People Who Know Me Well: will be aware how irritated I get with repitition. Sitting in a factory hearing 'The Powerplay' on the radio, or seeing TV adverts too often, drives me crazy.
Have you noticed Alan Titchmarsh's talk show has been moved to the 5pm slot? This is to try and poach some of the 8 million The Weakest Link viewers, but no, it won't work. It's fun trying to answer the questions whilst eating dinner, and it has become socially acceptable, so hard luck, AT.
But, I watch AT until 5.15. when like everyone else, I switch over to TWL, and his viewing figures must plummet. But one evening last week he had 3 guests on and asked them; "What are your favourite, and least-favourite TV ads?' I'm not sure who the male guest was, but I felt thrilled when he said that he changes channels when the 'Go Compare' opera singer ad comes on. Mrs. B thought it was just me being odd, but this admission proved a point; as I have been doing so, or hitting the Mute button with all of the Go Compare ads; and I think they are made to BE irritating so that we remember them - and it's worked! Luckily, we Go Compare hater's have become familiar with the 10 to 15 second start to their numerous ads, and I for one have the hand-set within arm's reach ready and waiting to hit Mute.
But if you notice, the majority of the ads these days are for Insurance, as despite the recession, we still need it, and they make SO much money out of us they can afford to hammer the screens and our senses with a non-stop blitzkrieg of banal idiocy. Direct Line, with Stephen Fry's voice-over, is, oddly enough, not that irritating. But DL must be very well off as their ads are played at EVERY commercial break on EVERY station.
Just think, if we had non-commercial TV, everything advertised would be cheaper! WE pay for the ads when we buy the commodity, and that's the most irritating thing of all. They all make far too much profit. Now, if I watch BBC programmes, I don't get any ads...