There is a problem with Visa's "Downtown" commercial

[ColdFusion718]

It builds upon what the "norm" is nowadays: life is full of pvssy guys who "win" women over by buying them things.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Is it just me or is the message portrayed here just really, really wrong.

There's a young lady, not looking her best. People whisk her away for an extravagant makeover, new clothes, men in tuxes delivering shoes followed by the tag line "life takes Visa"

What I see is - buy stuff you can't afford in order to feel better about yourself.

It is wrong.

There should be a counter commercial with DOG like bounty hunters tracking a girl like her down and strip the clothes right off her back leaving her naked in a ditch with a tag line saying "this is Visa's real message".

 

[foghorn67]

So we need commercial police now?

 

[Parasitic]

A better idea for the commercial is to have the girl toss off her shoes and start stripping then riding bareback like those pharma commercials.

And ends with a voiceover "Visa...it's what you want it to be" then the girl takes off more clothes.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
LOFL...now that's some silly sh!t right there man...

:beer: for making me smile

So you agree?

It's all settled then.

1) No link - check
2) No cool video - check
3) Topical discussion - check
4) Editorial opinion kind of post stating position and asking for feedback - check

No repost here. :wine:

Check my post above.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: GregGreen

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: archcommus
So? That is their business, after all. If that alone influences you to go spend hundreds of dollars you wouldn't have otherwise, then you're dumb.

exactly. Don't be mad at Visa, get mad at the dumb.

Or be mad at advertisers for promoting the image that you are having a bad day because you don't look good -- this has been going on for as long as Madison Avenue has existed, and look at the type of women it is raising.

No, get mad at consumers for buying the idea.

Last I checked, parents raised kids, not advertisers.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Last I checked, parents raised kids, not advertisers.

Didn't psych 101 teach anybody about enabling?

I agree. NO! Goes a long way.

 

[JS80]

this was my reaction when I first saw this commercial :roll:

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: tfcmasta97
The advertising works if it gets some people who poorly manage money to splurge...

Sounds like a commercial selling its service effectively to me

Agreed. As wrong as it may be, it's smart. Business is business, and if people can't learn to control their money then it can only help Visa.

 

[JS80]

can anyone get to forums front page?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: JS80
can anyone get to forums front page?

Wrong FORUM!

Now take your anti-corporation bullcrap elsewhere!

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Yup that is the message I get. That is also the reason for the quickly growing out of control credit problem in America. I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for thoes who get themselves into trouble with unneeded credit card spending.

If everyone paid off their balance every month, how would the credit card companies make any money? Similarly, I have no sympathy for credit card companies that give 18- and 19-year-olds credit cards with $1000+ credit limits and find out they can't get their money back.

 

[GeekDrew]

While I know that commercial could be considered "bad" by most... I like it solely for the rendition "Downtown"

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Xyclone
Agreed. As wrong as it may be, it's smart. Business is business, and if people can't learn to control their money then it can only help Visa.

I could say exactly the same thing about addictive drugs, gambling, etc.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

People still watch commercials?

 

[mzkhadir]

The Citibank commercial with the girl getting the first paycheck and spending it sends the same message.

 

[sixone]

I hate that "Downtown" commercial because it's annoying as hell. But yeah, the message is kinda screwy, too.

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: GregGreen

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: archcommus
So? That is their business, after all. If that alone influences you to go spend hundreds of dollars you wouldn't have otherwise, then you're dumb.

exactly. Don't be mad at Visa, get mad at the dumb.

Or be mad at advertisers for promoting the image that you are having a bad day because you don't look good -- this has been going on for as long as Madison Avenue has existed, and look at the type of women it is raising.

Indeed.

Very, very sexy and well dressed women.

Just thinking about it is...

...wait...what was the point of the thread again?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: mzkhadir
The Citibank commercial with the girl getting the first paycheck and spending it sends the same message.

Agreed.

woohoo! my first paycheck! I have to spend it all and see if I have enough money left to spend it!

I see it all the time. Kids get their first real job then buy a 40K car then complain rampantly about how "they don't have enough money"

 

[Chaotic42]

I love it! The more people buy things they can't afford, the faster their houses get foreclosed and the faster I can buy those houses for 33 cents on the dollar.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Xyclone
Agreed. As wrong as it may be, it's smart. Business is business, and if people can't learn to control their money then it can only help Visa.

I could say exactly the same thing about addictive drugs, gambling, etc.

I have no sympathy for problematic druggies and compulsive gamblers. They got themselves into that mess to begin with, and are just helping drug dealers/casinos each time they inject themselves/snort/gamble.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Heard a commercial last night that reminded me of this thread. It was for Lowe's, and the entire commercial was apparently about two neighbors trying to outdo the other. One always had to one-up the other whether it was a grill, SUV, or a deck or two.

 

[OutHouse]

the other one that pisses me off is the deli where its running like a well oiled machine until somebody uses cash instead of a credit card to pay for lunch. :|

 

[foghorn67]

do you guys really think people are influenced by a few commercials?
People that live that lifestyle are more influenced by their peers.
For example, the "Downtown" commercial. That type would probably never spend like that. She was dressed in a conservative manner, and styled her hair, makeup and eye wear in the same manner.
She probably would have just gone to the shoe repair shop (hehe, cobbler?) and had it fixed. Or would have bought the same style of shoes, and then call it a day with spending.
In reality, the spendy type has a 'keep up with Joneses' perspective on life. Probably looking at successful people, and wanting to appear like them.