h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't think of any ad that would make me rush out and buy a product, but it could be argued that that's not the point of ads. They're there to bring a product to your attention so that you consider buying it next time you're out shopping, or whatever.

The ads I like are the ones that make me smile or, in some cases, laugh out loud. Right now there's the current Zafira ad (kids saying, "Ah, they're tired.") and the 'dancing car'. I used to love the Mel Smith / Griff Rhys Jones ads for Holsten Pils. Last week I even saw a 'firework safety' ad that made me laugh out loud. Starts with a boy holding sparkler, then voiceover says, "Sparklers are hot enough to burn a child, so they should always be held at arms length." You then see a man picking up the kid and holding him at arm's length, and the voice says, "The sparkler, not the child!" Well, I thought it was funny.

I really hate, and dont get, the Burger King ad where theres some farmer wandering around a field singing "It's only £1.99" and then a cow walks by wearing a Burger King banner.

First of all, is the singing supposed to mimic/take the piss out of/copy those stupid KFC ads? Is someone singing the price of the object supposed to make me want to buy it? Secondly, isnt it a bit sick for a cow to be wearing a Burger King banner, its like "Hi, I'm going to be made into food for this company to sell soon". I just find that a bit disturbing...

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Thought I was the only person disturbed by the BK wearing cow! Thank you for proving me wrong --- it is sick, even more than the 'farmers' jumper in the foreground...but the rest of my family seem to find it nothing more than mildly irritating.


Never seen an ad and then thought to buy the product when out shopping, a good word of mouth recommendation is far more likely to make me try something.


And Cillit Bang makes me want to chuck the TV out the window, but not as much as the insurance ad where the guy comes on and starts shouting about the number of companies available and mimics tearing out his hair.

In fact, lets just take a minute to rant about *all* insurance ads; the mouse, the elephant, the 'lucky' dog…feeling a theme here? Of course, it must be a friendly/honest/value for money company, it has an animal in its logo!

Just thinking about that Lindt has made me want some now, think I'll go and buy some G&Bs.

I really don't see what's so disturbing about the BK cow... it's not like it's being forced to do it against its will.

"a cow walks by wearing a Burger King banner."

I thought that was a bit 'off' as well. I also wondered whether they could be done under the trade description act, or whatever it is that covers advertising products.

What's that bank one with the little robot thingy that tries to escape and take over the world only to reach the end of its plug lead and go 'bum'?

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I think that's Barclays... the best thing is that the robot is voiced by Norman Lovett!

Yes, it is Barclays - I do like that ad, if only for Norman's voice.

I find the latest Burger King ads bizarre in the extreme, to be honest - the radio ads are just as annoying, even though all you can hear is the singing .

I'm already finding the Woolworths and WH Smiths ads annoying, because they're all mentioning Christmas. IT ISN'T CHRISTMAS YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's barely November!!! .

The old Injury-Lawyers-for-you ads were strange as well. A woman questioning a solicitor about the no-win-no-fee claim on a bridge next to a burning bin. Is it really like that in solicitors offices? I must try that some time!

I hate those trend setting adverts...phones 4 you were the biggest goers of this, with that symbol thing you were supposed to do with your hands. Stop it, it's annoying and it's brainwashing...BBC 4eva.

"I can't wait anymore"
"Me neither"

I hate that cringe-enducing Disneyland advert. Those kids are probabily in University now suffering with psychological problems with that advert being repeated ad nausuem for the past century.

On a final note, you know when you are middle class when you know who is doing the voice over in advert but don't know who the blonde haired chav is!!!

I agree wholeheartedly about that Disneyland advert... it's the girl that really gets my goat: "Mmmmum says it's just mmmmmagical!"

Argh! The Disneyland advert. That little girl. Who told her to *act* like that?

Father (whispering):"I cant sleep - I'm too excited"
Kids (yelling from other room): "We heard that!"

Oh HA HA HA HA please help me stop my sides from splitting

Actually, if those kids can hear a whispered comment from the next room one wonders how traumatised they must be to hear other noises from their parent's room

Espically when their that excited!!!

And on that note, lets move onto the Irish ad promoting the use of contraception. It shows a whole load of places devoid of people and in an unsettling manner, and then up comes a voice saying "You have a one in three chance of getting pregnant if you have unprotected sex". Surely if that's the case, there'd be more people about, not less.

I'm sorry, maybe I'm being dense, but just what is 'off' about a cow wearing a BK slogan? Last I looked all cows get killed and eaten. Is it the public acknowledgement of this that is off, or are we challenging BK's assertion that they use beef in their burgers?

Personally I'd challenge that latter.

To be fair they do show the whole cow including nose, lips, hooves etc so it probably does show what goes in to their burgers...