It is hard to tell which is worse or more annoying.  Is it the ‘speed’ talking at the end of a radio commercial or the endless disclosures at the ending of a TV commercial?

While listening to a radio ad today about some ‘wonderful’ auto financing available for a ‘short time only’,  the commercial ends with the guy talking at warp speed about all the contingencies and conditions that may disqualify one for the financing. No living animal could possibly understand what the heck the guy is saying.

Then there are the TV commercials about wonderful new drugs. The template for the ‘wonderful new drug’ commercials talks about all of the benefits of the new drug, followed by something like this:

No living animal could possibly absorb or understand the last 40 seconds of the TV commercial.  It is hard to tell which is worse or which is more annoying. However, those questions are up for debate but one thing is clear—these companies, like so many of their peers and colleagues, are completely disconnected from the customer.  I realize that the FDA requires these companies to list off the potential side effects but there must be a more effective way to communicate potential symptoms.

Oftentimes, I ponder what these companies are trying to accomplish. I realize that the FDA requires these companies to list off the potential side effects, but it seems to me like they are trying to jam way too much information into too little time. Whatever their mission is, one thing is clear:  they are far removed from any measure of understanding their buying public. From an outsider looking it, it seems like all of these drug companies are using the same ad agency for the scripting and production of these ads . . .  A slow beginning with some laudatory claims and then racing to the finish line with language that is so fast it cannot be comprehended. They remind me a little of pilot announcements on a commercial airline flight. To this day, I have never understood one pilot announcement during a flight. All of it is just mumbling, ending with something you half understand like “hope it works out” that scares the hell out of the bad flyers like me.

And then you have to order two more Stolis and water. Maybe they do it to increase liquor sales?

With all the money spent to produce and air these commercials you must ask yourself if these companies even take the time to test or listen or watch them,  or conduct some sort of public test. They are so awful it just makes you wonder.  To produce striking, informative, and persuasive ads, really all that most of them  have to do is ask or listen to their customers.

You know, Like DOMINOS did!