History Main / ScapegoatAd

* Geico has a ''truly'' bizarre set of commercials centering around a taste test. ''A taste test''. During the ads, a Geico rep offers people two different drinks, one representing Geico, the other representing it's opposition. Guess which one tastes better? [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Guess what also decides the issue in-universe]]? [[LogicalFallacies There]] [[InsaneTrollLogic are]] [[WrongOnSoManyLevels no words]].

A SubTrope of StrawmanProduct and TakeThat.

* Apple's "Mac Vs PC" ads, as noted in the (paraphrased) page quote, which pit a [[SmugSnake smug hoodie-wearing hipster]] (representing the Mac) against geek icon [[Literature/CompleteWorldKnowledge John Hodgman]] (representing the PC). Every attempt to play up how much "cooler" Mac is makes him look like a [[CreatorsPet complete dick]] to most viewers, whereas the PC's faults make him look, at worst, like TheWoobie.

* Apple's "Mac Vs PC" ads, as noted in the (paraphrased) page quote, which pit a [[SmugSnake smug hoodie-wearing hipster]] (representing the Mac) against {{Adorkable}} geek icon [[Literature/CompleteWorldKnowledge John Hodgman]] (representing the PC). Every attempt to play up how much "cooler" Mac is makes him look like a [[CreatorsPet complete dick]] to most viewers, whereas the PC's faults make him look, at worst, like TheWoobie.

* Geico has a ''truly'' bizarre set of commercials centering around a taste test. ''A taste test''. During the ads, a Geico rep offers people two different drinks, one representing Geico, the other representing it's opposition. Guess which one tastes better? [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Guess what also decides the issue in-universe]]? [[YouFailLogicForever There]] [[InsaneTrollLogic are]] [[WrongOnSoManyLevels no words]].

** Those customers include Bobby Bowden, who exclaims, "[[BadassGrandpa I'm not too old to find you, son.]]"

* Similarly, in Alltel commercials, Alltel is represented by a popular looking guy named Chad. All other companies are represented by a group of comically inept ButtMonkey nerds who want nothing more to stop him from selling phone plans. Chad still comes off as a JerkAss.

** Alltell got bought out by Verizon. Verizon has ''kept the ads running'', turning the whole thing delightfully surreal, the Verizon guy has "mysteriously" disappeared from them.

* This is common among political as in certain, especially the vast majority that say "paid for by 'friends of' or 'people to elect'" or any variation, [[AstroTurf trying to make it seem as if it's by a grassroots movement]]. This practice is illegal in some places, however.

** Creator/CharlieBrooker points out that whoever wrote the advert pushing Macs as more fun has never been to a game shop to compare how many games are available for each system.
*** [[http://cgit.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/commit/?id=92617aeac109481258f0c3863d09c1b8903d438b Linux now has D3D11 support]]. It's only hooked up to software rasterizers at the moment[[note]]this means it runs on anything Mesa does, but you'll need decent support from LLVM to get anything approaching usable speed[[/note]], but that's not all too hard to fix.

* Shows up in radio ads for [=BnH=] photo and video equipment store. Anyone who doesn't buy at [=BnH=] is painted as an [[TooDumbToLive absolute moron]].

This is also a case of ValuesDissonance as in most countries comparative publicity (that is calling your competitor by name in an ad) is prohibited because their trademarks rights allow them to prevent competitors for using their name in marketing campaigns even if its for comparison purposes. In the U.S., however, the right to engage in comparative publicity is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, and tourists from other countries can be shocked to see such outright mudslinging in ads on American TV.

* When Massachusetts changed its automotive insurance laws, nearly all the existing companies released ads mocking the more recognizable mascots of the newly-arrived national firms. Esurance struck back, with a commercial featuring Erin Esurance debating an old man on...cartoon mascots.

* Apple's "Mac Vs PC" ads, as noted in the (paraphrased) page quote, which pit a [[SmugSnake smug hoodie-wearing hipster]] (representing the Mac) against {{Adorkable}} geek icon [[CompleteWorldKnowledge John Hodgman]] (representing the PC). Every attempt to play up how much "cooler" Mac is makes him look like a [[CreatorsPet complete dick]] to most viewers, whereas the PC's faults make him look, at worst, like TheWoobie.

** Sega tried to fight the Sony Playstation by claiming its systems had 3 32-bit processors while the [[BinaryBitsAndBytes PS1 only had one processor.]] Then they followed this by shooting a Playstation, or dropping it off a building. This also backfired. Doubles as an example of HilariousInHindsight, since many game developers cited the Saturn's "three processors" as a major part of the reason why the system was so difficult to develop games for.

[[AC:Banking]]

[[AC:Communications]]

[[AC:Gaming]]

[[AC:Groceries]]

[[AC:Home Improvement]]

[[AC:Housewares]]

[[AC:Insurance]]

[[AC:Nutrition]]

[[AC:Political]]

[[AC:Restaurants]]

[[AC:Soft Drinks]]

[[AC:Technology]]

[[AC:Courier]]

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<<|BasicCommercialTypes|>>

** CharlieBrooker points out that whoever wrote the advert pushing Macs as more fun has never been to a game shop to compare how many games are available for each system.

* Shows up in radio ads for [=BnH=] photo and video equipment store. Anyone who doesn't buy at [=BnH=] is painted as an [[TooDumbToLive absolute moron]]

* A chinese commercial for {{FedEx}} shows a messenger with a huge package saying that it was a very important parcel in mandarin. Then a old woman just gave him a weird look. A voice over tell us that [[Main/ChineseDialectsAndAccents there are 235 dialects in China]]. Then he tries in Cantonese, and then in as many dialects as he can. Then they show us a FedEx messenger speaking in the correct dialect on his first try. [[note]] it was Chongmin.[[/note]]

** Plus, they take a shot at ''DungeonsAndDragons'' players. Alltel can stick a +5 vorpal up their keisters.

** Sega tried to fight the Sony Playstation by claiming its systems had 3 32-bit processors while the [[BinaryBitsAndBytes PS1 only had one processor.]] Then they followed this by shooting a Playstation, or dropping it off a building. This also backfired. Doubles as an example of HilariousInHindsight, since many game developers cited the Saturn's "three processors" as [[UnfortunateImplications a major part of the reason why the system was so difficult to develop games for.]]

* Cable One has been running ads about AT&T's "U-Verse" service. U-Verse is offered by a rude, snarky schlub of an installer who talks about U-Verse costing more and being worse service as if these things are [[InsaneTrollLogic positive features]]--unsubtly implying that AT&T thinks all their potential customers are idiots. He brings along a [[[=Strawman=] cardboard cutout]] of a Cable One guy, for some reason. The series of commercials, ending with the [[SarcasmMode oh-so-clever]] tagline "Maybe it's really ''[[{{Pun}} you versus AT&T]]''," always feature the same guy.

* Cable One has been running ads about AT&T's "U-Verse" service. U-Verse is offered by a rude, snarky schlub of an installer who talks about U-Verse costing more and being worse service as if these things are [[InsaneTrollLogic positive features]]--unsubtly implying that AT&T thinks all their potential customers are idiots. He brings along a [[[=StrawMan=] cardboard cutout]] of a Cable One guy, for some reason. The series of commercials, ending with the [[SarcasmMode oh-so-clever]] tagline "Maybe it's really ''[[{{Pun}} you versus AT&T]]''," always feature the same guy.

* Cable One has been running ads about AT&T's "U-Verse" service. U-Verse is offered by a rude, snarky schlub of an installer who talks about U-Verse costing more and being worse service as if these things are [[InsaneTrollLogic positive features]]--unsubtly implying that AT&T thinks all their potential customers are idiots. He brings along a [[StrawMan cardboard cutout]] of a Cable One guy, for some reason. The series of commercials, ending with the [[SarcasmMode oh-so-clever]] tagline "Maybe it's really ''[[IncrediblyLamePun you versus AT&T]]''," always feature the same guy.

** Sega tried to fight the Sony Playstation by claiming its systems had 3 32-bit processors while the [[BinaryBitsAndBytes PS1 only had one processor.]] Then they followed this by shooting a Playstation, or dropping it off a building. This also backfired. Doubles as an example of HilariousInHindsight, since many game developers cited the Saturn's "three processors" were [[UnfortunateImplications a major part of the reason why the system was so difficult to develop games for.]]

** Sega tried to fight the Sony Playstation by claiming its systems had 3 32-bit processors while the [[BinaryBitsAndBytes PS1 only had one processor.]] Then they followed this by shooting a Playstation, or dropping it off a building. This also backfired.

** Apple are at it again. Apparently, there is a major issue with the hardware antenna design of their new phone. [[http://www.apple.com/antenna/ Their solution is to tell everyone that all other phones are broken]]

* When Massachusetts changed its insurance laws, nearly all the existing companies released ads mocking the more recognizable mascots of the newly-arrived national firms. Esurance struck back, with a commercial featuring Erin Esurance debating an old man on...cartoon mascots.

*** [[http://cgit.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/commit/?id=92617aeac109481258f0c3863d09c1b8903d438b Linux now has D3D11 support]]. It's only hooked up to software rasterizers at the moment[[hottip:*:this means it runs on anything Mesa does, but you'll need decent support from LLVM to get anything approaching usable speed]], but that's not all too hard to fix.

This is an advertising-specific SubTrope of TakeThat.

Compare CableSatelliteMudslinging and StrawmanProduct.

<<|BasicCommercialTypes|>>

* Geiko has a ''truly'' bizarre set of commercials centering around a taste test. ''A taste test''. During the ads, a Geiko rep offers people two different drinks, one representing Geiko, the other representing it's opposition. Guess which one tastes better? [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Guess what also decides the issue in-universe]]? [[YouFailLogicForever There]] [[InsaneTrollLogic are]] [[WrongOnSoManyLevels no words]].