Published: Friday, 9th May, 2008 16:30
Turn down the volume...
By Dan Gowar
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THERE was good news this week for those infuriated by noisy adverts on television.
A watchdog has ruled companies advertising products and services must turn down the decibels from July.
The Broadcasting Committee of Advertising Practice said: “We were acutely aware of the frustration that excessively loud or seemingly noisy ads were causing consumers.”
Basically, it’s about programmes broadcast at one level and the sound being cranked up to gain our attention when the advertising breaks come on. After this happens, many viewers hit the mute button on their remote control or stick fingers in their ears. Some may run out the room.
I can live with certain programmes being a bit noisy, for example, if it involves people firing guns, but get extremely annoyed when adverts assault my hearing.
One advert in particular used to drive me batty. Introduced some years ago, it involved a male character shouting the virtues of a product apparently capable of removing everything from oven grime to barnacles on a ship’s hull.
Why the company thought people would rush out to buy the product after being shouted at was beyond me. Perhaps it was a castback to when British people abroad believed foreigners would understand the English language if they shouted loud enough.
This product may well be very effective and sell well but I decided — and the General Manager agreed — it would never be used within Gowar Towers.
If I’m going to be shouted at in my own home, the GM is more than capable of delivering this service without assistance from some fellow on the television. This product is still being advertised and, in fairness, the bloke seems to be a touch less noisy. But I’m still not going to purchase it.
I also get angry when adverts involve actors singing cheesy tunes which you cannot get out of your head. And once again, my resolve is not to buy whatever is being promoted.
It can also get to the point where the tune is still tormenting me, but I cannot recall what was being advertised.
If wanting me to buy your product, please keep the sales pitch at a low volume and no singing.
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