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So this Olympics has been no different. NBC has already forked out much moolah for the telecast rights and at last count, has also signed up for the 2010 and 2012 Games for an astounding $2.1 billion. But luckily for them, viewership is on the rise and has already surpassed the Sydney Games ratings. Advertisers are going to make custom commercials if they are going to pay NBC big bucks for airing them. No one would like to see oft-repeated mundane commercials that we have seen umpteen times. NBC was guilty of setting the bar low by immediately offering Team USA’s apparel on its website and on air after the opening ceremony. The commercial was extremely tacky and bordered on pandering to cheap publicity.
However, the good ones were not far behind. Searly Mattress showed obsessed athletes doing the pommel horse routine on his bed post before falling asleep on his dismount on the bed. The better version was the synchronized sleepers or the dude who launches himself on a high jump on the top level of the bunk bed. They fall asleep the instant the hit the bed; it almost makes me go out and buy Searly for my insomniac soul. Visa impresses with its Phelps commercial swimming the Atlantic from Greece to New York and declaring that it is only his first lap as he turns back. An interesting tidbit, did you know that guy swam seven miles everyday to practice for the games. No wonder the line that VISA uses – the best way to get to the Olympics – practice, works well.
But the biggest splash was made by the Allstate commercials, asking you are you prepared for the Games. The best one in the series of hilarious commercials was the one with the weightlifter. This massive hulk lifts up an awesome amount of weights and bangs it down on the floor only to see it disappear in the floor; penetrating several floors to the parking deck onto the car of a poor unsuspecting soul. I think VISA also uses a similar tagline by showing unprepared athletes; track athlete without shoes, fencer without his saber, tennis player without his racket, relay runners without the baton, rowers without oars, and the clincher, a swimmer without his shorts. It certainly gives you plenty of room to think of more scenarios. The Bud Lite commercials will never be far behind in raising the laughs. Going for the exactly opposite, it celebrates the slob in us by showing 10ft marathons and 15ft relays.
The classy and emotional commercials by Nike and Home Depot also catch your attention. Maybe because they have been so many times but yet they do not irritate you. You’re Faster than You Think goads the hidden athlete in all of us. Don’t tell me, you wouldn’t break the track record a la Marion Jones, if you come to face with a hideous lady in a haunted mansion, much like the little girl in the Nike commercial. The Chinese pianist commercial appears more classy and seamless; maybe because of the stark contrast of grey shades and red. Home Depot is trying to proclaim its public service commitments by telling you that it is the employer for the most Olympic hopefuls. The moment you tell yourself you can do it, you can – however doesn’t really stick with what they are really trying to sell i.e. we encourage talent.
Of course, not everything is cheery. Apna Bush leads the way for worst commercials by trying to hog the political limelight in the simple joy of sports. He jumps on the B(ad)-wagon by showing random athletes while a voiceover proclaims that two new free nations (Iraq and Afghanistan) are a part of the Olympics and we should vote for Bush if we want to see more. Someone please ask him to wait for his turn to be in the limelight when the Republican Convention hits town. And, what is it with winter athletes taunting summer athletes in a Sprint commercial. It is not at all funny. Ronald McDonald literally tries to get into the Olympic spirit by taking some dives to sell burgers and fries…what an awful waste of ad money. Finally, why do cell phone companies make such awful commercials? The AT&T drafted in Phelps and made him into an ordinary salesman by making him hand his phone to a friend with a weak phone signal. “Hey, don’t hurt yourself…take mine”. Couldn’t they come up with something more interesting?
Whew! After the Olympics, I swear I am not looking at the TV for a month. Especially the commercials.
by Patrix | on Wednesday, August 25th, 2004 at 11:05 pm | 
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August 26th, 2004 at 1:09 am reply
Nee TV kanuo, kanath irikye…enikya entha
August 26th, 2004 at 3:55 am reply
Now i’m convinced about Patrix learning a new language:-) Patrix, how’s it going?
August 26th, 2004 at 7:16 am reply
Hmm… this Seema girl is made of stern stuff. She not only completed her sentence in the last post, she had a word for everyone. Aaar, watch out man.
Hey Seema :-)
Patrix, finally something I can relate to in the Olympix - ads. :-) I can only imagine them from your description, but I think they’re running the Nike ones here too. There was a cool hoarding I spotted yesterday, actually two hoardings side by side. A runner at the starting post in one and breaking into a sprint in the next. Dunno if you’ve seen it, but I thought it was cool.
August 26th, 2004 at 7:39 am reply
So true Lee, these threats from seema coming for every blog of patrix… good that you guys are not getting it:-)
August 26th, 2004 at 8:45 am reply
Aar, All these days hanging out in the blog duniya to find your perfect partner has borne fruit. *hope Seema is single* She not only talks your language, she can really put u in place. What else do u need?
And Patrix, to translate what Seema said..
‘You TV seeing, not-seeing be..what for me.’
August 26th, 2004 at 8:45 am reply
Being close to Canada, I get to watch the Canadian Olympic coverage on CBC, too. They have my most favorite Olympics themed ad. It is for the ‘pause live broadcast’ feature on the digital receiver of the cable company ‘Bell’. It shows a gymnist sitting down to eat a sandwich, a weightlifter chatting with the judges, and two boxers playing cards in the ring. All of them rush back to their games when the viewer returns to the chair with a plate full of food.
August 26th, 2004 at 10:54 am reply
*AD JINGLE*
Fastest Idlee Eater Contest (without sambhar or chutney).
Packed stadium watching Patrix, Aaar and Smiley lining up in front of Seema’s Idlee And Vadaa Stand. Alpha messing around with the Start gun…*bang*!…(scream heard from the audience)
Patrix and Aaar start devouring hot steaming idlees at burn tongue speed! Smiley spots Leela in a corner admiring hoardings of sexy male underwear models! Jealous rage overcomes Smiley and he starts hurling idlees on hoarding to cover objectionable parts…
Smiley uses up all idlees!!! Seema panics…Aiyyo!!! No more idlee batter left!!! What to do I do???!!!??? Amma Appa!!! Nee TV kanuo!!! Nee TV kanuo!!!
*AD JINGLE*
Yogu appears…calm and smiling in Sri Krishna avatar…”Mallu Ballike…for such extreme situations…use Gits Instant Idlee Mix…”
*AD JINGLE*
Bhagwan Yogu disappears…
Seema thanking Sri Yogu with tears in her eyes…churns out a thousand GITS idlees. Idlee contest a success!!! Roaring crowds applaud! Smiley wins Gold for doing something “hath ke”. Patrix writes grumpy post about it. Aaar in love with tasty idlees proposes to Seema and they are married happily ever after.
*AD JINGLE*
“When in a fix…get GITS IDLEE MIX!!!”
August 26th, 2004 at 11:07 am reply
heheehe Yogu..that was too much. ..please having a laughing contest. I will win now.
As long as you are supplying GITS mix and not sarees to hapless women, I am fine with you being Sri Krishna.
August 26th, 2004 at 11:15 am reply
LOL
Getafix, your fixation with ‘fix’ and the idlis will rob Lee of next year’s abby awards.
Lee, if you want revenge, alpha is waiting with some solid idlis near the discus throwers.
August 26th, 2004 at 11:17 am reply
Alpha,
I have doubts over the laughing contest. Was trying hard to stop laughing while speaking to some distressed colleague over phone. And the catchline
Nee TV kanuo!!! Nee TV kanuo!!!
ROTFL
August 26th, 2004 at 12:38 pm reply
Seema - English please..no matter how many times you write that, I am not gonna understand that. And Alpha’s translation doesn’t help much.
Aar - LOL! you found someone to keep you in place..hope Seema comes dressed in black leather and a whip to boot. But guys, get a room not on my blog :) even though if it is you crying for help.
Parag - Sounds like a cool commercial. Too bad I’m so far from the Canadian border
Leela - The only thing I miss about not getting around much is seeing billboards. I just have to suffice watching the TV commercials. You got any similar assignments in store?
Yogu - LOL. Glad to see you haven’t lost your touch at all..now I should just stop writing posts and put the comment board and doodle board in the center of my blog.
Alpha - forget it. I already won the laughing contest if not the idlee contest..BTW what was Leela doing admiring male models, I thought idLEE was Leela’s fave food…ok ok bad joke, Patrix let Yogu do the jokes.
August 26th, 2004 at 1:10 pm reply
hmm..you should go out more often.. :p
August 26th, 2004 at 1:50 pm reply
Someone - Maybe I do. But then if I could, I would.
August 27th, 2004 at 12:22 am reply
Rob Lee of next year’s Abbies?! I’ll be lucky if I get to keep my job! Er.. Getafix-ji, that was very cool. I especially like my role *drool*. Am I glad Smiley has a bad aim. :-)
Aaaraarara, what revenge? The view is great from where I’m standing :-)
And Patrix, once again, HOW did you know about my favourites??
Finally, a post-related comment: No, I haven’t done any Olympic related commercials this year. But would have been interesting to sell Olympic-flavoured lipsticks :-B
August 27th, 2004 at 1:20 am reply
Leela - the world has forgotten about the lost art of telepathy *flirt flirt*…but what the heck, check out the spy cam in your home…behind the curtains..thoda left..nahee right…yeah, there it is..so now you know.
Olympic-flavored lipstick? come in five different colors?