Another Entry in the Obnoxious Commercial Files

Image by nafmo via Flickr

I haven’t seen this commercial personally on TV, but saw it on the Interwebs via Strollerderby. It is a commercial extolling the virtues of high-fructose corn syrup of all things. What I find most obnoxious is that the mom who is concerned about the kids eating healthy comes off as a shrewish buttinsky, while the mom pouring the hideous bright red punch is all smug about feeding her kids junk. (Clinton vs. Palin?)

The commercial points us to more pro-corn syrup propaganda: sweetsurprise.com.

Hey, corn syrup industry! We object to your product because you put it in every-freaking-thing and it’s making us and our kids fat. It’s a whole lot easier to avoid — and treat yourself occasionally to — sugar than it is to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. And any Coca-Cola addict (like my husband) will tell you that Coke with sugar tastes better and is more satisfying, so even soda-heads might find it easier to consume in moderation.

I guess it’s a good thing that this propaganda campaign has been launched, because it means that people are listening to Michael Pollan and others, and avoiding the dreaded corn syrup. Maybe we can use it to run our cars instead.

I Hate This Commercial!

I hate this commercial for Dixie paper plates. Basically, it’s a bunch of moms saying that because they use disposable plates, they can spend more time with their family, which makes them better moms than me, I guess.

Why do I hate this commercial so much? Let me count the ways:

1. It promotes throwing even more trash into landfills rather than taking 5 minutes to wash the dishes. If you have a new-fangled dishwasher, you don’t even have to rinse them first!
2. It promotes spending your money over and over on something you don’t need (paper plates) rather than just buy once something you can reuse for years (real plates), which just isn’t fiscally responsible for busy working families.
3. Isn’t that what you had children for, to bring someone into the world who you can make do all the chores you hate, like the dishes? Stop spoiling them already!
4. Finally, if you’re so concerned about spending time with your family, why don’t you do the dishes together? Or is that cutting into your TV time?

I wish I could boycott Dixie on account of this commercial, but I already don’t buy disposable paper plates and cups. If you feel moved to boycott them on my behalf, please let me know in the comments!