annoying TV Ads


Ads on tv are sometimes upsetting me. There are two corresponding with the computer subject, so they shall be mentioned here. (Telekom and AOL) Both make the innocent and unknowing watcher believe that only their service could make certain actions possible.

Telekom commercial features a girl preparing a birthday greeting for her boyfriend. She takes pictures of herself with a digital camera, forming single letters, and has them printed out and delivered to her flat. Where and how? Online. Of course it looks fantastic and is a very sweet idea. But her slogan is "Ich leb' online mit T-online" ("I live online with T-online").
People who know nothing see it and get the impression that only t-online makes this possible, the whole creative picture making & printing & having them sent-to-doorstep-in-express-mode thingy.
The camera has nothing to do with t-online. The pics- you can also print them out, have them copied, or if you want to do it all online, do it over whatever provider you like! Any will do!

The AOL ad is similar annoying. You see many different people of a family, from young children to old granny, writing and receiving emails! Wow. "u got mail". Ho ho ho. It's soooo easy, of course with AOL. Excuse me, but AOL is mainly a provider too, isn't it?
Many apps let you download mail to the computer, and many domains let you have a free email address that you can access online, again, over any provider, not just A or T.
But the commercial also looks as if all that wouldn't be possible without AOL. And I know, if I had been completely lacking all knowledge, I'd believe it at first too! It is quite a job to get all info about the different choices you have, and usually you are very confused in them middle and try to choose one of the better sounding ones. It is indeed tempting to believe the AOL call that makes all these clear prospects and promises.

Don't listen! It's just the Sirenes calling!

Posted: Fr - Januar 9, 2004 at 03:59 Uhr      

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