Friday, March 15, 2013

Veggieclean Nancy

An advertisement from the local Santa Cruz newspaper, Good Times


The weird thing about this ad isn't the "veggieclean" part, since a cleaning company can be environmentally conscious (and that's good). No, the weird part is the presence of Nancy Reagan.

Kind of sad.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Funky Taste of Passion

Something I saw stuck at a stoplight in Dallas: 


Do you really want to taste "passion" in your morning coffee?  Wasn't that why you took the shower?

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Cute Crap

Some might find this packaging cute.


I just find it annoying.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Annoying J. Crew Model of the Week - 3/11/13

Your Annoying J. Crew Model for the week of March 11th:

This guy's gait looks unnatural, like he's just learned how to walk.


Either that, or perhaps he pooped in his pants just like the Annoying J. Crew Model from February 25th.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Jarhead

Filled with fine meaty goodness, it's this week's installment of  

RETRO-ADTIVITY

Deliciousness from 1946:


I'm not sure which is more disturbing: the tamales in a jar or the smiling grocer holding them up for display.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Santa Troll Broom Thing?

I saw this in a Dollar General store the other day, but I'm not exactly sure what the hell it is:  


The description on the box says something about "the trolls of the mountain," but the image looks something like Santa Claus.  But then the banner over santa troll's head reads "A touch of country magic."  So what does "country magic"--and what exactly is country magic?--have to do with Santa Claus or trolls?  They're trying to sell brooms here, so why the mixed layers of references and imagery?

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Blind Exploitation

Here's yet another flyer I recently received in the mail:  


I'm scratching my head here, trying to figure out why the kid is in this advertisement.  What does he have to do with the content of the flyer?  It's for an organization called Heritage for the Blind, but this boy doesn't seem to be blind at all.  And there's nothing about the service, or the way it is framing itself, that suggests anything child-friendly or kid-related.  I know that market and design people like to use children in their ads to give things a particular feel -- something is innocent, something is pure, something is good for the family -- but what the hell is the function of this kid? Is he going to come tow your truck?  Is he threatening to visit your home and blind you?

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Jet Freak

From another flyer I received in the mail recently:  


I don't want this mascot's image anywhere near whatever I plan on putting into my mouth.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Annoying J. Crew Model of the Week - 3/4/13

Your Annoying J. Crew Model for the week of March 4th: 


If this dude weren't already injured, I'd want to break his legs...just for looking like a real dumb ass.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Memories of Mom's Liver


Mmmmmmm.  What's cooking?  Something smells good this morning.  What is it?  Might it be this week's installment of 

RETRO-ADTIVITY?

Something sizzling from 1959:


"Mornindine" was the trade name of pipamazine, a drug prescribed for women during pregnancy, supposedly to help alleviate morning sickness.  It was eventually pulled from the market because it caused hepatic lesions.

But screw mom's liver!  As long as she gets up to make everyone breakfast, and dad doesn't have to dirty his hands, who cares?  Right?

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Toilet Rainbow Baby

Last week I posted a not-very-well-thought-out flyer from C&W Plumbing, here in the greater Dallas area.  In that ad there was a picture of a kid's face -- apparently their trademark -- in a drain with the words "We'll wash away your troubles!" directly underneath.  Here's another one from this paragon of the plumbing world: 


A couple of things here.  First, you still have the kid's face next to (and apparently associated with) the object of their service, this time a toilet.  Second, there's a rainbow coming out of the bowl.  Is this any kind of commentary on the value of the baby, or perhaps the kind of things the baby's parents have been eating...or some strange signifying of both?

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Sanitary Twist

A recent commercial for Tena sanitary pads:



What's so happy and dance-worthy about a sanitary napkin?  As my wife asked when she first saw this commercial, shouldn't they instead be upset, discomforted, and pissed off?

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Busty Language

Oy!  More incongruous web ads!  

Here are a couple of recent ad links that came up on my Facebook page, both for the Pimsleur Approach language program.  Tell me, what do the women in these ads have to do with learning Spanish?  


And of course an obvious question, what "selling points" do these two women have in common?

For more of these annoying advertisements, check out the Gallery entries Trans Dad, Weird Prick Trick, Gland Error, Breast Savings, Boob Loan, and Sleep Rack.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Everett Leaves the Coop

Today C. Everett Koop passed away.  In memory, I'd like to feature an entry with Koop that I posted back on June 13, 2008.  However, the very first time I posted this was in the original Gallery of the Absurd back in the late 1990s.  Goodbye, Mr. Surgeon General.
-----

C. Everett eat his eggs. I found this on the inside of a carton of eggs I bought.


From Reagan's Surgeon General to shiller of that incredible, edible orb. Egg-cellent!

Annoying J. Crew Model of the Week - 2/25/13

The Annoying J. Crew Model for the week of February 25th:  


There's something weird about the way this woman is walking.  It's like she pooped her pants and is trying to step carefully.

Changing LINKS