Advertising in our life!

The other day, I borrowed a can of coffee from my mom. As I was standing there waiting for the one-cup to drip, I noticed the back of the can had ADVERTISING on it for power tools. Yes, tools, as in electric staplers. It struck me as really odd that a tool company would advertise on the back of a can of coffee but who knows what was going through their minds!? I’m sure there must be a money-catch there somewhere.

It got me to thinking about how advertising has come a long way since I was a kid. I don’t even think I can name one commercial from my childhood - and yes, contrary to my son’s opinion, we did have television when I was a kid. Sure, it was mostly black and white and we only had 3 channels, but we had television.

Advertising has turned into such a multi-million dollar business that it has almost overtaken actual television shows in importance. I’m sure the Super Bowl commercials, aside from costing a fortune to place, are the most talked about commercials ever. I think there is even a website where you can watch commercials from past Super Bowls.

My mom is in love with the gecko on Geico. She thinks that’s the funniest commercial character she’s ever seen. And more often than not, she will call me up and say, “Have you seen such and such commercial?” She’s right; commercials can be hysterical!

Oh yes I do! I do remember a commercial from when I was a kid. Alka-Seltzer and the stomachs! They showed all these people’s stomachs (only) passing by the camera and I think it was about all sorts of upsets and stomachs needing the seltzer; who knows? But I do remember, ‘plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!” Their catchy jingle! And while I was not a child, I also remember that woman and her, “Where’s the beef?”

I noticed the other day there was a 30 minute television show dedicated to the top favorite Hallmark commercials. I meant to tape it because who hasn't had a Hallmark commercial bring a tear to their eye? Of course, I think there was telephone company commercial where a concerned man asked the woman what was wrong. She'd been talking to their son on the phone and she was crying. She said, “He just called me to say he loves me.” Sniff sniff.

But since I noticed that advertising on the coffee can this morning, I began to wonder just how far advertisers will go to place an ad to bring in business? I can almost see it now:

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith? You have a beautiful baby boy! And if you’d like to have a huge discount on your hospital bill, just let us tattoo our hospital name across his cute little rear end!!”