April 6, 2009

How Advertising Works

1980: TG is 2 years old, sitting in the forward seat of the grocery cart, and we are in Albertson's. Sundries section. TG is close enough to the deodorants to grab one off the shelf. She looks it over and holds it up to me, and says: "Mama, try this Secret. It's made for a woman."

Flash forward to 2009: TG's daughter, Miss America, who is 5 years old, watches her mom spread butter across bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. Miss America watches intently, checks the butter packaging, and says: "I can't believe it's not butter. That's really good stuff, you know. It makes the sun come up in the morning."

And that's how advertising works in our family. How does it work in yours?
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18 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I'm so glad I have you to tell me the Secret! (Get it? Secret? Please don't shoot me.)

Roshni said...

yeah, my son drinks his energy milk supplement and then immediately goes to measure himself... and, then there's a shouting match. I think he's planning to sue the company....

Belle said...

Sounds like our house.

Jan said...

Pretty much the same way; when Beloved and I were buying our car last year, I realized where we were and blurted out:

"Hey - you're the Fred Martin car guys! Y'all know cars!"

The salesman turned to me and replied, "Lady, you watch too much television."

Unknown said...

FL...great stories! although my story will never make the airwaves, it's safe in the blogosphere: I told my son when he was 4 how oatmeal will make him big. a few days later, I have my little guy withh me at a girlfriend's house and my little guy points to his 'peanut' and said "Hey Mom, look at my oatmeal"...oh yeah! Take that Mr. Quaker Oats!!!
~AM

Anonymous said...

Well,,, let me tell you how it works at our house... Hubby watches TV... commercial comes on... Hubby changes channel... There's not much advertising at our house... He won't even wear a shirt of pants with a logo name on it...

DI
The Blue Ridge Gal

Leslie Hanna said...

Can you hear me NOW? (Who doesn't say that one?!)

Amy said...

The Duchess is fond of the "As Seen on TV" products. She runs screaming into the room, "Mommy! We need a Topsy Turvey Tomato! Your friends will come over and say, 'Where did you get such beautiful tomatoes?!'"

We also ended up with two Aquaglobes this year and I don't even have any plants. The Duchess rules with an iron fist.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Leslie Hanna...

Anonymous said...

Which goes to prove...if you think "they" aren't listening....well, just think again....those little ears hear EVERYTHING, and will eventually spill the beans with absolute perfect timing. What's so amazing is that it usually fits the situation and the meaning perfectly as well. I love it when I happen to be within earshot of those priceless little moments. Ya gotta love it! Course I am prejudiced.
Grandma

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

The Wheatie's commercial.....remember?
Boy kiddo of mine and I are in the grocery store and we see a "little person" (or whatever the politically correct term is these days, lol) ahd he shouts......as loud as you can now,
"Hey Mom, that little boy didn't eat his Wheaties now did he? He isn't growing big and strong like me is he Mom? Mom?? Mom???? Do you hear me Mom???????
Whatever kiddo's......true story :)

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

"It must work. The tv man says so."

"It must be good. They say so on the tv."

Boy o boy.

Justine said...

ROFL! Too cute. Here it's more like me watching a commercial and saying, "Ooh, I want to get one of those!" and my almost-12-year-old saying, "Mommy you are sooooooooooo gullible!"

Justine :o )

Midlife Roadtripper said...

I'm a terrible one to answer that question. I always tune out the commercials. I recognize a jingle in my head, and years go by before I connect the song to the project. Sad, huh?

Fragrant Liar said...

This also reminds me of the time 3-y-o TG asked how I got the package I'd just received from my mom across the country. I told TG the postman brought it. She said, "But how?" I was busy trying to get the damn thing open, and I guess I shrugged and said, "I don't know, it came air mail." She gave me the weirdest look, then stepped out into the back yard and looked up into the sky for the longest time. Literal translations are the best. :)

lisahgolden said...

I have children who are convinced that they know the difference between Sunbeam and all other breads. Maybe they do, but when I sneak some white wheat into the middle of the Sunbeam loaf, I never get any complaints.

Stepping said...

Oh how well I know. I sell health insurance and one of the companies I sell for is AFLAC. Everytime people see me the start quacking "AFLAC" and calling me the duck lady.

travel girl said...

So cute!
I loved reading the comments too!