Quote:
Originally Posted by Claudia Cole
Firstly, commercials like this portray maybe one third the story... (at very best.) If inclined to stay with me here, let's take a walk through it.
- We see a couple whom are in the very deepest part of "middle age."
- It is quietly indicated that the male character most likely on his first wife due to her appearance. She looks his age, if not maybe even slightly older. Anyway, the first wife usually is more evenly matched in age than the second or third! This fact is uncontested.
- Instead of acting playful, they instead behave in a rather placid and serene way. Letting on that in no way whatsoever, the "Viagra" or any one of it's many other competitor's pharmaceuticals is about to "kick in."
- Both are dressed eerily alike. Outfitted very casually. Sweaters and trousers of the blandest and most unoffensive and un- seductive tones of beige, taupe and tans. Even wearing long sleeves.
- Then, during the voice over of his drug's side effects, our "Sexual Zombie Couple" are now seen in the middle of a forest. The camera is shooting them from far behind. We view the back of their heads and necks. They are each in a SEPARATE side- by- side bathtubs. Both have one arm extended over their respected side of the claw footed bathtub... holding hands. "FIN!"
Okay, I have accepted that "truth in advertising is a bit of what is commonly refereed to as an oxymoron. But really? This is a just bit beyond silly? Or am I just plain crazy?
Yes, I understand that it would not be totally "alright" nor "advantageous" for the good folks over at Pfizer (Viagra), Lilly (Cialis), or GlaxoSmithKline (Lavitra), to portray some random middle aged fellow- perhaps portly yet cheerful in demeanor- about to check into his suite at the Bellagio. When in his room, we watch as he gleefully yet rabidly begins to scroll through is many beautiful options for companionship via computer. He swallows a pill. Then "poof!" Cut to his doorway- his choice appears. A set of stunning twenty three- (ish) hot blond twins, tanned, full breasted, dressed as school girls (with a lot of lip- gloss) fully ready and equipped for a fun night of being nailed to a mattress my hero's newly acquired concrete appendage.
anger, but with a bit of light frustration and a pinch of jest. Thank you!
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The ad you are referring to, if I'm not mistaken, is for Cialis & they are trying to make a point about a specific product benefit, namely that unlike competitive products it works for an extended period of time. No need to take it and half an hour later grab your partner and say, "I'm ready, let's go."
Your guy in the hotel suite that would call a service and pop a pill an hour before his date's arrival is juxtaposed to the message they are trying to send.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudyard K
I suppose I just see it as one group's view of "good manners".
We close the bathroom door when relieving ourself. We chew with our mouth closed. Most of us don't have sex in public. While most of us guys tend to adjust ourself way too frequently...it is generally not considered proper. But all of these things are natural to us.
I guess I don't see us as progressive (in general) as some other's think we might be...hence the curtains blowing in the open window are all I need to see to know that someone is getting laid. I don't need to see him pounding her. But, to each his own.
As an advertiser, I'm guessing they are trying to appeal to the largest subset...and at least today, that subset says let's don't get too racy.
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Exactly. We get the point that they are having sex. This subtlety is what allows them to advertise on a braodcast channel in prime time.
And the sport/recreational user "gets" it too. If this thing works for the older guy with a medical problem, of course it is going to work for them....
One thing we can't argue is that advertising choices aside ED pills are a phenomenal commercial success. WTF can get you a link, but they've sold tens of billions of dollars worth of these things in a decade or so.
As an aside the advertising campaign that cracks me up is for ITT Tech, the community/technical college. They talk about the difference attending made in the individual's life usually through the voice of a spouse or family member. They take incredible care to try to be mildly aspirational but attainable. The actors are not ugly, but certainly not supermodels. The things they show them doing like playing in a softball league or at a playground with their kids or a cookout with their similarly medicore looking friends are great but they clearly want them to look attainable. In one the guy even exclaims, "last year we even took a vacation." It just makes me want to add a voice over, "ITT Tech, your chance at the decent life..."
