Do you ever feel as though life is becoming one endless commercial?
My recent post about using famous songs for ads sent me off on this tangent…
John Kay (Steppenwolf) wrote a song about that in 2001, for his album Heretics and Privateers.
The New World Order? Let’s hope not! LYRICS►
When I lived in Germany (1960s), commercials on TV were only shown before and after the program, never during. Here in North America, a 30-minute show is in reality only 22 minutes, with ads making up the rest of the time.
They intrude at regular intervals and many people (including me) prefer to record shows, so we can fast-forward through these annoying interruptions. But guess what? Advertisers have figured this out, so now, they insert print ads right into the program!
Online sites are just as bad, or even worse, especially with intrusive pop-up ads. They sometimes obscure a good part of the page! Do they really think you’ll buy or sign up for something when you’re annoyed?!
If people want to advertise on their website, that’s fine with me. I do it too (not that it generates much income). But please, don’t ruin your readers’ experience by plastering blurbs all over the content!
And what’s the deal with prices?! Everything has increased by ridiculous amounts, including concerts, which I love to attend but can no longer afford.
Imagine my shock and disgust to find out that good seats for Aerosmith’s Farewell Tour would cost over $1000 each, $500 for the nosebleed section!
The late, great Tom Petty had something to say on the subject. LYRICS►
It’s all about the money, honey!
Are you tired of the money grubbing too?
Any pet peeves you’d like to share?
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
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24 thoughts on “ENDLESS COMMERCIAL?”
Oh, and PS: the prices for Aerosmith tickets? All I have to say is CRAZY!
I know, right! 🤯 Not just Aerosmith – prices for concerts by all big name acts have gone ballistic here. Thankfully, some of my favourite Canadian artists are also touring, offering cheaper tickets (smaller venues), so I can still get my concert fix.
Unfortunately, things have changed in Germany, too, since you left. At least with the privately owned channels, I don’t know about the state ones, I don’t watch German TV if I can avoid it. I watch most things on YouTube, where you can drag the cursor forward during vlogers’ “sponsor appreciation segements”.
I’m not surprised that things have changed in Germany, since commercialization runs rampant everywhere these days. 😛 Yes, that “skip ads” option on Youtube is a good thing! I use the Adblock Plus app on desktop, which is even better. 🙂
Entertainment is a luxury. It was something one could manage decently well. Just like everything else skyrocketing in price, it makes sense that this industry has, too. I hate ads! We stream most of our content. There are some channels where you can’t avoid commercials and God forbid you stop your program just short of or coming out of a commercial set because it’ll force to watch them all over once you hit play again. That’s super annoying! You’re right, who signs up or buys anything with pesky pop-ups? Not me! Personally, I don’t trust them. If I want to buy something then I’ll go that site and if I’m already on it, then just wait for me to get around to it. Great rants. Now, let’s hope marketing trolls see this with the hopes it’ll make them rethink things. I know that’s all wishful thinking but a girl can dream. 🙂
Yes, most of us used to be able to afford entertainment, but now, not so much. Although, I was pleased to see that my favourite Canadian artists are touring and charging more reasonable prices (smaller venues), so I can still get my concert fix. 😀 The issue with ads when streaming is a huge annoyance. 😛 I don’t think the situation is going to get any better, though. We’ll probably see 50% content and 50% ads in the near future!
Isn’t that just sad? We mute all commercials. There’s nothing anyone is pedaling that captures our attention enough to want to see their ads. I guess there’s enough others out there who’ll suffer through them to eventually make a purchase.
We’re on the same page, Debbie. Prices are insane for everything, and the ads are ridiculous. I know you don’t use WordPress.com but those that use plans less than the Premium or Business plans have ads stuck anywhere in their blog post plus the ads are obnoxious. Sigh.
I have noticed some WordPress.com sites have a lot more ads in the content area than before. That’s too bad! 🙁 I keep mine off to the side and below. Probably one reason they generate so little income! 😆 I would do away with them altogether, but then all my previous posts would have ugly blank spaces. Plus, you never know, someday, somebody might be interested in helping me keep this website going. (Yeah, right! 😆) That too is getting ridiculously expensive. 😛 Thanks for coming by, Eugi! 🙂
Wastes my time to rant about what ain’t under my control. I just sigh and thank God for what is in HIS control!
Yeah, I know there’s nothing I can do about it, but it sure is cathartic to rant! At least, it is for me. 🙂 Thanks for coming by, Chris.
Great rant Deb! I’m with you on all counts. Concerts are ridiculous because all the big corps and the elite buy up tons of seats then scalp for more profit. The world is all about greed now, in every direction we turn. And ya, commercials are so annoying. I think a half hour show used to be 22 minutes, more like 14 now. I particularly love turning the news on at 6 and cooking or eating dinner to toe fungus commercials. Yum! Ya, whatever I watch on TV is recorded just for that reason – fast forward. And yes, now those buggers take up the better bottom half of our screens to drive through their greed and ruin our entertainment. I’m surely sick of it all. Thanks for letting me rant with you. 🙂 <3
Glad to help, Deb! 🙂 There’s nothing like a good rant, is there? Prices for everything are insane now – even lettuce! 😮 I’m so glad we paid off our mortgage, as there’s been yet another interest rate hike. Where does it end?
It’s brutal in Toronto. Everyone is choking. 🙁 xx
“Do they really think we’ll buy or sign up for something when we’re annoyed”? Excellent point! And absolutely not.
I quit the concert scenes some time ago for medical reasons due to the obnoxious use of strobes. I wonder if it has anything to do with the latest trend of throwing things at entertainers on stage. 😉
Great song picks!
Hi diedre! 🙂 This post-pandemic world sure is different and not for the better! Prices have skyrocketed and so has crime. 🙁 And yes, what’s the deal with entertainers getting clocked by their “fans”? It’s dangerous everywhere. 😬
Life is an endless commercial and some are good and some not so much.
It’s always about the money.
Have a fabulous day and week, Debbie. Big hug. ♥
Yup, it’s always about money. I’m sick of the endless greed, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Except rant on my blog! 😉 Thanks for coming by, Sandee.
I DVR everything. Even shows on PBS. What I also find annoying is station adds in the corners. Sometimes, if I am watching a foreign movie, a small add will scroll across the screen and cover up the English text. That too is annoying.
Yes, the on-screen print ads during programming are especially annoying! Even worse when they obscure the subtitles. 😛
The songs fit the context so well. And wow, $1000 for the concert!
Yes, this is a popular issue, and musicians have picked up on it. 🙂 On the flip side, I can’t believe the ridiculous increase in concert prices! 😮 They were already high before the pandemic. Thanks for coming by, Damyanti.
We have three main BBC channels that have no commercial advertising, but all the rest have ad-breaks in their shows. There are usually at least three breaks in a one-hour drama for instance, sometimes more.
To counter this, I record those on a PVR, and fast-forward all the ads.
Best wishes, Pete.
It’s so annoying, isn’t it? We record and fast-forward through ads as much as possible, also. Thanks for coming by, Pete! 🙂