Random Seasonal Observation

Pollen has returned to the Dee Cee area with its annual whoop and hollah, getting under my contact lenses and making me look like a drug addict. For some reason, as I was squinting and snuffing this morning while waiting around for my car to get inspected, a recurring thought popped into my head: Why the hell does the Nasonex Bee have a Spanish accent?

"Eet ees jess the thing for seasonal allerchies!"

I understand that in fact Antonio Banderras does the voice, although I wouldn't have thought he needed the money. But that still doesn't explain. What is the connection? Why would a bee talk that way? What gives? Is there a point?

I don't mind it that much - I really just don't get it.

Now when it comes to drug ads I do mind, certainly Viagra's aging boomers in matching bath-tubs is pretty annoying, but for downright creepiness I don't think anything matches Lunesta's Radioactive Butterfly of Death:

I'd be terrified to shut my eyes if I knew that thing was on the loose.

Posted by: Robert at 09:14 AM

Comments

1 The Burger King ads annoy and creep me out more than any others.

Posted by: Jordana at April 25, 2008 09:26 AM (QeLuW)

2 Yup on those Burger King ads -- especially the one where the guy wakes up to find the Burger King in bed with him. Um, o.k., nothing wrong with that, it just doesn't make me want to eat a big whopper.

The bee is one of those africanized killer bees, that have come up to the US through Mexico. It's actually an anti illegal immigration ad.

Posted by: rbj at April 25, 2008 09:58 AM (ybRwv)

3 I never got the bee thing either - unless it just means that Spanish-accented folk are to blame for the pollen. Which doesn't seem quite right. Of course, I've always questioned using a bee, which would by nature ENJOY pollen, as an anti-pollen reaction spokesanimal. (Though it makes more sense than bears using toilet paper.)

Regardless, know you're not alone in the whole looking like a drug addict because of pollen category. The entire Sleepy family, including the littlest, is also sporting that delightful look.

Posted by: beth at April 25, 2008 10:15 AM (AwZ3/)

4 Maybe the idea of using the irritating bee (with an accent that makes you pay more attention to understand what is being said) prompts us consumers to buy Nasonex to get rid of it!!!! Buy the product to get rid of the allergies thus get rid of the bee. Yep, our family hates the accent as well. But the accented bee reminds us of an irritating relative from the extremely southern hemisphere who we wish would return there permanently! ;-)

As far as the bear in the woods using toilet paper, it occured to me one day that it ties to the old joke, "Does a bear sh*t in the woods" and connects on a sublevel of humor - thereby increasing your desire to buy because it touched your funny bone.

Yeah, I get a lot out of the psychology of selling. Have done my share of marketing, can you tell???

Posted by: JB in Florida at April 25, 2008 10:40 AM (S0z6q)

5 See...I got in trouble as a kid for the bear in the woods thing - so we always used, "Does the Pope wear a funny hat?" Which, of course, doesn't help sell toilet paper at all.

Posted by: beth at April 25, 2008 11:13 AM (AwZ3/)

6 You remind me of one of my favorite Thomas Dolby lyrics:

TB: "You ask me do I love you. Does the Pope live in the woods? Quod erat demonstrandum, baybee!"

Airhead: "Oooooh, you speak French!"

Posted by: Robbo the LB at April 25, 2008 12:15 PM (PEgqL)

7 It's a Radioactive Moth of Death!

Posted by: Ed Flinn at April 25, 2008 01:48 PM (RRq7w)

8 Oh, and don't you just love all those guys sitting around singing "Viva Viagra!" Their mothers must be so proud.

And I can't stand those "burning, itching, and embarrassing odor" commercials. Try explaining that to the kids!

Posted by: GroovyVic at April 25, 2008 02:19 PM (DVkb2)

9 Yea, the BK adds really creep me out too.

The Nasonex adds annoy the hell out of me not mecause the bee has a latin accent, but because IT'S A MALE VOICE AND WORKER BEES ARE ALL FEMALE, DAMMIT!!!!!

Posted by: Boy Named Sous at April 26, 2008 12:38 AM (jiBuF)

10 In the Lunesta ads, the creepy moth is a luna moth. And yeah, I get the alliteration, but did anyone at the drug company or the ad agency ever lay eyes on a luna moth? No. They didn't. Because they don't gently glide through the night, gracefully alight, and depart with the gracile loveliness of a ballet dancer.

Instead, the flap about, most spastically, resembling nothing so much as a crazed bat receiving repeated electrical shocks. They'll spend all night bouncing off anything light--a porch light, a caucasian face, a white t-shirt, the glow of moonlight in your eyeglasses...or your eyes. They are about the size of a three year old's hand, and just about as annoying.

Yeah. Luna moths. Lunesta. Right. If a luna moth should be associated with any drug, it should be something like crack or meth. Because nobody sleeps when there's a luna moth in the house.

Posted by: Pep at April 26, 2008 11:48 AM (izMzI)

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