February 28, 2012
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God’s love = batteries
I mean really WTF??
I know before anyone says it. this is not a new ad. I saw it for the first time Monday afternoon so it is new to me. It just shocked me. I expected it to be for a church. Batteries???
What do Interstate Batteries have to do with “god” and “his love”? Interstate Batteries has an entire web page on their corporate site devoted to Norm Miller’s God’s Love.
I just think that in this day and age this sort of stuff should be left out of general advertizing. They still don’t get it, that America is not solely 100 % a christian society. It’s insulting for some to constantly be overlooked like they are not even worthy of being countable within our society as a whole.
When it really matters, Duracell is the devil. God prefers Interstate Batteries.
Note to self: Never buy Interstate batteries in the future.
Comments (17)
whack country lately. I mean more so than usual.
i read your title and thought we was gettin’ down into some nitty gritty vibratin’ kind o’ love… car batteries and god?!? wtf… the ramones said it best… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BBfybCPkjA
As I understand it, the commercial is not an advertisement for batteries but rather created by the chairman of a corporation that sells batteries. I don’t get the impression that this is an advertisement as most advertisements go. This doesn’t seem to be incentive to buy a product like Interstate batteries but rather a declaration of an individual’s beliefs. The site you linked to describes the purpose of the commercial as to show “the positive change in the lives of several people when touched by God’s love. The spot also reflects the inspiring and healing affects God has had on Norm’s life.” I don’t see an ad for batteries in there. Describing this as an advertisement for batteries seems to be a misrepresentation of the commercial. The only connection to batteries and this spot is that the creator of the commercial is the chairman of Interstate Batteries and thus their money probably helped create the commercial (thus the credit to them at the end). You described this as an advertisement for batteries though. Why do you see it as that as opposed to a commercial communicating what was quoted above on the website?
You said that this sort of thing shouldn’t exist in general advertising. I’m not disagreeing with you necessarily but what do you mean by “this sort of stuff?” Are you referring to personal beliefs, anything that isn’t a plea to purchase a particular product, or something in the middle of the two? What should commercials be confined to? What should the restrictions be on commercials if we are to not overlook people in a way that misrepresents the society in the United States? Should that be a major goal of all commercials?
What makes you think that Norm Miller believes this society is a 100% Christian nation and that he overlooks people who are not Christian and doesn’t deem them worthy of being counted members of the society he lives in? Do you see this viewpoint (or ignorance) expressed in this commercial? If so, how? If not, why do you assume that the existence of this commercial proves this viewpoint is present in others? Personally, I’ve yet to meet a person who believe everyone in this society is a Christian. I, of course, have met people who would deem this a ‘Christian nation’ (which I disagree with) but not a society of Christians in which nonChristians are not counted as parts of that society. I wonder, what would be the point of this type of commercial in a society that was 100% Christian as opposed to 99 or less percent Christian? It seems to me, as a Christian, that there is more incentive for someone to create such a commercial in a society which they believe is not 100% Christian. Otherwise they would just be preaching to the choir so to speak.
@ToastersNMilkshakes - The reason I took it as an ad for Interstate Batteries is because at the end it says Interstate batteries. This would not be the first ad where the ad doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the product being sold.
You asked about what should commercials be confined to? I think that commercials should deal with the product being sold. What is the benefit or goal of the product? What makes the product better then the competitor? Why should I buy this product? etc
Commercials like this seem like a ploy to get all the christians to buy this type of battery. Oh, look this is a christian company, their ad mentions god. I need to buy their product. It works too with a lot of christians. It tends to make me sick. I think religion should be left out of it.
I don’t need god to help an elderly lady with her bags. I don’t need god to love my husband or my children. I think if the CEO wants to spend his money to run ads that talk about shit like that then go ahead but companies should stay out of religion. By using interstate batteries it is bringing religion into the company. Businesses should not be religious. They should worry about making a good product not about Allah, YHWH, Zeus or any other deity.
that’s some crazy shit right there.
I wish there were more emphasis in the amazing feats of mankind. It reminds me of this song (by The Postal Service): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAPy64IgG58
Even if people do believe in God, we should all feel proud of what we’ve achieved. Free will allowed us to prosper, not roboticly good behavior. In fact, often it was in direct contrast to the latter.
The Socratic Method, an ancient model identical to Our Scientific Method, began with a man who drank hemlock because of his heresy. Heliocentricity was borne of a genius whose fate resulted in house arrest, a death in vain.
“[Last night I had the strangest dream/ where everything was exactly how it seemed.]
Concerns about the world getting warmer
people thought that they were just being rewarded
for treating others as they’d like to be treated,
for obeying stop signs and curing diseases,
and mailing postcards with the address of the sender
now we can swim any day in November.
Don’t wake me, I plan on sleeping in.”
Man’s achievement, though often stunted, has been almost inconceivable.
Our dogmas are self-defeating.
I think the religious person who is filled with genuine sincerity is worshipping the goodness of man, he just doesn’t know it.
@ToastersNMilkshakes - Valid points. I mean, I’ve seen commercials for Mormons, which I find kind of funny slash silly. I mean, why does a religion need to advertise? I’m not sure if the OP of this post finds this commercial offensive so much as irrelevant when she says that Christians are not everybody in the U.S. Actually, and maybe I’m a minority among Atheists saying this, but I feel somewhat flattered when someone is so happy due to their religion that they want to “share it” with me (providing they are not doing so out of a mandatory requirement, and sometimes it’s hard to differentiate- I’m talking about free will). I find it kind of sweet, even if it’s silly. Of course such people easily draw the line when they hold my lack of belief(s) in contempt.
That said, an issue like this is shits and giggles when one considers the fact that a man who dressed up as a “Zombie Mohammad” for Halloween was assaulted by a Muslim for doing so, and the 1st amendment right was apparently trumped by the moron impeachment-worthy judge who contested the costume-wearer’s lack of sensitivity. Or that the president of the United States of America just apologized to the government of a country because his soldiers burned the Qur’an of a murdered terrorist, which of course was followed my MURDERS of said book burners by the angry Muslims. Where’s the apology to AmericA?! This is where our focus should lay, if common sense has any role in our awareness and passions.
@Kristenmomof3 - VERY good point. I believe the same standards should be brought into politics, even more so considering. There are without a doubt many Atheists in politics who would not have their positions had they been out. Too many morons base their votes on people for their erroneous religious beliefs, or lack thereof. It’s irrelevant and the references to God in 2012 politics is OBSCENE.
Many commercials sell products by identifying the product either explicitly or implicitly to sex, success, popularity, etc., even if the product has no direct bearing on the subjects. I disagree with @ToastersNMilkshakes that this is not advertising batteries (if the chairman of Interstate Batteries didn’t want to sell batteries, he would create an unrelated website with this message and keep the affiliation secret), but I don’t see how you can argue that a company isn’t free to use whatever message they want to shape their brand identity and sell their product, unless you want incredibly restrictive marketing laws that also prevent (say) a jeans company from using images of cowboys, as cowboys aren’t integral to the concept of jeans, or vice-versa.
That said, your response is perhaps the best option. Just like members of the AFA can boycott GAP for discussing “holidays” instead of Christmas, you’re free to boycott Interstate for promoting the idea that theism makes the world a better place. That’s the free market.
@SirNickDon - I’m not saying this doesn’t advertise batteries. It obviously does to a degree. What I’m saying is that the motivation of this commercial is not for the purpose of selling batteries. If it is then Norm Miller has really abused his faith and where it comes from. I am under the impression that the chairman put the logo there because it is his company that put forth the funds for his commercial and you gotta throw them a bone. That makes the most sense to me. But hey, I could be wrong and Miller could be totally serving Mammon by using God’s name. Outside of that, I’m with you on your response.
@Kristenmomof3 - Are you against any commercial then that isn’t solely purposed for the selling of goods? Are you against commercials that stand against drug use, LGBTIQ abuse, various forms of discrimination, or that promote certain politicians, voting issues, social justice awareness, the goodness of life, or free community activities? Personally, I’d hate to have our media confined to consumeristic motifs.
@ToastersNMilkshakes - I am fine with a christian commercial as long as it isn’t trying to sell me batteries or jeans or food or something. You want to preach to me or want me to come to your church… I have no problem with it being a commercial. I see how many commercials for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints.
I have a problem with people using religion to promote products or their political campaign.
I am fine with commercials against drug use and DV and discrimination etc.
@xplorrn - Me too!
:: blink blink:: WTF?!
@xplorrn - That was the best part of my morning thus far. Thank you.
@ZombieMom_Speaks - i’d say it was my pleasure… but…
Hope you feel better.
I can’t see video but I’ll take your word for it as to it’s whackadoodle ness
((bug hugs))