Do you Think T.V Commercials are showing their actors being too Selfish and Greedy?

Question

I have a little Pet Peeve to air and wonder if anyone else agrees with me.

I just watched a Commercial from "Oatmeal Crisp" that shows a Father getting agitated that his son wants some of his breakfast cereal.

Or what about the Twix Commercials who's slogan is "All for me none for you"? Or the Hot dog Commercial "Hunger gets what Hunger wants, and shows a hand taking food from someone else.

Then there's the A1 commercial where it shows two men in a restaurant and one man is putting A1 on his hamburger, the man next to him asks if he can borrow that and when the man turns to get the A1 sauce he just takes his Burger from his plate.

I think that commercials are going to far and teaching our children to be selfish, greedy and if you want it to just take it, doesn't matter if it isn't yours. Commercials like this don't make me want to go out and buy there products they quite frankly turn me off, does anyone else have an opinion?

Answer 1

I think the point of these type of commercials is to be funny and that the product is so good, you're willing to steal it...which is a bad lesson to teach children.  They may or may not realize this, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't care either way.  

Answer 2

Yes, I agree they are. However, is the commercial industry mimicking reality, or is it creating it? In other words, which came first, greedy people, or greedy actors?

In either case, we agree that showing such vices in people is wrong, and influences others - especially youth - to be the same. TV and movies need to model more virtue than vice in people!

Good question!

Answer 3

They are commercials.  They are actors.  They are doing a marketing job.  Some will hit with the general populace, some will annoy.  They target their best audience according  to product.  When you don't like it, mute it.  That's what I do if they are annoying.  It's just marketing.  It's also why you need to be watching TV with your children so you can make sure they understand what they should.  And no, I do not feel the commercials you are talking about spout greed and selfishness.  They are promoting product, not greed, and they use humor to do it.  So laugh a little more and be a little less uptight.  Kids already get the humor.

Answer 4

And then there's commecials with an air of smugness and arrogance. That would be the Vonage commercials. I am so turned off by that commercial that I will never use Vonage, no matter what.

Answer 5

Its mainly for adverstising but I do believe that these type of commercials send the wrong messeges to children, especially the ones with food.  When I was 11, my parents bought fried chicken for dinner.  My mom asked my sister if she wanted to eat but she said that she was going to eat out or she just ate and then I said "more for us".  My dad got mad and told me not to be greedy.  Oviously I learned that from TV.  On commercials they also show kids eating a large portion of the product and one time I saw a picture of a little girl eating pancakes on the box for the pancake mix and she had 3 on her plate.  I kept asking my parents that why couldn't eat 3 pancakes and they told me that it was too much for me and that she has 3 in order to advertise the product.  I was about 7 at the time and that little girl looked like she was around that age.

Answer 6

I think for one, ads insult my intelligence.  Next, I agree that they are making entertainment out of bad manners.  I wish advertisers should look at the manners impact of their ads.

Answer 7

it turns me off to the products but i dont think its teaching the kids to be selfish.  

Answer 8

It's got to do with materialism and greed in America in general.  We think we never have enough and never will.  It isn't just in commercials it's in the stores and in the way kids think.  They aren't happy with just regular sneakers...they need the high dollar, most advertised sneakers.  Cars...people have to have the best...not just the regular one, the best.  It's materialism and greed and it's overtaken the American public.  It's in the homes....we upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. But the commercials start at to "attack" the youngest children that it is a shame.  And the young kids understand it.  My 20 month old Granddaughter cannot count to 10 but knows what McDonald's and Burger King is.  I think they have subliminal messages also that we don't even know about.  But we have blame ourselves for being a part of the problem.

Peace & Love  :)