The weirdly sexual ads for Halls Lozenges (mom & son's friend eye each other)

[Liberal_in_LA]

if you haven't seen the ad, it's at the link.

Can Cougars Sell Cough Drops?A mom and her son's roommate share a naughty moment in a spot for Halls Refresh.
By Seth Stevenson

Posted Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, at 3:11 PM ET

The Spot: It's move-in day at a college dorm. A student asks his new roommate's mom whether she'd care for a Halls Refresh. The young man and the middle-aged mom suck on their lozenges, staring lasciviously into each other's eyes. We hear their thoughts. "So juicy!" thinks the mom. "Yeah, she likes it," thinks the student. The woman's husband and son walk in on this intimate moment. "Mom!" shouts the horrified son as the dad recoils. "New Halls Refresh with moisture action," says the announcer. "Surprisingly mouthwatering."

This ad has been catching flak for its mildly disturbing visual of a frumpy mom making bedroom eyes at a college-age nerd. The American Decency Association posted a breathless, run-on rant on its Web site, sounding particularly distressed about the fact that the ad shows "mouths moving in sexually suggestive ways." A Slate colleague is also grossed out by the ad's use of the evocative phrase "moisture action."

http://www.slate.com/id/2235050/

[vadawg]

1. rofl a funny yet disturbing advert to be sure

my wife loves it, laughs her ass off every time...

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. It certainly makes you stop and look

[knowbody0]

3. I laugh every time I watch it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. I notice they stopped running those weirdly sexual Quizno ads - with the talking oven

"put it in me Dave".

[Cleita]

7. Me too.

I think of my aunt Eunice and her son's roommate doing the same.

[ensho]

29. me too, I think it is great - the two of them digging the candy

I don't see anything sexual about it.

[Cleita]

4. Well if mom were a hot cougar and the roommate a heartthrob on campus,

it would definitely be eyebrow raising, but since both are very ordinary people, it doesn't seem as awful and maybe they really are just into the lozenges.

[sendero]

18. Yeah...

... everyone know average looking people don't have hot hot hot sex.

[Cleita]

23. They aren't having sex. n/t

[Gwendolyn]

6. Hah! I thought I was the only one who thought this ad was strange.

I keep envisioning 5 ad guys still young enough to remember their dorm fantasies sitting in a room and coming up with this concept. Since I work with some of these guys I find it a little creepy every time the ad comes on.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. tons of comments about the ad here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6MNvg40x3g

[Gwendolyn]

13. Lol, yeah lots of outrage. People don't seem to realize the kid is supposed to be of age.

I just find it weird as a 40 and over female target ad. The older woman towers over this geeky young guy while they're having their mental oral sex session and it's funny that her unattractive husband and traumatized son walk in. Only young ad guys would think this is sellable to women, I'm convinced of it. Clear case of college age fantasy/wishful thinking and TMI spilling over into professional life. :D

[murielm99]

16. I was trying to figure out the target audience.

I thought that different actors might have sent a clearer message. As it is, it is just creepy.

The other one that puts me off is the ad with the babies talking about investments. Of course the one where the kid vomits is simply stupid and disgusting.

Just who are they trying to convince? Junior high kids with smart mouths who think throwing up on screen is funny? Can't they figure out who has money to invest?

That ad is another case of young ad guys who know nothing about what appeals to their target audience.

[Gwendolyn]

30. I think the message is: good things come in geeky packages.

And mom is the only one smart enough to figure it out. The geeky human kid knows how to turn her crank. And although throat lozenges are boring and could be considered on the "geeky" spectrum of candy, this particular brand is sexy and orally satisfying. The clueless husband and shocked son drive home how smart mom is, and how Hall's Refresh is so good, you'll totally lose yourself and won't care what other people think anyway. The creepiness of the son catching his mom in action is what's kind of ew to me in an amusing way... it being a common porn theme, and I'm guessing in the minds of the creators of this ad. The idea of it makes me soooo NOT want to try Hall's Refresh. :)

The kids/investment ad is just a huge turn off. I forgot about that one.

[timtom]

17. Excellent assessment.

[G_j]

37. I think you got it nt

[SoCalDem]

9. There's an odd laundry ad running too

It's a time-warp type ad with different eras represented, and in one frame the voice over says something like ".....young modern women did it, and a few men too..." and then we see a guy tossing something in a washer..:evilgrin:

[TreasonousBastard]

10. I can't handle the outrage. Have 'em, watch "The Graduate"...

for 24 hours straight, then some European and Japanese commercials.

"Oh, but that's a movie, not a commercial THE CHILDREN can see..."

(and have fun thinking of the outrage if it was a daughter, with the mother walking in on the roommate's father sharing that moiture-laden moment)

[bridgit]

11. Green M&M's too, it's all part of the next round of what will be Ad-wise...

Late last year we were asked into the city to take a look at a sampling of Ad stuff. One was flat, innocuous, unremarkable while another was peculiar involving black leather S&M and fairly dripping with sexually charged commands

They were the makers at either end. Respondents were wired for all the soft skills: heart, skin temp, perspiration, along with retinal. By having some input on where the eye wanders and why - keying on the soft skills bouncing along between what they knew to have little conveyance, and the upper most loaded with it - they were able to reasonably forecast what people are willing to accept by way of sexual innuendo in the market place

On the way home it seemed clear: the brave new world won't be near as brave as it will be strange but it is coming cause they're already selling to it in little ways first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21l7W08H_2U

[BeHereNow]

12. I HATE that commercial!!! Evidence of how STUPID they think the consumer base is.

"Gee, sales are down, what do we do?"

"Well, we KNOW SEX sells...."

"Oh, how about "Mrs. Robinson??? THAT was a hit!"

FUCK them, I WILL NEVER BUT THIS PRODUCT because the
ad is a blatant insult to our intelligence in an effort to boost stock holder earnings-

AND...
IT is PERVERSE advocation of SICK human relations.

FUCK YOU HALLS and your corporate shenanigans.
I will NEVER buy your shit again because of this ad.

Besides, honey and lemon, things you can't PATENT, work better anyway.
And they are FREE, courtesy of NATURE.
BHN

[trumad]

15. God you need to get laid.

[golddigger]

20. LMAO!

:spray: :rofl:

[BeHereNow]

34. Have you SEEN the commercial???????

Somehow I think not.

The last thing on my mind would be "getting laid" after
watching it.

GROSS!!!!

I prefer to sleep with men MY age, not children.

BHN

[NeedleCast]

24. Wow

Insane much?

[BeHereNow]

35. Insane over pedophilia? YOU BET.

Ever had a child violated by a predator?

That is the message of this commercial.

An adult having sex with a child.

You like it?
Great- hope you have a child someday
who is victimized in this way.

Get back to me then.
And you too will know how it feels to be "insane" when
you see this sort of thing marketed to people.

BHN

[Lilith Velkor]

38. An 18 year old is not a child

That's why you are getting the reaction you are getting.

[BeHereNow]

39. An 18 year old is not a child? REALLY?

My kid is now nearly 23- the thought of her being victimized by someone
old enough to be her parent still sickens me.

And THAT is my criticism of the commercial.
Perverse advocation of inappropriate sexual relations to
sell a fucking cough drop.
DISGUSTING.

And an insult to what is left of our societal culture.

Appeal to the lowest common denominator.

SICK, sick, SICK!
WE are a sick culture.

BHN

[Forkboy]

40. Yes, really.

They're old enough to kill for their country, they're old enough to drink, they're old enough to smoke, old enough to drive, and they're old enough to make their own sexual decisions.

[Zywiec]

42. Victimized at 23?

At what age will your daughter be able to think for herself?

Sounds like as an adult she isn't yet prepared to be without mommy.

[Odin2005]

47. This poster sounds like one of those Helicopter Parents that think that...

...their ADULT kids can't take care of their own lives.

[frustrated_lefty]

44. It seems somehwat sad that you're only capable of

envisioning your adult child as being victimized in a sexual relationship.

[Odin2005]

46. This 23yo thinks you are a fucking prude.

You have no right to micromanage the sexuality of your ADULT children. Your attitude towards your ADULT children is creepy.

[Egnever]

36. The one that bugs me is a commercial for toilets

where some guy sees a hot plumber woman going into his neighbors house and he starts trying to clog his supposedly clog free toilet then of course his wife walks in and wonders what he is doing.

Every time i see it I think WTF? Are they seriously trying to sell me a toilet by suggesting I should cheat on my wife?

[seabeyond]

41. yes. i thought it was so cute. was getting a kick out of it then the wife and

my mouth dropped opened. looked at hubby and said.... no, they didnt do that. yup he says. but it was cute. i was so enjoying it. fuckers... asked son about it and he agreed. what a totally fucked up commercial

[fasttense]

14. Sex sells, even slightly creepy, weird sex sells. n/t

[Viking12]

19. People are talking about it and are able identify the product = the ad works

[Obamanaut]

21. The ad must be doing the job. It has gotten attention. n/t

[Vickers]

22. I dunno, I thought it was funny.

:shrug:

[SidDithers]

25. WTF is the American Decency Association?...

There's really an organization called the American Decency Association?

Now that sounds like a real fun group to be a part of.

Sid

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

31. Probably another Brent Bozell "watchdog group"

And by watchdog group, I mean money making scheme.

[Bonobo]

26. Better than the REAL commercial for women's mini fingertip vibrators or

the lubricating gel for men and women commercials.

Or the Viagra commercials.

[Liberal_in_LA]

32. Those commercials are pretty bold

[liberal_at_heart]

27. The only reason it is getting criticized is because they aren't attractive

I've seen much worse commercials than this one. I don't see anyone throwing a fit over how popular Taylor Lautner is with the cougars. I heard there is a countdown clock on some website that is actually counting down to his 18th birthday. Actually that is kind of creepy. It reminds me of how crazy all the men went when Brittany Spears turned 18.

[liberal N proud]

28. Commercials need humor or people do not remember them.

I am sure that Halls is happy to have the free advertising this recognition gets them.

[ddeclue]

33. Oh noess not teh cougarz!!!

[Orsino]

43. I think it's funny, self-mocking and clever.

Of course the mouths are moving in sexually suggestive ways. That's the fucking joke, geniuses.

[Odin2005]

45. I think it's hilarious.

The prudes can STFU.

[ellie]

48. I like the Quiznos

commercial where the oven is talking to the hot sandwich maker guy and says, "Put it in me, Scott." And Scott says, "No, I got burned the last time."

[bigwillq]

49. That clip makes me laugh so hard.

I think it's so funny! :rofl: