I hesitate to post this today because I have been doing pretty good with my new venture into a "glass half-full" outlook. However, I see this commercial Every.Single.Morning and it irritates that crap out of me. So I am hoping that by typing out my feelings and then posting it I will be able to move forward and continue on with my foray into optimism.

 

 

I wish YouTube had the full version that I see daily. What the YouTube version cuts out is some of what irritates me makes me the most angry about the TV version.

 

The first couple of viewings all I noticed was the constant one-upmanship that was going on at the playground. And then I watched it closer and this is when I really became almost angry at this commercial.

 

The message about safe carseats was totally lost to me because I was seeing red due to the subtle, "mean girl" bullying that occurs for the length of this commercial.

 

Watch the commercial carefully.

 

Do you see it?

 

First, let's start with the fact that the ad company felt like they needed to portray a "dumpy" mom. She is dressed in a polo shirt tucked into khakis. She is also several pounds heavier than the other women in the video.

 

Second, they portray this mom as somewhat insecure. Notice how she is sitting away from the crowd when everyone else is standing. She also can't let go of her poor kid and instead continues to rub in sunscreen for a much longer time than is necessary...says security blanket to me.

 

Next, this woman tries to add to the conversation only to be COMPLETELY shut down by another woman.

 

Did you see the look she got when she responded, after being shut down, "I was going to say that"? Every time I see that brunette woman roll her eyes and look down her nose at that poor mom, I want to jump through my TV screen and slap the brunette upside the head. (Oh, I think that might actually occur only in the TV version.)

 

And the final insult? When the woman does offer something to the conversation, she gets an almost "duh" reaction when the brunette woman responds "That's obvious" and both the Asian woman and the token male look away.

 

How ironic is it that the government that makes us show anti-bullying propaganda information in schools produces a public service announcement that is fully of typical "mean girl" bullying behavior?

 

A more appropriate closing to the commercial should be...

 

"Do you know that children watch you carefully to see how you treat and speak to others?" Parents who really know are kind, considerate, and treat others with respect, not disdain and condescension.

 

Whew. Rant over. I think I am ready to move on. Sometimes I do over-react and read more into a situation than what is there so sharing my views (and getting feedback from others) helps me see the other side of the coin.

 

 

But here is a positive YouTube video...