If you’ve followed my blogs, you know that usually, I react to various things in our culture that trigger thoughts about our Christian faith, and about what the Scriptures have to say about such topics. Well, today, it’s not so much religious reactions I offer, but comments about personal pet peeves that occur in advertisements and other media. These are not important in the great scheme of things; they won’t determine anyone’s salvation; but they will let me sleep better to get them off my chest. So here goes, in no particular order: (You’ve been warned!)
Pet Peeve #1. Media personalities who go to a commercial recommending their “friends” at the sponsoring company. “See my friends at XYZ Roofing Company for all your roofing needs!” Whenever I hear such ads, I ask, “Were they your friends before they paid you money to be your sponsor? Do you guys hang out together at the game? Do you go to each others’ homes for backyard barbecues? Were they your baptismal sponsors? In other words, how good a friend are they?” I know why they introduce sponsors this way – by calling them friends, it encourages the audience to look favorably upon the sponsor. It also implies the media personality has personal knowledge of the sponsors and approves them. However, I am on to their little trick, and won’t be fooled for a second! True friends can’t be bought!
Pet Peeve #2. Commercials that proclaim, “You deserve this” or, “You’ve earned it!” By saying this, the ads paint a picture of the product or service as being suitable only for special people. Therefore, if you deserve it, you are to be considered among the elite. You are a one per-center. You are worthy of such rewards that only the few deserve! I recognize that such appeals use basic flattery. (I’m reminded of a certain snake in the Garden who “sold” a piece of fruit as deserved by people who could become like gods.) My main objection to this appeal is the statement, “You deserve this!” Do they really think every person who hears/sees their pitch really deserve it? If the person really deserves it, why don’t you give it to them for free? My faith enters into my thinking about this pet peeve too; if none of us is worthy of salvation or heaven, why would we puff ourselves up as deserving anything? As Romans 3:10 says, “None is righteous, no, not one.”
Pet Peeve #3. Ads that say, “They don’t want you to know,” or, “What they won’t tell you.” They claim that Big pharma, Big manufacturing, Big government, or some other Big corporation with money, is threatened by some information this new source has discovered. Usually it’s some simple fact this source knows that “they” don’t want you to find out, because if it gets out, the big company would lose billions of dollars. Therefore, see this video, buy this product, etc. before the billionaire company takes it down. Which could happen any day! They especially promise simple cures for diabetes, liver problems, hair loss, vision problems, e.d., etc. They also hawk inexpensive energy and electronic devices that “will put the big companies out of business. There’s almost no limit to all the problems solved by simple discoveries that the money-hungry corporations “don’t want you to know.” Interestingly, while typing this paragraph, I heard a commercial say, “walk-in tub companies, don’t want you to know. . . ”
Pet Peeve #4. “Act now before it’s too late!” Ads create a sense of urgency, that you buy what they’re selling while you still have the chance. Phrases like, “First ten callers. . .”, “While supplies last. . .”, “Before they remove this ad. . .” “For a limited time. . . “, and “Last chance. . .” Of course, in a way, every offer is limited. But this tactic is for you to jump on the offer without engaging any critical thinking or research. Do I really need or want this item? Is it cheaper elsewhere? Is there a better product elsewhere? If I miss this chance to buy, what’s the worse that can happen? Is the special sale true, or is the “original” price inflated to make the sale look better? Usually, if I wait, I’ll find what I want later at a better price – and the big money corporations didn’t force this ad off the media!
Pet Peeve #5. Last (and probably least) is the proliferation of initials for all kinds of medical terms, especially those used in advertising. Do you have Age-related macular degeneration or AMD, or has it progressed to RAind, or retinal atrophy. Or you may have a different RA – rheumatoid arthritis. Be thankful you don’t have RSV, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, though that is better than coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, or Covid-19. Don’t let fears of these diseases cause your BP to spike. Watch out for Mpox, and don’t you dare tell people that the M stands for monkey. If you are diagnosed with AD, is that attachment disorder or Alzheimer disease? Or is it ADHD, attention-deficit disorder? You don’t want a pulmonary embolism, or PE, but you do want an AED to help someone having a heart attack. People used to have VD, but it was cured; now they have STDs instead. Well, I could go on with this peeve, but it is ironic that it irritates me, given I used to work for the YMCA!
So, there you go – 5 pet peeves shut down by my razor sharp reasoning and debate prowess. Spread the word, and maybe we will see these phrases disappear from our culture!
Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Read: Proverbs 18:17 – “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.“