoxious, chews gum, trendy clothes, nice legs, big earrings, blonde streaked, Fire Blaze lipstick, slouches with crossed arms, says "...like" and "...no big deal" a lot, must be good at rolling eyes.

maybe a few more females of same type, but with Honey Pink lipstick and Licking Lavender lipstick, purple or blue streaked hair, rainbow stripes knee-length socks or Steve Madden Troopa Combat Boots.

Whatever agent who can fulfill these requirements must have a large client list. 

I do not fit in any requirements. Dang.

Geico, message chairs

GEICO has the best commercials.

I need cash now!

Even Jean Luc Picard struggles with money

People often laugh about the "in-the-brain-song-worms" that simply will not go away.  It doesn't matter what song it is or where it originated. It wanders and sings its way to a form of insanity.

DisneyLand?  It's a Small World attaches to some cortex, popping up now and then.

Barney?  That is a vicious one, having been a frequent babysitter for gr-daughters.  I love you, you love me...just shoot the purple dinosaur already.

Now I wrestle with a commercial series: J.G. Wentworth.  Innocuous?  Maybe. But then again it won't leave, it simply will not go away.

Talent blooms  

Another gem:

Ridden a bus lately?

Yet, another:

Upbeat, balancing in windows

Aloha:

I would love to discuss this with him.

How long can I put these commercials up for your viewing? I looked through YouTube and found over 20 more commercials, and that is a conservative estimate.  Thomas the Train?  Muppets? Bubble Guppies (child cartoons)?  An Octoberfest? On the mound of a baseball game? Boy Bands? Seriously injured and in a hospital bed? Every age and interest group gets their chance of cashing out on long term settlements.

As this sweetie tells you:

Sweet baby

Let's all sing along together!  I have a structured settlement, but I need.....

Just how effective are commercials? Would you change deodorants after watching one?

Dang it, but some commercials are delightful.  They are creative, well done, and clever.

We always record programs we like on DVR, so we can fast forward through commercials for dish soap, paper towels, etc.  But a few of the others have prevented touching the fast-forward button. These make me smile when they appear (frequently).

This is a GEICO Commercial on YouTube.  Smile

AND

Honesty isn't all it's cut out to be on YouTube.
from Cars.com

AND

On YouTube:
What do you really see as you walk by store windows?
Evian water--Live Young!

AND, finally

                                       

Jason Statham (action hero hunk) in commercial for phone, LG G5 on YouTube

Now, this makes wonder just how much TV we, and many others, watch.  A lie detector was lying around here somewhere.

What about you?  Have you ever been caught by a commercial?  

'Tis the Season

‘Tis the Season for….

so many things.  Shopping.  Wrapping.  Cooking.  Cleaning.  Cleaning.  Music.  Commercials.  More commercials….

Does the list end?

The subject I wish to harp upon is the never-ending-commercials. I do not have to be specific, for I am certain that you have some particular commercials that have gotten to you.

The one commercial that has struck a chord with me is a Lexus™ automobile commercial.  It has all the vibrato and finesse that one would expect of an expensive car.  Lots of everything.

The part that has struck a sour note is the voice over:

Someday, your life will flash before your eyes…Make it worth watching…

The silver car speeds off into the darkness…

Personally, I would prefer cleaning to this commercial any day, which says a lot.

Love Blogfest!

Love is in the air….

Well, here it is Valentine’s Day.  Its importance has exploded and become a rolling industry all on its own.  What are the big indicators?

The day after the ‘Happy New Year!’ stuff was taken out of the stores, the Valentine candy was on the shelves.  The Christmas cards were out of the Hallmark windows and the hearts were in. 

Women do not worry about what to give their men; they really don’t have to worry.  It is the male population that scurries around looking for cards and gifts.  I am fairly certain it has to do with sex. 

The commercials have recently struck me for their placement and flow.  Commercials mostly seem disjointed, with no connection to each other. This set was a surprise.

You should see the REALLY big bear!

First, A GIGANTIC teddy bear (as advertised by Vermont Teddy Bear) is referred to as “Hunk of Love”.  It is six feet tall, and touted as the ultimate for the girlfriend.  The catch phrases:  Where Size Matters, and Sure to Pay Off for You. Hunka love

Second was the Pajama Gram commercial, with awfully cute size 2 young women prancing about in fleecy pajamas.  The promise is:  Sure to Heat Things Up, Appeal to the Sexy and Sweet Side. Heat things up!

Third was a stretch at first but made more sense later.  It was:  5 Hour Energy drink.  It comes in a small bottle and promises, no, absolutely guarantees that this little bottle will give the drinker renewed energy. 

Then the connect-the-dots became a little jagged.  The creativity lost its flow.  The fourth commercial was for Alka-Seltzer which should provide instant relief for heartburn.  Perhaps romance involves over-eating and excessive alcohol consumption?

Cheerios is good for all members of the family....

Fifth was Whole Grain Cheerios, which has been shown to lower cholesterol. I gather it contributes to all the members of the family.

And, dismally, sixth was regarding Hip Replacement Law suits.  It is true: an active life style will cause joint damage.

Feeling hot and going strong....

So, there you have it.  The string of commercials started strong and steamy, went through the stages of man, ending with hip replacement.

Perhaps I am being hasty in dismissing the connections.  All that was missing was a Viagra or Cialis advertisement between the 5 hour Energy drink and the Alka-Seltzer.  Did I miss that commercial?

Please click on the Love Blogfest beneath the Blogfest Photo, and go to Siv Maria's site to follow other views on Valentine's Day!