I don’t understand commercials that make users of products look stupid. OK, it’s fine to postmodern and make fun of yourself (thereby engendering trust), but, hey, if it’s not funny and the user looks like a schmuck, well, why do I look like a schmuck and buy your product? First, tonight, I see a T-mobile ad where the Dad’s an idiot who thinks 5 times 5 is 26 … and the mother seems to agree, telling the kids that’s why they should stay in school. So they don’t end up stupid like Dad? Or like Mom and Dad? Reminds me of a Comcast radio ad for “televiserphonernetting,” its “triple play” package of TV, phone and Internet. Coot-voiced guy tells a kid, no we go play in the park, because gramps/coot-sounding dad has to do some “televiserphonernetting.” But you said we’d go to the park! insists the kid. No, it was your mother, says coot. Great. So the market is geezers with bad values who are mean to kids? OK, got me on the geezer part, but count me out. You’ve heard of hot buttons? Those trigger points that make us like things? Oh, it’s got a cute puppy! And if I buy this, I’ll find love with bodacious babes and maybe get rich to boot! Well, then there must be cold buttons, trigger points that make our interest sink like a brick.

Here’s a crazy ad idea: Edible ads. Impress messages on cheese slices, for example, and make those petrochemical “cheese” slices free! In fact, that gives me an idea for a new post …