A lot of the commercials that play on radio are so damn annoying, you wonder how they even got produced. That Jay Lee Gladstone car dealership ad comes to mind, or that damn "there's a catch, right?" acne medication commercial. Over there years, there's been some doozies. What's your most hated, most annoying radio commercial ever?

Any food commercial, where they make exagerated "Smacking" sounds, that guarantees I'm changing the station for awhile.

Seeing how those commercials are a direct link to me being PAID, I don't find ANY commercials annoying. They are my bread, butter, shelter & entertainment.

There was a time when stations had enough clout to demand certain production standards for commercials that they aired. KPFM (according to the history side of this board), for instance, prohibited all singing commercials. WQXR (classical commercial station in New York City) had all commercials read by one announcer with no jingles, music, or production effects. Today, by comparison, it is routine to hear commercials that sound like a total mismatch to the station's format. Here are some comical examples:
* A commercial featuring Bill O'Reilly aired on K103
* Numerous high-energy commercials for car dealerships and the like played on KNRK, making for an interesting juxtaposition with their self-consciously dry air personalities and production.

Sorry, jrdub: but I couldn't possibly disagree more. In fact, if spots were my 'bread & butter' (and they were for many years), I'd be hyper-sensitive for anything annoying and then vow to find ways for them to never hit MY airwaves.

It's a matter of choices: would you rather have 100 bad spots or 10 good ones? Here's a novel idea: how about 100 good ones! Don't tolerate crap just because it's bought & paid-for.

In fact, insisting on good-quality commercials will (in the long run) be of better service to the listener, the station and the client.

Hayes Barnard from Paramount Equity Mortgage.

I completely agree. Hayes Barnard is even more annoying than Tom Shane and Credityes.com.

I can't speak to the present, but know KINK used to be very picky on agency spots that stuck out too much...Also in the 80s when KYTE FM was classical, we re did a number of spots to make the creative mesh better with the format. No one wants to follow Beethoven piano music with some guy shouting about a new KIA!

Mike: I never said the spots on my station were annoying. They are not. Our production for commercial announcements is good. Our network inventory we air is good. We do not air annoying commercials. We do not tolerate crap...and we do strive to always better serve the customer & listener.

off topic a bit but the current Amazon.com radio spots are great.

anyone else agree?

> Hayes Barnard from Paramount Equity Mortgage.

"...Lending with expertise! Paramount Equity Mortgage!" I think that Matthew Lesko is more annoying. However, some people would probably make the case that the Paramount Equity commercial is a very good commercial, as you, Vitalogy, are able to remember the guy's name *and* the business's name from the commercial.

P.S.: CALL 1-888-ASK-LESKO!!!!!

Not only is Hayes Barnard annoying, he lies about interest rates going down and he also breaks the law by not stating APR when advertising his so-called low rate. I'm surprised station management would allow him to do so.

I was always told that the commercials that were mentioned by others in this thread are actually the best, since you've just named the advertisers in question and given them a free plug.

Always fun to revisit this topic. Like many on this board I still produce a good portion of commercials, but being a freelancer I can pick and choose my clients.

Having been a production director more than once, I like being able to work on one or two projects a day. This gives me a chance to really work hard at making the commercials I do less irritating. There were days on the production line I was just firing them out in rapid succession. Today, the pace is much different and I have a life.

Let's face it. Commercials by their very nature are tune outs. So make them the best you can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3oHpup-pk

Countrybob....I just pitched this idea to the marketing director at Standard TV and Appliance. Need to get the Schonz to do a rap.

Oh, man.

I was going to weigh in with the nasally "This is John, from Rubenstein's" ads...or perhaps his ads for the Vancouver Auto Mall.

But I've already been topped by Alfredo_t with "...ask Lesko."

Boy, is that one ever annoying.

Herb

The Sports Authority spot plugging the Janz-Ten Beach location drives me nuts. One more reason to have locals produce ads and / or get nationals to correct mispronounciations like this one before we have to hear them.

There's the Oxy-5 zit treatment spot that ran on KISN in the early 70's and a spot for the Mormon church that ran on KSKD in the late 70's that come to mind.

I like AutoMall John.

any car dealer spot where the disclaimer is speeded up so fast that it is unintelligible. For that matter, if your add is filled with qualifications and exceptions, then it probably isn't a good buy anyway.

Any ad that says if we can't beat the price, we will give it to you free.

Check this out!

Finally, some truth in advertising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3EVajeiGCs

Let's talk about the Shane Company.

"Accoss the freeway from Washington Square. Located HWY217 & Scholls Ferry Rd. Open M-F till 8, Saturday & Sunday till 7."

sleep country usa commercials are annoying, as are mattress world.
another annoying commercial I recall from San Francisco Radio was MatthewsTVand stereo city
6400 mission st. top of the hill in Dsaly City.
boring and annoying!!theyey got in big trouble for bait and switch practicesz!!!!!one of their commercialvoices was a big time kya DJ named Tom Campbell

those gekko geico austrailian voicecommercials are becoming very annoyingm good day mate!!!!!

Many dealership commercials with a guy yelling about great deals or how much $$$ you save. I just turn it off or change stations.

Any radio ad with a siren in it! I immediately look in rear-view mirror for cops, ambulance or fire engine. These should be illegal! Heard one today, have no idea what it was for since I'm looking for the siren! Hate 'em!

The Sunny Kobe Cook Sleep Country ads that ran in the 90's were annoying! Sunny had that sidekick who'd always argue with her ('but Sunny, how can those prices be so low?!').

"those gekko geico austrailian voicecommercials are becoming very annoyingm good day mate!!!!!"

Uh, the gecko's a Cockney Brit, old chap!

I have to wonder why it is that a truck dealership would advertise on such stations such as am 970.

I lost count the number of times I have heard Rick Emerson make fun of some one like Toby Keith and his truck and or commercials for Ford meanwhile Rick is doing live reads for a TRUCK company.

then on the fan 1080 they are running two spots for two seperate Truck dealerships, with Isacc doing the boasting of one and big Zuke doing the other and both claiming that nobody treats you better then their respective sponors.

Has anyone got the info on why Sleep Country USA just recently switched spokespersons? The lady who took over for Sunny Kobe Cook years ago had done a great job (imho) establishing herself as a focal point for their ads, but now she's disappeared and has been replaced.

The new woman is "ho-hum competent" but doesn't have the spark or pizazz of her predecessor. Just wondering...

Not sure what happened to the other spokesperson but this is not unusual. Just like radio or TV personalities, spokespeople can be there one moment gone the next.

Sometimes within organizations a new marketing or advertising person is replaced or hired. They are told either to make changes or find different ways to market the talent. Many times they come in not knowing all the politics and history of the company and make decisions that are not in the best interest of that company.

Of course there could be a myriad of other reasons too.

Even the best commercials become annoying when you hear it 100 times a day.

This goes back quite a ways: Hooked-on-Phonics Call 1-800-ABCDEFG

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