About the ads on TV and social media
I miss those creative, fun ads that were short, focused on the product such as the green lizard of Geico, the budding romance series over Maxwell house coffee when the couple first looked at each other from opposite windows while sipping coffee. Each ad took them a step further, and we were eagerly waiting for the next ad to see if they ever going to meet. Or the Folgers song that made us take a closer look at the coffe on our next shopping trip.
Today, people dislike ads on social media and TV because they feel intrusive, manipulative, and often irrelevant, disrupting their experience and eroding trust.
Why People Hate TV Commercials
Interruptive and repetitive:
TV ads break the flow of entertainment, often repeating the same messages excessively, which breeds annoyance. When I see the same fungal treatment the tenth time during one movie, it just makes me switch the channel one second into the ad.
Forced social messaging:
Many viewers feel that ads push political or social agendas (e.g., forced diversity or moral posturing) rather than focusing on the product.
Stereotyping and pandering:
Some commercials rely on outdated or exaggerated tropes, like portraying certain groups as foolish or overly idealized, which can feel condescending or divisive. Those little old, fragile housewives with bird-like chirping voice pushing healt insurance plans, walk-in bathtubs, and which I truly hate, medications. When will the advertiser realize that today's grandmas are not those submissive, helpless women they're portraying? Most of today's grandmas ride Harleys, build businesses, and are capable of raising a family while running a company. Also, lately I see ads with scrany, sniffling men. No! We still prefer strong, masculine males.
Lack of authenticity:
Viewers are increasingly skeptical of ads that feel scripted, overly polished, or disconnected from real-life experiences.
Why People Hate Social Media Ads
Retargeted ads, those that follow users after browsing, feel creepy and manipulative. People don’t like being tracked or analyzed.
Many ads don’t align with users’ interests, making them feel like clutter rather than helpful suggestions.
Over-saturation:
Social platforms are flooded with ads, making it harder to enjoy organic content. This leads to ad fatigue and mental exhaustion.
Loss of control:
Users feel powerless when ads dominate their feeds or autoplay without consent, reinforcing a sense of manipulation.
Psychological Drivers
Ads demand attention and decision-making energy, which can be mentally draining, especially when we're trying to watch something interesting or educational, and 30 seconds into the program pops in a 4 minute 35 seconds commercial about something totally irrelevant dragging on and on. Of course, we click the "skip" button, everyone does. So, what is the purpose of paying for the ad when nobody has the patience to watch it?
Emotional disconnect:
Ads that fail to build genuine emotional resonance are quickly dismissed or resented. Yeah, those! They earn the click to the "skip" as well.
Medium mismatch:
What worked on TV doesn’t always translate well to digital platforms. The shift to smartphones and constant connectivity has changed how people engage with media, and ads haven’t always kept up.
Share your thoughts in the comments section!
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