The Most Annoying Thing About The Holidays: Lexus Commercials
You know what I hate more than anything during the Holidays? The Lexus commercials:
Hate it. And I hate that I just posted that mess on this blog so you all know what it is I'm hating.
These commercials were annoying enough back in the halcyon days of serious conspicuous consumption. Was that only two years ago? Do you remember? Back before everyone's 401(k) went to Hades, before unemployment skyrocketed, and before we began associating the word "TARP" with something other than a huge piece of waterproof canvas.
Yes, even then, these commercials were probably the MOST annoying symbol of the extremes of wealth and poverty in this country, and the very antithesis of the Christmas spirit of kindness and selflessly being of service and giving to others. I know, I know, all that's forgotten in the modern era of 10 page, single-spaced, typed in 10 point Times New Roman "Here's All The Things Santa (and you) Can Buy Me" lists.
But now that food banks are being mobbed, folks are losing their cars, homes and - as many have told me - axing Christmas presents altogether except one for each child - the idea of a $70K (or more) car as the ultimate present makes me even more disgusted. Really, have the marketing people at Lexus looked around at America lately? Even the folks who aren't getting food stamps and unemployment are toning down the purchases. There's no December to remember with a luxury car in the driveway in their futures... unless they're working on Wall Street and got the benefit of our tax dollars to pay their ridiculous bonuses.
I'm not saying folks shouldn't buy presents. I believe in presents - heck, I'm in the process of writing a little gift guide for this blog (up tomorrow, I might add!). And I do believe people have the right to spend the money they've earned however it is that they want to spend it. It's just that every year there's something about these commercials that makes me want to chuck stuff at the TV.
Is it their idea that love or Christmas spirit means buying what's basically an overpriced, souped up Toyota for your honey? Is it the annoying upperclass, Caucasian privilege aspect of it? Is it latent, unrecognized jealousy that I don't have the cash to buy myself or anybody else a Lexus?
Whatever it is, I'm determined to not watch TV for the rest of the holidays so that I can avoid these inane commercials.
Hate it. And I hate that I just posted that mess on this blog so you all know what it is I'm hating.
These commercials were annoying enough back in the halcyon days of serious conspicuous consumption. Was that only two years ago? Do you remember? Back before everyone's 401(k) went to Hades, before unemployment skyrocketed, and before we began associating the word "TARP" with something other than a huge piece of waterproof canvas.
Yes, even then, these commercials were probably the MOST annoying symbol of the extremes of wealth and poverty in this country, and the very antithesis of the Christmas spirit of kindness and selflessly being of service and giving to others. I know, I know, all that's forgotten in the modern era of 10 page, single-spaced, typed in 10 point Times New Roman "Here's All The Things Santa (and you) Can Buy Me" lists.
But now that food banks are being mobbed, folks are losing their cars, homes and - as many have told me - axing Christmas presents altogether except one for each child - the idea of a $70K (or more) car as the ultimate present makes me even more disgusted. Really, have the marketing people at Lexus looked around at America lately? Even the folks who aren't getting food stamps and unemployment are toning down the purchases. There's no December to remember with a luxury car in the driveway in their futures... unless they're working on Wall Street and got the benefit of our tax dollars to pay their ridiculous bonuses.
I'm not saying folks shouldn't buy presents. I believe in presents - heck, I'm in the process of writing a little gift guide for this blog (up tomorrow, I might add!). And I do believe people have the right to spend the money they've earned however it is that they want to spend it. It's just that every year there's something about these commercials that makes me want to chuck stuff at the TV.
Is it their idea that love or Christmas spirit means buying what's basically an overpriced, souped up Toyota for your honey? Is it the annoying upperclass, Caucasian privilege aspect of it? Is it latent, unrecognized jealousy that I don't have the cash to buy myself or anybody else a Lexus?
Whatever it is, I'm determined to not watch TV for the rest of the holidays so that I can avoid these inane commercials.
Comments
We've concluded that this type of advertising is a part of the war against the middle class.
"...what's basically an overpriced, souped up Toyota..."
So true!
I suspect a lot of hard-up Brits are pruning down their Christmas giving in the same way as your friends, though nobody's actually admitting it. Everyone's still pretending it's the same old free-spending Christmas as always.
It's all about making people feel like they're "less than" if they don't have a shiny, new Lexus. Sigh, the way this economy is going, a lot of people are just happy to have a car, ANY CAR period!
Cynthia,
I think I like your version of December MUCH more than the Lexus version. Right on!
Val,
Yes, "pretentious" is the word that was hovering just outside my subconscious. They're exactly that. And not even that cute at all!
Nick,
Maybe that 1% of Americans that has 98% of the wealth in this country makes the advertising budgets for these cars worth it.
I think you're right about people "fronting" that they have the money to go about business as usual. I much prefer the honest folks who just admit they are seriously paring things back.
Tortuga,
Yes, the jewelry commercials are vomit-inducing. No, every kiss does NOT begin with Kay. AAGH!
Hey, I come from a family of easily amused people - we all crack up every year!