On Ads, Abs, Flab and Fads.

A note on the popular media.
I know its not just me. You switch on the television for a relaxing afternoon of mindless programming, and are struck, each few minutes with one of a few ads. They are, roughly, life insurance, dieting supplements or systems, exercise equipment or anti-wrinkle treatments.
So, as a textbook application of audience considered marketing, you wind up thinking about what a fat, ugly piece of shit you are and how death is just around the corner.
It is perhaps a natural choice for advertisers to peddle this kind of thing to those who watch television and not, say, in gyms or health food stores. But come the fuck on!
I can understand one life-insurance ad, but having the constant thought of death circling you does not inspire someone, especially someone in their twenties, to go out and consider their responsibility so much as it inspires deep depression and reflection on a common truth that would be more comfortable in a neglected corner of one’s brain. Try that, as a side dish, with your morning regimen of the Flintstones.
The other thing is the ridiculousness of these ads; the ab-tronic, ab-swing, ab-circle, ab-longue absolutely ridiculous. When did we get concerned that our abs are the problem, and not say, our Dominoes or KFC (Which has the added ridiculous notion in a recent campaign, that it has the sterling seal of approval from Olympic athletes, if you eat KFC you’re more likely to compete for a bed in hospital than at the Olympic Games).
It’s a cause and effect situation, have your pizza and eat it too, have your ab wonder machine, and hopefully use it too. Basically, dear citizens, if you get nice and fat on wonderful, cheap and convenient fast food, you might also expect to have washboard chests and tight arses. There is something out there for everyone.
The anti-wrinkle ads also border on the absurd. One is for a fine product called ”Skin venom”, now, it could be me, but why on earth would I regularly apply something with venom in its title.
Of course there is a smattering of baldness ads too, after all who doesn’t want to look in their twenties all the time? The fact that none of this shit has been credited as working by anyone who means anything, and it is insanely expensive shouldn’t matter. Who can put a price on eternal youth?
The fact is, these ads are unfounded, they are constant and all seem to be pushing the idea that you are not good as you are. The generation that holds any stock in them is the generation who set themselves up for years of trying to swim upstream against aging and better themselves consistently. Why can’t anyone be happy as themselves? Why do we all need these crazy products to perfect everything about ourselves? To make the standards ever higher.
Of course, while annoying, there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe people don’t care as much as I did, but to them I ask:
Where did all the funny beer ads go?