Commercial TV Carols: They are despised

There is little I hate in music. Really, I am one of those omnivores who claim (at least) that they like every type of music. But I can honestly tell you that I cannot stand when TV commercials use Christmas carols and holiday music to hawk their products by changing the words.

Wow, how clever and funny. These commercials don't make me run out and buy something. If anything, they make me think the companies are trying to divert attention from shoddy products.

The latest attack has come early this year: a season of detestable Best Buy commercials, such as the one below which turns "Silent Night" into "Satellite Radio." Again, so clever. Watch 13 more at its Web site, which might as well have the Grinch as its Webmaster.

Perhaps It sounds as if I am some old codger, but I am not. I am in my 30s and I have hated this uncreative, usually unfunny practice for at least half of my life. I just never had a blog before to vent. It is not that I think carols and Christmas hymns are so pure that they can't be messed with. It is simply that I think changing words of carols to sell something is cheesy -- so cheesy -- not to mention terribly cliched at this point.

DOES ANYONE ELSE AGREE WITH ME?

 

Posted Dec 01 2009, 02:33 PM by Andrew Druckenbrod
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Comments

artchick10 wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Mon, Nov 23 2009 3:47 PM

i totally agree with you. I dive for the mute button as soon as they come on (but not always fast enough. my step-kids constantly sing  the "five roast beef sandwiches" version of the Twelve Days of Christmas). so cliched!

Andrew Druckenbrod wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Mon, Nov 23 2009 4:13 PM

I can't stand that one, too!

This is not to say all marketers are not creative. I am constantly laughing at original commercials or even ones that satirize something. But with these Christmas/holiday rip-offs, they are just coasting...

Actually, the horrible truth is marketers would probably tell us is that using carols is really effective ... but that doesn't stop me from wanting to jam a candy cane in both of my ear canals...

loscil wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Mon, Nov 23 2009 8:30 PM

I like to put my own lyrics to some of the less conspicuous holiday commercial music.  The lexus red-bow adds go great with the nursery rhyme:

TO market, to market, to buy a fat hog;

Home again, home again, jigetty-jog.

Problem is it really gets stuck in your head after the fourth viewing in a 1 hour span...

Andrew Druckenbrod wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Tue, Nov 24 2009 10:13 AM

Yeah, that sounds dangerous...earworms are nasty!

Chris McGlumphy wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Tue, Nov 24 2009 10:55 PM

Agreed. And don't get me started on the Gap holiday commercials.

ShilohMSP wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Tue, Dec 1 2009 5:30 AM

"Gack" is my first and strongest response. How is it possible - anti-slick, amateur, glistening with syrup parody - that this commercial is effective. Not only do I dive for the remote to hit "mute" but I am trying to figure out how I can avoid shopping at Best Buy this year. Guitar Center has a new online vintage rock promotion that is completely interactive and SILENT. Maybe I'll learn how to play Rock Band...?

Is that a plug? Not really. It is a consumer's lame attempt to offer a moral lesson to Best Buy: "Don't do schlock."

meestro wrote re: Commercial TV Carols: They are despised
on Fri, Dec 4 2009 11:31 AM

I agree with you, with the exception of one series of commercials.  Every year, Garmin does a new commercial set to the Ukranian Bell Carol, and I must confess that I usually enjoy them.  They're quirky, well-made, and usually capture the absurdity of mega-Christmas materialism very nicely.