Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die young...
It's time I take a stand, dammit. I've been sitting back way too long and just watching the world go to pot and I've had it! As the late, great Peter Finch said in his role as Howard Beale in Network, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" So sit back, folks! I'm goin' political on yo' asses!
Yeah! Here's how it's goin' down... I'm going to lobby Congress for legislation to protect us against Marketing Blasphemy and I need your support and assistance.
What? You thought I was announcing who I was going to support in the Presidential election? Ha!
The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that marketing and advertising firms are no longer allowed to use popular music or television/movie imagery in the ads they create for their clients.
I'm sick and tired of having media-related things that I love in life raped and pillaged for the sake of advertising. For example, there's this piece of crap from J.C. Penney.
Don't get me wrong, it's a semi-well done commercial from a production standpoint. They captured the feel of The Breakfast Club decently enough. But they are still killing the memory of one of the best John Hughes films ever. A movie I grew up loving. And now I not only never want to see it again because I'll be stuck thinking about this piece of tripe, but I also never want to set foot in a J.C. Penney because of what they've done by accepting this from their ad firm as part of their new campaign. It would seem to me that the best way to bring in customers is by not pissing them off. Maybe I'm in the minority here and am the only one who feels this way. I dunno.
Nirvana? Really? I'm guessing the Ally Sheedy wannabe was about two years old when Kurt off'd himself (or was off'd by Courtney if you buy into the conspiracy theory). And, lastly, that kid is their stand-in for Bender? You gotta be kidding me. Judd Nelson would eat him for lunch and still have room for a Pixie stick sandwich.
Totally Unrelated Aside (TUA): This was sent to me by a friend. I had to share...
Hmmm... maybe this isn't who I should be lobbying for anti-Marketing Blasphemy legislation after all.
It just makes me realize that I am now officially old when they use things from my childhood (like how JC Penny's did) to market something. It's all retro and old school and that means I am old.
Anybody have an antacid?
Posted by: sizzle | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 11:34 AM
Sigh. I loved the Breakfast Club. I had somehow managed to miss this commercial.
I also love despair.com. My favorite is Ineptitude: If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly. Words to live by, really.
Posted by: Sarah | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 11:41 AM
Dude, if you're gonna spend all that time and energy lobbying congress for something, don't you think it should be for something way more important? Like ensuring free internet services really give us bang for our buck? Geez, you're so petty.
Posted by: Nilsa | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 11:49 AM
sizzle, I got a whole roll. But you'd better hurry. They're going fast.
Sarah, I must check out more despair.com. I'm pretty sure I've been there before, but it's been a while.
Nilsa, sheesh. What am I? Your political puppet? If you're so incensed by this, write a proposal of your own and I'll paperclip it to the bottom of my legislation (which we all know will be passed handily) like the Simpsons did about flight patterns over their house! If the Simpsons can do it, so can you! ;-)
Posted by: kapgar | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 12:16 PM
I heart the Breakfast Club but thankfully JC Penny has not ruined it for me because I know that commercial won't be used again for the next season (or whenever it is they change up their ads).
And love the pic! :) Too funny.
Posted by: Marie | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 12:16 PM
Oh god. I HATE HATE HATE that commercial. It's so dumb. I understood the reference to the movie (even though I've never seen it) and agree that they are killing its memory.
Posted by: kilax | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 12:42 PM
OK, I hate the commercial, but I'm hoping it opens the door to a new generation of Breakfast Club lovers. Is that toooooo optimistic of me?
Posted by: Krys Slovacek | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 02:03 PM
Who watches commercials?
Posted by: Avitable | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 02:07 PM
Judd Nelson was hot (is hot? What has he been up to lately?). The kid in the commercial is not. Therefore, I need to agree with your stand on this.
Posted by: tori | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 02:59 PM
Marie, they may not be able to ruin it beyond this season, but that's not stopping them from deluging us this season.
kilax, when a non viewer can say that, you know it's bad.
Krys, you are definitely a glass half full kinda woman. You need to hang out with me more often. I'll fix ya right good.
Avitable, we actually still watch some live TV. Sorry to disappoint you.
tori, the last thing I saw him in was Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back several years ago. Not sure what lately, though.
Posted by: kapgar | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 03:15 PM
Crazy bastards.
Posted by: Avitable | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 03:17 PM
Some of us like to take our lives into our hands. What can I say?
Posted by: kapgar | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 03:19 PM
I totally agree....this commercial makes me want to jab out my eyes...but it did remind me that I have TheBC on dvd, and I've watched it twice in the past week, lol.
Posted by: Stephanie | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 04:22 PM
Motley has been bitching about that commercial. She hates that it's copying the movie. It spoils it all for her.
Posted by: Winter | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 04:51 PM
Stephanie, a good movie. I'm going to have to give it a while though to erase the memory of this commercial. BTW, I think I'm in love with your URL. That's great!
Winter, smart woman. I'll have to go lend her some support.
Posted by: kapgar | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 04:58 PM
I HATE THAT DAMN COMMERCIAL!!!!
I would like to be your lobbyist, or something.
Or at least spray a can of whipass all over the a-hole who came up with that commercial!
Posted by: Sybil Law | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 11:58 PM
What happened to my comment?!!
I HATE THAT COMMERCIAL.
Blah, blah.
(Must go to bed now.)
Posted by: Sybil Law | Friday, 08 August 2008 at 11:59 PM
You know, I have to say I liked that J.C. Penney ad homage to The Breakfast Club. Now that they play it 8 times a day on prime time TV, it's getting old, but it brought a smile to my face the first few times I saw it.
Judging from your post and the comments, I'm in the minority here.
Posted by: martymankins | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 09:22 AM
Sybil, it's there. The turnaround can be a little slow though. Oh, and you're hired! Lobbyist, can of whoop ass, or both. You pick.
marty, I will admit to being curious and even possibly enjoying it to a minor degree the first time. But, like you said, it's everywhere. Even in a playback loop in lobby monitors at our local theater. GRRRRR...
Posted by: kapgar | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 10:51 AM
Most media that gets played to death tends to wear on me, regardless of how cool it was the first time.
Posted by: martymankins | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 01:06 PM
Big dog! Dude! You know it is a comercial? More importantly, not that I don't disagree with your point of stealing ideas such as songs and such, but it a remake. You would have a hard time getting anything to stick in any court of law. Plus, to lobby to prevent anyone from producing anything that appears to resemble anyone elses idea means anyone can sue anyone else! Frankly, I think we have enough good laws not enforced enough already.
Now if you were to site Van Halen's song being used in a comercial for Pepsi, I agree and I think that is enforceable already.
Don't get me into politics, I have been brewing too much already!
Oh, and you shop at JC Penny now? JK
Posted by: bdub | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 03:33 PM
Hehheh. Here are some of my all--time fav Demotivators. : )
Posted by: John | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 07:23 PM
You know, I've never seen The Breakfast Club. Ever. Surely I must be the one and only 30 something that hasn't seen it.
Posted by: Kevin Spencer | Saturday, 09 August 2008 at 08:36 PM
marty, a very good point.
bdub, and you know the post is a joke, right? As for VH, they got a pretty cool revenge by having a can for the competitor on the cover of their next album.
John, cool!
Kevin, I think you are one of the few.
Posted by: kapgar | Sunday, 10 August 2008 at 12:03 AM
My thoughts exactly! My skin crawls every time that commercial comes on.
Posted by: Lisa | Sunday, 10 August 2008 at 11:08 AM
Lisa, I can't say it's a skin crawler so much as a rage maker for me. ;-)
Posted by: kapgar | Monday, 11 August 2008 at 05:40 AM