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Last night I was doing some work while cooking dinner, and American Idol was playing in the background. When the food was done, I went into the living room to eat, and actually started watching the show rather than passively listening.

Observance One: Things in commercials don’t have to make any sense.

One thing I noticed is that commercials trying to depict rational reality often have one fatal flaw that makes no sense. They involve either something that is technically impossible, or simply counterintuitive to actual human behavior.

Example One: the Microsoft/Ford SYNC commercial.

You’ll notice that toward the end of the commercial, the woman says "Call Home" and immediately someone answers the phone. No dialing. No ringing. Immediate connection.

Example Two: I think it was Pantene.

The commercial involves a woman showing off her hair. I’m guessing that shiny hair, or maybe bouncy hair is something that women really care about. At least that’s what the commercial has me thinking.

The woman is watching a gentleman playing pool, and he offers her the cue stick. Her hair is in a ponytail, and for some reason, she takes off the rubber bandy thing to shoot. Her hair is all over her face, obviously distracting her from her shot. I would think the opposite would make sense: using the hair holder device to move her mane away from her eyes to help with shot precision. 

Observance Two: Peyton Manning Will Sell Anything

You’ve likely seen at least half a dozen commercials with Mr. Manning hawking a product or service. There are the priceless pep talk commercials where he shills for MasterCard. There are Sprint commercials. The NFL Sunday Ticket. NFLShop.com. ESPN. Gatorade. Reebok. Now Double Stuff Oreo Cookies.

Here are a few new ones:

What’s my point?

Well, nothing.